Christians sin

Christians sin

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.

Do you humble yourself before God. Are you like the Pharisee in the above parable or like the tax collector?

The apostle Paul tells us,

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.

Even Christians sin. As someone has said, “Christians are not perfect just progressing”

The apostle John reminds us,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10.

Thus my question to anyone claiming to be a believer in Christ Jesus is;

When was the last time you confessed your sin to God?

Please think about it.

Do you take God for granted?

 Do you take God for granted?

Luke’s gospel records,

“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table.  

When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner." 

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. 

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  

Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?" 

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said. 

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  

You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  

You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." 

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke 7:36-48.

I have attended church for over forty years. In that time I have seen many who come to church, who have the attitude that they are saved and seemingly take God for granted. I find this especially in those who grew up in the church. They are like the pharisee mentioned in the above scripture.

At the same time I have seen others come to the alter and weep asking for Gods forgiveness, for they know how far from God they were.

I think as believers we from time to time need to truly look at ourselves and ask;

Do I take God for granted?

Do I take my faith for granted?

Am I truly giving to God the reverence, glory, honour and praise God deserves?

Please think about it.

No other gods

 No other Gods

In the book of Exodus we read,

And God spoke all these words: 

"I am the LORD your God, 

who brought you out of Egypt, 

out of the land of slavery. 

"You shall have no other gods before me. 

                                                       Exodus 20:1-3

What constitutes a god in the twenty-first century. The way I see it is a god is anything you put ahead of The Lord God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

The one big thing I see more so in the United States than in Canada is their constitutional rights. The constitution of the United States give each individual certain rights. Which is a good thing. The trouble comes when an individual puts their rights ahead of what God tells us to do in the scriptures.

We don’t see the guarantee of individual rights in the Bible. In the bible we read,

"Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4.

We are called to look to the interest of others. Which means even if we have certain rights guaranteed by the laws of the country in which we live, we have an obligation to God and our fellow man to put others interests above ourselves.

Do you?

Please think about it.

Something to do

 Something to do

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

 bind them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favour and a good name

 in the sight of God and man."

                                                       Proverbs 3:3,4.

As believers in Christ Jesus we must remember that Love of God, and love for our fellow man, be they family, friend, or foe, should take first place in our heart.

The results of love and faithfulness will, the writer of proverbs tells us,

“...win favour and a good name 

in the sight of God and man.”

So is this something you are doing?

Please think about it.

From the Psalms

 From the Psalms

The Psalmist writes,

“How can a young man keep his way pure? 

By living according to your word. 

I seek you with all my heart; 

do not let me stray from your commands. 

I have hidden your word in my heart 

that I might not sin against you. 

Praise be to you, O LORD; 

teach me your decrees. 

With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 

I delight in your decrees; 

I will not neglect your word.” 

                                                                               Psalm 119:9-16.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A believer in Christ Jesus. Why not make these words from Psalms a reality in your life today?

Please think about it.

Gods word

 Gods word

The psalmist writes.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." 

                                                                                  Psalm 119:105

Thus my question to you dear reader is; Is it? Is the word of the Lord a guiding light to you in all your ways?

Sadly for many claiming to be Christians today Gods word is not their primary guiding light. They mix the word of God with other things, everything from philosophies, other faiths, and even the constitution of the country in which they live. This should not be so.

If we are true followers of Christ Jesus our guidance should come directly and unadulteratedly from the Bible. 

You cannot pick and choose what you believe in the bible and disregard the rest. St. Augustine said,

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” St Augustine.

The bible is the inspired Word of God. The apostle Paul telling us,

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”2 Timothy 3:16,17.

So I ask you again; is the Bible your guiding light?

Please think about it.

About the poor, A Christian perspective.

 About the poor. A Christian perspective. 

In the book of Acts we read,

“He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly" Acts:10:2.

Here in North America we live with freedoms that are the envy of the world. We also live in a very materialistic society. And materialism has infiltrated the church. There are many evangelist and pastors out there saying if we truly love God we will be healthy and wealthy. Yet the reality is quiet the opposite. There are many who love God who are just making ends meet.This is also true for many around the world who believe in Christ Jesus. 

Why does this happen? 

I think the best explanation comes from of all places the Jewish Talmud that states,

Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love."  The Talmud.

This statement is true the apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:13.

The apostle John writes,

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1John 3:17,18.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17.

I firmly believe all who claim to be Christian, all who claim to be true followers of Christ Jesus need to be helping the poor in anyway they can. We need to do it because in this world we are the hands of Christ.

Please think about it.

May the name of The Lord be praised

 May the name of the Lord be praised.

In the book of Job we read,

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; 

may the name of the Lord be praised."

                                                                    Job 1:21

Job went through many hardships. Hardships that included the loss of his family and possessions. Yet through it all Job praised God. He remembered just who was in control.

I wonder how many people who call themselves Christians in the North American church today could praise God if they went through what Job went through?

What about you dear reader; if you were in Job’s position do you think you could praise God?

Please think about it.

Gods will any you

 Gods will and you

Jeremiah wrote,

“Then you will call on me 

and come and pray to me, 

and I will listen to you. 

You will seek me and find me 

when you seek me with all your heart.” 

                                                                  Jeremiah 29:12,13

Seeking God with our whole heart is I believe the key to truly finding what God wants for our lives. 

That being said many seeks God out for their own means. They call on him to do things for them in their way not His way. 

When God shows them what he wants for their life and they don’t agree with it they reject it. Saying it can’t be from God.

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to his arrest and subsequent execution said,

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."  

Luke 22:42.

The key phrase here being “...not my will, but yours be done.”

We as believers in Christ Jesus must always remember that we should put Gods will first in our life, whether we agree with it or not.

Thus my question to you; do you always put Gods will first in your life?

Please think about it.

Humility

 Humility. 

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  

The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  

I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.

I believe the Christian life is about being humble before God. 

The apostle Paul tells us,

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:5-8.

In the book of James we read,

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, 

and he will lift you up."

                                        James 4:10.

Humility will win more souls for Christ than arrogance and self-righteousness will any time.

Please think about it. 

What is good

 What is good

The Prophet Micah writes,

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

 And what does the Lord require of you? 

To act justly and to love mercy 

and to walk humbly with your God." 

                                                             Micah 6:8.

This is a duty of every believer in Christ Jesus. Every believer in God. 

  We are

to act justly, 

to love mercy, 

to walk humbly with God.

These attributes are what God desires in a believer.

Thus my question to you. If you consider yourself a believer in Christ are these attributes visible in your life?

Please think about it.

Our duty as Christians

 Our duty as Christians

The Apostle Peter wrote,

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:11,12.

Here is something for Christians to think about. If sinning is falling short of Gods ideal for your life. If sinning is not doing what God wants you to do. Is it sinning when you put your interest above that of others?

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Let each of you look not only to your own interests, 

but also to the interests of others." 

                                                                 Philippians 2:4.

As Christians, as believers in Christ Jesus, we like any other group in a secular democracy such as we have in the west only as many rights as the government grants us. It is therefore incumbent on us to as Peter states, “abstain from sinful desires...”

It is our job to glorify God at all times even when dealing with our enemies. Which at times means helping our enemy and anyone else we deal with. So that no matter what happens, people will see our good work and glorify God.

Please think about it.