Respect

 Respect

The apostle Peter writes,

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,"1 Peter 3:15.

Are you ready to present the gospel of Christ to anyone who might ask you. Equally importantly is when you tell people about Christ are you respectful to those with whom your are speaking?

Sadly one of the things I have found here in North America is that those who are not Christians many time feel Christians do not respect them, their way of life or their faith.

They violate the command of Jesus who said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

We can disagree with people and still respect them. Furthermore they will respect and listen to us if we do as Jesus commanded. 

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

Thus my question to you. Do you show respect to those you disagree with, be they family, friend or foe?

Please think about it.

Gods representatives

  Gods representatives 

The apostle Peter writes,

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

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 2:9-12.

Question; do you live up to what the apostle Peter is saying here?

Francis of Assisi made two interesting statements. He said,

“Preach the Gospel at all times 

and when necessary use words.”

                                                            Francis of Assisi

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                               Francis of Assisi.

So what are your words and deeds telling those around you about Jesus?

Please think about it.

Revival or else

 Revival or else

In the book of Revelations we read Jesus speaking to the church Ephesus,

"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.  

Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place" Revelations 2:4,5.

In his book "Essentials in Christian Faith" John B. Harrington, published in 1958, there is a quote that could have been written yesterday.

It's from Paul Gallico in Esquire Magazine in 1948:

"A writer in a popular magazine has written the following words; 'We are all, if you will pardon the expression, Headed for Hell in a handbarrow. If, ever the people of the world stood in need of a spiritual revival, it is now. We are beginning to poison the face of the earth with our miserable presence. The brakes are off. The cart of the world is sliding down the way greased with hatred, ambition, lies, self-seeking and avarice toward the pit.'"

Harrington notes that Gallico makes no pretense of being "a religious man" noting that "...for him it is precisely religion in its organized forms which has in part caused the situation he deplores. He is careful to state that it is not "religion" for which he is looking. For in his opinion, religion throughout the history of our culture has advanced its control over human beings by the investment of bigotry and persecution. 

Yet, out of despair over the current human situation he says; ‘The voice for which my heavy spirit is yearning must reach us all... For if it is not heard, we are lost. Something beyond our material enrichment and lust for power and position, some rewards founded on good will, selflessness, and the innate dignity of the human spirit...honour, humility, decency courage."

What Paul Gallico wanted in 1948 and what the people of the world are looking for in 2020 are what Christ offers. Jesus said,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

Sadly however the Church here in North America has become ‘religious’. It as the apostle Paul predicted when he wrote,

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."2 Timothy 3:1-4.

If ever there was a time in the history of the church here in North America to repent it is now. For the church in its current state has lost the moral high ground. People know more about what the church is against than what it is for. 

The message of Gods love, mercy and understanding is lost in the cacophony of preachers, evangelist and others claiming to be Christian who spend more time condemning others than showing Gods love and mercy.

Thus I believe more than ever the Church in North America from the pulpit to the pew needs to repent like never before.

Please think about it.

Serve one another in Love.

 Serve one another in Love.

The apostle Paul writes,

“...serve one another in love." 

                                      Galatians 5:13b

If you consider yourself a Christian, are you serving your brothers and sisters in Christ in love?

Are the church leaders you support or follow truly serving in love?

If someone from outside your church community looked at you, your pastor, or those you support, would they say they are serving in love?

Sadly there are many from outside the church that would say love is lacking among Christians.

It’s time for those calling themselves Christians to realize this and do more to show unconditional love, to family, friend, and foe.

Francis of Assisi wrote a wonderful prayer I think all who call themselves Christians should pray in all sincerity. He wrote,

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life." 

                                                                       Francis of Assisi.

Pleases think about it.

    

Gods way or our way?

 Gods way or our way?

Jesus said,

“This, then, is how you should pray: " ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9,10.

Sadly I think many Christians forget this teaching of Jesus, especially the part that states,

“...your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Rather than saying that, they say, “God I want this” “God I want that” “God do this for me” “God I come against this thing or that thing.” then they wonder why their prayers are not answered. 

We must remember that God is not our servant. We are His. As such we should be willing to do His will.

We must accept the fact that God is in control. That ultimately in this world as it is in Heaven Gods will, will be done.

Please think about it.

Christian or WAFR?

  Christian or WAFR?

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.

Do you Love God? Are you faithful to Him? Does you love extend to those around you, family friend and foe alike?

Sadly when I speak to people of other faiths and lifestyles here in North America they see many of those in the evangelical community as unloving.

They see evangelicals as wanting to take their rights away. Rights given to them by a lawfully elected secular, government.

From my point of view I firmly believe they are not seeing true Christians. They are seeing what someone has called “White American Folk Religion (WAFR)”.

John Walton in a paper entitled, “A Practical View of White American Folk Religion Contrasted with Real Christianity” (October 31, 2020) wrote,

 “WAFR is a race, class, gender-based hierarchy that hijacks the Christian label to sanction abuse, greed, and violence, and then absolve leaders who live lives contrary to the teachings of Jesus and wield power in opposition to God's plan for the world.” John Walton

The attributes of a true Christian are given by the apostle Paul who said,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

The apostle Paul also defined what Christian love is when he wrote,

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

So who are you? 

Do you follow the teachings of Jesus? 

Are you showing the fruit of the Spirit and attributes of Love as the apostle Paul laid out?

        Or; 

Are you a WAFR?

Please think about it.

Who's your friend?

 Who’s your friend?

In the book of James we read,

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."  James 4:4.

So who’s your friend?

Jesus tells us,

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24.

We must decide whether we are on Gods side or mans side. A decision that should not be taken lightly. 

Matthews gospel tells this story,

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 

"Which ones?" the man inquired. 

Jesus replied, " ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,' and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.''" 

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth." Matthew 19:16-22.

Are you this young man. Who had more faith in his wealth than in God? Or is your faith in God?

Please think about it.

Not my will bu yours be done

 Not my will but yours be done

Jesus said,

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

Here is a portion of scripture misused by the so called prosperity doctrine teachers. They say all you have to do is ask God and He will give it to you. 

Sadly many have given more than they could afford to a ministry only to find what they were led to believe is untrue.

In the book of James we read,

"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." James 4:3.

Jesus makes it clear what we are suppose to do when he states,

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33.

The way I see it is, the closer we come to God, through prayer and the study of scripture the better we see what Gods will for our life is. Thus we come in line for Gods will in our life and pray as Jesus prayed on the mount of olives,

"...not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42b.

So my question to you is; 

Uncertain times

 Uncertain times?

The apostle Paul wrote.

"And we know all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

We live in uncertain times. The Covid-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented grief the world over. Many around the world are looking to the political drama going on in the United States, the regional conflicts around the world, and asking what does it all mean.

Some are even saying we are on the verge of the second coming of Christ.

Frankly I don’t know why all these problems are occurring. I especially don’t know if we are on the verge of Christs return.

What I do no is what the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 is true,

"And we know all things work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

Thus my questions to you the reader is;

Do you truly from your heart, love God?

And;

Are you doing what God has called you to do?

Please think about it.

Revival

  Revival

In the book of 2 Chronicles we read,

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles, 7:14.

I attend an evangelical church and as such I hear a lot of people saying there is a need for revival. And it does. 

That being said what I am hearing is “America and Canada need revival” as if America and Canada are Christian nations who have fallen away from God. Which is not true. Canada and America are not Christian nations. Nor have they ever been. There is no Christian nation in this world.

It is not American and Canadian nations that need revival, it is the Church particularly those claiming to be evangelicals. 

Sadly in the year of our Lord 2020 the evangelical movement in North America has moved away from the pure gospel message. 

They are mixing their faith with politics. Always a bad combination. As someone has said,

“mixing religion and politics is like mixing water and gasoline. 

The water is undrinkable. 

The gasoline unusable. 

And the whole mixture explosive.”

Yes there is a need for revival within the church be they evangelicals or non-evangelicals, all need;

To humble themselves and pray. 

To confess their sins.

And to ask God to forgive them for turning from His word. 

Please think about it.

Are You?

 Are you?

Jesus said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

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.

two questions: 1/ Are you following these two teachings of Jesus and the                                                apostle Paul?

                2/ Are the pastors, priests, politicians, or other leaders you                                                follow doing what Jesus and Paul said?

Please think about it.

You and others

 You and others

Jesus said,

"Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' love those who love them.  

And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' do that.  

And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners' lend to ‘sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.  

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." Luke 6:31-35.

One question; Are you doing what Jesus is telling us to do here?

Please think about it.