Can you say with confidence...

 Can you say with confidence...

In the gospel of Matthew we read of this conversation between Jesus and a rich young man.

“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.

If you are a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus do you think you could give up everything you have and follow Jesus by faith?

Now here’s another question. Many evangelist especially here in North America are wealthy; of the ones you know and support, do you think they could give up all their wealth and follow Jesus relying only on their faith in God to supply their basic needs?

We as followers of Christ Jesus are called to have complete faith in God to supply our needs. While being rich is not a sin and there are many wealthy people within the church that do great good with their wealth. Love of money can cause problems. The apostle Paul stating,

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5,6.

Can you say with confidence “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid”?

Please think about it.

Called to do good

  Called to do good

Isaiah the prophet said,

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” Isaiah 1:17.

Sadly I feel here in North America there are many Christians who do not follow what Isaiah is saying here. This has been especially true during the last four years in America. Compassion for the poor, fatherless, widows and oppressed has been lacking. 

Politicians calling themselves Christians and even some calling themselves Christian leaders  have refused to use their position to help those in need.

I like what Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,

“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.

This is what we as believers in Christ Jesus should be doing. For in showing the love of God in very practical ways we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

As one Approved

  As one approved 

In the book of Genesis we read,

“So God created man in his own image,

In the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.”

                                                 Genesis 1:26, 27.

We are created according to scripture in the image of God. However there are some within the Church especially here in North America that are making God in their image. 

     They are picking and choosing scriptures to make God conform to what they believe. And in doing so, sadly, they are leading people astray. 

The apostle Paul wrote,

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4

As someone said to me, “the wolves are not outside the church these days. Many are within the church aiming to destroy it from within.

As Christians we need to watch out for those who are misusing scripture. Men and women who are heretics.

The apostle Paul tells us,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13. 

In order to do this we need to read the Bible for ourselves, pray and ask God to show us the truths that are in the Bible.

We need to heed the words of the apostle Paul who wrote,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2Timothy 2:15.

Please think about it.

Keep this in mind

  Keep this in mind.

Jesus is quoted as saying,

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  Luke 6:37.

Jesus said,

“Blessed are the merciful, 

for they will be shown mercy.” 

                                      Matthew 5:7

James the half brother of Jesus wrote,

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom,  because judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement!” James 2:12,13.

These are scriptures we as believers in Christ Jesus need to keep in mind when we are interacting with those around us.

Please think about it. 

If Possible

  If Possible

The apostle Paul wrote,

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone.”

                                                     Romans 12:18.

Do you? Do you live at peace with those around you, especially those whom you most vehemently disagree with?

There are many here in North America where I live who claim to be Christians but go around picking fights with anyone they disagree with. This should not be.

Jesus and the apostles never picked fights with those outside of their Jewish faith. Paul never demanded changes to Roman law. Nor did any other disciple of Christ.

They like we today lived in a multicultural society where there were many beliefs and practices that they would not have liked. Yet they never spoke against them.

Even when the apostle Paul was asked to speak at the Areopagus (Acts 17:17-34) in Athens he never spoke against the beliefs of those around him

As a result people listened to his message and some were saved.

Paul and the other disciples kept on script. No matter what situation they found themselves in they did their best to live at peace with those around them and present the Gospel of Christ.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

I will

  I Will

The Psalmist writes,

"I will extol the LORD at all times; 

his praise will always be on my lips. 

My soul will boast in the LORD; 

let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

Glorify the LORD with me; 

let us exalt his name together." 

                                           Psalm 34:1-3.

Do you do this? Do you “extol the LORD at all times”? 

I am always amazed at the reports that I read from Christians around the world that live under persecution or are in jail for their faith in Christ Jesus. These brothers and sisters in Christ some in very bad situations keep their faith and praise the Lord.

It reminds me of Paul and Silas who were in prison. The book of acts recording,

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25.

In what for Paul and Silas must have been a very bad time they prayed and sung hymns to God. Such a thing should be an example to us who live in freedom.

As Christians who live in freedom we should always remember to pray and praise God no matter what situation we are in.

Thus my question to you the reader; Do you pray and give praise to God at the very least daily?

Please think about it.

A Lesson from Jesus Freaks

  A Lesson from Jesus Freaks

Jesus said,

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1,2

Way back in the seventies I met up with a group of Christians that to say the least were outside the norm of the day, Jesus Freaks, the hippy version of Christianity. Meeting them changed the direction of my life.

They were odd an odd lot, at least from the mainstream churches. In the fact they, when it came to worshipping God they did things that were in some churches taboo. They worshipped God in dance, they sang and praised God using guitars, tambourines, drums and any other instruments they could play. They sang songs that were not in the hymnals. And they did all this while in blue jeans and tee shirts. Quite the opposite to many churches who expected people to come in their Sunday best outfits.

The Jesus Freaks I hung out with were young most of us in our late teens to late twenties. They accepted everyone at face value. Loving them and teaching them about Jesus. Something many church congregations at the time did not do, unless you conformed to unimportant things like wearing your Sunday best clothing and following a carved in stone ritual.

Above all they didn’t judge anyone. They let Holy Spirit convict people of their sins. All they did was Love and present the word of God.

They believed the words 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.

And the two most important things when it comes to doing to others as you would have them do to you, they and I today believe is to show and present the Love of God to those around you without judging them.

As the late American Evangelist Billy Graham put it.

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                                   Billy Graham

This is a lesson that individual Christians and church congregations today can learn from the whole Jesus freak movement of the past.

Please think about it.

A daily thing

  A daily thing

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4,5.

Here is something we as believers in Christ Jesus need to be praying daily. It’s a simple request to God to lead us into truth.

In a world filled with half truths, and out and out lies both from outside the church and from those espousing to be Christians we need God guidance daily.

We need to be praying and reading the word of God daily so that we know the paths God is leading us in.

Are you spending to quality time in the word of God?

Are you taking quality time to pray and ask God of guidance?

Is your hope truly in God?

Please think about it.

Doing Good

  Doing Good

Isaiah the prophet said,

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” Isaiah 1:17.

Sadly I feel here in North America there are many Christians who do not follow what Isaiah is saying here. This has been especially true during the last four years in America. Compassion for the poor, fatherless, widows and oppressed has been lacking. 

Politicians calling themselves Christians and even some calling themselves Christian leaders  have refused to use their position to help those in need.

I like what Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,

“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.

This is what we as believers in Christ Jesus should be doing. For in showing the love of God in very practical ways we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Love says it all

  Love says it all

Jesus said,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

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 favor and a good name

 in the sight of God and man.”

                                                        Proverbs 3:3,4.

Love says it all. If we are faithful and love God. The love of God will radiate through us to those around us. 

As a result of our love and faithfulness to God as the proverb states, we will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Thus my questions to you; 

Are you faithful to God? 

Is the love you have in your life the unconditional love of God?

Do you show this Love to the world around you?

Please think about it.

What Shall I Cry?

  What shall I cry?

Isaiah the prophet wrote,

"A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" 

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:6-8.

Let’s face it you are not going to live forever. No matter how good your health is you will one day die. So the question becomes, where will you spend eternity?

If you’re an atheist you might say you just cease to exist. You don’t live on in eternity. But what if the atheist is wrong as I believe they are?

In order to know for sure that God does not exist and that you don’t live on into eternity. You have to have all knowledge and have been everywhere. And we know that no one in this life has come back from beyond the grave to tell us what it is like.

Blaise Pascal wrote,

“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.” Blaise Pascal.

That belief in God however has to be true belief. Not just an intellectual belief. The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope 

for and certain of what we do not see.”  

                                                Hebrews 11:1.

Jesus said,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.

What are you doing?

  What are you doing?

The apostle Paul wrote,

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

If you consider yourself a Christian are you truly an ambassador for Christ?

An ambassador is someone who represents his or her nation or king. It is through the lense of the ambassador that people see their nation.

Paul here tells us that through us God is making His appeal to those around us.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

Preach the Gospel at all times 

and when necessary use words.

                                          Francis of Assisi

He also wrote,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                         Francis of Assisi.

If you claim to be a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus then people are watching not only your words but your deeds also.

Your deeds and words have the power to bring people to Christ or push them away. 

So what are your words and deeds doing? What are you doing?

Please think about it.