Praise and Tell
The psalmist writes,
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High."
Psalm 9:1,2.
A few questions to those who believe in Christ Jesus. Will you take time right now to Praise THE LORD with your whole heart?
Will you take sometime to tell others of the wonders of God and the saving Grace that comes through belief in Christ Jesus?
Please do more than think about it.
Saved by the mercy of God
The apostle Paul writes,
"But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:4,5
Paul writing to the Romans states,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8.
A simple Christian fact.
Christians believe we cannot live lives good enough to enter into heaven. We believe that it is through the Grace of God that we are saved. Through the atoning death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
It is an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1.
The writer going on to say,
"And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Hebrews 11:6.
So the question becomes do you believe this?
Please think about it.
What God requires
Micah the prophet states,
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8.
Micah’s statement is pretty strait forward. We as believers in God are to show mercy to all those around us.
In the book of James we read,
"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!" James 2:12,13.
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.
The key words from Jesus here are,
“For in the same way you judge others,
you will be judged,
and with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you.”
When we judge others. Others will judge us in much the same way. I also believe that when we stand before God He may at the very least ask us if we want to be judged in the same way we judge others.
The Talmud while not a Christian book contains words of wisdom in line with Christian belief. One quote referring to when we stand before God states,
"When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, "Have you believed in God?" Or "Have you prayed and observed the ritual?
"He is asked: "have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?" The Talmud.
While it is true Christians believe we are saved through the Grace of God through belief in Christ Jesus. It seems to me that people who truly have accepted Christ into their lives, their lives change to exhibiting what the apostle Paul calls the fruit of the spirit. Paul writing,
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...." Galatians 5:22, 23b.
Question; If on the day you are judged by God He asks you,
"have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?"
What will be your reply?
Please think about it.
Only eternal life
The apostle Paul writes,
"Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. Matthew 10:9,10.
Living in North America allows me to hear a wide spectrum of people calling themselves Christians. Many of whom are not.
The most egregious of these preachers I believe are those collectively called the prosperity doctrine preachers. Very rich men and women who say give to God (quite often meaning their ministry) and He will give back to you many times over the amount you give Him. They treat God like a cosmic investment banker offering super interest. This is completely wrong. These are the men the apostle Paul was talking about in 1Timothy 6:10 when he writes,
“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.
Now there is nothing wrong with being rich and having a lot of money. The problem becomes on the value you put on money in your life.
Jesus told 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, honour your father and mother,' and ‘love your neighbour 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.
Sadly the face of Christianity in North America is becoming these prosperity gospel preachers. They have the money and resources to go produce carefully scripted program in the media. And their charismatic personalities attract thousands to live events. People who are looking for something that is material in nature and not spiritual, not of God.
Jesus said,
"God is spirit, and his worshippers
must worship in spirit and in truth."
John 4:23.
Jesus never promised us millions of dollars. Jesus never said we would have a perfect life free from troubles. He simply promised eternal life to all who would believe in him
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.” John 3:16.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.
Time to
The apostle Paul writes,
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5,6.
In Proverbs we read,
"Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or swerve from them.
Do not forsake wisdom,
and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
Wisdom is supreme;
therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have,
get understanding.
Esteem her,
and she will exalt you;
embrace her,
and she will honour you.
She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendour."
Proverbs 4:5-9.
Sadly way to many people calling themselves Christians lack wisdom and understanding. They act both in word and in deed without thinking of the consequences. This is especially true of Evangelical Christians in North America. Who it seems heap condemnation on everyone they disagree with.
Over the years I’ve talked to people in the LBGTQ+ community in particularly who have been turned away from God by people claiming to be Christians.
But it isn’t just limited to them. Many others have been turned away from Christ because of the actions of people claiming to be Christians who are not. Christians have no right to judge anyone outside their faith the apostle Paul stating,
"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
Sadly too many Christians wrongly judge others while not expelling the evil doers inside their churches.
Billy Graham the late American evangelist made a great statement when he said,
It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,
“God's job to judge
and my job to love,”
Billy Graham.
It’s time for those who claim to be Christians here in North America to get wisdom and understanding. And while their at it take time to meditate on 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.
Please think about it.
Rejoice!
The psalmist writes,
"Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise His name with dancing
and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.
For the LORD takes delight in His people;
He crowns the humble with salvation.
Let the saints rejoice in this honour
and sing for joy on their beds."
Psalm 149:2-5.
Easter is on the way. The day Christians believe Jesus the Son of God died for their sins. While it must have been a traumatic for his mother and those who followed Jesus. Within just a few days. Jesus would rise from the dead.
As believers in Christ Jesus we believe that in sending Jesus to earth God was reaching down to mankind and saying in human terms this is how far I am willing to go to bring you to heaven.
While what we refer to as Good Friday was in human terms traumatic. Easter Sunday was most definitely a time for rejoicing. Jesus rose from the dead offering to all who would believe in Him atonement for their sins.
This is why we as believers in Christ Jesus should as much as we can do what the Psalmist states. Rejoice in God our Maker. Praise His name with dancing. Make music to Him. For He has taken our sins away.
If you consider yourself a Christian do you praise God frequently? Do you praise God enough?
Please thin about it.
Say to the Nations
The Psalmist writes,
“Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
“let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.” Psalm 96:10-13.
As believers in God. As believers in Christ Jesus we are to “Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns”.
We are also to remind them that He will judge the world and everything in it in righteousness. That, that day may happen at any time.
Billy Graham the late American evangelist said,
“The Bible says today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation...
But there will come a time when it will be too late for you.”
Billy Graham.
If we are Christians believers in Christ Jesus, we should at the very least be reminding them of the words by Blaise Pascal
“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
Please think about it.
Sing Proclaim Declare
The Psalmist writes,
“Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD,
praise His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His marvellous deeds among all peoples.”
Psalm 96:1-3.
Here is something simple believers in Christ Jesus can do right now.
Sing to the Lord.
Praise His name
Proclaim His salvation
Declare His Glory
Tell of His marvellous deeds
If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ are you doing this?
Please think about it.
Do this and you will live
In the Gospel of Matthew we read,
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.'
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
In the gospel of Luke we read of this conversation between Jesus and an expert in the law.
"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
He answered: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.''"
"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Luke 10:25-28.
What Jesus is saying here is not new even for the time he lived in. In the book of Deuteronomy we read,
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7.
In short we are to make God the centre of our lives. We are to love Him with “all our heart and soul”.
And as Jesus said we are to “Love your neighbour as yourself”.
If we do this and those around us do it the world would be a better place.
Please think about it.
Perhaps the Hardest thing
In the book of Jeremiah we read God as saying,
“You will seek me and find me
when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13.
I find most people don’t have God on their radar. This world and all that is happening in it and in their lives is all they are concerned with. At the same time those who espouse to be ardent Atheist it seems without looking carefully for God, dismiss Him. They don’t believe what they cannot see, hear, or touch.
Someone (not me) has said,
“Maybe the atheist cannot find God
for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.”
Author Unknown.
Those who don’t believe in God I feel have not looked at the scientific facts,
Werner Heisenberg father of Quantum Mechanics and Nobel prize winner in physics said,
“The first gulp from the glass of natural science will make you an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass God is waiting for you" Werner Heisenberg.
Even Stephen Hawking considered one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century admitted,
“The universe and the laws of physics seem to have been specifically designed for us” Stephen Hawking.
The way I see it the proof God exists it all around us, but just like any scientist who realizes from his research something is there he cannot see we need faith to believe in God.
The writer of Hebrews saying,
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.
This is what the ancients were commended for.
Hebrews 11:1,2
The writer then tells us,
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.
And having faith in anything, especially someone you cannot see is perhaps the hardest thing anyone can do.
Please think about it.
Servant of all
Jesus said,
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35.
I remember very many years ago I worked the night shift as a janitor for a large institution.
Whenever a new employee started the first job he or she got was cleaning washrooms. It was the worst assignment a person could get. You dealt with plugged toilets and sinks. Wet floors and much more. Most people lasted a week or two before deciding it was not for them.
Those that did stay turned out to be excellent employees and quite often rose up through the ranks to management positions.
Jesus was a servant. On one occasion going as far as washing his disciples feet. The job of the lowliest servant or slave in a household at the time.
As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus, we must be humble enough to do the lowliest job. We must be willing to be servant of all.
Are you such a servant?
Please think about it.
It’s time
Jesus said,
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16.
What is your light telling others about you? About God?
Are people seeing your good deeds or are they seeing something negative?
Over the years I’ve been a believer in Christ Jesus I’ve heard again and again non-believers say, “I’ve seen what those Christians do. And I’m at least as good as them and even better.”
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians -
you are not like him.”
Mahatma Gandhi.
When I hear things like this I firmly believe that the people whom Gandhi and others are seeing are Christians in name only. They are not following the teaching of Christ.
Jesus even said,
"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" Matthew 7:22,23.
Sadly many who claim to be Christians are not. Equally sadly they are bringing the name of Christ into disrepute because of their words and deeds.
It’s time for true Christians true believers in Christ Jesus to stand up to those who call themselves Christians but are not. It’s time to as the apostle Paul said,
"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.
Please think about it.
