Not our way

  Not our way

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

On the day Jesus was crucified Luke’s gospel records,

"The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." Luke 23:35.

To a people looking for liberation from the Roman boot. Looking for a saviour to get them from under Roman oppression. Jesus hanging on the cross didn’t fit the bill.

The Jews of Jesus’ day were looking for a conquering  Messiah to lead them, victory over their oppressors, not a suffering Messiah.

What they, and people today fail to see is that God does not work the way man works. Lets face it most people living under oppression long for the day a leader arrises to free them. Usually by force of arms.

Jesus was totally the opposite of this. He died to make us free. Not necessarily in physical way. But rather spiritually.

Jesus is God reaching down to man.

The apostle Paul writing,

"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.

The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8.

Jesus speaking of Himself 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. 

Thus the question becomes; Do you believe in Jesus?

Please before you answer that question take time to not just read the New Testament but study it. Taking time to Pray and ask God to show you the truth about Jesus.

Please think about it.

Advice from a Christian Grandpa

  Advice from a Christian grandpa

A short while ago I was encouraged to write some words of advice to my grandchildren. The words I wrote I believe is good advice for everyone.

One make sure you truly are in a right relationship with God. Make sure you are not just reading the Bible but studying it. So that you know what is right in Gods sight for you. 

DON'T be a follower of some fancy pastor or evangelist. Follow the words of the apostle Paul when he said,

"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.

Men and women are imperfect and there are many pastors and evangelist out there who have strayed from the truth and are preaching simply to make themselves rich often at the expense of the poor. Stay away from them.

Secondly do what you can to help those in need. Follow the words written in the book of James that states,

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.    If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their 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.

Simply put let your faith spur you to good works.

Be what the Jews call a tzaddik.  This is the simplest definition I can find,

The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due....

  Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper...

According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. Although those in need do not necessarily need to give this much. And one should never give so much as to make one in need of financial help.

Thirdly have adventures! Don’t just stay near where you were born. Travel (take your faith with you and if you get a chance to share it, do so. Share it however, never force it on anyone.). 

    Explore not just your own country but others. Learn as much as you can about other cultures and ways of life. Judge no one.

Live life to the fullest. Follow the advice of the apostle Paul who wrote,

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18

And always follow 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.

With your whole heart

  With your whole heart

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Devote yourselves to prayer, 

being watchful and thankful." 

                                      Colossians  4:2

Writing to the Romans Paul said,

"Be joyful in hope, 

patient in affliction, 

faithful in prayer."

                                 Romans 12:12  

In the book of Jeremiah we read,

“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

If you claim to be a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus. Do you pray?

Prayer takes us to the very thrown room of God. It puts us in touch with the Creator of the universe and as such helps us through each day.

So if you are a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus are you truly praying with your whole heart?

Please think about it.

A Christians duty

 A Christians Duty

Jesus said,

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.

As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus we have a divine duty to our fellow men. 

If we truly believe the words of Jesus who said,

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.

Then we should strive to present the Gospel Message to those around us. If we believe that we truly know the way to heaven. Then we have a duty to tell others.

And I stress here “we should present the Gospel”. We are called to present the gospel message. Not force it on people. And we are certainly Not to judge others. Especially when it come to where they will spent eternity. That is Gods job not ours.

So if you consider yourself to be a true follower of Christ Jesus are you presenting the gospel message to those around you?

Please think about it.

God the Church and you

 God the Church and you

In the Gospel of John we read,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14.

This is a cornerstone scripture for all true Christians. Jesus here is called “The Word”and John makes it clear that Jesus and God are one.

There is a work called The Apostles Creed. Now while this was not written by and apostle of Christ it sums up what True believers in Christ Jesus believe. It states,

I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

 I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; 

That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

 I believe that he ascended into heaven 

and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

 I believe in the Holy Ghost

I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

 I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

I believe in the resurrection of the body.

 I believe in life everlasting.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

God, you, and your children

 God, you and your children 

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

The late evangelist Billy Graham said,

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” Billy Graham.

If you claim to be a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus do you believe this? More importantly, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Focus

  Focus

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 American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

“Let us preach Christ, let us be faithful to proclaiming the Gospel, but let's leave judgment in the hands of God.” Tony Campolo.

My question to anyone reading this who claims to be a true follower of Christ Jesus is, are you doing this?

Are you making sure you are not judging those around you?

Are you focusing on what Jesus commanded us to do when He said,

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.

Please think about it. 

Surely people are grass

  Surely people are grass

The Prophet Isaiah writes,

"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.

We humans are a frail bunch. The strongest person in the world. The healthiest person in the world have usually past on to eternity before their hundred tenth birthday. 

All of our accomplishments if we are lucky will be written down in a history book destined to accumulate dust on a shelf. Or lost among the myriad of information on the world wide web.

Who remembers good men like William Hamilton Merritt (July 3rd 1793-July 5th 1862) People living around the Niagara region in Canada see his name on many things but do they know who he is and what he did?

Who remembers Charles Lightoller (30 March 1874 – 8 December 1952). If they remember him from the Titanic. Do they even know he rescued  127 British servicemen from the beaches of Dunkirk during world war two in addition to doing other things for the British Admiralty during world war two.

We might remember Guglielmo Marcon (April 25, 1874-July 20, 1937) or Albert Einstein ( March 14, 1879-April 18, 1955) but how many of us know what the full extent of their contribution to human history was?

While these men in their own way were great. Their flowers have faded with the passing of time. 

That being said the word on God is still standing. The Bible is being read daily by billions of people world wide. That despite some governments trying to prevent it.

“Surely the people are grass.” says Isaiah, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." 

Please think about it.

Money God and your faith

 Money God and your faith

Jesus told this parable,

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.  

In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 

"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 

"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,  

for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 

"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 

" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 

"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31

Before I proceed. There is nothing wrong with being rich and having a lot of money. The apostle Paul makes it clear,

“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.

The problem is the emphasis you put on the riches you have and how you use them. In the scenario above the rich man apparently had no compassion on poor Lazarus. His life was wrapped up in his wealth.

He even it seemed had turned away from his faith.

Jesus said,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also....

"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 16:19-21,24.

So where is you faith?

Please think about it.

A decision to make

  A decision to make

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." 

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."Ecclesiastes 12:10-14. 

If you think about it. If all that there is, is this life. If all we are to do is live for a handful of years, then procreate die. Life is meaningless. 

On the other hand if life is eternal and this life is just the start of a journey through eternity. Then we should at least think of where we will spend that eternity. 

Now many would say we can’t determine where we will spend eternity. That is not so if we who believe in Christ Jesus are correct. 

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.

Each individual however must decide for themselves if what Jesus is saying is true. Then if they believe they must take the next step. The apostle Paul writing,

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  Romans 10: 9,10.

Please think about it.

Chasing them away

 Chasing them away

In the book of Mark we read,

"While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.  

When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners'?" 

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:15-17

In the Talmud we read,

“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitality invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God.  Learning that he was a fire-worshipper.   Abraham drove him from his door.  That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said: ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?” The Talmud.

Now while the Talmud is not a Christian book the illustration given here of Abraham chasing away a non-believer, illustrates what a lot of Christians do. They drive people from Christ.

Jesus as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20, makes it clear that we as His followers are to make disciples. Teaching them what He has taught us.

The only way we can do this is if we sit with sinners and don’t judge them. It’s that simple.

Our job is to present the gospel message of salvation through Christ Jesus. To tell unbelievers the same thing the apostle Paul wrote about,

"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.

Paul also writing,

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”  Romans 10: 9,10.

When you interact with those around you are you telling them this message or are your words and deeds chasing them away?

Please think about it.

The greatest of all light

  The greatest of all light

The apostle John writes,

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.              

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:8-11

There is a Lebanese Prayer that states,

“O God, Creator of Light:

at the rising

of your sun this morning,

let the greatest of all light,

your love,

rise like the sun within our hearts.

Amen.”

Is the Love of God truly in your heart today?

Please think about it.