Rejoice in God your maker

  Rejoice in God your maker

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.

If you consider yourself as a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus, are you doing what the Psalmist is saying here?

When was the last time you praised God with dancing either publically or privately?

God truly does delight in His people. That’s why we should be spending more time praising God.

Please think about it.

Your rock and salvation

  Your rock and salvation

The Psalmist writes,

For God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, 

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 

                                                         Psalm 62:1,2 

“My soul waits in silence” states the Psalmist. 

Does your soul wait in silence? When was the last time you took time to be alone with God, pray and hear what He has to say to you?

Is God truly you rock and salvation, your fortress?

Please think about it.

Gods praise

Gods praise

The psalmist writes,

"I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; 

before the "gods" I will sing your praise.” 

                                                                            Psalm 138:1.

I firmly believe that we live in a society filled with demigods. Materialism perhaps being the most worshipped. Although there are more secular gods than that.

Because we in the twenty-first century are surrounded by so many gods. It is important that we worship the one true God publicly. 

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus. Are you taking time to praise God. Does your life and lifestyle show that you are a follower and worshipper of the Lord God Almighty?

Please think about it.

In the presence of the saints

 In the presence of the saints

The psalmist writes,

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. 

I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” Psalm 52:8,9.

If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus can you say what the Psalmist is saying her. Can you praise God forever for what he has done?

Please think about it.

A dangerous claim

  A dangerous claim

John's gospel records this incident in the life of Jesus. John writes,

"Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade.  

"The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.  

I and the Father are one." 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" 

"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God." John 10 22-33.

To claim to be God as Jesus did was a very dangerous claim in His day. Note Jesus states 

“I and my Father are one.” the people who heard this said, they were stoning Him because Jesus was in their minds committing blasphemy for his claim to be God.”

C. S. Lewis states,

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

     Please think about it

Shine

 Shine

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.

Francis of Assisi said,

"The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                          Francis of Assisi.

So what are your deeds saying to the world around you? Are they reflecting Gods Love?

Please think about it.

Acts of Charity

  Acts of Charity

In the book of acts we read,

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity.” Acts 9:36.

When people see your life will they see your acts of charity? Do you even do acts of charity and good works?

I firmly believe that it is the duty of all who believe in Christ Jesus to help the poor. In proverbs we read,

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done." Proverbs 19:17

"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9.

The way I see it the borders between nations we have today are man made. Gods love has no borders.

I think helping to poor must extend not only to those within the borders of the nation we live in but to those refugees that come to our borders and beyond.

Please think about it.

New Life

 New Life

John’s gospel records Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman.

“Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4:10.

Living water is water that is in motion, rain water, river water for example. It is the water that washes away dirt. In a spiritual sense the living water Jesus offers takes away our sins.

Many in the world today are looking for something more than this materialistic world offers. People are looking for meaning in their life.

Some, many, do not see “organized religion” as the answer to finding meaning in their life. Quite the opposite. They are turned off organized religion in all its forms.

What these individuals are looking for is new life that only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can offer. 

Living water that washes away their sins and fills that longing for meaning in their heart.

Are you longing for meaning in your life? 

Take some time to read the New Testament see what God offers you through Christ Jesus. 

Please think about it.

Who are you serving?

  Who are you serving?

In the book of Joshua we read,

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24: 14,15.

We all have a choice in this life. To follow the gods of this world or to follow the one true God. Maker of heaven and earth.

It is a choice we all must make especially when we are presented with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Why not take some time to read at least the New Testament and see what those who knew Jesus personally thought him to be. Then make a decision as to who you will follow.

Please think about it.

Is it too hard for you?

  Is it too hard for you?

 “The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."...”

                                                     Psalm 53:1a

Anyone that I have met that says point blank there is no God, generally has a bias. Usually they have come to the conclusion that they can’t see or hear God therefore He doesn’t exist. Sadly many leave it there. They will not be persuaded no matter how much proof you show them.

Robert Brault wrote,

"God left so many fingerprints at the scene of Creation that you wonder — does He want to be found, or does He want to be stopped?" Robert Brault.

While we can’t see, hear or touch God we only have to look around. The world, the universe and everything in it is specifically designed so that life exists as we know it. 

For me it takes more faith to believe life as we know it simply came about randomly than it does to believe in a Creator God.

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.

The writer goes 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.

Ultimately I believe the reason God wants us to believe He exists by faith is because people who have faith in anything are the strongest followers.

Additionally I firmly believe to have faith in anything especially something you cannot see, hear or touch is a hard thing for many people.

The question therefor arises is having faith in God to hard for you?

Please think about it.

In the presence of your saints

  In the presence of your saints.

The Psalmist writes,

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; 

I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. 

I will praise you forever for what you have done; 

in your name I will hope, 

for your name is good. 

I will praise you in the presence of your saints.”

                                                                        Psalm 52:8,9.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus. Can you do as the Psalmist says in Psalm 52:8,9?

How often do you take time to praise God?

Please think about it.

Inheritance

  Inheritance

The apostle Peter writes,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  1Peter 1:3-5.

As believers in Christ Jesus we have a living hope. An inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade, kept in heaven for us.

No matter what the world throws at the believer in Christ Jesus we have an inheritance that no human can take from us. 

The apostle Paul wrote,

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10.

Paul suffered a great deal for his belief in Christ Jesus. Yet he could say he delighted in weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties.

I’m sure Paul didn’t like going through those hardships but he could look back and see that it was all for the cause of Christ. For presenting the gospel message to those around him.

As a Christian, a believer in Christ Jesus we may not endure hardships. But whether we do or not our life should be a testament for Christ Jesus. 

As Francis of Assisi wrote,

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                Francis of Assisi.

The apostle Pauls words and deeds at times got him into trouble with those around him. Yet he continued preaching the gospel knowing all the time he had an inheritance that could never be taken away from him.

Where is your inheritance?

Please think about it.