Are you doing it?

  Are you doing it?

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.  

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.

Here are two key verses in Scripture that we a believers in Christ Jesus need to follow. 

1/ God loves the mankind. Not just mankind in general but each individual.

2/ God sent Jesus Christ into the world to save individuals.

And it is these two points that we as believers in Christ Jesus must be telling the world around us.

It is not up to us to judge and condemn the world. It is our job to present the love of Christ to all those around us.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?

Please think about it.

A Model prayer

  A model prayer

Jesus taught this to his disciples,

"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. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'  

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9-15.

The prayer is simple.

First, we honour God.

Second, we ask that His kingdom come

Third, we ask that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Forth, We ask that He supply our daily needs.

Fifth, We ask that He forgives our debts (Sins) as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

Sixth, We ask that God lead us away from temptation 

Seventh, That God delivers us from the evil one.

Then Jesus adds this warning saying,

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

So is this the way you pray?

How do you pray

How do you pray?

Jesus said,

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8.

Prayer is an act of faith. And by what Jesus said here it is nothing we should be calling attention to. We should be praying for the most part in private.

Additionally our prayers need not be “wordy”. We should try to be concise when we pray. We need not say a lot. We should not be constantly repeating ourselves over and over again.

Above all however our prayers should be spoken in faith. Knowing that God will in His way and in His time answer them.

So how do you pray?

Please think about it.

Acts of Righteousness

  Acts of Righteousness. 

In Matthews Gospel we read of Jesus saying,

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:1-4.

Here Jesus makes it clear we are to do our righteous acts quietly and without fanfare. 

Sadly this is a message lost on many Christians especially here in North America. 

As believers in Christ Jesus we need to reassess our motives for giving. Are you giving to the poor because you think it’s the right thing to do? Or... Are you giving to the poor because you want to be seen as righteous in the eyes of men?

Why not take a few minutes and pray. Ask God to show you your true motives for doing acts of righteousness.

Please think about it.

Are you humble?

  Are you Humble?

In the book of James we read,

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, 

and He will lift you up.” 

                                              James 4:10 

The Psalmist notes,

“He guides the humble in what is right

 and teaches them his way.” 

                                                                     Psalm 25:9

In Psalm 149 the Psalmist states

“For the LORD takes delight in his people; 

He crowns the humble with salvation.” 

                                                           Psalm 149:4

In the book of Philippians we get this advice,

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8.

So are you a proud or humble person?

If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus. When you present the gospel message do you present it in humility. Allowing the person you present it to, to decide for themselves whether or not to believe what you say?

Please think about it.

To teaching and fellowship

 To teaching and fellowship

In the book of Acts we read,

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42.

The early believers in Christ Jesus followed the teachings of the apostles. The men that had sat under the teaching of Jesus. The men, that knew Him best.

This is how we should be today.

We as believers in Christ Jesus should be reading the scriptures and putting what they say ahead of any other teaching about God and Christ.

While there is room and indeed need for Christian study books where men and women of God expound what they have learned about God from the scriptures. These teachings should never supersede the teaching of the Bible.

The Bible is the inspired word of God. Thus it should always be the primary source of our knowledge of God.

Men make mistakes. Some people even twist the scriptures to suit their own way of thinking. Some even twist the scriptures to as someone has said “fleece the flock”, take advantage of people for their own personal gain.

That is why all believers in Christ Jesus should be praying and reading the Bible for themselves asking God to reveal Himself and His ways to them.

Question... Are you listening exclusively to preachers, teachers and evangelist to get your knowledge about God, or are you praying and reading what the Bible for yourself to see what is truly from God?

Please think about it.

Christian are you committed?

Christian are you committed?

The Psalmist states,

“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.

The Psalmist here states that he trusts in God’‘s unfailing love and that as a result of it he has hope and will praise God in the presence of God’s people.

If you claim to be a true believer in Christ Jesus do you truly praise God when you are at church. OR has church become a social club where you meet friends and acquaintances. Is church a place you attend simply because your friends and family have always gone?

How committed are you to God?

Please think about it.

As you would have them do to you

 As you would have them do to 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.

How do you treat others? Do you show love and respect to everyone? Even those whom you disagree with?

Love Christian love is defined by the apostle Paul this way,

“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.”  

                                             1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

Is this the kind of love you show to others, even your enemies?

Do you treat others the same way you wish to be treated?

Please think about it.

What John thought of Jesus

 What John thought of Jesus

In 1John we read,

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.  

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.  

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  

We write this to make our joy complete. “ 1John 1:1-4.

John makes it clear here what the early believers in Jesus believed. He states that Jesus is the Son of God. The Christ. Through whom comes eternal life.

In his gospel John states.

“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.

John makes it clear that Jesus is God incarnate. God in the flesh that made all things.

The question is however do you believe this?

Please think about it.

What is truth?

   What is truth?

In the gospel of John we read of Jesus standing before Pilatet to be judged. After a brief interchange with Jesus. Where upon he finds him not guilty of the charges against him Pilate asks...

"What is truth?..."John 18:38a.

It is a question we, when confronted with the story of Jesus must ask. Is what Jesus is saying truth or a lie?

The crowd that day that also included the religious leaders, didn’t want to here the truth. They wanted to put Jesus to death.

John records in Chapter 19: 1-16 that Pilate tried several more times to prevent the crucifixion of Jesus. All to no avail. Thus not wanting a rebellion on his hands he turned Jesus over to his persecutors to be put to death.

In the twenty-first century no matter where we live in the world we must decide for ourselves who Jesus is.

We must decide if Jesus is lying or not when He is recorded as saying,

"I and the Father are one." John 10:30.

We must ask ourselves is what Jesus states in John 14:8-10  true or not...

“Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? 

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'?  

Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  John 14:8-10.

We must ask ourselves if what Jesus said to Thomas is true,

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

So who do you believe Jesus is?

Please think about it.

What do you think?

  What do you think?

In the gospel of John we read,

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

The Bible does not debate the existence of God. In Genesis 1:1 it simply states God created the heavens and the earth.

In the Gospel of John, we are told that God became flesh. John writes,

"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.

John stating the reason for God entering the world He created Jesus stating,

"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.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18.

The scriptures then leave it up to the individual to decide for themselves if what is said is true.

Thus the question becomes; What do you think? Do you believe what is said in the Bible or not?

Please think about it.

The Free Gift

  The free Gift

The apostle Paul writes,

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12.

I know as a believer in Christ Jesus we can never in this life describe Heaven. We only get glimpse of it described in human terms in the Bible.

As Christians however we have an unwavering, hope stemming from our faith in Christ Jesus, that we are going to Heaven. 

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.

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.

The apostle Paul writing,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9.

The key here is salvation in a gift from God. A gift we can either accept or reject.

The choice is yours. 

Will you take a few minutes now to pray and receive the gift God is offering you today?

Why not pray,

Dear Heavenly Father.

I thank you for Your Son Jesus Christ. And that He died for my sins. 

I accept the gift of Salvation that comes from You through your one and Only Son Christ Jesus.

Please forgive my sins today and come into my life.

In Jesus name I pray.

Amen.

      Please at least think about it.