Jesus said
In John’s Gospel we read,
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
This is a believe it or not statement. True Christians believe this. If we are wrong then those who do not believe as we do have nothing to fear.
If on the other hand we are right. Those who do not believe as we do have at the very least something to think about.
Please think about it.
By Gods Grace
The apostle Paul writes,
“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.
Put simply the apostle Paul is saying you can’t work your way to heaven. The only way you get to heaven is by having faith in God. Salvation is a gift we receive for believing in God and His son Christ Jesus.
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
"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.
To my way of thinking having faith in anything especially if you can’t see it is very hard to do. That is why I believe God asks us to have faith in Him. Because God knows people who have true faith will go to their graves for their beliefs.
Please think about it.
Who do you think Jesus is?
In Marks gospel we see Jesus asking this question,
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ.'" Mark 8:27-29.
Is Jesus The Christ, The Messiah, The Son of God?
Just who do you think Jesus is?
C. S. Lewis answered that question this way,
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him (Jesus): 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.
If Jesus is not The Son of God, God Incarnate. Then Christianity has created one of the greatest lies in all of human history. With billions of people believing that lie.
That being said I believe Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate. As such everyone who hears about Jesus has a choice to make. A choice Jesus gave when He, speaking about 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.
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.
Thus the choice is yours. Do you believe Jesus is all He said He is. Do you believe the Gospel message laid down in the New Testament?
Before you answer the question please take time to read the New Testament for yourself and learn what men and women who knew Jesus believed about Him.
Please think about it.
Helping
Jesus told this story,
"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.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog there is nothing wrong with being rich. It’s what we do with that wealth that wealth that can cause a problem.
In the above story Lazarus a beggar was not helped by the rich man. Ultimately however God held the rich man as He will us to account.
The Bible has thousands of verses calling us to help the poor any way we can. That can be as simple as giving a beggar on the street some pocket change, food, a warm coat, gloves, or whatever we have on hand. Even giving to a reputable charity is helping the poor.
So what are you doing to help the poor where you live?
Please think about it.
Listen
In the book of James we read
"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:1-6.
James here issues a warning to the rich who do not care for the poor.
Now there’s nothing wrong with being rich. There have been and are today many wealthy people within the church. Men and women who have help the church with their wealth evangelize and grow.
The problem when it comes to wealth is what are the priorities you put on it and how do you use it.
Jesus said,
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate theone and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" Matthew 6:24.
James in the above quote tells people who put their trust in their riches with no regard for the poor what will happen to them.
The question is will this happen to you?
Please think about it.
Are your ears open or closed?
"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.”
Proverbs 21:13.
In the book of Deuteronomy we read,
"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour…
Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." Deuteronomy 15:7, 11.
In the book of Leviticus we read,
" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.
Jesus said,
"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42.
Time and time again throughout the Bible we are called to help the poor. This is an obligation of all Christians.
So do you do what you can to help others?
Please think about it.
Called to Service
In the book of Philippians we read,
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4.
Do you look out for others?
In the book of James we read,
"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.
So if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, is your faith alive or dead?
Please think about it.
They seen and touched Him.
The apostle John states,
"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.
The apostle John makes it clear that he truly believed that Jesus was God the Creator of all things. That he and the other apostles interacted with Him.
John referring to Jesus also wrote,
"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.
If this is not true it is the greatest lie in the history of mankind. If on the other hand it is true each individual must acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.
The apostle Paul saying,
"For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:12, 13.
Please think about it.
Through a foggy window
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.
For me this describes Christianity. We look at heaven through a foggy window. We see just enough for us to believe. The rest we believe by faith. Which is what we are asked to do by the writer of Hebrews who states,
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1
"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.
Do you believe in God?
Do you believe that Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, The Saviour of all who would believe in Him?
Please think about it.
Something we should be doing.
The Psalmist writes,
"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 52:9.
If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, this is something we should be doing.
Yes there will be days when things are tough. When it seems hard to praise God. Never the less we should be praising God. With the full knowledge that if we trust Him we will eventually overcome the problems we are going through.
Please think about it.
Trust in God
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5,6.
This is a very clear directive given to all believers. We are called to trust God no matter what happens.
Job who went through many problems said,
“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely defend my ways to his face.”
Job 13:15.
Job may not have known why everything that was happening to him, was happening. He did however know that he truly believed in God. And was willing to defend his actions to God.
The apostle Paul was stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, and eventually put to death for what he believed. Yet he never faltered in his faith in God. He believed, what he believed was right and went to his grave for those beliefs.
This is how we should be today. We should know what we believe and why we believe it. And why we believe something should not be the result of only listening to a preacher, teacher, or evangelist. We should be studying the word of God for ourselves. Reading the Bible so that we know first hand why we believe what we believe.
If you consider yourself a Christian could you defend what you believe before others?
Please think about it.
Dear Christian
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you....
Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Luke 6:27,28,31.
The message to Christians here is strait forward. Love. Love the way God loves, unconditionally.
So dear Christian the question becomes....
Do you love those around you the way God loves?
Please think about it.
