Of deeds and faith

 Of deeds and faith

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” James 2:14-20.

As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus we are called to help those in need. I like what the Talmud a Jewish book states,

"Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

We need to do our best to help those in need. Be it giving to a reputable charity or even giving a handful of change to someone begging on the street.

We should never judge the poor because we don’t know how or why they are poor. We should never judge a homeless person on the street saying to ourselves that the money we give him or her will be spent on drugs or alcohol. That’s not our place. We should give without judgment.

Tony Campolo wrote,

"These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change." Tony Campolo.

So my question to you dear reader is, do you help the poor?

Please think about it.

With thanksgiving in your heart

  With thanksgiving in your heart

The Psalmist writes,

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4,5.

There is a song we use to sing. Called He has made me glad by Leona Von Brethorst based on Psalm 100:4 and 118:24. The word are,

“I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter His courts with praise. I will say this a day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad.” Leona Von Brethorst.

Do you take time during your busy day. To enter in to the courts of God with thanksgiving in your heart?

Please think about it, 

In whom you hope

  In whom you hope.

In Psalms we read,

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4,5.

If you consider yourself a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus do you go to the Lord and as him to teach his path? Do you ask him to guide you in his truth? Do you ask God to teach you what he wants to do in your life?

Is God truly your Saviour in whom you hope?

Please think about it.

My God

  My God

In the book of Psalms we read,

“You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 

         Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 118:28,29.

As Christians. As believers in Christ Jesus. I think sometimes we forget to give thanks to God. Our prayers constantly ask him for things. And there is nothing wrong about asking God for things we need. But amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life we need to take time to stop and thank him for all we have. We need to thank the LORD for his goodness toward us. Remembering Gods love lasts forever.

Do you think you think you give thanks to God enough?

Please think about it.

What John and Josephus thought

 What John and Josephus thought

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

Here is a statement from the apostle John who spent a great deal of time in person with Jesus. It’s a statement that you either believe or you don’t. You can’t sit on the fence.

John and the other apostles knew Jesus intimately. They spent three years under his teaching and were certain Jesus was the Christ. The Saviour of all who believed in him.

Flavius Josephus a Romanize Jewish historian (not a Christian) writing in 98AD In one reference he wrote:

“About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. 

However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine. They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders.” [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2.

Still I can quote scripture all day long and give secular references all day long but it comes down not to what I believe but you the reader believes.

What do you believe about Jesus?

Please think about it. 

Why Jesus came

 Why Jesus came

In the apostle John’s gospel we read,

"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.

Notice verse 17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

This is the reason Jesus came into the world. God knew that man could not live a life good enough for us to live in heaven. We all sin and fall far short of Gods ideals for our life. The apostle John writing,

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10

That is why in love God reached down to us in the form of His One and Only Son. To die for our sin.

The apostle Paul writing to the Romans wrote,

"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. 

The apostle Paul also wrote,

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13.

Have you called on the name of the Lord? Have you let Jesus into your life?

Please think about it.

What do you believe about Jesus?

  What do you believe about Jesus?

Jesus speaking to Martha,

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes Lord" she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world," John 11:25,26,27.

Who do you think Jesus is? 

Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus, 

"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power."

"I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him."

"I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary." Napoleon Bonaparte.

So who do you think Jesus is? A mad man? A good man? Or The Son of God, God incarnate? Saviour of all who would believe in Him?

Please think about it.