The Bulwark of a Just Society

 The Bulwark of a Just Society

The writer of Ecclesiastes states,

“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 judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.

Abba Hillel Silver wrote,

“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.” Abba Hillel Silver.

When God is forgotten by society, society runs the risk of falling apart. While God in creating man gave him complete freedom to do as he wished. He, I believe placed in mans heart rules to live by. Devine rules that allow a free society to function well. Those divine rules in a nutshell being the ten commandments.

When man disobeys those rules and refuses to believe in God, or fear God, society can fall apart. We only have to look at Nazi Germany in the 1930's and during world war two to see this in its extreme. 

Hitler and his supporters did not fear God. Instead they lived by their own rules that led to the death of millions of men women and children in the death camps. In a world war that claimed in excess of fifty-six million people, soldiers and civilians.

The same is true on a smaller scale around the world today with respect to terrorist groups. Most do not fear God. Some even have the twisted belief they are doing God’s work. 

Throughout our society we see murderers, rapist, thieves and others who commit crimes who do not give God a second thought. 

Whether mankind wants to admit it or not. Mankind needs God and the basic set of rules for living life to it’s fullest. Mankind needs to acknowledge that the writer of Ecclesiastes is right when he said,

“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 judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.

Please think about it.

God will make us good

  God will make us good

The apostle Paul wrote,

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior 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

To the Ephesians Paul wrote,

“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.

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us."  C.S. Lewis.

From a Christian stand point we cannot live lives good enough to get to heaven. That being said, God understood this and sent Jesus Christ to save us. 

The apostle Paul wrote,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  Romans 3:23,24.

Paul stating,

"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.

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  

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 10:9-13.

Thus my question to you the reader; do you believe this?

Please think about it.

To Love

  To Love             

  Jesus when asked

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

Jesus replied: 

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  

This is the first and greatest commandment.  

And the second is like it: 

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 

                                                                                     Matthew 22:36-40

Jesus also said,

“You have heard that it was said, 

‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,...” 

                                                                                                        Matthew 5:43,44

The apostle Paul defined love as,

“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

The writer of Hebrews states,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men 

and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 

                                                                      Hebrews 12:14

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.

Francis of Assisi wrote a prayer all Christians need to take to heart. He wrote,

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, 

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; 

to be understood as to understand; 

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive; 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

                                                                           The Prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

The late American Evangelist Billy Graham said,

It is the Holy Spirits job to Convict, 

God's job to judge 

and my job to love, 

Billy Graham

If you claim to be a Christian, are you truly loving unconditionally, those around you?

Please think about it.

A time to give thanks

 A time to give thanks

“Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come before him with joyful songs. 

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, 

and we are his; we are his people, 

the sheep of his pasture. 

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 100:2-5

Both in Canada and the united states we celebrate a day of thanksgiving in October and November respectively. That being said we should I believe set more time during not only the year but each week, to thank God for all He has done for us.

As a Christian I praise God for all He has done for me. My life has not been a constant high. Even the American Evangelist Billy Graham said,

“The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'” Billy Graham.

Still in Good times and in bad times God has always been there for me. Helping me thorough the bad times. Giving me peace knowing that no matter what I am going thorough He is with me.

I as a Christian can honestly say with the Psalmist,

“The LORD is my shepherd, 

I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness 

for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

 I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” 

                                                                               Psalm 23

Can you?

Please think about it.

Which path?

 Which path?

Jesus 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.

We as Christians believe that Jesus is the way to heaven. That He is the narrow gate. Jesus saying,

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13,14

In Mark’s Gospel Jesus is recorded as saying,

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:34-36.

Not all roads lead to heaven. There are many well worn paths that people have been misled into following. Paths that look right but ultimately lead to sorrow. While there is only one  path leading us to heaven and eternal life with God.  The path that leads through Christ Jesus.

So the question becomes, What path are you on, the one that seems to offer all you’ve ever wanted, yet leads to destruction or the path that goes through Jesus and lets you enter heaven?

Please think about it.

What to do

 What to do

In the book of Micah we read,

 “He (God) has told you, O man, what is good;

and what does the LORD require of you

but to do justice and to love kindness

and to walk humbly with your God?” 

                                                        Micah 6:8.

If you call yourself a Christian do you do what Micah is saying here? 

Do you... “do justice”

“love kindness”

“walk humbly with your God”?

In the book of Colossians we read.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  Colossians 3:12

So if you consider yourself a Christian, do you “clothe yourself in...

Compassion

Kindness

Humility

Gentleness

Patience

Please think about it.

Points to a Creator God

  Points to a Creator God.

The apostle Paul writes,

“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.

Voltaire wrote,  

"To believe in God is impossible 

not to believe in Him is absurd."

                                                     Voltaire.

Blaise Pascal wrote,

Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists. Blaise Pascal.

I firmly believe God does not want blind faith. The Psalmist tells us,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands." 

                                                                 Psalm 19:1

The way I see things, from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest Galaxy, all are arranged in such a way to make life as we know it exist.

Modern science is proving there is a God.

Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics

"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias

Even Stephan Hawking one of the greatest minds in science of the twentieth century who  was not a Christian admitted,

"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us,"

Hugh Ross a pastor and Astrophysicists wrote,

The entity that brought the universe into existence must be the master of all space time matter and energy. 

This entity must be powerful enough to make space time at will and to exquisitely fine tune an untold number of cosmic Characteristics. More than 200 (800 characteristics have since been discovered)  have been discovered so far. The probability of all these know parameters randomly coming together would be one chance in 10215 a probability so incredibly tiny that statistically speaking is impossible. This probability is becoming more remote with every scientific discovery. 

Such a high degree of design demonstrates that this entity must be a personal being with an amazing creativity with wisdom power care and love to a degree far beyond human capabilities.

He has fine tuned the galaxy the solar system and planet earth so that spiritual life can be fused with physical life..... in this one small space for one brief span on our time line" Dr. Huge Ross.

So what do you believe?

Please think about it.