Because He loved us

  Because He loved us

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."1John 4:10.

Christianity is different from other faiths. We as Christians believe God reached down to us in love. The apostle John stating,

"We love because he first loved us."1John 4:19.

C. S. Lewis noted,

"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.

I firmly believe we cannot reach high enough to reach God. I also believe we cannot be good enough to get into heaven. That’s why Christ came into this world.

In the book of Romans we read,

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Have you experienced the love of God in your life?

Please think about it.  

Thanking God

 Thanking God

The Psalmist writes,

“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.

When was the last time you simply prayed and thanked God for being your God?

When was the last time you thanked God for being good?

When was the last time you thanked God that His love endures forever.

If you are a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus you should be praying all the time. But quite often when we pray we pray that God will help us or others and there is nothing wrong with that.

However we need to take time every day to thank God for what He is.

Do you do this?

Please think about it.

Standing with Jesus

 Standing with Jesus

In the book of James we read,

“You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”  James 4:4

Jesus said,

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24.

If we are going to follow Christ we must follow him wholeheartedly. We cannot blend the ways of the world with our faith. We must be willing to as Jesus said,

“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.” Mark 8:34.

The apostle Paul writing to Timothy states,

"Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him(Jesus), we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13.

So where do you stand with Jesus?

Please think about it. 

In the name of Christ

  In the name of Christ

Jesus said,

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.

A bright light shines on Christians. So much so we cannot do things lightly. Our faith must be sincere backed by our actions. 

In the book of James we read,

"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."  James 2:17,18.

Christians are called to put “legs on” our prayers. We need to pray then get up and do what God has commanded us to do. Jesus in sending out the twelve apostles in the gospel of Matthew states,

“As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.'  

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." Matthew 10:6-8.

Tony Campolo states,

"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.

Just what are you doing for Christ and are you doing it in the name of Christ?

Please think about it.

Judged

  Judged

“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.  

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) Romans 2:13-15

Hear Paul is making it clear that those who hear the law are not necessarily righteous, but rather those who obey the law.

Saying that if Gentiles obey the law without actually having heard the law will be found righteous.

We all from birth have a conscience and as we grow we know clearly what is right and wrong. It’s engraved on our heart.

While it is by believing in Christ Jesus that we get to heaven. We will only be judged by what we know about Christ and the salvation that comes through him.

Please think about it. 

If there is anyone in need

 If there is anyone in need

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 neighbor… 

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 James we read,

“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

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 do you do your best to help the poor, either by supporting a reputable charity or even giving to a homeless person on the street?

Could you do more?

Please think about it.

Think carefully

  Think carefully

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,

"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." Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

The Psalmist writes,

“Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. 

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; 

“let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.” Psalm 96:10-13. 

Winston Churchill said,

“I am prepared to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” Winston Churchill

Are you prepared to meet your maker? Are you ready to meet God? Because God is always prepared to meet you. How will you feel when you meet God?

The late American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this  when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?” Tony Campolo.

Please think carefully about it.