Where is Your Heart

Read 1 John 5

Everyone who believes that Jesus 

is the Christ is born of God, 

and everyone who loves the father 

loves his child as well....

Who is it that overcomes the world? 

Only he who believes

 that Jesus is the Son of God.

                                          1 John 5:1, 5

Where is your heart.
One minister I know I think described many Christians in the so called popular culture of the church today. He said,
“They have both feet firmly planted. Unfortunately one is planted in the church and the other is planted in the world.”
Basically he was saying they wanted the best of both worlds. But Scripture tells us you can’t serve God and man. You can’t fully serve two masters. Scripture tells us that if you try to you’ll always hate one.
We must make a decision. Do we want to serve God to the fullest of our ability or not?
Matthew 6:19-21 states,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;But 

lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 

where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

“For where your treasure is, 

there your heart will be also.”

Where is your treasure? Where do you stand for God? I have always found that when a man tries to operate in both worlds and opposition comes he quite often sides with the world.
The only way we can overcome the world and it’s desires is to be firmly rooted in Christ. So firmly rooted that we can’t be moved in our faith.
When my son came back from helping the hurricane Katrina victims I noted a picture he had. It showed the devastation to one building. It looked to be an apartment building windows smashed debris all around. The building itself uninhabitable. The treasures of its in habitants more than likely scattered to the winds.
But in front stood a row trees their roots obviously well anchored battered by the same storm, one of the worst in history, but standing.
That’s how our faith should be. We should be able to go through a lot. To go through the pounding the world give us with all its sin and still be able to stand for God.
That’s what John is saying. We must believe. Listen to the words of John.

“Who is it that overcomes the world? 

Only he who believes

 that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Something to think about.
We need to believe with our whole heart. That Jesus is the Son of God and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
As John puts it in 1 John 5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Where do you stand? Where do you really stand?
Ask God to show you?

Doing

Read 1 John 3

“We know that we have passed from death to life,

 because we love our brothers.

 Anyone who does not love

 remains in death. 

Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, 

and you know that no murderer has eternal life in Him. 

This is how you know what love is;

 Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. 

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

 If anyone has material possessions 

and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, 

how can the love of God be in him?

                                                                              1 John 3:14-17

Love is the key to being a Christian. Love of God, Love of our fellow man.
It is interesting that quite often when the Scriptures want us to show love they tell us about how Jesus laid down his life and that we should be willing to do so.
It’s also interesting that the other thing that is referred to when it comes to love is giving of our money and possessions.
I think that it’s because next to our life it’s our money that we value the most. We are for obvious reasons reluctant to give up our lives unnecessarily.
We see money as giving us a good way of life it’s our security in this world. Someone said of money ‘you can’t take it with you when you go but you can’t go anywhere without it.’
Financial security is what most if not all people especially here in the West strive for. Yet it is so fleeting. Ask anyone who lost money in the stock market crash of 1929 or investment schemes that went wrong.
Isaiah the prophet states,

“A voice says, ‘Cry out.’ and said, “What shall I cry?’

All men are like grass, 

and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

 The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

because the breath of the Lord blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass 

the grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of out God stands forever.”

                                                                                  Isaiah 40:6-8

We are nothing more that grass. Everything we own in life is nothing more than flowers in the field. We die and all our possessions eventually die also. Only what is done for God will last.


Something to think about.
The apostles set the example for us by following in the footsteps of Jesus. They never owned a sixty thousand dollar car or fancy house as far as I know. They never needed a cell phone or computer. And I’m sure they didn’t work a lot of overtime. Nor did they call for political reform.
Instead they gave of themselves, their lives, their money. They left their homeland and way of life to take the Gospel to the far reaches of their world.
In doing so they left a legacy that changed the world in a very real way.
You have a chance to be part of that legacy. Are you willing to love your neighbour without conditions.
Are you willing to give, even if it’s just a small amount to missions?
Are you willing to do what you can to help someone in need?
Think about it.

Basic Rules for the Christian to Follow

“...The apostles and elders, your brothers, 

To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: 

Greetings. 

We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 

So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul— men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.... 

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 

You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. 

Farewell.” 

         Acts15:23b-26,28,29

The above words are those of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem to the Church at large.
The men responsible for those words wrote them within living memory of Jesus. Many if not all of those men knew Jesus. Certainly the apostles sat under the teaching of Jesus.
At the time there was a debate within the church as to how much of the old Testament law the gentiles entering the church should follow.
After much debate they set a very basic set of rules for all new converts to follow.

 “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.” Acts 15:29.

Once again God made coming to know Him simple. God through the apostles and elders made things very simple for the gentiles to come to know Him.
The rules laid down for the gentiles were simple and to the point. There was no gray area.
That is the way it is with Christianity as a whole. The early church fathers recognized that it wasn’t the law that saved a person, it was their faith.
Paul writing to the Ephesians states,

“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 writer of Hebrews stating,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. 

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible..... 

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 11:1-3,6

This was not a change from the Old Testament it was a continuation of what had already been happening for centuries. The writer of Hebrews noting,

 “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

   Hebrews 11:8-10 

The message of Christianity is one of a walk of faith. The other message is that of God’s love for mankind.
Jesus as quoted in John states,

 “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 sent His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”                                                                                                                          John 3:16,17.

At the same time Jesus issues a warning to those who would not believe when He states,

“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 3:18

Christians are told to take this message to the whole world. To anyone who would listen to them. At the same time Jesus makes it very clear that we are not to judge anyone.  Matthew 7:1,2 stating,

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

                                                                                           Matthew 7:1,2.

For a Christian to judge anyone is wrong. That is not our job. Our job is to win souls for Christ. If we were to judge someone, we run the risk of turning them away from God. Potentially sentencing them to an eternity in hell.
We as mortal men do not understand the hearts of other men. We have no idea of what caused a person to be what they are. Only God know. It is therefor our place to simply  present the gospel in a none judgmental way to anyone who would listen. It is then up to the individual to make their own decision.
The last words of Jesus recorded in Matthew are,

“...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 

The world in which the Christian is sent has many faults and flaws. It’s easy to look at them and judge them.
It’s very easy to scream from the pulpit, the pew or our livingroom couch that the world is going to hell.
It’s much harder to go out to that world and introduce the world the one who truly loves and cares for them. The God who in love sent His one and only son to die for us.
Think about it.

Images of a Woman

Images of a Woman
Some time ago I read the story of a rather unique individual and I wondered would this person be welcome in our church. Thus I wrote the following.
I’d be interested in feed back from any Christian out there as to what they think.
My Email is nwada232@gmail.com
That morning, Margaret Elizabeth got up exceptionally early, readying herself for the day.  She would get only one chance to make an impression.  To that end, she applied her makeup with extra care.  Chose the black mid calf skirt, white blouse and black jacket, her children had given her as a gift, while in hospital.  She limited her jewellery to a simple pair of diamond studied earrings, that had been her grandmother’s and small bracelet given to her by her daughter-in-law.
That done she left to meet with her pastor at their modest size church a ten minute drive away.
Once in the church office the pastors wife handed her a small gold cross necklace.
Margaret put it on and looked out the window.
From the window she could see the parking lot and the people entering the church. Wondering as she seen each person enter what they would think.
She’d known many of these people for several years. Some were close friends. But what she’d gone through in the last year had changed things somewhat, and now as she watched them enter she could only hope they would accept her.
Leaving that office, to walk to the pulpit was the hardest step, she ever had to make.  Her heart pounded and by the time, she stood behind the pulpit she was visibly shaking.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Margaret Elizabeth Williamson and just before Christmas, I underwent Sexual Reassignment Surgery.” she said relief surging through her body, as silence engulfed the assembly.  I know that many of you, maybe uncomfortable with that.  That is why I have asked to speak to you, to give you my testimony and then allow you to ask questions.
I have felt like a woman trapped in a man’s body for my entire life.  I was married for over twenty-five years to a wonderful and accepting woman, who died several years prior to my coming to this assembly.  I have a wonderful family, all of whom support me and are here today.
Believe me, I did not choose this course of action lightly.  I did so after much personal anguish and a great deal of prayer.
For a little over two years prior to my complete transition, I have lived my life as a woman: I was doing so when I came to this church and I think I did it well enough that no one knew.  If they did no one commented.
I have no apologies to give for what I did, or for who I am, because I do not believe I did anything wrong.
I accepted Jesus as my Saviour over thirty years ago, and asked Him to remove from me what at times, has been a difficult burden.  He has chosen not to, and thus, I have accepted that I am what I am.  A child of God, who knew me according to the Psalms in my mother’s womb.
I have no intentions of preaching a sermon here today, only to ask you to accept me as I am.  In fact, the only reason I stand before you today, is because I was asked to come onto the staff of this church and wish to be completely honest with you.
Now, I will open the door to all questions and endeavor to answer them to the best of my ability.  After which, I will ask for a vote and abide by your decision.”
Some people voted with their feet and left. Others remained asking many questions. All of which Margaret  answered then the questions ended, the pastor came to the front.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now time to take a vote.”  He said.  “If you wish Margaret Elizabeth to become a part of our pastoral staff, please rise to your feet.”

Love Your Enemies

Read Matthew 5
“You have heard that it was said,
‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and pray for those 
who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you maybe sons of your Father in heaven:
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the just and on the unjust,
“For if you greet your brethren only, what do you more than others?
Do not even the tax collectors do so?
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48
The first actual appearance of the word love in the New Testament is in Matthew 3:17 where God announces His approval of Jesus at Christ’s baptism, in the New King James version it reads,
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
God was pleased with Jesus.
The next time the word love is used directly, are in the words of Jesus quoted
above in Matthew 5:43-49 and it is in relation to our enemies.
In this chapter lies the “Beatitudes”, Jesus covers a wide range of things on our relationship to God and our relationship to man.  Then, right in the last paragraph of the chapter He states,
 “...love your enemies, bless those who curse you,
do good to those who hate you, and pray 
for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
Jesus knew that His disciples and those who followed them would be going into a very hostile world.  A world in which they may at times have more enemies than friends.  A world of sin.
He knew that the job of the Christian was to be a light to the world, to reach a world that would not always receive them.  We only have to look at the book of Acts to see what negative things can happen to a Christian.  Peter and John were thrown into prison, Stephen stoned and killed, Paul stoned and left for dead, people taking Paul before the civil authorities.
Yet these men went on because they loved God and they practised what Jesus taught. They loved their enemies and love,“...bears all things, believes all things, hoped all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”  States 1 Corinthians 13.

Something to thing about:

It is impossible for us as Christians to win souls for Christ without love. 

Take a few moments to examine what you call love. Does that love, Bear all things? Believe all things? Hope all things? Endure all things? Never fail? 

Do you put requirements on your love? Do your actions reflect your Love?

Does what you say truly show love?

Or

Do your words and deeds push people from Christ?

Think about it.