You Are

You Are
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:14-16.
The great evangelist Charles Spurgeon wrote,
“The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! “You are the light of the world.”’Charles H. Spurgeon
Spurgeon is absolutely right. If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus the world will see Him through the lense of your life.
The apostle Peter tells believers in Christ,

“Live such good lives among the pagans that,

 though they accuse you of doing wrong, 

they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 

                                                                                   1 Peter 2:11,12

Francis of Assisi noted,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                   Francis of Assisi.

Thus if you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus, the question becomes.
What is your sermon telling the world around you?
Please think about it.

More than the watchman

More than the watchman
Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24.
Do you worship God in spirit and in truth?
Do you take time to worship God daily?
Why do you go to church?
It’s easy to go to church sit down enjoy the music and the sermon. To socialize with friends. But if all you go to church for is to “enjoy” the music and sermon, and to socialize with friends that is entertainment.
As believers in Christ Jesus we are called to worship God in “spirit and in truth”.
Being a believer in Christ Jesus is a lifestyle that incorporates worshipping God daily. It is a longing in our heart to serve God wherever we may be. Be it in our home, at work, in our neighbourhood or at church.
The Psalmist writes,

“I wait for the LORD, 

My soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. 

My soul waits for the Lord

 more than the watchmen wait for morning, 

more than the watchmen wait for morning” 

                                                       Psalm 130:5,6.

 If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus do you wait for the Lord more than the watchmen wait for morning?
Please think about it.

Christians Consider this

Christians Consider this.
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.

Think of it this way,

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals however good they may be on others.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

I think it is important for all those who believe in Christ Jesus, to understand what Jesus said in Matthew 7:12.
We will in our walk through this life come across many people we disagree with. It is however not our right to judge them. We must treat them they same way we expect to be treated with unconditional love and understanding.
Jesus speaking of 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” John 3:16,17.
As Christians we must always remember this. As Billy Graham the great American evangelist said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,

 God’s job to judge, 

and my job to love,”

                                  Billy Graham.

Please think about it.

Just as The Father commanded

Just as the Father Commanded us
The Apostle John writes,
“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  
And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.  
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. 2 John 1:4-6.
Over and over again the apostle John emphasizes that believers in Christ must love. Love must be the motivating force behind all believers in Christ. As I have quoted in previous blogs 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.
  What Jesus is saying here echos the words spoke in Deuteronomy that states,
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  Deuteronomy 6:5-7
If you truly love God then you will love all whom He loves. That means everyone. Jesus speaking of 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” John 3:16,17
It is our duty as believers in Christ to show God’s unconditional love to others. The apostle John emphasizes this over and over again.
It is only by showing the love of God to those around us that we can truly win the world for Christ.
Francis of Assisi penned a wonderful prayer that illustrates this. He wrote,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy 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;

And 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.” 

                                                                    Francis of Assisi

If you consider yourself a believer in Christ, ask yourself does this prayer reflect my life?
Please think about it.

On Idols

On Idols
In the final line 1 John. The apostle makes a definite statement all believers even today must obey. He writes,
“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21.
In John’s day idols were everywhere. Idol worship was in every city, town and village in the Roman world. Temples to the various Roman god’s were easily spotted.
Today in the twenty-first century we have as many idols if not more than existed in John’s day. They are just harder to spot.
Idols are anything we worship other than God knowingly or subconsciously. Money is perhaps top of the list. There are people who put the making of money above all else quiet often even their families. But there are other things. Everything from the latest designer clothing to computers to cell phones, consumer goods, to sporting and entertainment events, to
We just have to look at when a technology company announces the release of its latest, greatest gadget. The lineups for it start early in the morning and go for city blocks.
Now there is nothing wrong with having money or the latest electronic gadget or going to or participating in sports or entertainment events. Money, gadgets and other things can make our lives easier. Sporting and entertainment can help us relax.  The problem comes when we desire them more than we desire God.
Especially if you consider yourself a Christian you need to carefully consider what place money and possessions  and other things have in your life.
You need to ask yourself the question do I put the things of this world, ahead of God?
Please think about it.

So in everything you do

So in everything you do
The Apostle John writes,
“This is how we 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?  
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:16-18
John here echoes the words the James the half brother of Jesus who said,
“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
Christianity is first and foremost a faith of action. It is our faith that saves us. It does however not stop there. True faith spurs us on to good deeds.
As believers in Christ we must help those in need to the extent we are able. I believe the more we are able to help people. The more God will hold us accountable.
Jesus summed up how believers in Christ should act when he 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.

Put it this way. If you were hungry and in need of clothing or shelter. Would you not want someone to help you?
Jesus said this,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:34-46.
Please think about it.

To the end of Generations

To the end of Generations

“Train a child in the way he should go, 

and when he is old he will not turn from it.” 

                                               Proverbs 22:6

“Whoever teaches his son teaches not alone his son 

but also his son’s son, and so on to the end of generations.”  

                                                                         The Talmud.

What are you teaching your children? Your children see not only your words but your deeds also. It is no good saying to your child “Do what I say, not what I do.” We must live out our values before our children.
Francis of Assisi wrote,

“The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                     Francis of Assisi.

This is certainly true when it comes to our children. So what moral values are you teaching your children?
If you are a Christian you most certainly must be teaching them 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.
As believers in Christ Jesus, our children must see the fruits of the Spirit in our lives.  The apostle Paul telling us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.
We as believers must teach our children to cultivate those truth. To put them into action in their day to day lives.
For in doing so they will make the world around them a better place.
Please think about it.

To be Christian

To be Christian
Someone once said to me the basics for being a Christian is believing in the Saving grace of  Christ Jesus. Believing that He is the Son of God, the Saviour of Mankind and accepting Jesus as your personal Saviour.
He noted that the nuts and bolts so to speak of what we believe as Christians is stated in the Apostles creed that states,
1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth
2. I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.
3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary
4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.
5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.
6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost
9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,
10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.
11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.
12. I believe in life everlasting.
All of that is true but it’s not all there is. Being a Christian a follower of Christ Jesus a lifestyle. It is putting the teachings of Jesus into action in our lives daily.
The means loving God, our neighbour, and even our enemy unconditionally. It means praying for our persecutors. It means following the words of Jesus who said,

“Do to others as you would have them do to you. 

                                                                    Luke 6:31.  

It means exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. The apostle Paul telling us,

"But the fruit of the Spirit is 

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, 

goodness, faithfulness,  

gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law."  

                                       Galatians 5:22,23.

This in a nutshell is what it is to be a true follower of Jesus Christ.
Please think about it.

Not all are

Not all are
The other day I found a couple of interesting quotes. One from Lenny Bruce said,

“Every day people are straying away from the church

 and going back to God. Really.” 

                                      Lenny Bruce, "Religions Inc."

The other is from an unknown author it states,

"I believe in God; I just don't trust anyone who works for him.”

                                                                               Author Unknown

I have met many people who truly believe in God but are turned off by the people who supposedly serve Him. It’s sad but there are many claiming to be Christians who are not. There are many men and women preaching from the pulpit and in the media that are not Christians.
Jesus said,

“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23.

The apostle Paul wrote,
“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.
The apostle Peter states,
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.  
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.  
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”2 Peter 2:1-3.
Like I said, there are many in the world today claiming to be Christians who are not. They have twisted the scriptures to say what they want it to say. Twisted the truths of the bible to suit their way of life.
I cannot tell anyone outside the Christian community how to tell the difference between a true Christian and one who is not. It’s sometimes hard for Christians themselves to tell. All I can do is quote the apostle Paul who wrote,
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5: 19-23
A true Christian will 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 neighbor 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 defining Christian love this way,

“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.

Please think about it.

Look Deep into Nature

Look Deep into Nature
Albert Einstein one of the greatest scientist ever to live made an interesting statement. He said,

“Look deep into nature, 

and then you will understand everything better.”

                                                                 Albert Einstein

The psalmist writing several millenniums before Einstein’s birth wrote,

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 

                                                                              Psalm 19:1-3.

I have always been of the opinion that science done correctly will show there is a creator behind it all. And science seems to be heading in that direction.
Scientist are looking into nature. They are seeing that everything from the largest galaxies to the smallest subatomic particles have all come together to allow life as we know it here on earth to exist.
To me that speaks of a creator.
Einstein noted,

“Human beings vegetables  or cosmic dust. 

We all dance to a mysterious tune, 

intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”

                                                              Albert Einstein.

I don’t know whether or not Einstein believed in God. I do know that his statement about we all being cosmic dust, dancing to a tune played an invisible player is true.
The Bible tells me,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
In other words God created the very cosmic dust that makes up the Earth the Universe and everything in it, including mankind.
God is that “invisible player” Einstein spoke of.
The apostle Paul speaking in Athens said,
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”  Acts 17:24-27.
Mankind and the universe are God’s creation. But God did not make robots programmed to follow his every command. God gave man a freewill. In doing so he gave man the right to believe in him or not.
That being said, God asks each individual to believe in him by faith, but not blind faith, by informed faith.
God challenges the individual to look into the natural world and see how it is all interconnected. To see the intelligent design behind it all. Then decide where they will place their faith.
Thus the choice is yours. Do you believe in God or not?
Please think about it.

Seemingly Outlandish

Seemingly Outlandish
John’s Gospel records this conversation between Martha and Jesus,
“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.
Matthew’s Gospel records this conversation between Jesus and his disciples,
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”  Matthew 16:13-17.
John’s Gospel records this interaction between some people in the temple area in Solomon’s Colonnade.
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  
I and the Father are one.” 
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10 22-33. 
Here are just three incidents among many that Jesus makes the claim to be the Messiah. That he claims to be equal to God.
If you think about it such claims could be considered outlandish. They were certainly dangerous make. In the last incident I quoted the people were going to stone Jesus for claiming equality with God.
If you think about it, if such claims were not true why would the writers of the New Testament include them? It would injure their fledgling movement.
C. S. Lewis put it this way,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 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
Please think about it.

Faith

Faith

“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I 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 our God stands forever.” 

                                                                    Isaiah 40:6-8.

There is one thing we all know. We will not get out of this life alive. I however do not believe life ends in death. I believe human beings are eternal beings. Beings created by God to have fellowship with Him.
For me if there is no life after death. If this life is all we have it’s a waste of time. The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
Someone one once said to me,

“life’s a game and he who has all the toys in the end wins”

Nothing could be further from the truth for at the end of this life you can take nothing with you. All you have accumulated in this life will be divided up and given to others.
The only thing you take with you to the next life is your faith in God.
The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us,
“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.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“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.

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.
I as a Christian believe God has made things as simple as possible for individuals to get to heaven. God has even gone as far as to enter into the world he created in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus Christ.
The apostle John referring to Jesus as “the Word” said,
“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.
John also making it clear,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13 
As I said the key to eternal life with God is faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and 

certain of what we do not see.” 

                                       Hebrews 11:1.

Do you believe in God?
Please think carefully about it.

The Corner Stone

The Corner Stone
The Apostle John Warns,
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.  
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:18-22.
Here John speaking to believers, warns against what he calls “antichrists”. What he means is those who are against Christ. Men and women who are denying that Jesus is The Messiah, The Christ, God incarnate.
John notes,
“They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.”
These people said they were believers. They apparently sat under the teaching of the disciples. However they did not believe.
John talking about these people, states, 
“Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist—he denies the Father and the Son.”
You cannot be a true believer in Christ if you deny the deity of Christ. The apostle Paul writing to the Colossians about Jesus said
“In him dwells all the fullness of the God head bodily” Colossians 2:9.
The writer of Hebrews speaking of Jesus tells us,
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:3.
John’s Gospel records this incident of 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.  
John at the beginning of his gospel referring to Jesus as “The Word” states,
“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.
The corner stone of Christian belief is that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God incarnate. You cannot be a Christian and not believe this.
Please think about it.

Where is your faith?

Where’s your faith?
The Apostle John writes,
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  
For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.  
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17.
What John is saying here is what Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21.
As believers in Christ we must decide who we will follow. We are either following Jesus or we are following the ways of the world. There is no middle ground.
Matthews gospel tells of this encounter between Jesus and a rich young man. It reads,
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Matthew 19:16-22.
Now let me make something clear here. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. It is the priority you put on your wealth.
In the case of the rich man who came to Jesus it was obvious that he but his wealth first in his life. He was not willing to give it up and trust God to provide for him. Thus he left Jesus sad.
The decision this rich man had to make however is a decision we all must make. Are we willing to trust God to supply our everyday needs or in our wealth.
  Thus the question becomes where do you put your faith?
Please think about it.

Your Walk

Your Walk
The apostle John writes,
“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  
The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  
But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him:  
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6.
The apostle John speaking to those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ states very clearly,
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Walking as Jesus walked, is showing unconditional love for God, our neighbour and even our enemy. 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 neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Matthew 5:43-47.
Here is something for those who consider themselves believers in Christ to think about.
In his lifetime he never spoke or protested against anyone outside his faith. He a Jew did speak against the religious leaders who were incorrectly practising the word of God.
He did not speak against the secular Roman authority even when he was put on trial.
When the apostle John tells us
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
 This to my way of thinking is Not protesting even if it is something we disagree with.
It means showing unconditional love to all we come in contact with. The apostle Paul defining 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.

Thus the question becomes,
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ is this the kind of love you are showing to the world.
Please think about it.

Will you sit with them

Will you sit with them?
The reason I post these blogs is to make Christians and others, think about their faith, their relationship to God and to other people.
The apostles while on this earth never wavered in their devotion to God. Their faith remained strong in all situations. At the same time they followed the example of Jesus by associating with all people from all walks of life and presenting the gospel message to them.
A good example of this is when Jesus sat down with the Samaritan women, (John 4:6-26).
In speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well he broke the social norm of his day. In doing so Jesus showed his followers that they should do the same.
Jesus in forgetting about the social norm of the day and speaking to the Samaritan woman resulted in many in the village coming to believe that He indeed was the Messiah. John’s gospel recording,
“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”  
So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  
And because of his words many more became believers. 
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:39-42.
As believers in Christ Jesus today in the twenty-first century we need to follow what Jesus did. We need to put aside our “social norms” and associate with all people.
It should not matter whether we agree with their beliefs, or their lifestyle we should be opening a dialogue with them.
Jesus did not look on the lifestyle or the beliefs of this Samaritan woman he simply presented the good news of Salvation to her. As a result many others believed in Him.
Question,
Are you willing to sit down with people of different lifestyles and belief and present the gospel message?
Please think about it.

The Choice

The Choice
The day and age in which we live puts before believers in Christ Jesus many challenges.     We perhaps more than at any other point in time, face things that were hidden or at the very least less prominent to believers in Christ in generations past.
That being said, every now and then I like poking Christians with a pointy stick so to speak. One that makes them think about various issues the church in the twenty-first century must confront. This is one of those days. My sole purpose is to make believers in Christ Jesus to think.
While the story below is fictional but it could just have easily in today’s society be fact. The story is called the Choice
"That morning, Margaret Elizabeth got up extra 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 ankle length wraparound skirt, white turtle neck top and black jacket, her children had given her as a gift, while in hospital.  She limited her jewelry 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.
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 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 thirty 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 who I am, because I do not believe I did anything wrong.
I accepted Jesus as my Saviour over thirty-five years ago, and asked Him to remove from me what at times, has been this 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 Psalmist, 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.”
There were many questions answered, then 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.”
Thus the question becomes how would you vote and why?
Please think carefully about it.

It's not about

It’s not about
Sometime ago I posted this short story. It’s called The Eleven O Clock Parable.
I got various reactions some missed the mark about what I was saying. Some completely got it. I put it here for you to read. At the end of which is my interpretation.

The Eleven O Clock Prayer

It’s eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation, waits. 
Will the new law be legal? 
Outside the court house men and women with placards chant. 
On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.
On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical men and women calling themselves Christians, denouncing the new law.
One man among them screams angrily . “HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!”
Approached by the media he says it again, “homosexuals are going to Hell.” 
From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?”
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not only to love our neighbour but our enemy also?
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?
Wasn’t it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?
Is this man showing love?
Is this man judging another? 
Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world of which a percentage are homosexual?
Is this man even a Christian?
A questions keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, “Can we truly know what is in someone else’s head?
Do we really know why a person is the way they are?”
For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day, and how can I reach them for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, “Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision on this law.”
The point of the story is not about the judge. About whether the judge follows the rule of law or follows his conscience.
The Point is summed up in the words of Jesus who 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.
Would those claiming to be Christians protesting outside the judges office want those who disagree with them protesting in front of a judges office who had to decide a law that favoured Christians?
Would these people want others protesting against their rights given to them by a duly elected government in a secular democracy such as we live in?
Read the words of Jesus again,
“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.
If you claim to be Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus the ramifications of that statement are enormous. Your very words and deeds are telling others what they can do to you.
Please think about it.

John 3:17

John 3:17
The Apostle John quoting Jesus speaking of himself states,
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17.
Sadly I think many who call themselves Christians fail to see what this portion of scripture means.
 John 3:16,
“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.” is perhaps the most quoted verse in the New Testament. But John 3:17,
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” is overlooked.
The purpose in Jesus coming into the world was to save souls. Not to judge or condemn them. Sadly for many claiming to be Christian this purpose is lost on them. They go around heaping judgement on everyone they disagree with.
Billy Graham the great American Evangelist said,

It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,

 God’s job to judge 

and my job to love, 

                     Billy Graham.

All Christians need to remember this.
Another great evangelist Charles Spurgeon wrote,
“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.” Charles H. Spurgeon.
       As Christians we must remember,
“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.

We must remember it was unconditional love that took Jesus to the cross. That it is unconditional love that we as believers in Christ Jesus show to all people.

Please think about it.

Do you Worship God?

Do you Worship God?
The Psalmist tells us,

Praise the LORD. 

Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens. 

Praise him for his acts of power; 

praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, 

praise him with the harp and lyre, 

praise him with tambourine and dancing, 

praise him with the strings and flute, 

praise him with the clash of cymbals,

 praise him with resounding cymbals. 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. 

Praise the LORD. 

                                   Psalm 150

The Apostle Paul said,
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” Acts 17:24.
So my question to you, if you are a Christian is where do you worship God?
Do you only worship God at church on Sunday or at some special church meeting?
If God is pre-eminent in our lives we should be worshipping him more than on just Sundays or at some special service. We need to worship Him at other times also and I don’t mean by simply listening to worship music. While listening to worship music is good. It should not be a replacement for taking time to actually worship God yourself.
You can turn on the worship music but sing along with it. Take time to speak words of praise to God.
And here’s something to think about. Let your words and deeds praise God. Francis of Assisi 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 discord, harmony;

Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And 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."

                                                              Francis of Assisi

  I know it can be hard to praise God sometimes. But if we are making God a reality in our life. Our words and deeds will praise God. Not only that they will point others to God.
Please think about it.

Forsaking All I Take Him

Forsaking All I Take Him
Jesus said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24.
I write this to those who would claim to be Christians.
Do you worship God in spirit and in truth?
I firmly believe that to worship God in spirit and in truth you have to be completely committed to Him.
Matthew’s gospel records this incident between Jesus and a young man. He records,
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Matthew 19:16-22.
The young man believed there was a God. He it followed the law. He was a good man. But he was not willing to put his complete trust in God. His trust it seems was in his wealth.
He was not worshiping God in spirit and in truth. He did not have the faith that God would provide for him and look after him.
The writer of Hebrews states,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and 

certain of what we do not see.”  

                                      Hebrews 11:1.

In order to truly worship God we must be willing to put our complete trust in Him. As some one said, FAITH.... 
                                                 Forsaking 
                                                 All 
                                                 I 
                                                Take 
                                                Him.
Do you truly have faith in God? Do you worship God in spirit and in truth?
It is a question only you can answer.
Please think about it.

Christian belief in a Nutshell

Christian belief in a Nutshell
The Gospel of John records Jesus speaking of himself as saying, 
“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.
This is the message of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. In very clear terms it makes three statements.
1. God loved the world so much He sent his one and only son into it, so that whoever believed in Him would have eternal life.
2. He makes it clear that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world in any way. He came to save all who would believe in Him.
3. He gives a warning. Making it clear that whoever believes in Jesus in not condemned. But whoever does not believe in him is condemned.
This is a core belief of all who believe in Jesus Christ.
All who hear about the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ must decide for themselves if what the apostle John wrote here in his gospel is true or not.
If it is untrue then no one has anything to fear.
If on the other hand it is true then there are eternal ramifications. 
Please think about it.

Wine from Water

Wine from Water
John’s gospel records Jesus as being at a wedding feast with his disciples, possible of a relative, when the wine runs out. Something that would have been to potentially humiliating to the bride and groom.
His mother obviously knowing what he was capable of doing asked him to make things right if you will. Jesus does so in the form of a miracle. John’s gospel stating,
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,  
and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.  
When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 
“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. 
Then he called the bridegroom aside  and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” John 2:1-11.
For me personally there is a few of things that fascinate me about this incident.
First Mary the mother of Jesus knew he could preform such an act. She obviously had foreknowledge of what Jesus was capable of doing.
Second while Jesus said, “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” he a adult man of around thirty, still obeyed his mother.
Third, In doing so he did a secret act of kindness toward the bride and groom. For while the servants knew what had happened, the master of the banquet did not know, nor presumably did the bride and groom.
Forth, and more importantly this miracle set a precedent. It did what the miracles of Jesus were suppose to do, showed who he was. The Son of God, the Messiah. The apostle John noting,
“This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” 
It has always been my contention that all the miracles in the Bible are true. Especially those associated with Jesus.
The New Testament was written within living memory of Jesus. There were people around that knew Jesus and what he did. To lie would be to destroy the credibility of the fledgling church.
Not only that but the writers of the New Testament were writing to tell people beyond Israel about Jesus. People not only in the Roman Empire but beyond it.
To fabricate something that was unbelievable would again not be in the best interest of the fledgling movement.
Thus in my opinion these events must be true. The choice however is up to you the reader. You must decide for yourself if what the writers of the New Testament wrote is true.
You must decide if Jesus is who he claimed to be, the Son of God, Saviour of mankind, Messiah.
Please think about it.

Faith & God

Faith & God
The book of Genesis states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
The Bible does not debate the existence of God. After all it was written to believers in God. People who have faith in God.
The writer of Hebrews stating,

“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

That being said Thomas Aquinas said,

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. 

To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” 

                                                       Thomas Aquinas.

Sadly from my point of view as a Christian there are many in the world that don’t believe in God. They can’t seem to believe in anything beyond this world. Anything they cannot see, feel, or hear. Yet having faith in God costs nothing and offers much. 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 as a Christian believe God wants people to believe in Him by faith because people who believe in anything by faith are the strongest of followers.
I as a Christian also believe that God did all he could to show mankind He loves them and wants them to spend eternity with Him. The apostle John writing,
“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.
We Christians believe God in the form of His One and Only Son Jesus Christ entered the world to point people to heaven. We believe the apostle John who speaking about Jesus wrote,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12,13.
We believe the apostle Paul who 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.
Christians believe that it is by the grace of God through our faith, our belief in Him that we get to heaven. So to quote Blaise Pascal again,
“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
Thus the question becomes. Where are you placing your bet?
Please think about it.