Jesus said
In John’s Gospel we read,
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
This is a believe it or not statement. True Christians believe this. If we are wrong then those who do not believe as we do have nothing to fear.
If on the other hand we are right. Those who do not believe as we do have at the very least something to think about.
Please think about it.
By Gods Grace
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.
Put simply the apostle Paul is saying you can’t work your way to heaven. The only way you get to heaven is by having faith in God. Salvation is a gift we receive for believing in God and His son Christ Jesus.
In the book of Hebrews we read,
"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.
To my way of thinking having faith in anything especially if you can’t see it is very hard to do. That is why I believe God asks us to have faith in Him. Because God knows people who have true faith will go to their graves for their beliefs.
Please think about it.
Who do you think Jesus is?
In Marks gospel we see Jesus asking this question,
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets."
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ.'" Mark 8:27-29.
Is Jesus The Christ, The Messiah, The Son of God?
Just who do you think Jesus is?
C. S. Lewis answered that question this way,
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him (Jesus): 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.
If Jesus is not The Son of God, God Incarnate. Then Christianity has created one of the greatest lies in all of human history. With billions of people believing that lie.
That being said I believe Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate. As such everyone who hears about Jesus has a choice to make. A choice Jesus gave when He, speaking about 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.
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.
Thus the choice is yours. Do you believe Jesus is all He said He is. Do you believe the Gospel message laid down in the New Testament?
Before you answer the question please take time to read the New Testament for yourself and learn what men and women who knew Jesus believed about Him.
Please think about it.
Helping
Jesus told this story,
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
"But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
"He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
" ‘No, father Abraham,' he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog there is nothing wrong with being rich. It’s what we do with that wealth that wealth that can cause a problem.
In the above story Lazarus a beggar was not helped by the rich man. Ultimately however God held the rich man as He will us to account.
The Bible has thousands of verses calling us to help the poor any way we can. That can be as simple as giving a beggar on the street some pocket change, food, a warm coat, gloves, or whatever we have on hand. Even giving to a reputable charity is helping the poor.
So what are you doing to help the poor where you live?
Please think about it.
Listen
In the book of James we read
"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.
Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:1-6.
James here issues a warning to the rich who do not care for the poor.
Now there’s nothing wrong with being rich. There have been and are today many wealthy people within the church. Men and women who have help the church with their wealth evangelize and grow.
The problem when it comes to wealth is what are the priorities you put on it and how do you use it.
Jesus said,
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate theone and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" Matthew 6:24.
James in the above quote tells people who put their trust in their riches with no regard for the poor what will happen to them.
The question is will this happen to you?
Please think about it.
Are your ears open or closed?
"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself call out and not be answered.”
Proverbs 21:13.
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 neighbour…
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 Leviticus we read,
" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.
Jesus said,
"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42.
Time and time again throughout the Bible we are called to help the poor. This is an obligation of all Christians.
So do you do what you can to help others?
Please think about it.
Called to Service
In the book of Philippians we read,
"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4.
Do you look out for others?
In the book of James we read,
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:14-17.
So if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, is your faith alive or dead?
Please think about it.
They seen and touched Him.
The apostle John states,
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We write this to make our joy complete. " 1John 1:1-4.
The apostle John makes it clear that he truly believed that Jesus was God the Creator of all things. That he and the other apostles interacted with Him.
John referring to Jesus also wrote,
"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.
If this is not true it is the greatest lie in the history of mankind. If on the other hand it is true each individual must acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.
The apostle Paul saying,
"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 10:12, 13.
Please think about it.
Through a foggy window
The apostle Paul writes,
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12.
For me this describes Christianity. We look at heaven through a foggy window. We see just enough for us to believe. The rest we believe by faith. Which is what we are asked to do by the writer of Hebrews who states,
"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.
Do you believe in God?
Do you believe that Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, The Saviour of all who would believe in Him?
Please think about it.
Something we should be doing.
The Psalmist writes,
"I will praise you forever for what you have done;
in your name I will hope,
for your name is good.
I will praise you in the presence of your saints."
Psalm 52:9.
If you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, this is something we should be doing.
Yes there will be days when things are tough. When it seems hard to praise God. Never the less we should be praising God. With the full knowledge that if we trust Him we will eventually overcome the problems we are going through.
Please think about it.
Trust in God
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5,6.
This is a very clear directive given to all believers. We are called to trust God no matter what happens.
Job who went through many problems said,
“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;
I will surely defend my ways to his face.”
Job 13:15.
Job may not have known why everything that was happening to him, was happening. He did however know that he truly believed in God. And was willing to defend his actions to God.
The apostle Paul was stoned, shipwrecked, beaten, and eventually put to death for what he believed. Yet he never faltered in his faith in God. He believed, what he believed was right and went to his grave for those beliefs.
This is how we should be today. We should know what we believe and why we believe it. And why we believe something should not be the result of only listening to a preacher, teacher, or evangelist. We should be studying the word of God for ourselves. Reading the Bible so that we know first hand why we believe what we believe.
If you consider yourself a Christian could you defend what you believe before others?
Please think about it.
Dear Christian
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you....
Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Luke 6:27,28,31.
The message to Christians here is strait forward. Love. Love the way God loves, unconditionally.
So dear Christian the question becomes....
Do you love those around you the way God loves?
Please think about it.
We must have faith
In the book of Hebrews we read,
"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.
To believe in something you can see, is for many a very difficult if not impossible thing to do. Yet God requires it of all who would wish to go to heaven.
The apostle Paul tells us,
"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. Romans 10:9,10.
So do you believe in the Saving Grace that comes from God through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Please think about it.
Our works cannot save us.
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
In the book of Ephesians we read,
“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.
Our works as good as they may be cannot save us. They cannot get us to heaven. It is only by the grace of God that we get to heaven.
The apostle Paul making it very clear writing,
"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. Romans 10:9,10.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.
The things you accumulate.
The apostle Peter writes,
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you" 1Peter 1:3-4.
If you accept the saving grace offered to you by God through Christ Jesus. Then you can praise God because the inheritance we have is not in this world but in heaven where it can never spoil or fade.
The riches you may accumulate in this world are fleeting. At the end of your life they will be dispersed among other people. They will no longer be yours. But the things you do for Christ. The things you do for God will be yours forever.
Please think about it.
It sounds foolish
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.
The Christian message can I suppose be seen to be foolish. After all we Christians believe Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. Not only that we believe our Saviour, Jesus, died for our sins.
Why would God do such a thing. The answer was given by Jesus himself. Who speaking about 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.
God loves us unconditionally. That’s why He came to the world He created in the form of Christ Jesus. To show the world in human terms how far He would go to show each individual the way to heaven.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.
A Criminals Confession
In the Gospel of Luke we read of this conversation between the two criminals who were crucified with Jesus and Jesus.
Luke records,
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'"
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43.
It has been pointed out to me that the criminal that Jesus said would get to heaven (Paradise) never said the sinners prayer.
I pointed out the sinners prayer isn’t seen in the Bible and that the criminal that believed in Jesus did everything he was called to do to enter heaven.
He believed Jesus was who he claimed to be. And he confessed his sins.
The apostle Paul pointing out,
"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. Romans 10:9,10.
The apostle John stating,
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1John 1:9-10.
Is this you today?
Do you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord?
Have you confessed your sins to God?
If you truly did this you are on your way to Heaven.
Please think about it.
How to get to heaven
The Apostle Paul writes,
"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.” Romans 10:9,10.
Getting to heaven is that simple.
Confessing Jesus is Lord.
Believing God raised Him from the Dead.
These two points are sadly for many people not something they believe.
That being said do you?
Please think about it.
Who is Jesus
In John’s gospel we read,
"Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?' Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.' Pilate asked him, ‘What is truth?'" John 18:37-38.
Pilot ultimately found no wrong in Jesus. Never the less out of political expediency he allowed Jesus to be put to death.
So who is Jesus to you?
In the book of acts we read of the apostle Peter saying,
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:36.
Jesus himself 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
The apostle John writes,
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We write this to make our joy complete. " 1John 1:1-4.
This is what men that knew Jesus personally believed Jesus to be. So are they right in what they believe?
What do you think?
Please think about it.
Our duty
In proverbs we read,
"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13.
In the book of Leviticus we read,
" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.
Do you do what you can to help the poor, even if it’s just giving a small amount to a reputable charity or church?
Have you ever slipped a couple of dollars, to a beggar on the street?
I’ve heard many say if I give to someone on the street how do I know they are not going to buy drugs? The answer is you don’t. But that’s between them and God. You are not responsible for what they do with the money you give them. You have given because you think it’s the right thing to do. You should not be judging them.
As believers in Christ Jesus it is our duty to do what we can to help others.
Are you?
Please think about it.
Love with actions
The apostle John writes,
"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another....
"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." 1John 3:11,17,18.
The Bible is full of admonitions to the believer to help those in need.
In the Talmud we read,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?" He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.
Are you making the world around you a household of Love?
Please think about it.
Do you serve?
In the book of Galatians we read,
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13.
Do you serve others especially those who are in your church congregation?
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.
So I ask the question. Do you serve? Do you help those in need in word and in deed?
Please think about it.
Gods Demonstration
Jesus said,
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 1:10,11.
The apostle Paul wrote,
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.
I believe these words to be true. I believe God sent Christ into this world to show in human terms how far He would go to point each individual to heaven.
The question however is, Do you believe this?
Please think about it.
You cannot say
In John’s gospel we read,
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."— John 1:14.
One day we will all stand before God to be judged. On that day we will never be able to say to God “you did not know what it is to be human.”
We will not be able to say this because God knows what it is to be human. You see God entered this world in the form of Christ Jesus.
Jesus while on this earth experienced all that their was to be human. He was a refugee, his parents having to flee to Egypt to avoid the murderous wrath of Herod.
Jesus knew what it was like to be persecuted by those who should have welcomed him, the holy men of his day.
He knew what it was to be flogged and put to death for a crime He didn’t commit.
On a more mundane level Jesus knew what it was like to smell the flowers. To feel the sun and rain. He attended weddings and other events. He cried over the death of a friend.
In short Jesus experienced all that there is to be human.
More importantly He offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. 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.
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.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.
Do you acknowledge God?
The Psalmist speaking about God states,
"He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way."
Psalm 25:9.
In the book of Proverbs we read,
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5,6.
Do you trust in the Lord with all your heart?
Do you humble yourself before God and learn of His ways?
Do you in all your ways acknowledge God?
Please think about it.
Time to Praise
The Psalmist writes,
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.
A simple question... do you praise God in any of the ways the Psalmist is telling us to do?
Please think about it.
Speak of Gods righteousness
Speaking about God. The Psalmist states,
"My tongue will speak of your righteousness
and of your praises all day long."
Psalm 35:28.
If you consider yourself a Christian do you speak of the righteousness of God to those around you when you get the opportunity?
By this I don’t mean force your beliefs on someone. I mean tell them softly and in love about what you believe. Engage in an open and respectful conversation in which you listen to them and what they believe also.
For its only in engaging people in respectful conversation that they will listen to us. And the message of salvation we offer them through Christ Jesus.
Please think about it.
Seek and Pursue
The Psalmist states,
"Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it."
Psalm 34:11-14.
Do you love life and desire many good days?
Next question. Do you keep your lips from lying?
Do you turn from evil?
Do you seek Peace and Pursue it?
Please think about it.
A note to Christians
In the book or Colossians we read,
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:16,17.
This portion of scripture needs little explanation. As believers in Christ Jesus we are to let His teachings dwell in us both in word and deed.
We are to admonish one another when there are problems in love.
And above all in all we do, in word and deed do it in the name of Jesus.
If you consider yourself a Christian,
Don’t just think about it.
Do it!
The choice is up to you
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.
I read a sobering statistic the other day. It stated that approximately 160,000 people world wide die each day.
We all know that one day we will be a part of that statistic. The cold hard fact is every person born will one day die..
Thus the question becomes; where will you spend eternity?
It’s a question we need to settle here and now.
Do you believe in Christ Jesus and that He is the way to heaven or not?
The choice is yours.
Start with Love
Matthews gospel record, 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 here is echoing what the God is telling us to do in the book of Deuteronomy,
“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.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9.
As this new year starts let us all do our best to follow what God is telling us to do. Remembering the definition of true love being,
"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 take time to show true love to all you come in contact with throughout the coming year.
