Christian Living

Christian Living

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 

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 3:3-6.

Are you truly a Christian? If so where is your faith. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“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 this? Do you truly believe this! Where is your faith?
Are you the kind of person who runs to God for help in the bad times but forgets about Him in the good times?
Is God truly an intricate part of your life and lifestyle?
Do you truly follow the teachings of Jesus?
There several key teachings I believe all Christians must follow.
First, 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.
Second Jesus tells us,
“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.
Thirdly
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:18-21.
Fourthly, the apostle Peter states,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
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
Fifthly the writer of Hebrews telling us,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
Six.
“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.
It is only when we truly follow these teachings having complete faith in Christ. Complete faith in God, that we can truly be effective in doing what Jesus called all Christians everywhere to do.
Jesus telling us.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:18-20.
Please think about it.

Will You?

Will you?
“The great question of our time is, 'Will we be motivated by materialistic philosophy or by spiritual power?”
     Billy Graham.
I live in what I believe is perhaps the most materialistic society on earth, North America
Each day you are inundated with thousands of images and words wanting us to buy the latest gadget. The advertisers tell us that this thing or that thing will make our life easier.
People are drowning in debt because they swallowed the mantra of buy now pay later. People work long hours, take work home with them, all to have enough money to have “the good life”.
Now there’s nothing wrong with having money, with being rich and having all the latest gadgets. Money and the things it buys are not sinful in themselves. Many of the things we buy do in fact make our life easier.
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 
                                                                                        1 Timothy 6:10.
Sadly materialism has entered the church.
My pastor is quick to point to what he calls the “blab it grab it” crowd, or so called “name it claim it crowd”.
Preachers that are telling people to give to God and he will give you a return on your money of one hundred or even a thousand fold. As if God is a super banker giving you incredible interest on your investment. What garbage!
God is not a banker giving interest.
Sadly as apparently in the apostle Paul’s time materialism has entered the church.
From where I live here in Canada I can see how the materialism of secular society affects the church and how false teachers feed on that.
After all who wouldn’t want a thousand percent return on their money.
Christians however should not be looking for riches. The apostle Paul writes,
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  
Philippians 4:12
As Christians we shouldn’t be looking for great wealth at all costs. There’s nothing wrong with asking God for a comfortable lifestyle. However our desire should not be focused on wealth it should be focused on serving God.
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. 
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  
But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” 
                                                                                                                Matthew 6:19-24
Jesus went on to say,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
                                                                                                  Matthew 6:25,26 .
As Christians our live should be focused on God. On serving God to the best of our ability. We should not worry about money and getting rich.
As the apostle Paul said,
The apostle Paul said,
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
                                                                                                                                    Philippians:4:19.
Dear Christian,
Please think about it. 

A checklist for Christians

A checklist for Christians

“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.  
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
                                                                                    Galatians 5: 19-26

Here is a checklist we as Christians need to look at carefully  

The sinful nature The fruit of the Spirit 

sexual immorality        Love, Joy, Peace,
impurity and debauchery         patience kindness
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred goodness faithfulness
discord, jealousy, fits of rage,  gentleness self-control
selfish ambition, dissensions, 
factions envy; drunkenness, orgies.

Sadly over the years I’ve seen many calling themselves Christians who have had more check marks on the left list than on the right.
As I look at demonstrators in front of abortion clinics and protesting against gay rights I have to ask myself are they exhibiting Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control?  I know for certain those being demonstrated against are not seeing love or any of the other attributes Christians are suppose to be showing.
I like what the Apostle Paul says here,
“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.  
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Christ and the apostles never demonstrated against the secular Roman government. They stuck to the message of salvation and changed the world.
We may not agree with the things that are happening in our society. We may not agree with what laws our government pass. I’m sure the apostles didn’t agree with some of the laws of Rome yet they never spoke out against them.
They exhibited “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control.”  Which is what we should do.
The writer of Hebrews wrote,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
Hebrews 12:14
Please think about it.

To be Christian

To be Christian

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” 
             C.S. Lewis
What makes a Christian?
Strictly defined a Christian is someone who believes Jesus is the One and only Son of God. The Only Way to heaven. Jesus saying,
 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                                                                                                                                             John 14:6
You are not born a Christian it is an act of faith. The apostle Paul stating,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.”
                                                                  Ephesians 2:8,9 
The Apostle John writes of Jesus,
“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.
To be a Christian is to me much more than this. It is a lifestyle of love. It is hearing and putting into practice the words of Jesus who 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
Being a Christian is also obeying Jesus when He 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.
Love for the Christian is defined by the apostle Paul who said,

“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.
Christianity is showing love to even our enemies. It is also faith in action. James the brother of Christ saying,
“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 to me is one more thing it is about obeying Jesus who told us to go and make disciples of all nations saying,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
                                                                         Matthew 28:18-20.
Jesus is the most important thing within a Christians life. He gave to us, his followers what we consider the most important message ever given to human beings. The message recorded by the apostle John who 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.
It is a choice Christians believe all people everywhere must make. No one can make it for them or force them to make a choice.
Christians believe God gave man a freewill and that freewill entitles the individual to believe in Him or not.
Please think about it.