Your Treasure

Your Treasure
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.
Where is your real treasure? Jesus states here that we are to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Noting that where our treasure is there will be our heart.
Now let me state there is nothing wrong with having wealth in this world. The apostle Paul makes it clear,
“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.
Note Paul states “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” That it has caused some to wander from the faith. This is what Jesus is alluding too.
Wealth in and of itself is not evil or good. Money and material things can be used both for good and bad. It can all so keep you from getting to heaven depending on what your relationship with your wealth is.
Our true treasure must be laid up in heaven. As a Christian I believe this is following the teachings of Jesus. Putting my faith first in all I do.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” 
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” Hebrews 13:5-8.
As a Christian I believe we should be content with what we have at any given time. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to better our position in life. At the same time however the urge to better ourselves should never pull us away from our faith.
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.”  Matthew 22:36-38.
If we truly love God we will want to do His will. The apostle Paul writing to Christian believers in Corinth said,
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”  1 Corinthians 9:24.
As believers in God, believers in Christ our prize is eternal life in Heaven with God. It is a prize we will only get if we keep our hearts and minds fixed on God and the saving Grace Jesus brings.
The most important treasure in our lives must be in heaven. For as Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Please think about it.

Post Script,
If you are not a Christian where is your treasure?
The prophet Isaiah wrote,

“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

Our life on this earth is but a momentary mist in eternity. All we have materially in this life will one day be left to others while we go to stand before God.
When you meet God will you meet Him as your Lord and Saviour or as your judge?
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.
It is by the grace of God we get to heaven, through faith. Not our works. 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

So two questions must be answered,
Where is your faith?
Where is your treasure?

Love your Enemy

Love your enemy
Jesus 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 a very Christian trait. Loving your enemy. Perhaps one of the hardest things we can do. Yet God did it to us when we still enemies to Him.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” Romans 5:6-11.
What Paul is saying here is we as mere human beings could not live a life that was good enough to have fellowship with God. We are by nature sinners and sin separates us from God. It if you will, makes us enemies to God.
However God knowing it is impossible for us to live perfect lives entered this world in the form of Jesus, His one and only Son. Who died for our sins. The writer of Hebrews telling us.
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
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 1:1-3
Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“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.
We get to heaven by the grace of God through faith in the saving Grace of Jesus.
Now I have said all of that to say this is why we especially if we claim to be Christian, should love our enemies, because God set the example. As Christians we believe we know the way to heaven.
As Christians I believe we have the most important message in the history of mankind that being, The Way to heaven.
We cannot get this message out if we do not love all those we come in contact with, even our enemies.
Paul even tells us to pray for our persecutors for he knew that they too needed to know of the love of Jesus, the Love of God.
The Apostle Peter reminds us,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
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 2:9-12.
Loving all we come in contact with is a positive sign even if you are not a Christian. Martin Luther King Jr. the American civil rights leader once said,

Love is the only force capable 

of transforming an enemy into friend.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please think about it.

No other document

No other document
The Book of Exodus states
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 
“You shall have no other gods before me. 
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,  but showing love to a thousand  generations  of those who love me and keep my commandments. 
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.  
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 
“Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. 
“You shall not murder. 
“You shall not commit adultery. 
“You shall not steal. 
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:2-17
No document ever put together by Atheist or any other secular group has ever put together a more important document than is written here in Exodus.
The ten commandments tells how man is to act both with respect to God and with respect to his fellow man. It lays the groundwork for a well ordered society.
Without the ten commandments as the base for our moral code, society would run the risk of falling into anarchy or worse.
I do not only believe these laws were just written in the book of Exodus. I believe they are written into the hearts and minds of everyone who has ever lived by God Himself.
As such they are the basis for all laws in every well functioning society around the world. Which is one of the reasons I believe in God.
Please think about it.

Giving to the Needy

Giving to the Needy
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 
“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4
There are approximately 2000 scriptures commanding us to look after the poor.
As Christians we are called to help the poor in what ever way we can even if it’s only giving a glass of water.
Christians are one of the largest contributors to helping the needy. However there is much we can learn from our Jewish friends. Who for centuries have been among the largest contributors to helping the poor irrespective of their faith.
There is however an interesting concept from Judaism that Christians and others should latch on to. Its called Tzedakah
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah, from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
The Obligation of Tzedakah
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes. Taxes themselves do not fulfill our obligation to give tzedakah even though a significant proportion of tax revenues in America and many other countries are used to provide for the poor and needy. Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence may give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden.
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles...  Judaism acknowledges that many people who ask for charity have no genuine need. In fact, the Talmud suggest that this is a good thing: if all people who asked for charity have no genuine need we would be subjected to punishment for G-d for refusing anyone who asked. The existence of frauds diminishes our liability for failing to give to all who ask. Because we have some legitimate basis for doubting a beggar’s sincerity. It is permissible to investigate the legitimacy of charity before donating to it.
We have an obligation to avoid becoming in need of Tzedakah. A person should take any work available, even if he thinks it is beneath his dignity to avoid become a public charge.
However, if a person is truly in need and has no way of obtaining money on his own he should not feel embarrassed to accept tzedakah. No person should feel to proud to take money from others. In fact it is considered a transgression to refuse tzedakah. One source says that to make yourself suffer by refusing to accept tzedakah is equivalent to shedding your own blood.
Levels of Tzedakah
Certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are: 

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, bu giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

As Christians the above is something we should consider. It is perfectly in line with Christian belief.
The Apostle James tells us,
“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.
 Please think about it.

About Jesus

About Jesus
Dr James Allan Francis wrote the following about Jesus.

One Solitary Life

He was born in an obscure village 

The child of a peasant woman 

He grew up in another obscure village 

Where he worked in a carpenter shop 

Until he was thirty when public opinion turned against him

He never wrote a book 

He never held an office 

He never went to college 

He never visited a big city 

He never travelled more than two hundred miles 

From the place where he was born 

He did none of the things 

Usually associated with greatness 

He had no credentials but himself 

He was only thirty three 

His friends ran away 

One of them denied him 

He was turned over to his enemies 

And went through the mockery of a trial 

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves 

While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing 

The only property he had on earth 

When he was dead 

He was laid in a borrowed grave 

Through the pity of a friend 

Nineteen centuries have come and gone 

And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race 

And the leader of mankind's progress 

All the armies that have ever marched 

All the navies that have ever sailed 

All the parliaments that have ever sat 

All the kings that ever reigned put together 

Have not affected the life of mankind on earth 

As powerfully as that one solitary life 

Jesus it can be argued by far has had more influence on civilization than anyone in history. Depending on who you listen to as I speak he has between two and three billion followers world wide.
 He admittedly is a controversial figure one that upon hearing his story, you must decide as to who he is.
Jesus is recorded as saying,

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

John 14:6 

  Paul writing to the Romans said,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

 Romans 3:23,24.

The writer of Hebrews states,

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets 

at many times and in various ways, 

but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, 

whom he appointed heir of all things, 

and through whom he made the universe.  

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 1:1-3.

Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate. C. S. Lewis states of Jesus,
“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
 The choice as to who Jesus is is entirely up to you the reader. Please take time to at least read the New Testament and find out for yourself what his followers thought about him.
Please think about it.

Requiem

Requiem
There is a famous poem by Robert Louis Stevenson called Requiem that goes like this,

Requiem

“Under the wide and starry sky

Dig the grave and let me lie.

Glad did I live and gladly die,

And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:

Here he lies were he longed to be;

Home is the sailor, home from the sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.”

                                                                      By Robert Louis Stevenson.
We all know that one day we will die. From the moment we are born the day of our death draws nearer and nearer. How long we have on this earth however is inconsequential because we as human beings are eternal beings. We are destined to live on throughout eternity.
The question becomes where will you spend eternity?
The apostle Paul is recorded in the book of Acts as saying this,
“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“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.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others”Acts 17:22-34
Thus the question is in which group are you. Do you sneer and reject God completely. If so I respect your decision. You have that choice. I would however ask you reconsider and at least read what the New Testament has to say about God.
Are you of the group that wants to hear more about  Jesus and God. If so I would suggest you start reading the New Testament and consider visiting a Church. Baptist churches around the world are good choices.
Did what was said above convince you that God is real. If so I would ask you to read the New testament and see what believers believed about Jesus. And I would also suggest that you look for a good church in which to meet other believers. Again world wide I suggest visiting a Baptist Church because over the years I’ve found them to be stable in their belief.
To all who have read this. I would ask that you consider what has been said. I would ask that you pray and ask God to make Himself real to you.
Please take time and think about it.

Do you?

Do you?
“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.
Here is a strait forward statement to believers and non-believers alike.
“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.
Thus the question is do you put all your trust in God?
Matthews gospel 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. 
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 19: 16-23.
This man was very wealthy. He believed in God and obeyed the commandments. However he appears to have lacked complete faith. His faith if you will was intellectual not heart felt. His faith seemed to more in his wealth than God.
Now there is nothing wrong with wealth in its place. The apostle Paul states,

“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.

The apostle Paul make it very clear it is the “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Money in and of itself is an inanimate object that can be used as much for good as it can for evil.  Money used wrongly however can cause us to turn away from God to forsake him. Something we must always be aware of.
Our faith must be entirely in God. Not in material things. 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

Anyone can believe from an intellectual point of view that God exists the true measure of a believer is if you are willing to put your complete trust in God. Something that can be difficult in our materialistic society.
Billy Graham the American Evangelist once asked the question,
“The great question of our time is, 'Will we be motivated by materialistic philosophy or by spiritual power?” Billy Graham
The writer of Proverbs states,
“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.
In order to truly believe in God we must be willing to follow God strictly by faith nothing more.
The young man that came to Jesus did not have that kind of faith. His security was not in his faith but in his wealth.
Question: where is your trust in God our your wealth?
Please think about it.

Seek God

Seek God
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”  Deuteronomy 4:29.
 Just prior to making this statement Moses warns about turning to other gods. Not only lesser gods but gods that do not exist. Moving from the one true God to these gods was in essence moving from life to death.
Throughout the bible God tells believers in Him that we are to have no other gods but Him. In the book of Exodus we read,

“And God spoke all these words: 

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, 

out of the land of slavery. 

“You shall have no other gods before me.” 

Exodus 20:1-3.

Unfortunately today many people are not following God. They have made for themselves idols of tin and brass and stone as it were. They have placed things above God. Working long hours in order to get what the world has to offer. They worship things quite often without realizing it. Such is the way of the world.
Many people I meet outside of church don’t even think about God. Which is to my mind sad because we will all one day stand before God.
To my mind if all we have is this world then life is meaningless.
The writer of Ecclesiastes makes several interesting statements I think all people need to consider. He states,

“What has been will be again,

 what has been done will be done again; 

there is nothing new under the sun” 

Ecclesiastes 1:9

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; 

all of them are meaningless, 

a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 1:14

“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness,

 but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth

 to hand it over to the one who pleases God. 

This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” 

Ecclesiastes 2:26

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: 

Fear God and keep his commandments,

 for this is the whole  duty  of man. 

For God will bring every deed into judgment,

 including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” 

Ecclesiastes12:13,14.

None of us will get out of this world alive. Even the wealthiest of people will one day pass into eternity leaving their wealth behind.
All people will stand before God and be judged. The question is will you stand before God as your judge or your Saviour?
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.

It is by the grace of God that we enter heaven through 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.

The book of John records,
“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.
When God created mankind He did not create robots. God gave man a free will to do what he wanted and to believe what he wanted. That freedom extended to believing in God or not. To believing in heaven or hell.
The choice is up to the individual in this world.
Thus the choice is yours. Do you believe in God or not? Think carefully. Even take some time to read at least the New Testament and learn what believers in Jesus and in God believed before you make your decision.  For your eternal resting place lies in your decision.
Please think about it.

I Can See

I Can See

"I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God." Abraham Lincoln.
I believe Abraham Lincoln. Take a look at the picture taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. It is
spectacularly beautiful. It also spectacular in it’s make up. Every atom, every sub atomic particle is in perfect harmony to create what we see.
So it is on earth everything in nature is in perfect balance. Everything works perfectly to produce life as we know it on this earth.
The psalmist states,

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

 the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

Psalm 19:1

I cannot believe that things just developed. I believe there is a creator behind it all. A creator God who wishes to have a personal relationship with the people he created.
The question is do you want to have a personal relationship with God?
Jesus speaking to Martha said,
“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.
The Apostle John speaking of 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
John’s Gospel records,
“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.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“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.” Romans 10:9.
The key to getting to heaven is to believe in God. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
If you truly believe in Christ. You must believe that Jesus is God incarnate, who died for your sins. Not only that you cannot simply give such a belief intellectual consent. It must be a heart felt consent. An act of faith. 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

As a Christian I believe the decision you make about Jesus in this world will determine where you will spend eternity. If I am wrong you have nothing to fear. If I am right however you have a great deal to loose.
Please think about it.

Only God

Only God

"Only God can fully satisfy the hungry heart of man.” 

Hugh Black

“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, 

take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” 

Thomas Aquinas

Jesus said,

 “I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me. 

John 14:6

This is what Christians believe. We believe that God reached down to man in the form of Jesus to point mankind to himself.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
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 1:1-3.
God throughout history has shown himself to man, be it through nature, or through the Jewish prophets. In this day and age however God has entered the world he created in the form of Jesus Christ. He did this in order that man might believe in him and find the way to heaven.
The apostle Paul speaking to the Athenians said,
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30,31.
The choice however is up to you.
Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

An Interesting Note

An interesting note
Billy Graham the famous American Evangelist said,
“I have never met a man who has received Christ and regretted it.” Billy Graham.
To which I ask the question:
 How many people who have rejected Christ, have regretted it?
Answer: we may never know.
Sadly there are many people even in the western world who have heard about the saving Grace of Jesus Christ and rejected Him.
My Question to you the reader is what do you think of Jesus.
Napoleon Bonaparte, former French emperor said,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
“I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”Napoleon Bonaparte.
Jesus is extraordinary. He can and does transform the lives of those who would ask Him into their lives and let Him do so.
C. S. Lewis said,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  C.S. Lewis.
The Apostle John speaking of Jesus states,
“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.
This is unique to Christianity. Those who believe in Jesus become children of God.
The choice however is yours  It come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for,
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.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6

  Paul writing to the Romans said,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

 Romans 3:23,24.

Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
 The apostle John noting,

“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.” 

1 John 1:9,10.

Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians 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

Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,

“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

Faith defined as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.” 

 Hebrews 11:1

What do you believe?
Please think about it.

Not Everyone is

Not everyone is
Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
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 7:21-23.
I hear non-Christians say all the time, “why should I become a Christian, because I see may who claim to be Christian. Who go to church all the time and my life is better than theirs.”
I see their point. I as a Christian know many who go to church who, judged by the way they act at least are not Christians.
Just because someone calls themselves a Christian and goes to church does not make them a Christian. That’s why Jesus said,  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’
Sadly over the centuries the Christian church has picked up a lot of baggage that is not Christian. The Christian faith has been used to justify everything from the crusades, to slavery to justifying injustice on various groups of people to killing thousands if not millions of non-Christians.
Today there are people calling themselves Christians, who are trying to restrict the rights of those they disagree with.
I as a Christian have my doubts that such people are Christian.
A Christian is called to by God to Love God, their neighbour and even their 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 went further than that saying,
“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.
To be a Christian is to love all people. The apostle Paul setting the Christian standard for love when he wrote,
“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.
To be a Christian is to do no less than to love all people.
What I would say to a non-Christian who sees a person calling themselves a Christian and not loving, not showing genuine love to those around the is disregard them.
There are true Christians out there. Men and women who truly love God, their neighbour, and even their enemy.
What I would suggest is visit a Church and ask the pastor what he or she believes and why.
Please think about it.

The Bible, God, and you

The Bible, God and you
Charles Spurgeon is quoted as saying,
       “The Bible does not need to be defended any more than a caged lion needs to be defended. All we need to do is let it out of its cage, and it will defend itself.”
I find most people who claim they don’t believe in God have never read the Bible. They have heard what others say and never read the Bible for themselves.
You can’t truly know what something says unless you yourself have read it.
As someone has said,
“Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.”
What I would ask of anyone who does not believe in God is to take a copy of the Bible and read it for yourself.
I as a Christian always suggest that you start with the New Testament and see for yourself what the writers of the Bible believed about Jesus.
Christians believe a lot of things about Jesus. The Gospel of John records this incident,
“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?” John 10:24-32.
Jesus even when facing death by stoning admitted he was one with God. That He gave eternal life to those who believed in Him. In other words he was God incarnate for only God can give eternal life to anyone.
Jesus speaking of himself gave this warning to all when he 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.
I could write pages on what I believe about Jesus and each persons need to come into a personal relationship with him. But ultimately the choice is yours the reader.
Please take some time to read the New Testament at the very least and decide for yourself who Jesus is.
C. S. Lewis said, of Christianity,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
It is up to you to decide how important or unimportant Jesus is.
Please think about it.

Christian Belief

Christian Belief
The Gospel of Luke records the actions of Simeon a man called righteous and devout who was in the temple when Jesus was brought in to be dedicated to God.
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-32.
Luke believed this account otherwise he wouldn’t have written it down. If such a story was untrue then all of what Christians believe about Jesus is wrong.
Note Simeon said of Jesus,
 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
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.
Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate. That he died for the sins of all who would believe in Him. That He will one day judge the world.
All Christians believe this. Christians believe the words of the apostle John who 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.
Christians believe the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote,
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-28.
The apostle Paul also 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.
We Christians believe you cannot work your way to heaven. You must accept the grace of God that comes through Christ Jesus. You must accept that Jesus is the Son of God and that he paid the price for your sin, that you may enter Heaven.
Thus the choice is yours.
Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.    

He is coming

He is coming
“He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelations 22:20.
Billy Graham said,
“The Bible says today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation... But there will come a time when it will be too late for you.” Billy Graham.
I am a Christian. I make no apologies I believe in God. I believe God will one day judge the world.
The apostle Paul speaking in Athens said,
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30,31.
Prior to the birth of Christ the writer of Ecclesiastes stated,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
The only question remains is will you meet God as your Saviour or your Judge?
As a Christian I believe you have a choice here and now. It come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for,
Jesus 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.

                 Jesus said,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through me.”  

John 14:6

  Paul writing to the Romans said,

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came 

by Christ Jesus.”

 Romans 3:23,24.

      Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God.
 The apostle John noting,

“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.” 

1 John 1:9,10.

Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians 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

Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,

“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

Faith defined as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see.” 

 Hebrews 11:1

What do you believe, because your eternal resting place depends on it.
Please think about it.

Principles Universal

Principles Universal
The Psalmist writes,
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1.
Here is a warning to all to walk with God and not the ways of the wicked.
The book of Psalms was written before the time of Christ. They are Jewish moral principles. However Christianity comes out of Judaism and it embraces moral principles God gave Judaism.
The truths spoken in The Tora and what we Christians refer to as the Old Testament are very much Christian truths.
The Book of Deuteronomy 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.  
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.
Jesus echoed this 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 took this principle of Love one step further saying,
“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.
God wants us all to show love to all people. No matter who they are.
The apostle Paul gave us a definition of Love that all people everywhere can relate to when he 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

If we are truly showing love to all people we will be doing what Jesus said 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.
The apostle Paul sets out what are the ideal principles Christians profess when he wrote,
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.
These moral attributes are not just Christian principles. They are universal moral principles. Principles needed for a good, safe, and all inclusive society. Principles that we in the twenty-first century need more than ever.
Please think about it.