A precious thing

A precious thing

Jesus said,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” 
                                                                                                                Matthew 13:44-46.
If we Christians seem a little over zealous at times at wanting to tell you about Christ it’s because we honestly believe we have found the most important thing in life. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
True Christians will not try to impose their faith on someone. They will however try to at least tell you about the most important thing in their life.
To the person who finds that personal relationship with Jesus Christ it is if you will like finding a gold mine. Like finding the most valuable jewel in the world.
When a person enters into a true relationship with Christ it is a life changing event. Christ really does change lives. The process may be slow or fast depending on the person but the individual does change.
Paul talks about that change when he notes,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." 
                                                                           Galatians 5:22,23.
This is what a true Christian will exhibit to all around them.
Paul goes on to note,
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”  
      Galatians 5:24
 That’s not to say we are perfect. Christians from time to time may stumble and make mistakes, sometimes big ones. Still they do their best to live a good life following the words of the apostle Peter who said,
“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 2:12.
I personally would like people everywhere to at least read the New Testament asking God to show them the truth that is in it. Truths that are life changing.
I however leave the choice to you.
Please think about it.

An Interesting Thought

An interesting thought,
Here’s an interesting thought from Peter John Kreeft. He states,
“Atheism treats people cheaply. Also, it robs death of meaning, and if death has no meaning, how can life ultimately have meaning? Atheism cheapens everything it touches, look at the results of communism, the most powerful form of atheism on earth.
And in the end, when the atheist dies and encounters God instead of nothingness he had predicted he’ll recognize that atheism was a cheap answer because it refused the only thing that’s not cheap the God of infinite value”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d 
The Bible is very blunt when it come to people who say there is no God. It notes,
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” 
                                                                    Psalm 14:1.
For me and many Christians like me knowing there is a God and a life beyond what we have now is not only reassuring but it makes this life worthwhile.
Knowing that this life is simply a momentary thing that leads through belief in Jesus Christ to life eternal makes me happy.
Now I can point to many things in science and the world around me that tell me there is a God who loves us. Ultimately however belief in God comes down to an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“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.
Jesus gave each and every person a choice 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 a million words as to why I believe in God and His one and only Son Jesus Christ. And all those words may not convince some people. That is their choice. I would however ask one thing of those who read this and don’t believe in God or that Jesus is God incarnate.
I would ask that they read at least the New Testament with an open mind examine the truths laid out by the writers.
And my prayer for all who read not only the New Testament but the whole Bible is that God will show them the truth with respect to God and Jesus.
Please think about it.

A conversation

A Conversation

“Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.  
You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.  
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” 
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 
Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” 
                                                                    John 4: 21-26.
Here as Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman Jesus breaks several social norms of the day, tells who he is, and what God the Father seeks.
First of all he a Jewish teacher speaks to a Samaritan woman. Jewish teachers hardly ever spoke to women additionally Jews considered Samaritans unclean and thus didn’t associate with them.
Secondly he predicts that the time will come “when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.”
In other words something had to happen to prevent the worship at the temple. Something that occurred with the destruction of the Temple in 70 A. D.  shortly after the death of Jesus.
  Thirdly Jesus goes on to say,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
Here is what the God the Father wants. God doesn’t care where we worship Him. A building is just a building. True believers worship God wherever they are.
We Christians believe each person is a part of the church. Believers in Christ make up the Church it is not a bricks and mortar structure.
The fourth thing Jesus admits to here, Jesus admits to being the Messiah.
The question to those who claim to be Christians is, do you worship God in spirit and in truth.
To those who are not Christians the question is, a question that Jesus asked Martha,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
                                                                                                                             John 11:25,26.
Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of the world?
Please think about it.