You and God

You and God
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.
Over the years I’ve met people who have said Christianity will die out. That belief has been around for centuries. And yet here we are in the twenty-first century and people still believe in Christ Jesus. Not only that people are willing to lay down their life for what they believe.
There is a poem that goes,

“Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then looking in I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating of time

"How many anvils have you had said I, 

"To wear and batter all these hammers so?"

"Just one" said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

"the anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, thought I, the anvil of God's word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed- the hammers gone."

                                                              Anonymous.

Thus the question I have for you is. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in the salvation that comes through belief in Christ Jesus?
I ask it because as far as I am concerned believing in God, believing in Christ Jesus is the most important thing a person can do.
C. S. Lewis said,
“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.
Belief in God is however is a very personal thing. Only you know what your relationship to God is.
So what is your relationship with God?
Please think about it.

An Anvil

An Anvil
Isaiah the prophet 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

I came across this poem recently. It was one I’d read many years ago when I was in school. The author is anonymous. I put it here for you to think about.

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.

                                                           Anonymous.

For centuries people have said Christianity would be consigned to the dust bin of history. That it would simply fade away.
A Pharisee named Gamaliel standing before the Sanhedrin as they were presiding over the trial of two of Christ’s apostles said,
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:38,39.
He was right. The might of Rome could not stop the spread of the message of Christ. Nor has it been possible for any government or group to stop the message of Christ from going into the world.
Today despite being persecuted by many nations and groups around the world the word of God has reached into every corner of every nation of the world. Billions of people today believe in Christ Jesus and the number is growing even in nations in which Christians are persecuted.
This to my mind proves the Bible and the message of Jesus is true.
Please think about it.

The Blacksmiths Hammer

The Blacksmiths Hammer

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.

                                                                                                            Anonymous
The poem above tells the truth about Christianity. It has been battered by many groups trying to destroy it. All have failed.
The book of Acts records the first group of men to try to stop the spread of the teaching of Christ were the Jewish religious leaders of Christs day.
Two of Christ’s disciples were brought before them on trial for preaching in the name of Jesus. They had thought of executing these men however  a wise man called Gamaliel a Pharisee honoured by the people said,
 “if it (the teaching of Christ)  is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 
I believe they were fighting against God.
Carnegie Simpson wrote,
“Jesus is not one of the group of world’s great. Talk about Alexander the Great and Charles the Great and Napoleon the Great if you will…Jesus is apart. He is not the Great – He is the only.”
Even Napoleon the 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 indeed extraordinary, he is the Son of God and His word will continue on no matter the circumstances.
The reason His word will continue on is that what Christians teach is directly from God. It is a gospel of love and forgiveness even to our enemies and persecutors.
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?  
Matthew 5:43-46
Jesus told us to forgive saying,
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 
                                                                                                                      Matthew 6:14,15.
When Peter asked Jesus how many times we should forgive he said,
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” 
                                                                                         Matthew 18:21,22
In other words we are to forgive time without number.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
                                                                                                   Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi was right that is why true Christians and Christianity will never be destroyed.
True Christians can forgive no matter the circumstances because they have the power of God to call upon. And if God is on our side, no one in this world can stop the advancement of our faith.
Think about it.