Principle to live by #1

Principle to live by #1

There are some very important precepts within Christianity that all true believers in Christ Jesus I believe must be following. The first is Love.

Jesus said when asked the question,

“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

Earlier in Matthews gospel we hear Jesus taking this concept of love one step further. 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.

When it comes to Love the Apostle Paul made clear what Christian Love should be. 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.

What these Scriptures from the New Testament say needs no interpretation. They make clear that believers in Christ Jesus should love unconditionally, God, their neighbour, and even their enemy. And The should be praying for those who persecute them.

If you consider yourself a believer in Christ Jesus do you show this kind of Love to those around you?

Please think about it. 

I will hope in Him

 I will hope in Him

In the book of Job we read,

“Though He slay me, yet will I hope in him;

 I will surely defend my ways to his face.” 

                                                                      Job 13:15.

The story of Job is fascinating. Job lost everything. Yet he could say “though He slay me, Yet will I hope in him”

I wonder how many calling themselves Christians today, if put in the same circumstances of Job could say the same.

I particularly think of those calling themselves Christians in North America with all it’s freedoms. A place that enjoys freedoms that are the envy of the world. Where fear of persecution is minimal.

Could Christians in Canada and the United States if they lost everything say as Job did,

“Though He slay me, yet will I hope in him.”

Could you say this?

Please think about it.

The LORD gives and The LORD takes away

The LORD gives and The LORD takes away

In the book of Job we read,

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return . The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:20,21.

Job in rapid succession had faced massive personal loss including his family. Yet Job while grieving did not place the blame on God. Rather he blessed the name of the Lord.

We all have problems. We all have times of grief. It’s just a part of life. Still it’s not easy going through troubled times.

In those times it is easy to turn to God and say “why me?”.

Job here however gives us an example to follow. Despite losing everything he still worships God. Knowing that all he has comes from God. Knowing that even in times of trouble God is there for us.

Job knew that he came into the world with nothing and will leave with nothing.

He also knew that by being faithful to God in good and bad times he will ultimately receive his reward.

How about you? 

Do you worship God in the good times and in the bad times.

Please think about it.

A Warning to the rich

 A warning to the rich 

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

Now as I have said in previous blogs there is nothing wrong with being rich or for that matter powerful. The problem arises when one misuses their wealth or power. When they put the wrong emphasis on their money or power.

I’m sure the rich man in the story could have helped Lazarus but chose not to. As a result he suffered the consequences.

If this man truly loved God he would have helped Lazarus and those like him. For it our faith in God that spurs us on to good works.

So the question becomes. Be you materially wealthy or not do you do what you can to help the poor around you?

Please think about it.

Come bless the Lord

  Come bless the Lord

The Psalmist writes,

“Come bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,

who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

Lift up you hands to the holy place

and bless the LORD!

May the LORD bless you from Zion

he who made heaven and earth!”

                                                                      Psalm 134 1-3 (ESV)

Here we have a call to all who serve the LORD, to worship God. To bless the LORD with your words and deeds. With your life.

For those who do this and for those who believe in God the Psalmist states,

“May the LORD bless you from Zion

he who made heaven and earth!"

Are you blessing the LORD? Are you worshipping God in word and deed? Is your life truly dedicated to serving God?

Please think about it.

Transforming

 Transforming

Jesus said,

"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.” Luke 6:27,28. 

This verse of scripture is to my way of thinking emphatic. We are to love our enemies. That to me means loving those we disagree with. Irrespective of who they are, their lifestyle, race religion or for that matter their political views.

That also means we have no right to judge those around us. Jesus made that clear when He said,

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."  Luke 6:37. 

Our job as Christians and the apostle is to win souls for Christ and we can only do that by loving them. 

The great American civil rights leader Martin Luther King jr. wisely said,

Love is 

the only force capable of transforming an enemy

 into friend.

                                                   Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please think about it.

A Sermon from Jesus

A Sermon from Jesus
The late civil rights leader Martin Luther Kin jr. said

“Love is the only force capable 

of transforming an enemy into friend.” 

                                                    Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jesus preached this sermon
“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.  
If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.  
Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.  
Do to others as you would have them do to you. 
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that.  
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full.  
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36.
Please if you consider yourself a follower of Christ Jesus think about it.

Live in Harmony

Live in Harmony
The Apostle Peter wrote,
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12
Here is excellent advice for all Christians. “...live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing”
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus are you doing this. Time and time again throughout the New Testament the writers tell us to live at peace with all men. To live holy lives. The early church did this.
Piliny the younger, a none-Christian, writing to the emperor Trajan (Roman Emperor 98 to 117 AD.) about believers in Christ wrote,
"They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind...”Piliny the younger.
The early church, the early believers in Jesus put into practice the word of Jesus and the apostles. As a result they reached the world for Christ.
Billy Graham the American evangelist said, 
“The men who followed Him (Christ), were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.” Billy Graham.
If you claim to be a follower of Jesus is your heart “right side up”?
The writer of Hebrews tells 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

As believers in Jesus we are the lense through which those in the world around us will see Jesus, will see God.
What is your life telling those around you about God?
Please think about it.