The fullness of the Deity in bodily form

 The fullness of the Deity in bodily form

In the book of Colossians we read,

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity

 lives in bodily form.”

                                       Colossians 2:9

This is what all Christians believe. 

The apostles creed while not written by an apostle of Christ sums up what true Christians believe it states,

1.I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

2. I believe in Jesus Christ God's on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

3. I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

4. I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

5. I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

6. I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father  almighty.

7. I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

8. I believe in the Holy Ghost

9. I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

10. I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

11. I believe in the resurrection of the body.

12. I believe in life everlasting.

Thus the question becomes if you claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you believe this?

Please think about it.

God the Church and you

 God the Church and you

In the Gospel of John we read,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14.

This is a cornerstone scripture for all true Christians. Jesus here is called “The Word”and John makes it clear that Jesus and God are one.

There is a work called The Apostles Creed. Now while this was not written by and apostle of Christ it sums up what True believers in Christ Jesus believe. It states,

I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth

I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.

I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary

 I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; 

That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.

I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.

 I believe that he ascended into heaven 

and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.

 I believe in the Holy Ghost

I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,

 I believe in the forgiveness of sin.

I believe in the resurrection of the body.

 I believe in life everlasting.

Do you believe this?

Please think about it.

Simeon's Testimony

Simeon’s testimony
Luke’s gospel records this incident when Jesus as a new born was taken by his parents to the temple to be dedicated to God. Luke writes,
"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.
Here, as Luke puts it, Simeon a devout man of God a man who had been promised by God that he would not see death until he had seen the “Lord’s Christ”, proclaims Jesus to be the Lord’s Christ.
I have always contended that if this is a false statement why is it included in Luke’s gospel? Saying anything false about Jesus at anytime would push people away. Especially saying as Luke records,
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ”.
Such a statement could seem outrageous.
Thus from my point of view I can only conclude that Luke believed it to be true.
For us in the twenty-first century we have a choice. We can believe Luke or not believe him. There is no middle ground.
Not only that when it comes to the whole New Testament we have the same choice. We can believe what the writers of the New Testament wrote and believed or we cannot.
The choice is yours.
Please think carefully about it.

Living Water

Living Water
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10.
Living water in Jewish culture is water in motion. Rain water, rivers, wells, spring-fed lakes even oceans are considered living water. It is water that washes things away dirt and impurities it is water that cleanses. At the same time it is the source of life.
This is something that is seen dramatically in the middle east. For months the land is parched. You can smell the dust. Then when the rains come the dust is washed away. New life emerges, the land becomes lush and green.
Jesus mentions living water twice. The first time is with the Samaritan woman at the well there he states,
“Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10.
Notice here he does not call himself the living water only that he would give her living water.
Later in John we read,
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  
By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:37-39.
Note here Jesus means it is the Holy Spirit which indwells believers, that flows from above through the heart of the redeemed that brings life and light to the world.
As Christians we are the channel through which Living Water flows.
Living water in the natural world has it’s source from above it is rain water that falls from above. It is then channelled by rivers and springs throughout the land. The water is then taken into plants that produce fruit.
Likewise when it come to God’s work. He sends the Holy Spirit that enters believers who then take The Spirit to the world around them and produce followers of Christ Jesus. Believers in God.
Please think about it