A Special Birth

A Special Birth
Luke’s gospel records,
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  
And everyone went to his own town to register. 
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:1-7.
John’s Gospel states,
“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.
Both Luke and John are speaking of the same event. The birth of Jesus.
The core belief of Christianity is that Jesus is God incarnate. We Christians believe that God in the form of His one and only Son Jesus Christ came into the world he created.
The question I get quite often from those who are not Christian is why would God enter His creation?
The way I see it is this. He came into the world to show each individual how much he loved them. How far he would go in human terms to show His love for each individual. The apostle Paul wrote,
“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.” Romans 5:6-8.
The apostle Paul even admits this is at the very least unusual by human standards saying,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1Corinthians 1:18.
The key here is God does not necessarily do things the way man thinks he should. After all God could have showed His power and might by coming with thousands of angels. In effect saying “her I am come worship me”. That however would not make true followers. If God did such a thing people might well worship Him because they feared what He could do to them. Not because they truly believed and trusted in Him. God wants true believers in Him. Those who believe in Him by faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
True believers in any cause will endure anything for it. They will go to their grave for that cause. Thus it is with true believers in God.
There is also one more thing I believe why God entered the world.
In coming into the world to live as a man. God through Jesus found out first hand what it was like to be a human being.  He knew what it was like to have loving parents. To have friends. To go to weddings. He experienced first hand the mundane things such as the sun on his face, rain and the smell of dust.
Jesus also knew what it was to have enemies, to be beaten unmercifully and put to death in an horrific way.
In other words he experienced first hand the human condition. Thus when we as individuals stand before him on judgement day we can never say, “you have always been almighty therefor you cannot truly know what it is to be human with human frailties.” We cannot say that because Jesus does understand.
Having said all that the choice this Christmas season is entirely up to you. Do you believe Jesus is God incarnate, Saviour of mankind or not.
Please think about it.

Christians Claim

Christians Claim
The apostle Paul wrote,

“For in Christ 

all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” 

                                                               Colossians 2:9.

The writer of the book 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.
Here we read about three important things believers in Christ Jesus believe.
1/ Christ is divine. He is the exact representation of God’s being.
2/ That is was through Christ the universe was made.
3/ Christ provides purification for sins. 
Put simply Jesus is God part of what Christians refer to as the God Head, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
If this is not true then those of us who believe in Christ Jesus are sadly misled as are billions of believers today and throughout the centuries.
Henry Ward Beecher said,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.”  Henry Ward Beecher.
Please think about it.

Jesus Forgives Sin

Jesus forgives sin
“Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” 
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” 
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?  
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”  
And the man got up and went home.  
When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.” Matthew 9:2-8.
Here we have an incident in which Jesus heals and forgives sin. Sin is something the religious leaders of his day and today agree that only God can do.
The healing part could not be denied the man was healed and God received the Glory.
The forgiveness of sins however rubbed the religious leaders the wrong way. As I said, only God can forgive sins. Thus Jesus was saying in effect He is God.
This is something people who claim Jesus is not God incarnate can’t explain to me. Why would Jesus and his followers claim Jesus could forgive sin?
If the fledgling Church was to succeed why would Jesus and later his apostles be so bold as to say Jesus is God. 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.
Jesus provided purification for sins. This is a fundamental belief of all Christians. There is no middle ground. To be a Christian you must believe that Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. That He can and does forgive sins.
The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.  
I know for many this can be a stumbling block even the apostle Paul wrote,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
The thing is God does not do things the way we mortals do things.
Let’s face it God could have come down from heaven with hundreds of angels and said, “see I am real. I want you to worship me.” and I’m sure the majority if not all mankind would worship Him some because they genuinely loved him others however out of fear of what he would or could do to them. 
God however does not want people to worship him and serve him out of fear. Instead He wants each individual to make up their own mind about him. He asks for faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,
“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 by the writer of Hebrews as,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

 and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1.

God wants men and women of faith because God knows someone who has true faith in anything are the true followers willing to even die for their cause.
Please think about it.

I wonder

I wonder
Psalm two reads,
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 
“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 
Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
                                                                            Psalm 2.
Sometimes I wonder if those who don’t believe in God have read Psalm two. I especially wonder if extreme dictators like there is in North Korea while saying publicly they do not believe in God may have read Psalm two and believe it.
If they believed it then it would account for them standing against Christianity and God in general because it ultimately states the Messiah will reign over all the earth and they will be judged.
If as atheist say there is no God and Jesus was just a good man then there is nothing to fear from writings like Psalm two.
If on the other hand the Bible is true that the Messiah will one day return to earth and redeem His people and rule the earth then those who oppose God have a great deal to fear.
Not only that there is nothing they can do to stop Christ’s return.
Shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious body of the Jews at the time were forced into a debate as to who Jesus was. It occurred after two of Christ’s disciples who had been told by them not to preach in His name were caught doing so again. The book of acts records,
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!  
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.  
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.  
We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” 
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.  
But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.  
Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.   Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.  
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.  
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 5:28-39.
I as a Christian truly believe those who oppose Jesus and Christianity are fighting against God.
The proof is Christianity has continued to grow despite at times severe persecution from both governments and private individuals.
Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus,
“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.”
                                                                                                                               Napoleon Bonaparte,
Napoleon was right Jesus and his followers have won converts though a doctrine of love for God, one’s neighbour and even one’s enemy.
That being said there will be a time when Jesus returns to earth to judge the world and everyone in it.
Until then the God who created the heavens and the earth has given everyone a freewill to choose to believe in Him or not.
The choice until the return of Christ, as to where you will spend eternity and how God will judge you is in your hands. You can either accept or reject Him.
Jesus speaking of himself left us 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
Please think about it.

Of Philosophers

Of Philosophers
          St. Augustine wrote,
“I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are very wise and very beautiful; but I never read in either of them:  "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden."  
                                                                                                               St Augustine.
There are many very good philosophers in the world today. Many men and women who are espousing good ways in which to live. I see that as a good thing. BUT. All the good philosophers in the world cannot get you into heaven.
Only Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 
                                                       Matthew 11:28-30.
Jesus and His disciple spoke in absolutes.
In the above scripture Jesus makes it clear that He will give you rest. All we have to do is have faith in Him.
I personally can attest to this. Over the years I have gone thorough many very serious problems in my life. Yet through it all I have been able to go to Christ in prayer and find peace that got me through all of it.
I also know many people who have also found rest in Christ as they have gone through extreme hardships.
Philosophers as good as their teachings may be cannot match the teachings of Jesus. They cannot do this because Jesus is God. The teachings of Jesus are directly form God.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.”
                                John 10:30.
Jesus also said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. 
                                                                                                                                              John 14:6.
These are radical statements for his day. For that matter they are radical statements for today. Christianity to my knowledge is the only religion in the world in which it’s founder claimed to be God incarnate.
C. S. Lewis said 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.
Thus it comes down to the choice of each individual who reads or hears about the teachings of Jesus. Each individual must make their own choice.
Before you the reader make any decision about Jesus I would ask that you take time and read the New Testament honesty asking God to show you His reality.
Please think about it.

Creation points the way

Creation points the way

The Psalmist writes,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 
                                                                                               Psalm 19:1-3
The minute detail of the visible world, the minute detail of the subatomic world, the minute detail of the universe points to God the creator.
I am a creationist. I believe God created the universe and everything in it. I do not care how he created the universe. Whether He used the big bang and billions of years, or He completed His work in six twenty-four hour days. The God I serve is an almighty God who could have done it either way.
How God created the universe however does not affect my faith. I believe God exists period.
I know I cannot see God. I was not living when Jesus walked the earth. However I have faith that God is real and the teachings of Jesus and the apostles are true.
I know in this information filled world, it may seem odd that someone would have faith in something they don’t see but scientist do it all the time.
A scientist looks around him or her and says because they see certain thing then other things must exist. The classic example is black holes. Scientist were predicting the existence of black holes long before they were seen. They had faith that they existed.
Likewise I have faith God exists because I see a world, a universe that is in perfect harmony. So perfect scientist can come up with mathematical formulas that can be used to predict everything from those black holes, to the existence of subatomic particles to something as mundane as when a leap year will fall.
The universe we live in I’ve been told is so fine tuned that it allows life to exist as we know it on this planet. All of this to me tells me there is a God.
God however requires one thing from everyone. Faith. God realized that a true follower, someone who is truly committed to Him are the people with true faith.
 The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
No matter how many words I write, or how much I quote from the bible or other works, I will never convince some people that God exists. And I respect those who do not believe in God. That is their right.
I would however ask them to read the Bible, particularly the New Testament. I would ask that they read it for themselves and not rely on what others say about the Bible, be they Christian, those of other faiths or atheist.
I would ask that each person reading this would pick up the Bible and read it asking but one question, “God if you are real show me through the Bible that you are real?”
Please think about it.

Lazarus Rising

Lazarus Rising
The Gospel of John records,
“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 
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 that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”  
When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.  
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.  
When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  
“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 
Jesus wept. 
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” 
                                                                                                   John 11:17-44
Here is the story of Lazarus as recorded by the apostle John. Like all the gospels John’s was written within living memory of the events.
Like all the miracles Jesus performed if not true and proven to be a lie would be detrimental to the cause of the fledgling Christian movement.
Especially something like raising a man from the dead. This is an incredible claim at any time. Yet early Christians and Christians to this day believed this.
So Christians then and now are either believing a lie that has lasted centuries or the truth. It’s the same for not only the story of Lazarus but all that is said in the New Testament.
Within the New Testament there are if you think about it incredible statements made about Jesus. Foremost Jesus claim to be the Son of God the Saviour of mankind, God incarnate.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.” 
                                    John 10:30.
He also said,
 “...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
                                                                                                                                                 John 14:6.  
To claim to be equal to God under Jewish law at the time was a serious crime punishable by death,
When Jesus was on trial before Pilate the Jews reminded the Roman governor of that law. John’s gospel records,
“The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” 
                                     John 19:7
Jesus knew all about the law yet up to his dying breath he never wavered in His claim to be God. Luke’s Gospel records Jesus while on the cross as calling out to God the Father asking forgiveness for those who are crucifying him. Luke records,
“ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
                                                                                                                         Luke 23:34a
C. S. Lewis points out,
“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
Within the story of Lazarus lies a question that I believe all people must answer. When speaking to Martha the sister of Lazarus,
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 that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
This is a question you must answer. This is a question that everyone who hears about Jesus must answer.
Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it

Some Foolishness

Some Foolishness.
The Apostle Paul writes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”  Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 
        1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
Over the years I have met many people who do not believe in God or that Jesus is the Son of God. That is their right and I respect their opinion.
But I do ask people to look at the Bible and the New Testament in particular and ask the question “why did they put some of the things they did in the New Testament if it was a lie or so outrageous to possibly be true?”
Think about it. Christians believe first of all that Jesus is the Son of God. God incarnate. We Christians believe that God entered the world He created to show man the extent of His love. To show man in human terms how far He would go to reconcile man to Himself.
Christians believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead. Then ascended into heaven. Again another thing that could be considered outlandish.
The new Testament tells of many miracles including healing the sick and even raising someone from the dead.
All of this was written within living memory of the events. If they were not true and found to be lies it would have ruined the fledgling Christian movement.
Even today Christians ask people to believe all of this by faith which I believe is even harder to do than seeing the actual event.
Still people are believing what the Bible says. Christianity is still growing in every part of the world despite being the most persecuted faith in the world.
Likewise many sadly do not believe. That however as I said is their choice.
The apostle Paul said,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Jesus speaking to Martha asked her a question we all must answer,
“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.
What about you, who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus

The apostle Paul states,
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” 
                                                                                           Colossians 2:9
A lot of debate as to who Jesus really is has happened over the centuries the Bible however makes things very clear. As quoted above the apostle Paul says,
“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,” 
                                                                                            Colossians 2:9
The gospel of John records.
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  
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.” 
                                  John 10:22-30 
In Chapter eleven of John he records this conversation between Martha and Jesus,
“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
Martha had to decide just who Jesus is. This is what people must decide today. Is Jesus the Son of God. The Christ who came into the world. OR is he a charlatan who pulled off the greatest lie in history?
C. S. Lewis said 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.
         Who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

The Way to Heaven

The Way to Heaven
The gospel of Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                      Luke 23:39-43.
The above is the account of the crucifixion of Jesus. These are probably the last words the two criminals at least spoke on this earth.
In their conversation with Jesus we see the choice all people everywhere must make.
The one criminal wanted Jesus to prove he was the Christ by getting them down from the cross.
He like many others both then and now wanted some sign from Jesus.
Jesus had given signs. He’d done numerous miracles. He’d even said He and God were one. The gospel of John records.
“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,  and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.  
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.” 
                                  John 10:22-30.
Yet still people did not believe Him.
The other Criminal however did believe in Jesus. He demonstrates to the world how one receives eternal life saying,
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
                                                                                                  Luke 23:41,42.
This man believed by faith Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ. He confessed that he was a sinner being punished justly for his deeds. He then simply asked Jesus to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
To which Jesus said,
“Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                                                Luke 23:43.
 We Christians believe that first and foremost you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. God in the flesh.
Then we believe we must confess our sin to him directly.
The apostle John wrote,
“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.” 
1John 1:9-10.
The apostle John also tells us,
“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.
Salvation and eternal life with God is a free gift from God.. The apostle Paul saying,
“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.
All we have to do as individuals is go to God in prayer. Confess our sins to God, and believe by faith Jesus is the one and Only Son of God.
The writer of 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.
Please think about it.

Foolishness or the way to Heaven?

Foolishness or the way to Heaven?
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
                                          1 Corinthians 1:18-27.
Christians if you think about it have a peculiar message. We first of all believe that God in the form of His Son Jesus, came into the world He created to reconcile mankind to Himself.
Not only that but he did it the opposite way we as men would think. God did not send a heavenly army into the world to force himself on man. Instead he chose Jesus to be born to parents of low status, common people.
God gave Jesus a ministry that lasted just three years and allowed him to die on a Roman cross.
The story of Jesus does not however end at the grave because Jesus rose from the grave walked on the earth for a short while then ascended up to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father and will one day judge both the living and the dead.
To many in the world today and throughout ages past this does not seem the right way to do things. But God dose not do things mans way.
God wants us to accept Him by Faith. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“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
Defining faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                               Hebrews 11:1
Jesus asked Martha a question we all must answer for ourselves,
“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
Please think about it.

A Christian

A Christian
Piliny the Younger Roman governor of Bithynia in Asia minor writing to Emperor Trajan 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 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..." 
Note that Piliny states that the Christians sung hymns to Christ as to a God. Those early Christians recognized Christ was God.
 Piliny also noted Christians bound themselves by an oath to tell the truth and be honest in all their dealings.
Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God, God incarnate. This is the most basic belief of all Christians. You cannot be a Christian without believing Jesus is God.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one”
                                    John 10:30.
Christians have settled in their own hearts and minds who Jesus is. 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.  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.
Christians believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of mankind.
They believe the words of the apostle John who said,
“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, true Christians follow the teachings of Jesus who 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.
This same Jesus went 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,  
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
Christians are to show love that goes beyond that of those in the world.
A true Christian will put no restrictions on love. The Apostle Paul writing,

“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.
Please think about it.

On Jesus

On Jesus

At this writing Christmas eve not that far away. And the eternal question is who do you believe Jesus to be?
The gospel of John records this,
“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.
C. S. Lewis said,
“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.
What Lewis is saying is reflected in the above account from John 10:24-32. The people were going to stone Jesus because he claimed to be one with God. This was something punishable by death at the time. Only an insane man would say such a thing and Jesus was not insane.
I believe each and every person on this earth needs to make a decision as to who they think Jesus is. Jesus is recorded as saying this to a woman called Martha. He 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 that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
           John 11:25-27
This is the question we all must answer one way or the other. There is no middle ground.
The reward for believing in Jesus is an eternity with God. The apostle John writing,
Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) 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.
Please think about it.

You and God

You and God

“No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.… No man can deny the fact that Jesus existed, nor that his sayings are beautiful.”
                                                               Albert Einstein 
There are many people out there who would deny Christ existed. I disagree and frankly feel they are misguided. The overwhelming evidence is that Jesus existed.
The eternal question people have to ask themselves is who is Jesus.
The gospel of John records this conversation between Jesus and 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?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
        John 11:25-27.
While Martha believed Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, many today as then did not believe.
Jesus made many statements about himself. He said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                                                                                                                                             John 14:6b.
He made the following statement about himself saying,
“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.
These are important statements that you must believe or reject there is no middle ground. C. S. Lewis noted,
“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 is up to you.
Most people think they know who Jesus is and have never read the New Testament for themselves. I would ask you the reader to read the New Testament for yourself. For it is only reading it for yourself that you can make a truly informed decision as to who Jesus is.
Please think about it.

Christians Believe

Christians believe

“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.  
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? 
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ? 
  And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”  In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.” 
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 
                                                          Hebrews 1:1-9.
Here the writer of Hebrews states what Christians believe about Jesus. He 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.”
The Son (Jesus) is the exact representation of God’s being. He provided purification for the sins of man and is now sitting at the right hand of God in heaven.
These are the core beliefs of Christianity. Without believing this you cannot be a Christian.
To the non-believer it presents a challenge. Either you believe this or you do not. There’s no in between. Jesus himself said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
       John 14:6.
He also 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
To my knowledge no other religious leader has ever made such a statements. Yet they are the core belief of Christianity.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“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 dear reader is yours.
Please think about it.

Jesus is

Jesus is

Flavius Josephus,(37AD-100AD) a Jewish historian, who became a Pharisee at 19, later commander, of the Jewish forces in Galilee. Who was captured by Romans and attached to their headquarters. Wrote this about Jesus,
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first, did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.”
Does Jesus exist? Yes he does. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus exists, but then I’m a Christian.
I know there are Atheist that claim he didn’t. There are people out there that dismiss out of hand all the historical evidence of Jesus both inside the Bible and outside.
That being said from all that I’ve read from credible historians the majority of Christian and Atheist historians both believe Jesus existed.
It, I believe is easy to say Jesus didn’t exist and say that the historical evidence is flawed. It’s much harder to believe he existed because once you admit he existed then you have to admit that what the bible says about him has to have some merit.
I believe Jesus existed not only because of the evidence inside the Bible but outside also.
I also believe the fastest way to turn people away from something is to make outrageous claims that if not true would turn people away and thus become counter productive to the movement one is starting.
Jesus made what to man’s way of thinking could be considered outrageous.
John in his gospel 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  
Notice Jesus says “I and the Father are one”
That’s quite a statement considering in Jewish culture of the time making oneself equivalent to God was considered a heresy and punishable by death. As seen by the fact the Jews were going to stone him.
  John also record an other incident this time with the apostle Philip,
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 
                            John 14:8-11
C.S. Lewis wrote 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.
In the end the choice to believe Jesus is all he said his or to reject him comes down to an act of informed faith.
You can read the evidence that Jesus existed from sources outside the bible. You can read what Jesus said about himself and what the disciples believed about him from the Bible.
Then you must make your decision.
Please think about it.