Advice from and apostle

 Advice from an apostle

The apostle Paul wrote,

“And we urge you, brothers, 

warn those who are idle, 

encourage the timid, 

help the weak, 

be patient with everyone.  

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, 

but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 

Be joyful always;  

pray continually;  

give thanks in all circumstances, 

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

                                                                  1 Thessalonians 5:14-18.

What the apostle Paul is saying here are basic Christian principles we who claim to need to follow. So the question I have for you is. Are you doing what Paul is telling us we should do?

Please think about it.

The Apostle Paul's Belief

 The apostle Paul’s Belief

In the book of Acts we read what the apostle Paul said to those assembled at the Areopagus in Athens. Paul said,

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.' 

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill.  

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." Acts 17:22-31.

This is what the apostle Paul truly believed. It is what all true believers in Christ Jesus believe today.

The Choice however is up to you the reader. Do you believe what Paul said or not?

Please think about it.

A Sermon

   A Sermon

Every now and then I like to present a sermon spoken by one of Christs apostles. Today is one of those days. It is Pauls sermon to the Athenians. The book of acts records,

"So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."  

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.' 

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill.  

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." 

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."  

At that, Paul left the Council.  

A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others”Acts 17:17-34

Paul here was talking about Jesus I believe in a way that was not judgmental. A way that caught the interest of those around him, specifically Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. That’s why they invited him to speak about Jesus.

At the end of his sermon people took three distinct stances. Some sneered, others wanted to hear more and some believed. 

I believe if we correctly present the gospel today people will divide in to these three groups.

Please think about it.  

You never Know

You never know
The book of Acts records the day when Saul, known later as Paul, became a follower of Christ. It very much however illustrates two things. First of all you never know who God will use, and an act of faith taken by a man named Ananias.
Luke the author of Acts records,
“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest  and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.  
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.  Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.  
For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,“Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  
In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 
“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.  
And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.  
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 
Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said,    “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,  and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” Acts 9:1-19.
Saul as this portion of scriptures states was an enemy of what was then called The Way or believers in Christ.
He had received letters from the authorities in Jerusalem to arrest any man or woman found to be following Christ. God however had other plans for Saul.
As Luke the writer of Acts notes on the road to Damascus Saul had a supernatural encounter with Jesus. He notes,
“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  
“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  Acts 9:3-6.
The people with Saul heard the voice but saw no one. However Saul obeyed the voice.
Another man Ananias a believer in The Way, also heard God’s voice telling him to go and minister to Saul.  Ananias was justifiably hesitant. He knew who Saul was and that he had intended to persecute the early church. Still he acted in faith, in obedience to God. He went to Saul and ministered to him.
Ananias that day acted purely on faith. He had no idea that Saul who would later become known as Paul would go on to be a powerhouse for the Christ.
That Paul himself would be persecuted and later die for being a follower of “The Way”
That Paul would write a large portion of the still to be written New Testament. That he would be an integral part of taking the Gospel of Christ throughout the know world. That the words Paul would write would be encouraging believers in Christ Jesus two thousand years later. 
The story illustrates that believers in Christ need to know the voice of God and be willing to act in faith. For you never know who God will use to present the message of eternal life through Christ Jesus to the world.
Pleases think about it.

If I have not love

If I have not love.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

but have not love,

I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal,

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,

and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,

but have not love,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

and though I give my body to be burned,

but have not love,

it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind:

love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely,

does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil,

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth,

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

But whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we

prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.  When I was a child, I spoke as a child.  I understood as a child, I

thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  

Now I know in part,

but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; 

but the greatest of these

is love.

                                                                         1 Corinthians Chapter 13
I once had a boss who was perhaps one of the most disliked men I’ve ever met. When he died I believe in his late fifties early sixties, no one he worked with attended his funeral, he was that disliked.
For me I didn’t mind the man. He was rough around the edges. Still he did his job the way he thought was best and I can honestly say he treated me fairly. If he didn’t like my work he told me so in no uncertain terms.
Still many who worked with him considered him a man who lacked in love and compassion. Thus they shunned him.
Above I quoted from the apostle Paul. What Paul is saying in a nutshell is, we can be the best educated, the most eloquent of speech, most faithful, even the most generous person, but if we don’t have Love we are nothing.
We are remembered for our actions in life and love and hate are the two most remembered actions. Hitler is remembered for his hate. Jesus by contrast is remembered for his love and because of that Love his followers continue to grow daily around the world.
Jesus accomplished with Love what all the emperors of the world failed to do, have a following that reaches into every part of the world.
Napoleon said of Jesus,
"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.”
                                                                                                                            Napoleon  
Jesus showed all people everywhere how we are to live. 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.
He also 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.
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
                                                                                            Martin Luther King, Jr.
He was correct.
So the question I have for you is: Do you show love to all people?
Do people see the love in you?
Please think about it.