Abstain from sinful desires

 Abstain from sinful desires.

The apostle Peter telling us.

“Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Dear friends,

I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.

We must remember that as Peter tells us we are “aliens and strangers in this world” Thus we must do our best to, as Peter tells us “to abstain from sinful desires”. 

We must live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse us of doing wrong, they may see our good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

When people look at you what do they see?

Do you do your best to abstain from sinful desires? 

Please think about it.

The LORD and your Neighbour

 The LORD and your Neighbour

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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:37-40

Do you have the same kind of love Jesus is talking about in this portion of scripture? Do you love God and your neighbour?

It is only through loving and showing that love to those around us that we will win souls for Christ. God set that example by sending Jesus to die for our sins.

Jesus speaking of himself 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." John 3:16,17. 

The apostle John wrote,

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  1 John 3:16-18.

Please think about it.

God and your neighbour

God and your neighbour

Jesus 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 neighbour as yourself.'  

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40.

Jesus couldn’t have been more to the point. Loving God with all your heart and soul and mind. Is the greatest commandment. We should be loving God so much that we are willing to go to the grave for Him.

The second greatest commandment as Jesus points out is love your neighbour as yourself.

Thus the question arrises.

Do you truly Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and do you truly love your neighbour as yourself?

Please think about it.

Keep our house clean

  Keep our house clean

In the book of Acts we read,

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  

Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47.

This is a snapshot of the embryo church if you will. They were known for their devotion to God and the Love of God they showed.

Sadly in many cases the today especially here in North America where I live people don’t see the Church as loving. 

The face of the church is seen by many as judgmental hypocrites. As one who supports politicians and others that are clearly not exhibiting Christian values. 

As Christians we need to stop getting involved in politics and return to our roots as demonstrated by the church Luke describes in the Book of Acts. 

We need to obey the words of the apostle Paul who wrote,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.

For it’s only when we are keeping our own house clean that we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

A Checklist

  A Checklist

The apostle Paul writes,

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.  

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.  

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  

Live in harmony with one another. 

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. 

Do not be conceited. 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:9-18

Listed above is a checklist written by the apostle Paul for all Christians to follow. It makes clear what Christians should be doing. Thus my question to you...

When people see your words and deeds do they see these attributes in you?

Please think about it.

What are we?

What are we?

“A voice says, “Cry out.” 

And I said, “What shall I cry?” 

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.” 

                                                      Isaiah 40:6-8

The poet writes,

What are people?

What are they?

Are they but shadows in the mall?

Are they?

Are they shadows in time,

Shadows wandering...

 collecting the latest trinkets, bobbles and beads.

What is life?

What?

Is life but a wisp of smoke carried in the air?

A wisp in the eternal aether 

Are people wisps?

What of man’s, or woman’s! accomplishments?

What of them?

Is the sum total of all ones life simply 

a pile of shinny tin, brass, and wood?

Is that life?

Is life simply a cacophony of sounds travelling through endless time?

Is it?

Or 

Is life.

Yours and mine...

 more?

Is it a divine opera?

An opera played out on a high mesa 

A stage suspended between heaven and hell.

Are we as Shakespeare said simply actors?

Life,

 I believe, 

Is an opera played out before God.

Lived in a world suspended between heaven and hell.

And we,

We are real life actors in a high stakes play.

Actors who write their own script.

Actors awaiting the final curtain call 

That sends us to eternity.

Are you ready for the final curtain call?

Are you?

What is the sum total of your life?

What?

What will “they” say about you as you pass on?

What will God say?

Where will you spend eternity?”

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.
Please think about it.

Who can get to heaven?

Who can get to heaven?
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 
                                                                                        Psalm 139:13-16.
Someone trying to put me on the spot in front of my pastor and others, asked me, “Can a Gay man get to heaven.”
I quoted the above verses from Psalm 139. It says,
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 
                                                                                        Psalm 139:13-16.
I informed the man that God knows us intimately that according to the Psalmist God created our inmost being. The He knitted us together in our mothers womb. To me that means God knows our very genetic code and what makes us, us.
God does not discriminate against anyone be they gay or strait, from Canada or from anywhere else in the world. God Loves all people equally and knows why they are like they are.
When 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.”
                                                 John 3:16.
He did not put limits on God’s love. He did not discriminate between races or sexual orientation. He simply said, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
So yes anyone can get to heaven. They simply have to listen to the words of Jesus who gives all people everywhere 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.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“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.
Salvation is a free gift from God open to all who will believe in Jesus Christ no matter who they are.
Please think about it.