Gave his life

Gave his life
Jesus said,
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 1:10,11.
Jesus made it perfectly clear why he came to earth speaking of himself 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.” John 3:16,17.
The sole purpose in Jesus coming to earth was to point not just mankind in general toward heaven, but to make away for each individual to get to heaven. C. S. Lewis put it this way,
“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.
That means he died for you.
The apostle Paul writes,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it.

The Resurrection of Jesus and you

The Resurrection of Jesus and you
To day is Easter Monday. The day after what Christians consider the most important three day in human history.
Matthew’s gospel records,
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  
The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  
Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  
Suddenly Jesus met them.“Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.  
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:1-10.
Here we have the account of the Resurrection of Jesus. The women coming to the tomb to find it empty and an angel telling them that Jesus is risen.
This as I noted is the most important moment in all of history as far as Christians are concerned. Jesus rose from the dead. It is because of this we have a way to heaven,
 The Apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:9-13. 
This offer of Salvation is a free gift of God. The apostle Paul writing,

“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 anyone needs to do to get to heaven is simply believe this and accept the Saving Grace God offers through Jesus.
 The apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians also notes,
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.  
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.  
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.  
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Put simply if Christians are wrong and Christ is not risen from the dead then our faith is to no avail. What we believe is useless.
The fact however is Jesus did rise from the dead. He did provide purification for our sins. He did provide a way for us to enter Heaven.
As a Christian I believe what John’s Gospel records Jesus as 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” John 3:16,17.
I believe Jesus is the Son of God.
C. S. Lewis once wrote,
“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.
My question to you the reader is do you believe this?
         Are you willing to risk where you will spend Eternity on what you believe?
Please think about it.

Jesus is

Jesus is
The gospel of John records,
“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.
Here is an example of Jesus admitting who he is. He makes a clear statement “I and my Father are one” the people gathered around him understood him to be saying he was one with God. This is in the Jewish culture of the time a blasphemous statement.
It made those around him so angry they wanted to stone him.
If Jesus was not the Son of God why would he say such a thing because Jesus was intelligent. He knew what the law of the day said. Yet he still stated he was one with God.
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.
I as a Christian believe anyone hearing about Jesus must in there own mind and heart decide who Jesus truly is. No one can make that decision for you.
What I would ask is that you read the New Testament for yourself. Don’t listen to anyone persons opinion however good it may be. Read the New Testament and find out for yourself what Jesus and His followers believe Him to be. Then make up your mind.
Please think about it.

The Way?

The Way?
Thomas Aquinas said,
“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” Thomas Aquinas.
Jesus said,
“....“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6.
Who do you think Jesus is, a good man, a moral teacher, a fake?
Jesus speaking to Martha 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 you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26.
There is no in between with Jesus either He is the Christ, the Messiah, the one and only Son of God or he is not.
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.
The decision is ultimately up to the individual. You either believe Jesus is who he said he is or not.
But think carefully do not take my words or that of others as to who Jesus is. I would ask you the reader to read the New Testament for yourself, pray and ask God to show you what is real and who Jesus truly is.
Please think about it.

About Jesus

About Jesus.
The gospel of Luke records,
“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 2:28-32.
Here we have a quote from Simeon on the day Jesus was brought to the temple to be dedicated to the Lord. He makes it clear who he things Jesus is, the Salvation of all people, a light to the gentiles and someone who will bring glory to Israel.
Near the end of Jesus ministry on earth speaking to Martha Jesus states,
“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 both Simeon, Martha, and Jesus are saying are the core belief of Christianity. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, The Son of God.
I know many in the world do not believe it but that is what Christians believe. The apostle Paul states,
“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 1:22-25.
I think many who do not believe in God or that Jesus is God’s Son, believe God should work in a specific way. Usually their way.
I’ve talked to many who have said to me why doesn’t God just show Himself to people directly. It would make things easy.
I don’t believe God want’s to make things easy. God wants true followers.
Many people will follow a strong leader simply because they are strong. But when trouble comes many will drop away.
God want’s true believers who will not fall away when the bad times come. That’s why he asks His followers to follow in 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.
The write defining faith as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1.
A person with true faith in their leader be it God or anyone else will follow through thick and thin to the point of death.
That’s what the disciples of Jesus did all but one of them died because of their faith. It is happening today around the world. Christians are dying because of their faith.
If what Christians believe is a lie, then there are millions throughout history who have died in vain.
However, what Christians believe is not a lie. Jesus is all He said He is, the Saviour of mankind, The One and Only Son of God.
The question is do you believe it.
A quote from the New Testament I like quoting is from Jesus, who 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.  
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.