Draw near

Draw near
In Psalmist speaking of God wrote,

“You are my refuge and my shield; 

I have put my hope in your word.” 

                                              Psalm 119:114.

Isaiah the prophet states,
"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tiered or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not faint."Isaiah 40: 28-31.
The writer of Hebrews states,
"...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:22,23
Every Christian. Every believer in Christ Jesus, needs to take time each day to draw near to God. To study the scriptures and pray. For it is only by doing this that we will have the assurance that God is with us no matter what our situation. That we never have to worry about tomorrow for tomorrow is in God’s hands.
Please think about it.

A Universal Principle for Living (Love)

A Universal Principle for Living (Love).

The writer of Proverbs states,

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; 

bind them around your neck, 

write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” 

                                                                                             Proverbs 3:3,4.

The American civil right leader Martin Luther King Jr. said,
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
During the height of world war two Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate.  Love is always a refuge.  Hate is never a refuge.  Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates.  But love is the enduring sanctuary of life.  Life may rob you of many things.  It often does.  But it can never bereave us of love itself.  That remains.”
-Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader, from a December 22, 1940, sermon
I truly believe our faith in God should result in us showing unconditional love for those around us. Our neighbours, our families, Our friends, even our enemies.
Love is a universal truth that Atheist and men and women with Faith in God can agree is good for both individuals and society as a whole.
The apostle Paul defines love this way,

“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

There is a famous prayer by Francis of Assisi that I believes says it all. Especially if one calls themselves a believer in Christ. It states,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                            Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.