A note to todays church

 A note to today’s Church

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12

Think about this...

Jesus and his disciples, 

• Never Voted.

• Never Protested.

• Never judged anyone outside their own faith.

Yet they within a century they had spread the Good News of the Love of Jesus Christ throughout the known world.

They did so by,

• Presenting the Love of God to their family friends and foe alike.

• Showing Love and Mercy to all those they came in contact with.

• Living as far as possible at peace with those around them.

The disciples put into action the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote,

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

And the words writer of the writer of Hebrews,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.

They followed the teaching of the Apostle Peter who wrote,

“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 2:11,12.

Above all they put into action the words of Jesus who said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Christian duty to the poor

 Christians duty to the poor

In the book of Leviticus we read,

" ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19: 9,10.

The Jews have a concept known as "Tzedakah". That I believe lines up perfectly with Christian belief. 

I got the following definition of Tzadakah from a Jewish website it states, 

"Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word "charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.

The word "tzedakah" is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due."

According to Jewish scholars there are various levels of Tzedakah,

Giving begrudgingly

Giving less than you should, but giving cheerfully,

Giving after being asked

Giving before being asked

Giving when you do not know the recipient's identity, but the recipient knows yours

Giving when you know and the recipient's identity, but the recipient doesn't know yours.

Giving when neither party knows the other's identity.

Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant. 

This lines up with Jesus who said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 

"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  

I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 

"They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 

"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:34-46.

Providing food, shelter, medical aid and even a job for the needy is simply providing basic human right. Providing what everyone on this earth should have access to.

Also in providing these basic human rights in the name of Jesus, to someone opens a door to tell them about the saving grace that comes from Christ Jesus.

If you were hungry, thirsty, a stranger, in need of clothing, sick or in prison I'm sure you would appreciate any help that comes your way.

It comes down to

"So in everything, do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" 

                                                                               Matthew 7:12.

Please think about it.

Christian principles for living #3 Live at Peace

 Christian Principles for living #3: Live at Peace with those around you.

The apostle Paul wrote,

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

The writer of Hebrews states,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.

The Apostle Peter tells believers in Christ Jesus,

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  

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.

Believers in Christ Jesus are called to live a good and peaceful life. A life of holiness. 

As believers in Christ we need to take a look at the actions of Jesus and the apostles. They never spoke out against anyone outside their faith. They never protested for any reason. They never got involved in politics.

They did as far as was possible live at peace with those around them. They lived a life of love. 

While not compromising their beliefs they presented the gospel message in a none confrontational way. 

As a result they presented their beliefs to the common man in market places. 

They spoke to Jews and the God-fearing Greeks. 

The apostle Paul was asked by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers to present his beliefs in the Areopagus in Athens. Which the apostle Paul did. With positive results.

They also spoke with politicians, soldiers, tax collectors, and people of every strata of society, from slaves to rulers. With positive results.

As a result they reached the known world for Christ.

Their formula was simple. Stay on message. Present the unadulterated gospel message in a respectful, non-judgmental and peaceful way to anyone who will listen. 

And never, never, never judge those around you. 

Billy Graham the American evangelist made a wise statement when he said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                     Billy Graham

This is what we should do. Always remembering the words of Jesus who said,

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" Matthew 7:12.

Please think about it.

Spurred on

Spurred on

Jesus said,

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 

"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:34-40

While our faith saves us. We are called to do more. As the above words of Jesus notes. 

In the book of James we read,

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:20.

Our faith must spur us on to do good deeds.

So the question becomes. If you consider yourself a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus. Is your faith spurring you on to do good works?

Please think about it.

Diplomat

 Diplomat

In 2 Corinthians Paul states,

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."  2 Corinthians 5:20. 

The Oxford dictionary defines Ambassador as, “a diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.” 

As Christians this is who we are. As such we are tasked with presenting the message of Salvation that comes from God through Christ Jesus.

It is not our job to get involved with the politics of the nation we are in. It is our job to present what we believe to the people of the of the nation we are in.

The message the Christian, the true follower of Christ Jesus was given to us when He said,

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.

If you claim to be a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?

Please think about it.

A good steward

 A good steward

The apostle Paul wrote,

‘Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ 

and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."

                                                                               1Corinthians 4:1,2

As believers in Christ Jesus we are "stewards of the mysteries of God." 

A steward was a servant who was trusted by his master to look after all of his belongings. He was expected to do that with the utmost honesty. 

This is what God expects of all who claim to be believers in Christ Jesus. We are entrusted with the most important message of all time. The message of Salvation that come from God through Christ Jesus. 

It is a message we must present correctly for it has eternal consequences to both the one who presents the message and the one who hears it.

So if you consider yourself a good Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus are you a good steward?

Please think about it.

Speaking up for the poor

 Speaking up for the poor

In the book of proverbs we read,

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8,9.

Here is a clear directive from God to all who believe in Him. 

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

 for the rights of all who are destitute. 

Speak up and judge fairly;

 defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 

                                                  Proverbs 31:8,9.

Here is something we all of us need to get into our brains. We are to help the needy in any way we can. Speaking up for those in need means confronting our political leaders. Telling them they need to implement programs that will offer a living wage, free access to good health care, food and affordable housing. In short giving the poor basic human rights.

Jesus stood up for the rights of the poor. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells the story of the rich man who had everything this world had to offer but would not help a poor man. The result was the rich man ended up in hell while the poor man ended up in heaven. This should be a warning to all who are rich and to all who are not standing up for the rights of the needy.

Thus my questions to you; Are you speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves. For those in need?

Are the politicians and religious leaders you support standing up obeying what is said in Proverbs 31:8,9?

Please think about it.

The Christians job

The Christians job

Jesus said,

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1,2.

How will you be judged? 

According to the above scripture, God will judge you in the same way you judge others.

Sadly many people who claim to be Christians do judge people. They judge people who are homeless, people of other faiths, and people with a different lifestyle to their own, to name a few. And it's not limited to those who sit in the pews. I've heard pastors and evangelist judge others also. We should not be judging anyone except for our own safety.

The apostle Paul said,

"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.

The job of the Christian is to evangelise. Jesus saying,

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.

If you claim to be a Christian are you doing this?

Please think about it.

The world around you

 The world around you.

In proverbs we read,

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” Proverbs 21:13.

We as Christians are called to help the poor. Now I know the Talmud is not a Christian book but there is an interesting quote in the Talmud that states,

“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love."  The Talmud.

If you consider yourself a Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus, are you making the world around you “a household of Love?”

Please think about it.

How's a Christian to act?

 How's a Christian to act? 

"So in everything, 

do to others what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" 

                                                                        Matthew 7:12

      This is the one verse everyone who claims to be a Christian should think carefully about.

Put this way it means;

If you are

demonstrating against anyone. 

You are telling them 

they can demonstrate against you.

If you are 

speaking out and trying to restrict the rights of others 

given to them by the lawfully elected government.

You are telling others 

they can try to restrict your rights.

If you are 

imposing your morals on others

however good they may be.

You are telling them 

they can impose their morals on you, 

even if they are not as good as yours.

If you are 

trying to impose your faith on others 

rather than presenting your faith.

You are telling others 

they can impose their faith on you.

If you are

judging others.

You are telling others 

they can judge you in the same way.

If you 

are telling the world you are a Christian

You should be telling the world 

I love you 

as Jesus loves you,...

unconditionally.

Please think about it.

Focussing on Christ's commands

 Focussing on Christ’s commands?

Jesus said,

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1,2.

The American evangelist Tony Campolo wrote,

“Let us preach Christ, let us be faithful to proclaiming the Gospel, but let's leave judgment in the hands of God.” Tony Campolo.

My question to anyone reading this who claims to be a true follower of Christ Jesus is, are you doing this?

Are you making sure you are not judging those around you?

Are you focussing on what Jesus commanded us to do when He said,

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.

Please think about it. 

To save souls, a Christian duty

 To save souls, a Christian duty

Jesus said,

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1,2.

I am someone who is not in favour of so called ‘hell fire and brimstone’ preachers. I say this because I don’t think yelling and screaming that someone that they are going to hell bothers non-believers because many times they don’t believe in hell.

In her book To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee writes,

“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)....” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Harper Lee is right. People calling themselves Christians have probably done as much if not more to turn people away from Christ than those who are not Christians.

In the name of Christ many try to take away the rights or restrict the rights of those they consider morally wrong or those they disagree with. You cannot legislate morality. Nor did Jesus and his disciples ever try to do this.

Jesus and his apostles lived in a society that was as least if not more diverse than our twenty-first century society. Yet they didn’t try to overthrow the Roman government.

Instead they sat down with those they disagreed with and presented the good news of Jesus Christ, much to the dismay it seems of the religious leaders of their day.

From my point of view I believe we as 21st century believers, especially those of us who live in the western democracies need to follow their example.

We need to stop yelling at those we disagree with. Stop telling and them they are on the way to hell and point them to heaven.

Jesus speaking of himself said why he came to this earth. John’s gospel recording,

"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.

This is what we a believers in Christ Jesus must always remember. Our job is to save souls for Christ. NOT try to restrict their rights, and especially not judge where they will spend eternity for only God knows that. 

Please think about it.

It's not a new commandment.

 It’s not a new commandment

The apostle John writes,

"It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  

And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.  

And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." 2 John 1:4-6.

We as believers in Christ Jesus are called to walk in truth, love and in obedience to God’s command. 

The definition of Christian love is defined by the apostle Paul when he writes,

"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. 

So is this the way you love?

Please think about it.

The Christian and Deeds

 The Christian and Deeds

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20.

There are many Christians who will tell you, you are saved by faith. That is true. However James here make it clear our faith needs to be accompanied by works. Good deeds. 

   If we indeed have true faith in Jesus it well spur us on to good deeds. Simply believing in God should never be enough for the believer in Christ Jesus. We need to put our faith into action.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is discord, harmony;

Where there is error, truth;

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

Is your faith spurring you to do good works?

Please think about it.

Make disciples of all nations

 Make Disciples of all nations 

Jesus said, 

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."Matthew 28:18-20

This portion of scripture knows as the great commission is as much for the early church as it is for Christians today.

As Christians we have a duty to God to present the Gospel message to anyone who will listen to us.

If you profess to be a Christian, a true follower of Christ Jesus, are you doing this?

Please think about it.

Ambassadors for Christ

 Ambassadors for Christ.

The apostle Paul also wrote,

  “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians5:20.

I think that many Christians overlook this verse of scripture. They forget that we are Christ’s ambassadors. An ambassador is diplomatic. 

The Oxford dictionary defines an ambassador as, “a diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country.”

An ambassador does not try and impose their will or the will of their country on another country. They simply present what their country believes. 

This is how we as Christians, as true believers in Christ Jesus need to be aware of. We are to present to the world around us what we believe. Leaving it to the people listening to them to decide for themselves if what is being said is true or false.

Question; If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, are you a good ambassador for Him?

Please think about it.

Your first priority

 Your first priority

Jesus said,

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

It is important that we seek the kingdom of God first. Seeking For by doing so we see what God requires of us. Additionally as we truly seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness our desires become what God desires. 

That being said, in order to truly seek God we must study the scriptures and pray with our whole heart for His guidance.

Is seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first on your priority list?

Please think about it.

A Clear Warning

 A clear warning

In the book of James we read,

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.  Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.  

Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.  

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  

You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  

You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you." James 5:1-6.

Here is a clear warning to those with wealth to teat the poor and those who work for them honestly and fairly.

Now there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. Scripture states,

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:10.

As true Christians. As true believers in Christ Jesus, we should not put money first in our life. Doing the work of the Lord should be first. Part of that work is providing what we can for the poor. That also means that if we are in business we need to give those who work for us a living wage. One that keeps the worker well above the poverty line.

If you are wealthy, if you are in business, do you do what you can for the poor? 

Do you provide a living wage and good working conditions to those who work for you?

Please think about it.

Will not be answered

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor 

will himself call out and not be answered." 

                                                                   Proverbs 21:13.

I firmly believe that it is the duty of those who have been blessed with wealth to help the poor. We should never turn our ear away from those in need.

In the Talmud we read,

"Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, "Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?"  He answered, "God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love." The Talmud.

In the book of James we read,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  

If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:15-17

If you consider yourself a true believer in Christ Jesus are you helping the poor in someway? 

Please think about it.

Our Focus

 Our focus

The apostle Paul writes,

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  Galatians 2:20.

In this statement the apostle Paul makes it clear that once we have accepted Christ as our saviour it is no longer we who live but Christ in us.

Upon accepting Christ into our lives our focus should change form ourselves and what is good for us. To one of doing the will of Christ.

If we claim to be a Christian a true follower of Christ Jesus we should be studying the scriptures to see what God requires of us. 

We must do this in order to grow in Christ Jesus. To become Christ like. Because wether we like it or not when we claim to be a Christian people will look at our lives and judge Christ by our words and deeds. As Francis of Assisi wrote,

"The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                             Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.