How to Conquer

How to conquer
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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Earlier in the gospel of Matthew Jesus is recorded as saying,
“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.
This is how you conquer the world. With love. Not, with force.
Napoleon Bonaparte late emperor of France speaking of Jesus said,
“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 Bonaparte.
I thing the concept of conquering the world by love is lost many times, even by those who profess to be believers in Christ Jesus. Especially it seems here in North America where I live.
Sadly I see too many claiming to be followers of Christ Jesus protesting against everything they disagree with. This is not showing love.
I’m sure Jesus and the apostles living in the Roman Empire seen many, many things they would disagree with. Pagan practices that would be abhorrent to their beliefs. Yet we never hear them criticizing Rome or any group outside their own faith.
If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus consider these scriptures,
The apostle Paul states,
“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 Paul states.
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”Titus 3:1,2.
The apostle Peter states,
“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.
Living a good life to me means living a life of Love. The apostle Paul stating,

“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.

For me demonstrating against anyone we disagree with or laws we disagree with is wrong especially in a democracy.
I like what the late American Evangelist Billy Graham said,

It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God’s job to judge 

and 

my job to love, 

                            Billy Graham.

Please think about it.

Love and Mercy

Love & Mercy
The apostle Paul wrote,
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 1Timothy 1:15,16.
As believers in Christ Jesus I think we must be able to say like Paul we are the worst of sinners. 
The fact is, if you are indeed a follower of Christ Jesus, you have to admit you are a sinner. That you fall short of God’s ideal.
We must remember the words of the apostle Paul who said,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
The apostle Paul writing to Titus said,
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” Titus 3:4,5.
We must remember the reason Jesus came to this earth. 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.”John 3:16,17.
The sole reason Jesus came into this world was to provide a way to heaven for anyone who would believe in Him.
As a result we believers in Christ Jesus, must do everything we can to present the Love of God, the Love of Jesus to all we come in contact with. That they may receive the saving grace of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We must be careful not to put up barriers between God and the individuals we come in contact with.
I like what James the half brother of Jesus wrote,
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12,13.
We are to show mercy even to our enemy. The apostle Paul writing,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink....” Romans 12:18-20a.
We as believers in Christ Jesus are not allowed to Judge anyone. 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.
Judging others especially when we may not have all the facts puts up barriers between the individual and the one he or she is judging. In doing so it can create a barrier between the individual and God. This should never be so.
The late evangelist Billy Graham said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict,

 God’s job to judge 

and

 my job to love,” 

                         Billy Graham.

If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus, do you admit you are a sinner saved through the cleansing blood of Christ Jesus, through the Grace of God?
Are you showing mercy to those around you, even your enemy?
Are you judging others or are you showing Mercy to those around you?
Are you truly showing the Love of God to all whom you come in contact with, friend and foe alike?
Please think about it. 

A Sacred Trust

A Sacred Trust
The Apostle Paul writes,

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 we are not just servants of Christ but “stewards” of the mysteries of God.
A steward was someone who administered all the affairs of his masters house. Joseph was Potiphars steward in the book of Genesis (Genesis 39:2-19).
Stewards must be loyal and faithful to their master.
As stewards of “the mysteries of God” we must stay true to the word of God. We must manage the message of Christ correctly. To do less is to betray our master Jesus. To betray God.
The consequences for not doing so could be eternal. For ourselves and those around us.
A great light shines on the believer in Christ. If we believe the words of Jesus recorded in the gospel of John,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
If we believe the words of Jesus who 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.
We must be presenting the love of God in spirit and in truth to all those around us. We cannot as someone has said, “mess with The Message”.
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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus 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, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous...”Matthew5: 43-45.
Love is the key to the Christian life. As Martin Luther King jr. the great American civil rights leader said,

Love is the only force capable of transforming 

an enemy into friend.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

God knew this that is why He sent Jesus. The apostle Paul writing to the Romans states,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” Romans 5:8-11
This is the Message we as Christians are to take to the world. The Love of God through Jesus Christ that leads to Salvation.
Jesus told his disciples and through them us,
“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.
We must present this message in love to all who will listen to us.
We must be presenting it in spirit and in truth as presented in the Scriptures. To do anything less is unacceptable.
Please think about it.

The Anvil

The Anvil

The Anvil of God’s Word

“Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages sceptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.”

                                                       Anonymous.

Throughout the centuries many men have come against Christianity. Many have said Christianity will one day fall. Yet today it continues to grow even in countries where it is horribly oppressed.
Kenneth Scott Latourette, former President of American Historic Society
In A History of Christianity wrote of Christ,
“It is evidence of His importance, of the effect that He has had upon history and presumably, of the baffling mystery of His being that no other life ever lived on this planet has evoked so huge a volume of literature among so many people and languages, and that, far from ebbing, the flood continues to mount.”
“As the centuries pass by, the evidence is accumulating that measured by its effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet. The influence appears to be mounting.”
“No other life lived on this planet has so widely and deeply affected mankind.”
The book of acts records that when some disciples of Jesus were put on trial for preaching the gospel a wise man a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law stood up and said,
“Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 
               Acts 5:38,39.
Christianity has stood the test of time. It has gone out from ancient Israel and spread to the entire world. Two thousand years later it is the largest religion in the world. At this writing there are about two point two billion Christians in the world and the numbers are growing.
Dictators, and armies have done their best to stamp it out yet it continues to grow. For me that is evidence that it is from God.
Think about it.