Showing posts with label people of faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people of faith. Show all posts

Monday, 25 March 2019

Cosmic Dust

Cosmic Dust
The Bible states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
Later it states,
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Gen 2:7.
One thing scientist and the Bible agree on is that the universe has a beginning. The prevalent theory in the scientific community is that the universe started with a big bag. I as a Christian have no reason to doubt it.
To my way of thinking God could have been responsible for the big bang. He could also have made the universe in seven twenty-four hour day. He after all is an almighty God who could do things anyway he wished.
The thing is ultimately it doesn’t matter one iota how the universe was made. Whether it took billion of years to get us to where we are today or a matter of days or years.
What is important in my mind is whether you believe in God or not.
The Bible doesn’t debate the existence of God. It has no need to. It was written to believers and believers need no convincing. They, even though they cannot see God believe by faith.
Blaise Pascal said of faith,
In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.” Blaise Pascal.
The choice as to whether God exists or not rests squarely on the individual.
I know there are Atheist who will never consider believing in God. Just as there are many people of faith in the world who would never consider God does not exist.
While it is my understanding that Albert Einstein was an atheist. He did make and interesting statement. He said,
“Human beings vegetables  or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player.” Albert Einstein.
I believe we are indeed made from the dust of the cosmos, the dust of the earth. I also believe the invisible player is God. Whom we will one day meet face to face.
The question is do you?
Please think about it.

Sunday, 22 November 2015

Of Christians

Of Christians

The apostle Paul wrote,
“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.
The above statement makes it clear what Christians believe. We believe Jesus is Lord. That He is God incarnate, God in the flesh. That He is the way to heaven.
We believe that from the beginning of time the God who created heaven and earth is God of all people Jew and gentile alike.
We as Christians believe that anyone who puts their trust in Jesus and confesses Him will be saved. Will spend eternity with God.
We as Christians believe that it is by the Grace of God through our faith that we are saved. The apostle Paul saying,
“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.
The writer of Hebrews saying,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                            Hebrews 11:1
“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
 We also believe that Christians must put actions with their faith. James the brother of Christ stating.
“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 ?  
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made
complete by what he did.  
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.  
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
                                                                                                         James 2:14-26.
While faith in Christ saves a person. Christianity is much more than that it is very much a faith of actions of reaching out to the needy, the oppressed and indeed to all people.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed.”
     Tony Campolo
This is what to me defines a true Christian.
Please think about it.

Sunday, 18 January 2015

Toward Eternity

Toward eternity

“Each day is a step we make towards eternity and we shall continue thus to step from day to day until we take the last step, which will bring us into the presence of God.”
                                                   The Venerable Mother Catherine Elizabeth McAuley                                                                                          (29 September 1778 – 11 November 1841)
The one thing Christians those of other faiths and even atheist agree on is that from the moment we are born we are walking to eternity.
Some say life is a constant cycle of rebirth in various forms. Others say we will one day stand before a just and holy God who will judge us by the right and wrong we do.
The atheist would say that when life ends here, that is it for all eternity, life simply ends.
Christianity however makes some very distinctive claims.
We believe the apostle John when he wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” 
                                                                  John 1:1-4
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
                                                                                                           John 1:14
We believe that Jesus is God incarnate. God in the flesh that he came to earth to show man how much he loved him.
Jesus 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.  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  
Jesus also said,
             “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
                                                                                                                          John 14:6.
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.
Christians believe that we cannot be good enough to get into heaven. That we must accept Jesus Christ into our life. That we must believe that he is the one and only Son of God that died for our sins.
That such a move is an act of faith on our part. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                              Hebrews 11:1
      “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
Not only do we believe the above but we go one step further believing the words of John who wrote,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                       John 1:,12,13.
The way I look at it if I as a Christian am wrong in my beliefs I have nothing to worry about because I have lived a good and happy life.
If I as a Christian am right however the consequences for those who do not believe are eternal.
Think about it.