Things to follow

Things to follow

In the book of Thessalonians we read,

“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 

Be joyful always;  

pray continually;  

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Do not put out the Spirit's fire;  

do not treat prophecies with contempt.  

Test everything. Hold on to the good.  

Avoid every kind of evil. 

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1Thessalonians5:15-23.

Here we are given words to live by. Admittedly at times it can be hard to do so. But with God’s help we can do it. The key I believe is in all things be willing to go to God directly.

The psalmist telling us,

"I lift up my eyes to the hills— 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, 

the Maker of heaven and earth." 

                                            Psalm 121:1,2.

Are you doing your best to put into action what is written here in 1Thessalonians?

Is God the Maker of heaven and earth your helper?

Please think about it. 

About Enemies and Persecutors

About enemies and persecutors 

Jesus said,

"You have heard that it was said,

 ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  

But I tell you: 

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,..." 

                                                                                         Matthew 5:43,44.

What Jesus is saying here can be a daunting task, especially if you are under persecution. When I read this portion of scripture. I think of those Christians around the world that have had to leave their homes, towns and villages. Even their families because they believe in Jesus. 

Some believers are forced into refugee and internal displacement camps because of the persecution they are enduring.

Yet to them and indeed all true believers in Christ Jesus, Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

The late American civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King jr. . A man who knew what persecution was 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.

Jesus while hanging on the cross said,

“Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."...Luke 23:34

Jesus knew what persecution was and yet as He was hanging on the cross, He asked God the Father to forgive to forgive his persecutors. The men that had nailed Him to the cross.

The apostle John wrote,

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." 1 John 3:16.

Do you love your enemies? Do you pray for those who persecute you?

Please think about it.

Remember

 Remember

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3.

We who live in the western democracies quite often forget our brothers and sisters who a being persecuted around the world.

According to a United Kingdom house of commons report in 2023, 365 million Christians are “subject to high levels of persecution and discrimination this compared to 340 million in 2021. 

That is 1in 7 Christians are persecuted, worldwide, including 1 in 5 in Africa and 1 in 7 in Asia in 2023, compared to 1in 8 world wide in 2021.

As believers world wide we have an option at the very least to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world.  At the same time we should consider helping support organizations that are helping the persecuted such as Open Doors Canada and Global Christian relief in the United States.

If you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, do you at least pray for the persecuted and imprisoned Christians around the world?

Please don’t just think about praying for those being persecuted and imprisoned PRAY for them.

Pray

Pray

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.

As Christians we serve a God who calls all people from every nation to trust in Him by faith. He simply asks that we truly believe with our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with our mouth to those around us that “Jesus is Lord” we will be saved and enter heaven.

That being said, God understands that it is not safe to confess Jesus as Lord in some parts of the world. 

Paul and the other apostles certainly knew what it was like to be persecuted for their faith. They were thrown in prison, tortured, beaten, stoned, crucified, among other things. Yet they still confessed Jesus as Lord.

I firmly believe in places where Christians are persecuted they need to pray and ask for Gods protection. They need to ask God for wisdom in how to spread the gospel and who to talk to.

As for we who live in areas that are free from persecution. We need to remember our brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith. Additionally we need to hold our persecuted brothers and sisters up in prayer before God. And do all we can to help them.

According to one British parliament report in 2023 “Around 365 million Christians are subject to "high levels of persecution and discrimination"

If you claim to be a true Christian are you at the very least praying for your persecuted brothers and sisters in the Lord?

Praying and doing what we can to help persecuted Christians in the world should not be something we simply think about. 

We need to at the very least pray!

Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

Do not be ashamed....Pray!

  Do not be ashamed...Pray!

The apostle Paul wrote,

"So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,.."2Timothy 1:8.

Around the world today there are millions suffering because they believe in Christ Jesus. Some are in jail. Some in hard labour camps. Some forced from their homes and villages. Some suffering physical abuse. All because they believe in Christ Jesus.

As Christians in a free and democratic society where we have freedoms unsurpassed anywhere in the world.

We in the western democracies of Europe, and North America should remember the persecuted church. Remember those who are in prison or persecuted for their faith.

We may not know them by name but we can pray for them.

Pray also pray for those who persecute them.

Jesus said, 

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.'  

       But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:43,44.

Please take some time to pray for those in the persecuted church around the world. Also pray that their persecutors will be saved.

Please don’t just think about it.

Do it. 

A Model Prayer

 A model prayer

Jesus taught this to his disciples,

"This, then, is how you should pray: 

" ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us today our daily bread. 

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'  

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9-15.

The prayer is simple.

First, we honour God.

Second, we ask that His kingdom come

Third, we ask that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Forth, We ask that He supply our daily needs.

Fifth, We ask that He forgives our debts (Sins) as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

Sixth, We ask that God lead us away from temptation 

Seventh, That God delivers us from the evil one.

Then Jesus adds this warning saying,

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  

But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 

So is this the way you pray?

Please think about it.

Blessed are you

 Blessed are you

Jesus said,

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11,12.

There are a great number of Christians in this world who are persecuted and put in prison for simply believing in Jesus. This has been going on since the very early days of the Church.

To say persecution is a hard thing to go through is an understatement but to those who follow Jesus despite being persecuted great is their reward in heaven

If you are a Christian please pray for the persecuted church around the world. Remember your brothers and sisters in the Lord who are in prison, or being forced to leave their homes for simply following Jesus.

Pray for those who persecute Christians around the world. Jesus 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,...” 

                                                                                   Matthew 5:43,44.

Please if you are a Christian reading this don’t just think about praying for the persecuted church. Do it!

The Persecuted Church

  The Persecuted church

In the book of Revelations we read,

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.  

I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelations 2:8-11.

Here is one of only two churches mentioned in Revelations that Christ does not criticize. Christs states that while they may seem to live in poverty. It is quite the opposite. They are rich. 

Christ tells them that some of them are about to go to prison, and suffer persecution. Yet He reminds them that if they stay faithful to the point of death they will receive a crown of life.

This is happening around the world today in the twenty-first century. There are many believers in Christ Jesus who are being persecuted, jailed, placed in prison camps even put to death for the name of Jesus.

These believers have the assurance from Christ that they will receive a crown of life.

As believers in the western democracies we should be praying for the persecuted church around the world. 

For as brother Andrew a famous evangelist and bible smuggler once said, “our prayers go where we cannot.”

Please don’t just think about it. 

Pray for the persecuted church now.

Are you willing

  Are you willing

The apostle Paul wrote,

“Be joyful in hope, 

patient in affliction, 

faithful in prayer.”  

                      Romans 12:12.

If you claim to be a believer in Christ Jesus do you Pray?

Here’s something to consider,

God gives you 1440 minutes every day.

A good nights sleep takes up 480 minutes.

An average round trip commute to and from work can take 120 minutes.

Work takes up 480 minutes.

That leaves you with 360 minutes.

Thus the question becomes are you willing to tithe ten percent of that time to prayer?

Just 36 minutes each day.

2.5% of all the minutes God gives you each day communing with Him.

Please think about it.

Teach me

  Teach me

The Psalmist writes,

“Teach me to do your will, 

for you are my God; 

may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” 

                                                                 Psalm 143:10.

Here is a simple truth. In order to know the will of God we need to study the word of God. We need to read the Bible every day. Additionally we need to take sometime each day to pray and ask God for direction in our lives.

Question; If you claim to be a Christians. A follower of Christ Jesus are you doing this?

Please think about it.

I Will

  I Will

The Psalmist writes,

"I will extol the LORD at all times; 

his praise will always be on my lips. 

My soul will boast in the LORD; 

let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

Glorify the LORD with me; 

let us exalt his name together." 

                                           Psalm 34:1-3.

Do you do this? Do you “extol the LORD at all times”? 

I am always amazed at the reports that I read from Christians around the world that live under persecution or are in jail for their faith in Christ Jesus. These brothers and sisters in Christ some in very bad situations keep their faith and praise the Lord.

It reminds me of Paul and Silas who were in prison. The book of acts recording,

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25.

In what for Paul and Silas must have been a very bad time they prayed and sung hymns to God. Such a thing should be an example to us who live in freedom.

As Christians who live in freedom we should always remember to pray and praise God no matter what situation we are in.

Thus my question to you the reader; Do you pray and give praise to God at the very least daily?

Please think about it.

For all those in Authority

For all those in authority

The apostle Paul wrote,
"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."  1 Timothy 2:1-6.
Do you pray for those in government and authority? The apostle Paul says we should. That I would assume even for those in authority who persecute Christians. After all Paul wrote this letter to Timothy while living under the emperor Nero one of the worst persecutors of Christians ever. The man that would eventually put him and many other Christians to death.
I believe that we should pray for the salvation of all those in authority. That we should pray that our political leaders would at the very least be tolerant to our beliefs, allow us to evangelize and serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in peace.
We must always remember. As the apostle Paul put it,
"...there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men..." 1 Timothy 2:5,6b
We must remember that the only way people will hear that message is if we live in peace with all men. The apostle Paul tells us,

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, 

live at peace with everyone."

                                                                 Romans 12:18.

So if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus are you praying for those in power? Are you praying for political leaders that they will come into a personal relationship with Christ Jesus? That we as believers in Christ Jesus will be allowed to live in Peace?
Please think about it.

Please

Please
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2.
We are going through difficult times, the likes of which we have never seen. The economy is at a standstill. Socialization is at a bear minimum. All because of a virus for which there is no cure.
Such times stretch our faith.
Here in the western democracies we are use to having our freedoms. To doing as we wish. Now however we are being asked to stay in doors. Keep our distance from those around us and even stay away from church.
At times like these I am reminded of our Christian brothers and sisters that are in parts of the world where being Christian is illegal. Where being a Christian can get you put in prison, attacked or even put to death.
At times like these for me the persecuted church is setting an example for us in the western democracies.
The persecuted church out of sheer necessity has kept it’s eyes on fixed on Jesus quite often in the most horrendous of situations. The persecuted church knows where their help comes from. They can say with the psalmist

"I lift up my eyes to the hills— 

where does my help come from? 

My help comes from the LORD, 

the Maker of heaven and earth." 

                                            Psalm 121:1,2.

It is my hope that we Christians. We believers in Christ Jesus here in the west can also say this and truly mean it.
It is also my hope that we here in the west will take time to pray for our brothers and sisters suffering persecution around the world, while at the same time dealing with the Covid-19 virus.
Please if you consider yourself a true follower of Christ Jesus, take a few moments to pray for those being persecuted for their faith around the world.
      Please Pray

Remember them

Remember them
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”Hebrews 13:3.
If you claim to be a Christian. A follower of Christ Jesus. Do you pray for those fellow Christians who are in prison?
Today there are thousands of Christians in prison for their faith around the world. It is said that a Christian dies for their faith every seven minutes somewhere in the world.
Lately we are hearing a lot about the persecution of various groups. Yet it seems to me we hear very little about the persecution of Christians.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion in the world." 
Today as you read this Christians in North Korea must meet in secret. To be caught worshipping God is at the very least a prison sentence doing hard labour. And while North Korea is considered the worst place to be a Christian, there are many other countries around the world where being a Christian can get you thrown in prison, attacked, even murdered.
Thus we Christians in the western democracies with all the freedoms we have, must remember to pray for and support those around the world who are suffering for the sake of Christ.
 Thus I would ask anyone reading this who claims to be a Christian, please pray for those brothers and sisters who are suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.
Please Pray.

Pray and Study

Pray and Study
Jude the half brother of Jesus writes,
“But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.  
They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”  
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  
Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Jude 1:17-21.
Jude’s message to believers in Christ Jesus is simple. He reminds believers that in the last days there will be scoffers who “Follow their own ungodly desires” That these men will divide believers.
He tells believers to build themselves up in “your most holy faith...” 
To “keep yourself in God’s love”, as they await the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is important that believers in Christ Jesus read at the very least the New Testament. It is the sole authority for the Christian faith. The New Testament tells the believer in Christ Jesus how they are to live.
Thus the more we study the scriptures the stronger our faith becomes.
When I was a young believer in Christ Jesus a pastor gave me some good advice. He told me to remember these three points,
1. Pray and study the Bible.
2. Study the Bible and Pray.
3. Never forget to Pray and Study the Bible.
It was sound advice when he gave it to me. It is sound advice today to all who would call themselves believers in Christ Jesus.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus ask yourself these questions.
How often do you sit down to pray and study the Bible?
Do you think you do it enough?
Please think about it.

For all in Authority

For all in Authority
The apostle Paul writes,
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  
This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1Timothy 2:1-4.
Look very carefully at this portion of scripture. Paul urges all Christians. All believers in Christ Jesus to pray “for kings and all those in authority” 
The reason he gives for this is, “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
The easiest way for Christians to win souls for Christ is in a time of peace. Those in the persecuted church have a much harder time winning souls for Christ than those living in freedom and peace.
That is why I believe Paul tells us to pray for those in authority.
Please think about it.

A Message for Today

A Message for today
The book of Acts records a meeting between the apostle Paul and the elders of the Ephesian church at Miletus. While the meeting is recording Paul’s last visit with the elders from Ephesus, there is within it a warning we in the twenty-first century church need to heed.
The book of Acts states,
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.  
Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.  
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  
I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.  
Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  
So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Acts 20:25-32.
1/ Paul makes it clear that he is “innocent of the blood of all men” having not hesitated to proclaim the whole will of God.
This is something we must be certain of especially if you are a leader in the Church. Leaders in the church are, as is every believer in Christ Jesus responsible of proclaiming “the whole will of God”. The pure gospel. Not adding or changing God’s word in any way.
2/ Paul calls on those oversee the congregation pastors even board members and others in authority in the church to look after those in their congregation. I believe this means not only spiritually but physically also. Helping those in need. Helping the sick. Helping people to grow spiritually.
3/Paul notes “savage wolves will come” people determined to destroy the faith of individuals and use the word of God in ways that it was not meant to be used. Some of these people actually coming from within the church. Men and women who say they are followers of Christ but are not.
4/ Paul warns us to be on guard against those who would try to distort and destroy believers.
I firmly believe in order to do all of this believers in Christ Jesus must study for themselves, and with other believers, the scriptures both old and new Testaments. We must know what the word of God is saying. We must put the truths of the scriptures to work in our lives.
Above all I firmly believe we must pray. Asking God to guide us, protect us, lead us, and show us the truth that lies within His holy word.
Please think about it. 

Love your enemies

Love your enemies
Jesus 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.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”  Matthew 5:43-47.
Do you love your enemies?
Martin Luther King jr. at the height of the civil rights movement in the United States when African Americans were being persecuted and attacked said,

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”

                                                                                    Martin Luther King, Jr.

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.

Thus the questions I would ask you the reader are,
1/ Do you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?
2/ Is the love you show to those around you friend and foe alike the same love that the apostle Paul defines when he wrote to those in the Corinthian church.
Please think about it.

The Persecuted

The Persecuted
Through the book of Revelations Jesus speaks to seven churches. As I said in my previous blog. Scholars have noted that these churches can be taken in several ways. They can speak to individual churches throughout history and today and they can be personalized by individuals.
The Second church mentioned is Smyrna. That was located at a major port city just north of Ephesus. The Imperial Roman cult was presence in the city as was a large number of Jews. Both of whom may have persecuted early believers in Christ.
The book of revelations records,
“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 
   I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”Revelations 2:8-11 
Here Jesus identifies Himself as “the First and the Last, “who died and came to life again.”
He notes that the church has gone to affliction and poverty.That they are slandered, yet they are rich
Today around the world there are churches and individuals who are as one person said “dangerous neighbourhoods”. Areas of the world where being a follower of Jesus Christ can get you put in jail, attacked or even murdered.
Jesus in addressing the church at Smyrna is addressing them. He calls on them not to be afraid. That while they may be put in prison and suffer persecution they will be given a crown of life.
For anyone going through persecution it can be hard. No one deserves to go persecution for their faith not matter who they are. That being said however as believers in Christ Jesus we have the assurance that in the end we will receive the victors crown and live eternally in Heaven with God.
If you are a Christian living in the west that is not undergoing persecution take time to remember the persecuted church. Men and Women who are suffering for their faith. Take time to pray and if you are in the western democracies especially write to your member of parliament, or prime minister. Ask them to bring up the plight of persecuted Christians. It can’t hurt but it may just do a lot of good.
Perhaps even bring up to your pastor and Church congregation the need to keep praying and doing what you can to help believers in Christ that are being persecuted.
Please think about it.

Stand with Orlando

Stand with Orlando
Yesterday I heard a news report that anti-gay protesters from a church in Orlando were protesting against homosexuality at one of the funerals for one of these killed. They attended a church apparently and called themselves Christians.
As a Christian I am mortified that those claiming to be Christians would do such a thing. I do not know if these people are truly Christian or not. That is between them and God.
If however they are Christians they are misguided and insensitive to those who need to see the Love of Jesus. They exhibit the worst in Christians, which sadly seems to be the norm for many calling themselves particularly evangelical Christians both in the United States and Canada.
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.
According to what Paul says those people who protested against the LGBT community are wrong in doing so.
Jesus makes it clear
“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.
If these anti-gay demonstrators claim to be Christian then they must believe what Jesus said here in Matthew 7:12. Which leads to the conclusion that they would like people to demonstrate outside their church.
I have been a Christian for over forty years now. I have taught the Bible for most of those years. I do not see anywhere, where Christ or the apostles spoke against those outside of their faith. I do not see where they ever demonstrated against anything that was against their beliefs or moral values.
Jesus and his disciples showed unconditional love toward all people. It was Jesus who said 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.
Not only that Jesus 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.”Matthew 5:43-45.
Love your God, your neighbour, and your enemy, pray for your persecutors. These are Christian values. Not standing with a placard judging people. That is not the role of any Christian.
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.
These words are very true and I believe those who protested against the LGBT community at that funeral will be judged according to how they judged.
I as a Christian however extend my prayers and condolences to the families of those who died and all those who were injured both physically and emotionally from the shootings.
My God bless you and shine His peace upon you.
Yours in Christ.
Neal W.