The Choice

The Choice
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.
In my previous Blog post I noted that Jesus said,

"I am the way and the truth and the life.

 No one comes to the Father except through me." 

                                                                     John 14:6.

What the apostle Paul is saying here is this is the way to heaven.
 “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.
It’s really that simple. Going to heaven is as simple as truly believing that “Jesus is Lord” and that God raised him from the dead.
Unfortunately having the faith to believe this, is a difficult for many people. Yet it is the foundation of Christian belief.
The writer of Hebrews stated,

"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.

So the question becomes; do you believe Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead?
Please think about it.

Thoughts about Atheism

Thoughts about Atheism
In the book of Joshua we read,

“But as for me and my household, 

we will serve the LORD.” 

                                         Joshua 24:15b.

In my previous blog post I noted that there is a God. Not only that but many who worship God are being persecuted around the world. One Christian dying every seven minutes for their faith. For believing in a God many of the governments persecuting Christians don’t believe exist.
C. S. Lewis noted,

“Atheist express their rage against God 

although in their view,

 He does not exist” 

                              C. S. Lewis.

Imagine getting upset or fearful of something that does not exist. Yet many political leaders, dictators and governments around the world throw Christians and other people who believe in God into prison.
Even here in the west there are many prominent Atheist who speak strongly out against something that they say does not exist. Which begs the question if God does not exist how can He hurt you?
Now I speak from a Christian prospective, as I am a Christian. I know there have been many horrible things done in the name of Christ and I firmly believe that those who did such things were Christians in name only.
As Jesus said,
“Many will say to me  on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22,23
A true Christian. A true believer in Christ Jesus, will follow Christ’s teaching of love for not only God, but one’s neighbours and even one’s enemies. They will follow the words of Christ 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.
Sadly I do believe this message has got lost in the cacophony of false teaching that is in the media. Especially here in North America.
Still the message, if someone truly wants to find God, if someone wants to have a relationship with Christ is there. All one has to do is look for it.
I think however many atheist are not looking for it. When it comes to God many have their mind made up and nothing will change that.
Thus my question to you the reader is, are you truly searching for God?
Please think about it.

Christ is divine

Christ is divine
Henry Ward Beecher wrote,
“If Christ is not divine, every impulse of the Christian world falls to a lower octave, and light and love and hope decline.”  Henry Ward Beecher.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”  C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Both Lewis and Beecher express what Christians believe about Jesus. He is divine. He is the one and Only Son of God. He is God incarnate. He is the Saviour of Mankind.
I know to non-Christians Jesus may be at best a good man and moral teacher. That however is not the way Christians see Him.
The New Testament quotes Jesus as saying,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
Note the writer states Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being.
The apostle Paul states,
“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.
Early Christians believed and true Christians today believe that Jesus is the Lord and Saviour of mankind. That by believing in Him we will have our sins forgiven and get to heaven. The apostle John stating,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10
The apostle Paul also notes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
I as a Christian admit that some of what Christians believe may seem at times hard to believe but I believe that, that is what God wants.
God wants people to follow Him by faith, but not blind faith.
 God and all true believers in Christ would ask people to study the New Testament and indeed the whole Bible for themselves and make their own decision.. For it is in studying the Bible that one will find the truth about God and Jesus.
Please think about it.