A garland of Grace

A garland of grace

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Get wisdom, get understanding; 

do not forget my words or swerve from them. 

Do not forsake wisdom,

 and she will protect you; 

love her, and she will watch over you. 

Wisdom is supreme; 

therefore get wisdom. 

Though it cost all you have, 

get understanding. 

Esteem her, 

and she will exalt you; 

embrace her, 

and she will honour you. 

She will set a garland of grace on your head 

and present you with a crown of splendour." 

                                                                      Proverbs 4:5-9.

I read the other day that,

"Wisdom is the acquired skill of applying knowledge rightly"

I was always taught that we should do our best to learn something new everyday. I was also told that we can have all the knowledge in the world, and if we don’t know how to use it correctly it will either amount to nothing, or amount to catastrophe.

I fully believe that as Christians, as believers in Christ Jesus we should be praying daily and asking God to impart wisdom to us through the scriptures and through daily life lessons.

Please think about it.

A note for Valentines day

 A note for Valentines day

The apostle Paul wrote,

“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.

This is the description of true Godly love. It is something we as Christians need to but into action every day of our life.

Are you doing this?

Please think about it.

An instrument of Gods love

 An instrument of Gods love

The apostle Peter writes,

“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.

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 doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

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

What the apostle Peter and Francis of Assisi is saying here is something all Christians should practice. People should see us as peace makers. Those who show love to all those around them. Family, friends and foe alike.

Can you say in truth what Francis of Assisi is saying here?

Please think about it.

There is a way

  There is a way

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. 

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 

Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honour you. 

She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendour."

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." Proverbs 4:5-11.

When I look at the world around me here in North America be it at political leaders, religious leaders or the average person on the street. It seems to me that wisdom is lacking.

It seems particularly politicians and religious leaders lack wisdom and understanding. Everything they do it seems is a knee jerk reaction to things going on around them.

These leaders don’t it seems take time to evaluate to consequences of their actions and sadly the average person is following their example and doing the same thing. The result I feel is our society is running toward the abyss that is filled with fire and brimstone.

In Proverbs we read this warning,

“There is a way that seems right ot a man 

but in the end it leads to death.”

                                                            Proverbs 14:12.

Please think about it.

Fruit

 Fruit

The apostle Paul wrote,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22,23.

If you claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus are the above fruit of the Spirit showing in your life?

When those around you look at your life are they seeing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?

If not they should be, because it is only by showing these qualities that we will attract people to Christ. 

Perhaps one of my favourite quotes from outside the Bible come from Francis of Assisi who said,

"The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                                Francis of Assisi

The other thing Francis of Assisi is know for is what is commonly called the prayer of St. Francis. It is a prayer anyone who claims to be a true follower of Christ Jesus, a Christian should consider praying and taking to heart. It reads,

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

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

Please think about it.

Sadly Christians forget

  Sadly Christians forget

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. 

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 

Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honour you. 

She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendour." Proverbs 4:5-9.

Sadly I think Christians forget what is said here. They don’t get wisdom or understanding. Instead they rely too much on others to whom they think are wise and understand things, better than them.

Being a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus is a continuing learning process. A journey in which we should grow day by day. This not only includes studying the scriptures but studying the thing in the world around us. Observing people reading as wide a range of books as we can.

Christian life is not lived in a bubble. It is lived in a world filled with things both for and against what we as believers Christ believe. And the only way we know how to act toward them is by understanding why the world around us is they way it is.

Studying the scriptures in addition to studying the secular world around us, studying human behaviour, science, history, social behaviour or other things makes us wise. And shows us how we can best present the word of God.

If you consider yourself a Christian, when was the last time you studied the scriptures for yourself? When was the last time you looked at the world around you and studied what was happening?

Please think about it.

Wisdom

 Wisdom

In the book of Proverbs we read,

"Get wisdom, get understanding; 

do not forget my words or swerve from them. 

Do not forsake wisdom,

 and she will protect you; 

love her, and she will watch over you. 

Wisdom is supreme; 

therefore get wisdom. 

Though it cost all you have, 

get understanding. 

Esteem her, 

and she will exalt you; 

embrace her, 

and she will honour you. 

She will set a garland of grace on your head 

and present you with a crown of splendour." 

                                                                      Proverbs 4:5-9.

I read the other day that,

"Wisdom is the acquired skill of applying knowledge rightly"

I was always taught that we should do our best to learn something new everyday. I was also told that we can have all the knowledge in the world, and if we don’t know how to use it correctly it will either amount to nothing, or amount to catastrophe.

I fully believe that as Christians, as believers in Christ Jesus we should be praying daily and asking God to impart wisdom to us through the scriptures and through daily life lessons.

What do you think?

Please think about it.

Accept one another

  Accept one another

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”Romans 15:7.

Back in the late sixties and early seventies I was part of a movement within the church called “Jesus freaks” essentially the hippy movement of church. The movement brought many young people, teens and such into the church. People within the movement met in small groups in houses generally. 

It was a group that accepted you at face value. If you said you believed in Jesus they believed you. They without probably knowing it at the time lived what Paul was saying in Romans 15:7.

At a time when the traditional church expected you to come to church in your “Sunday best” suits and ties for the gentlemen. Conservative dresses for women. Short hair for the men.  You could come as you are. Tee shirts and jeans, mini skirts, long hair. All that was important was that you came to worship in spirit in truth.

Worship consisted of lively music, in both the folk, rock and traditional genres. Music was made on whatever was available guitars, piano, tamborine  or anything that could make a joyful noise to the Lord. Even dance that at the time was taboo in many churches.

There were sadly, many church congregations that turned their back on us. I think those churches lost a lot by not welcoming us. While those who welcomed us were blessed.

While the church has come a long way since then. There is much that can be learned from what happened back then.

I think it serves as a reminder to churches today that we must embrace those who are “different”, or “out side the norm” for lack of a better description. 

It all comes down to what Jesus 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.

Which I believe means meeting people where they are at, showing them the Love of Jesus and teaching them all Jesus has taught us.

Please think about it.

Think about this

  Think about this

John’s gospel records,

"Jesus wept." 

                   John 11:35

Charles H. Spurgeon said,

“A Jesus who never wept could never wipe away my tears.”

                                                                       Charles H. Spurgeon.

Jesus understands what it is to be human. In coming to the earth that he created he experienced first hand what it was to be human. 

Jesus experienced first hand what it was like to feel the sun and rain against his face. The smell of an olive grove. He felt the pain of a friend dying and the joy of friends when he raised that man from the grave. He experienced the love of his earthly parents. The joy of a wedding feast. 

He also experience what it was to be rejected, brutally beaten and anguish of death on a cross for a crime he didn’t commit.

Thus when we stand before Him on judgement day we cannot say to him “you don’t understand what it is to be human because you have always been almighty.”

We can’t say this because Jesus came from heaven to earth to experience all that it is to be a human being. 

We can’t say that God did not care for us because the apostle Paul reminds us,

 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Please think about it.

God

God
The Prophet Isaiah writes,

"Do you not know? 

Have you not heard?

 The Lord is everlasting God, 

the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

He will not grow tiered or weary,

 and his understanding no one can fathom.”

                                                              Isaiah 40:28.

God exists I have no doubt about that. And frankly I don’t debate His existence or that He created the universe and everything in it.
The Psalmist writes,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." 

                                                                                             Psalm 19:1-3

For me it doesn’t make any difference if God made the heavens in six twenty-four hour days or started it all with the big bang and let it develop over billions of years. The numbers mean nothing. God is almighty and could have done it either way.
The fact however that the Earth is in the perfect position in the universe to sustain life as we know it tells me there is a Creator God behind it all.
Still the Bible is a book of faith not science and we must always remember that.
Galileo Galilei said,

“The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, 

not the way the heavens go.”

                                       Galileo Galilei.

He is right. The purpose of the Bible is to show people how to get to heaven. The writers of the Bible were believers and accepted by faith, without question the existence of God.
The apostle John writes,
"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....
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 1:1-4,14.
What John here is asking those who believe in God (or for that matter those who do not believe in God) is to, by faith, believe that the God who created the universe and everything in it, entered it in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus Christ. Who’s purpose was and still is today to offer forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
Jesus 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.  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
Thus my question to you the reader; Do you believe in God? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Saviour of Mankind?
Please think about it.

Your Hope

Your Hope
The Psalmist writes,

“I wait for the LORD,

 my soul waits, 

and in his word I put my hope.” 

                                    Psalm 130:5  

If you claim to be a Christian, where is your trust. Billy Graham the American evangelist wrote,
"Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and seek to follow Him every day. Don't be swayed by the false values and goals of this world, but put Christ and His will first in everything you do." Billy Graham.
In Proverbs we read,

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways acknowledge him, 

and he will make your paths straight."

                                                        Proverbs 3:5,6.

Here is a question for all who claim to be followers in Christ Jesus. Do you truly “trust in the LORD with all your heart”?
Please think about it.

You Are

You are
Here is a portion of Scripture I have quoted many times in my blogs over the years. It is something all Christians need to realize and take to heart. The apostle Peter writes,
“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
Peter makes clear believer in Christ are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful love.”
We are a royal priesthood. However that sadly is not what some groups see Christians as. Sadly as I heard one person say “some calling themselves Christians, act more like street thugs determined to get their way no matter what.”
When I looked at it from the point of view of a woman having to walk through the lines of protestors at an abortion clinic, or from the standpoint of those in the LBGTQ community, who see those claiming to be Christians protesting against them, wanting to take away their rights. I can see where the person is coming from.
As Christians we should not be protesting against anything that does not take away our rights or the rights of others.
Peter said,
“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.” 
If statistics are right Christians are the most persecuted faith on the planet. It is estimated a Christian dies for his faith every three to seven minutes somewhere in the world.
We as Christians are “aliens and strangers in the world...” we have no right to protest or judge those outside our faith. The apostle Paul wrote,

“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

Christians have no right to judge. We are God’s messengers in this world. The job given to believes in Christ is simple 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.
Jesus also 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.
I know as a follower of Christ, I with all I know about Jesus and God. I would want others to tell me about all God has to offer if I didn’t already know.
I would not want people to judge me, to force their faith or way of life on me. I would not want them demonstrating against me if I am doing something lawful.
I would want to have free and open dialogue with them something that cannot be done while holding placards in a protest.
As Christians we must remember the words of the writer of Hebrews who said,

“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.

Please think about it.

Be Holy

Be Holy
Peter the apostle wrote,
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16.
Here is a simple principle all Christians need to understand. As believers in Christ we are called to be holy.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“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.

Peter tells us how we can be holy. He states,
“...prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires...”
To be holy is to love God and your fellow man unconditionally. It is doing to others what you would want them to do to you.
It is following 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
Jesus who 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
It is doing what Jesus called us to do when he 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
It is living a life that points people by our words and deeds to God.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ, are you living such a life?
Please think about it.

A New Birth. A Living Hope!

A New Birth. A Living Hope!
The apostle Peter writes to believers in Christ,
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:3-9.
Peter gives praise to God for His great mercy. For the “new birth” and “Living Hope” God gives us through Jesus Christ. An inheritance that can never “perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven”.
He notes that while we may have to suffer grief from time to time it is worth it.
Trials of any kind can do one of two things to our faith destroy it or strengthen it. Trials show just how strong and true our faith is.
Peter also commends his readers who have not seen or met Jesus in the flesh. He states,
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
This is what God wants. The apostle Paul tells us,

“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.

It is our faith in Christ our faith in God that saves us. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“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

The apostle Paul writing to the Galatians said,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live,

 but Christ lives in me. 

The life I live in the body, 

I live by faith in the Son of God, 

who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20.

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy saying,

“Here is a trustworthy saying:

If we died with him, we will also live with him; 

if we endure, we will also reign with him.

If we disown him, he will also disown us; 

if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,

for he cannot disown himself. 

2 Timothy 11-13.

Please think about it.

Favouritism

Favouritism
James writes,
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.  
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.  
If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  
But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?  
Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.  
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.  James 2:1-10
Do you judge a book by it’s cover? Do you judge people by the way they are dressed? I knew someone, a man who said privately believed, those on welfare are all cheats. That they need to get out there and get a job. That the poor just are not doing enough to get out of poverty. This when many poor people are holding two if not three jobs and still can’t make ends meet.
I’ve heard the same rhetoric coming from some within the church over the years. This should not be so.
Sadly though people do judge a book by its cover whether they claim to be Christian or not.
When I first came to know the Lord back in the seventies people would not go to church dressed casually. I was even criticized for having a small rip in the leg of my jeans when I was helping set up for an event. A rip that occurred while I was helping set up the event.
I knew of people who wouldn’t go to church if they didn’t have a good set of clothing. It is something that still happens today in some churches. Although I must say there is a positive trend happening telling people to come dressed as they are, casually, dressed up whatever they are comfortable with. Still however many people are afraid that they will be judged by the way they dress. Which should not be so.
Someone once said to me “more people get swindled out of more money by a man in expensive clothing that a man in rags.”
It’s a very true statement just ask anyone who’s lost money to a swindler. They will tell you he looked good, talked good, but he still took their money and ran leaving them with nothing.
Now everyone will agree that not every person in fine clothing is a swindler. Likewise not everyone in shabby clothing is a crook either. This is what James is saying.
James also makes it clear that all, irrespective of who they are, how much, or how little, they have should be treated equally in the church.
He points out that we are to keep the “royal law” to love our neighbour as ourselves and not show favouritism.
James notes “But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.”
Jesus tells this parable,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  
At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.  
In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house,  
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 
“ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Luke 16:19-31
The Talmud while not a Christian book dose however make an interesting point I think Christians need to consider. It states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” The Talmud
There is no need to ask someone who claims to believes in God if they believe in him or prayed or observed the ritual.
However while God already knows the answer. I believe he wants to hear it from our own lips and for that matter for us to hear it from our own lips. To make us truly think about how we dealt with those around us.
Question: how have you dealt with those around you? Do you show favouritism?
Please think about it.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness
Matthew’s gospel
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  
As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 
“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  
The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.  
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  
Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’  
In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18: 21-35.
Here Peter asks a simple question as to how many times should we forgive sins, to which Jesus states, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Jesus here is not telling Peter to simply forgive 490 times, but rather times without number.
He then tells the story of a servant that had a very large debt forgiven by his master who then turns around and fails to forgive a fellow servant of his debt. Having the man thrown into prison.
When the master found how the servant had treated the other servant with complete lack  of love and mercy, he then ordered the other to be thrown in jail, for failure to forgive.
Being a Christian is all about relationships, and love. Our relationship to God and those around us. Our love for God and those around us.
The Talmud while not a Christian book was written to those who believe in God. It tells this story that is very much relevant to Christians and others, it states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?” The Talmud
Like it or not God will judge us on how we treated our fellow men.
    James the half brother of Jesus states,
“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.
As Christians we are called to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world around us. To show mercy and love.
C. S. Lewis noted,

"To be a Christian means 

to forgive the inexcusable 

because God has forgiven 

the inexcusable in you.” 

C.S. Lewis

Martin Luther King jr. the American civil rights leader said,
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Please think about it.

Love your Enemy

Love your enemy
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
Here is a very Christian trait. Loving your enemy. Perhaps one of the hardest things we can do. Yet God did it to us when we still enemies to Him.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  
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 5:6-11.
What Paul is saying here is we as mere human beings could not live a life that was good enough to have fellowship with God. We are by nature sinners and sin separates us from God. It if you will, makes us enemies to God.
However God knowing it is impossible for us to live perfect lives entered this world in the form of Jesus, His one and only Son. Who died for our sins. The writer of Hebrews telling 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
Paul writing to the Corinthians said,
“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.
We get to heaven by the grace of God through faith in the saving Grace of Jesus.
Now I have said all of that to say this is why we especially if we claim to be Christian, should love our enemies, because God set the example. As Christians we believe we know the way to heaven.
As Christians I believe we have the most important message in the history of mankind that being, The Way to heaven.
We cannot get this message out if we do not love all those we come in contact with, even our enemies.
Paul even tells us to pray for our persecutors for he knew that they too needed to know of the love of Jesus, the Love of God.
The Apostle Peter reminds us,
“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.
Loving all we come in contact with is a positive sign even if you are not a Christian. Martin Luther King Jr. the American civil rights leader once said,

Love is the only force capable 

of transforming an enemy into friend.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Please think about it.

Do you?

Do you?
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6.
Here is a strait forward statement to believers and non-believers alike.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6.
Thus the question is do you put all your trust in God?
Matthews gospel records,
“Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
“Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,  honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’’” 
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 19: 16-23.
This man was very wealthy. He believed in God and obeyed the commandments. However he appears to have lacked complete faith. His faith if you will was intellectual not heart felt. His faith seemed to more in his wealth than God.
Now there is nothing wrong with wealth in its place. The apostle Paul 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.

The apostle Paul make it very clear it is the “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Money in and of itself is an inanimate object that can be used as much for good as it can for evil.  Money used wrongly however can cause us to turn away from God to forsake him. Something we must always be aware of.
Our faith must be entirely in God. Not in material things. The writer of Hebrews tells us,

“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

Anyone can believe from an intellectual point of view that God exists the true measure of a believer is if you are willing to put your complete trust in God. Something that can be difficult in our materialistic society.
Billy Graham the American Evangelist once asked the question,
“The great question of our time is, 'Will we be motivated by materialistic philosophy or by spiritual power?” Billy Graham
The writer of Proverbs states,
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5,6.
In order to truly believe in God we must be willing to follow God strictly by faith nothing more.
The young man that came to Jesus did not have that kind of faith. His security was not in his faith but in his wealth.
Question: where is your trust in God our your wealth?
Please think about it.

Not Everyone is

Not everyone is
Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
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 7:21-23.
I hear non-Christians say all the time, “why should I become a Christian, because I see may who claim to be Christian. Who go to church all the time and my life is better than theirs.”
I see their point. I as a Christian know many who go to church who, judged by the way they act at least are not Christians.
Just because someone calls themselves a Christian and goes to church does not make them a Christian. That’s why Jesus said,  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’
Sadly over the centuries the Christian church has picked up a lot of baggage that is not Christian. The Christian faith has been used to justify everything from the crusades, to slavery to justifying injustice on various groups of people to killing thousands if not millions of non-Christians.
Today there are people calling themselves Christians, who are trying to restrict the rights of those they disagree with.
I as a Christian have my doubts that such people are Christian.
A Christian is called to by God to Love God, their neighbour and even their enemy. 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 went further than that 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, 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.
To be a Christian is to love all people. The apostle Paul setting the Christian standard for love when he wrote,
“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.
To be a Christian is to do no less than to love all people.
What I would say to a non-Christian who sees a person calling themselves a Christian and not loving, not showing genuine love to those around the is disregard them.
There are true Christians out there. Men and women who truly love God, their neighbour, and even their enemy.
What I would suggest is visit a Church and ask the pastor what he or she believes and why.
Please think about it.

Freedom

Freedom
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14
Question: Do we take our freedoms and Rights too much for granted? Do we demand our freedoms and Rights without thought for the freedoms and rights of others.
I found the following in my archives it was written in 2014. I put it here for you to think about.
Today as I write this it is June 6th 2014 the 70th anniversary of D Day. Here in Canada the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is putting on an all day special, commemorating the day a hundred and fifty thousand men rush ashore in Normandy France.
These men risked their life that we might have freedom.
My Father while not at Normandy fought in the British Army in North Africa, Italy, Belgium and Germany. He spoke little of his actual time in Battle he tended to dwell on the good times he had with his friends between the fighting.
One day however when I went to visit him at home. By this time he was in his eighties. He’d been watching television.
Someone who was denying the holocaust ever happened was being sentenced for hate crimes was in the news.
He suddenly started an angry tirade aimed largely at the television. He was very upset saying that he knew the death camps were real. That he was there.
His tirade lasted a few seconds then he settled down. Then he told me for the first time his experience at the Bergen Belsen death camp. He’d been among the liberator of the camp. He’d seen the horror and it had left wounds that he’d never spoken about for decades.
He said that’s why they had fought the war, to end tyranny. That we should always remember those who fought and died to end it.
For me I believe the fear of God was forgotten in Germany during the 1930's and 1940's.
Historians tell us that the late twenties and thirties was a low point for the German people. They were looking for someone to pull them out of the depression that gripped the country. Someone who would also restore national pride.
Hitler appeared to many to be that man. As a result he was allowed to come to power. The result would be by the end of 1945, more than 56,000,000, would die.
    Death camps would claim the lives of 6,000,000 jews alone and five to eight million non-Jews.
The scripture I quoted above says a lot,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14
If we believe in God. If we truly walk in the precepts of God. If we love God and we ensure our leadership both political and religious, loves God then the horrors of world war two will not be repeated.
Abba Hillel Silver wrote,
“Faith in God is the strongest bulwark of a free society.  Human freedom began when men became conscious that over and above society and nature there is a God who created them...who fashioned them in His likeness, and that they are, therefore, possessed of intrinsic and independent significance and are endowed, as individuals, with original and irrevocable rights and authority.”
It is only when mankind turns its back on God’s truths of Love for God, our neighbour and even our enemy, that such a thing as world war two can happen.
The men that started world war two were far from God. Their hearts were filled with hate.
We can never let this happen again. We must stand up to hate, prejudges and intolerance wherever it may be.
We must insist that our political and religious leaders exercise tolerance and show love to all irrespective of their race, colour creed, or their lifestyle.
Martin Luther King Jr. once prayed,
“We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man. We are in nature but we live above nature.
Help us never to let anybody or any condition pull us so low as to cause us to hate.
Give us strength to love our enemies and to do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us.
We thank thee for thy Church, founded upon thy Word, that challenges us to do more
than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon thee.
Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.
Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace; help us to walk together, pray together, sing together, and live together until that day when all God’s children, Black, White, Red, and Yellow will rejoice in one common bond of humanity in the kingdom  of our LORD and of our God, we pray. Amen.”
Nelson Mandela said,
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”Nelson Mandela
I as a Christian believe in Love. Love for God, my neighbour, and my fellow man.
Jesus 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.
These words are a universal truth all people can understand. That if put into practice can and will make the world a better place for all.
Think about it.