You and God

You & God

In the book of 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.

Faith in God, for some, perhaps even for most people, is something that is difficult to have. Especially in something unseen. Yet God requires his followers to have faith.
 The writer of Hebrews states,

“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

Martin Luther King Jr. the American civil rights leader said,

Faith is taking the first step 

even when you don't see the whole staircase.

                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

God essentially asks each individual to take that first step even though they can’t see the whole stair case.
Have you taken that first step of faith with regards to believing in God?
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.

Put simply we get to heaven by putting our faith in the Grace of God.
Writing to the Romans the apostle Paul states,
“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.” Romans 5:6-8.
What Christianity asks the individual to believe by faith is expressed in what is called the Apostles Creed. While it was not written by an apostle of Jesus. It does express the core beliefs of Christianity. It reads,
I believe in God the Father the almighty maker of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus Christ God’s on and only Son, our Lord and Saviour.
I believe Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary
I believe Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate; 
That He was Crucified, died, was buried. That he descended in hell.
I believe He rose again on the third day from the dead.
I believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
I believe Jesus will one day Judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost
I believe in the Church which is the communion of the saints,
 I believe in the forgiveness of sin.
I believe in the resurrection of the body.
I believe in life everlasting.
Do you believe this?
Please think about it. 

Peace Makers

Peace makers
James the half brother of Jesus writes,

“Peacemakers who sow in peace

 raise a harvest of righteousness.”

                                         James 3:18.

The apostle Paul writes,

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

live at peace with everyone.” 

                                                                                 Romans 12:18
To Titus Paul writes,
“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” Titus 3:1,2.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
Being at Peace with God and with man is a major part of being a believer in Christ. When we are living peaceably with those around us it is much easier to present the gospel message.
Christianity is not a confrontational faith. While Jesus spoke against some of the practices of the Jewish leaders of his day. He a Jew had that right.
Jesus however never spoke against the secular Roman authorities or anyone outside his faith, nor did his disciples.
Jesus never raised a sword in anger. He lived at peace with those around him.
Thus if we claim to be followers of Jesus we must do the same.
Are you living at peace with those around you?
Please think about it. 

You and Heaven

You and Heaven
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.  
When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.  
This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous  and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:47-50.
Will you get to heaven?
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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.
Can you live a life good enough to stand faultless before a Holy God? I personally don’t think so.
C. S. Lewis stated,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  C.S. Lewis.
Christians believe God sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins. For doing things that were contrary to what he wants us to do. The apostle Paul states,
“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.
In order to get to heaven Christians believe the individual must accept by faith the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross for their sins.
Each individual must confess their sins directly to God. 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.
We Christians believe you can know hear and now that you are going to be in heaven with God. It is an act of faith. The apostle Paul writes,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.
The writer of Hebrews 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.
It is the faith aspect I believe most people who look at Christianity have the problem with. It takes a lot of courage for lack of a better way to say it, to believe in someone or something you cannot see.
I believe God knows this which is why he asks us to have faith in Him.
God also knows that those who truly believe in something. Who truly have faith in something are the true followers. Individuals who will not waver in their beliefs.
Question, Do you believe Jesus is the one and Only Son of God. The Saviour of Mankind?
Another question: Are you sure you will go to heaven?
Please think about it.

Of Jesus

Of Jesus
Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
“I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.” Napoleon Bonaparte.
For centuries men have tried to conquer the world. Napoleon, Alexander the great, the Romans, Hitler . Some come closer than others to doing it. Non succeeded. Even today we have terrorist groups and others who wish to impose their will on others by force. They like the others before them will fail and be but a foot note in history.
One person who has changed the world is Jesus. Today around the world there are close to three billion followers of Jesus in every country in the world.
These people were not reached for Christ by force but by love.
The call of Jesus is that of Love. 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 call so calls his followers is to,
“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.
Jesus tells his followers to,
“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.
The call of Jesus to all people is,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
This is how Christianity has spread around the world. Through love, of God, ones neighbour and even ones enemy.
Hate will never conquer the world.
Please think about it.

Christianity

Christianity
C. S. Lewis stated,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
Today according to human rights organisations and others Christianity is the most persecuted faith in the world.
Even in the western democracies there are Atheist who attack Christianity vehemently. Yet they claim God does not exist. If God does not exist then what have they to fear.
Christianity correctly practised urges its followers to love God, their neighbour and even their enemy. The apostle Paul defines Christian love as,

“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.

The apostle Paul tells Christians,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”Romans 12:18.
He tells Christians,
 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1.
Are these not good solid principles for good citizens? Yet Atheist and governments who disagree with Christians still persecute them.
Could it be that those who oppose Christianity at the very least on a subconscious level believe what Christians are saying is true? Believe there is a God?
  But lets face it if there is a God, and I believe there  is. Persecuting, imprisoning and killing Christians will not change that fact. It will only inevitably, bring God’s judgement upon themselves. The writer of Ecclesiastes saying,
“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.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14
Please think about it.   

Each Person

Each Person
C. S. Lewis said of Jesus Christ,
“He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less.” C.S. Lewis.
The apostle Paul writes,
“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. Romans 5:6-8.
Christians do not believe we can live a life good enough to enter heaven.
C. S. Lewis points out,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  C.S. Lewis.
Christians believe it is by God’s grace we get to heaven not by our works.
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.
The individual must accept Christ’s saving grace by faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,
However it takes an act of faith to follow Jesus. God wants faith. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
Faith in anything particularly it seems in God is a hard thing for most people. That I think is why God asks for faith. For those with true faith in Him are the true followers. Who will follow Him wherever he leads them.
Please think about it.

A Talk

A talk

“For the word of God is living and active. 

Sharper than any double-edged sword, 

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. 

Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him 

to whom we must give account.” 

Hebrews 4:12,13

C. S. Lewis said,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
Lewis is right, you can say there is no God, but that dose not change the fact there is a God and that he one day will judge everyone. Someone once wrote,

A Conversation

A man:

”you can’t be!”

God: 

“but I am”

A Man: 

“You don’t exist!”

God, 

“I do.”

A Man: 

“But I couldn’t see you.”

God: 

“I know I asked you to have faith. Through Hebrews I told you,

 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope

 for and certain of what we do not see.”  

Hebrews 11:1

A Man: 

“if only I could have seen you.”

God: 

“You could have seen all I did. The Psalmist told you 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the  skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

Psalm 19:1. 

Didn’t you look?

A Man:

 “Of course I looked. 

I seen evolution!”

God,

 “So you seen an orderly universe and thought 

it just dropped perfectly into place

 randomly? 

You didn’t think I could do it be it that way or any other way 

I felt like doing it?”

A man: 

“But I didn’t believe you existed.”

God: 

“so you never had faith in me?”

A Man: 

“I didn’t.... 

I don’t...

 I must be delusional.”

God: 

“No I am really here and through the words of Hebrews I warned you saying, 

“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.

Man:

“So what will happen to me?”

God:

“The Apostle Paul wrote,

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 

 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 Ephesians 2:8,9 

Did you accept my free gift of Grace?

Dear reader
Please think about it.

People are like grass

People are like grass

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.”

Isaiah 40:6b

I went through a cemetery the other day. A small one. By Canadian standards its old. From the few headstones I believe it was just one family buried there.
I noticed that all the headstones gave the date of birth and death. Some even gave the age of the person in years months weeks and days. Nothing more.
I assumed that these people were average although one name stood out to me. If I’m right he’s at least related to a prominent man in Canadian history. But still a man few Canadians even know.
Grave yards are cold quiet places. Places our relatives will place our bodies when we shed them.
When you come into our town from a certain direction you pass through two large grave yards.
It’s interesting that as you walk through them you can hear the traffic. Every now and then you hear a motorcycle with its deep throated muffler rumbling through. It’s almost as though they’re trying to get away. A sort of acknowledgment that one day they will end there.
Sadly several on those motorcycles have ended their days after trying to take a bend mid way through at too high rate of speed.
Their bodies making only a slight detour through a funeral home or church before resting in the quiet yard.
The prophet Isaiah wrote,

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. 

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of our God stands forever.” 

Isaiah 40:6b-8

As I looked through the small grave yard and the two big ones not one name did I recognize as doing anything great.
The walk reminded me of when I was younger. We lived in a house that was a thousand years old.
Near by was the ruins of an old Abby of which our house had been a part centuries before. On the grounds of the Abby was an old grave yard.
It’s occupants starting to take up residency around A.D.1000. The Abby at one point being one of the richest in England. Some famous historical people were buried there although I can’t seem to remember them now.
I guess that’s what it’s like for all of us. Some day the body our soul calls home will end it’s days in a the quiet yard. To be eventually forgotten by men.
I believe it’s the grave of the unknown soldier that has the inscription “known only to God” on it.
Eventually that’s how it will be for all of us. We will be known only to God.
Ultimately I think that’s all that is important. That we are known only to God.
Sadly both non-Christians and some who call themselves Christians will hear the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew,
“Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:23
Which begs the question dear reader, do you know God?
Do you know where you will spend eternity? You can know hear and now.
First of all you have to admit you fall short of God’s ideal for your life what Christians refer to as sin. That sin separates us from God.
However as Christians we believe what the apostle John states,
“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.
Christians believe you can never be good enough to get to heaven that is why God through Jesus Christ reached down to us a offered us the free gift of salvation. The apostle Paul telling 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.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans 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.
        Are you willing to admit your sins to God and accept the saving Grace Jesus offers?
Please think about it.

The Cross

The Cross

“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.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 
                  1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
The cross, the death and resurrection of Jesus does not seem right to many in the world today. Many ask the question, Why would God come into the world? Why would He become a man? And especially why would He choose to die for the man he created? Couldn’t he just wave a hand and show His power to everyone?
It’s true God could show his power to everyone in a miraculous way but that would not necessarily create true followers.
God does not want to force people to follow Him. He asks people to do that voluntarily.
God wants true followers. That’s why he asks that we exercise our faith.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
The apostle Paul reminds 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. 
Our salvation and our eternity with God is determined by our faith in him not necessarily our intellectual knowledge.
It’s easy to say “I believe there is a God.” but not have faith in Him.
True followers believe in something even if they don’t necessarily have physical proof.
Scientist do this all the time. Look at Albert Einstein. He believed in his theories all his life. Yet it is only recently a hundred years after he proposed the theories that some of them are being proved.
So it is with faith in God. We may not see God but we can by deduction say there is a God. The psalmist states,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 
                                                                                                                         Psalm 19:1.
By looking around us from the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxy all are in order all are mathematically perfect allowing scientist to predict not only their presence but how they work.
This I believe is the hand of God the creator pointing man to himself. So no one can deny there is a God.
C. S. Lewis said,
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.”
                                                                                               C. S. Lewis.
Lewis also said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                  C. S. Lewis.
The choice is up to you.  The gospel of John records Jesus putting a question to Martha we all must answer in our life,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
John 11:25,26.
What do you believe?
Please think about it.

A Message

A Message
The Gospel of Luke records this parable of Jesus,
“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
No matter what I or any Christian may say some people will not believe in God. I also believe that the more wealth a person has can make it harder for them to know Christ. Jesus said,
“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 
                             Matthew 19:24.
That’s not to say a rich man can’t go to heaven. And it’s not to say that having wealth is bad. Quite the contrary there are a lot of wealthy people who are Christians and doing the work of the Lord.
The problem I believe with having riches and power is that a person can rely too much on what they have materially.
In 1929 when the stock market crashed there was a spike in suicides because people put their trust in the stock market then when it collapsed found themself broke and in debt.
There are also those in power that take advantage of others as the rich man in the parable did. Power can and frequently is wrongly used. All of this is against God’s law and the person will have to give account to God, whether they believe in Him or not.
C. S. Lewis said,
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.” 
                                                                        C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“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.
The Talmud tells this story,
“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.
While the Talmud is not considered an inspired work of God by Christians the truth of the above story could happen. God will hold all people to account.
That being said anyone can get to heaven good or bad and can have assurance of getting to heaven here in this life.
The apostle John states,
“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 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.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans said,
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  
As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”
                                                                                                                                   Romans 10:9-13.
The key to getting to heaven is believing in God and that Jesus is the one and Only Son of God.
Confessing your sins to Jesus and turning from the wrong you have done. A true Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, truly confessed their sins to God and turned from them. Replacing that wrong with Love for God, their neighbour and even their enemy.
The question is do you believe this?
Please think about it.

Not so distant drummer

Not so distant drummer.
“Human beings vegetables  or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”
                                       Albert Einstein 
From what I understand Einstein did not believe in God. Yet in the above statement he, from the way I see it at least, said there is a common thing that binds all things, vegetable, mineral, animal and humans.
I believe Einstein and in deed all scientist can make the discoveries they make because God created the universe to be mathematically perfect.
Mathematics is a pure science. Properly used I believe it will one day link all things in one unified formula.
As I look around me I am astounded by the universe. From the smallest subatomic particle to the largest galaxies and stars all were predicted through mathematics.
There is nothing random in the universe even though at first we may think so. Everything has a purpose.
As I understand it the very earth we live on is the perfect distance from not only the sun but from other objects in space thus allowing life to exist on it.
The psalmist writes,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 
                                                                                                                                Psalm 19:1.
I believe that statement.
I believe that science done correctly can prove there is a creator or at least the mathematical formula God used to created the universe we live in.
I also believe that even when that formula is found there will be people who say there is no God.
It takes faith to believe in God. Faith defined is,
“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.
What as always amazed me is that scientist and brilliant men who have had faith in their scientific theories for decades (or as in Einstein’s case a century), cannot have faith that there is a God who created the Universe.
Still whether to believe in God or not, is a freedom God has given all of us.
C. S. Lewis said,
“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God.” 
                                                                                                 C.S. Lewis.
The Apostle Paul speaking to the learned men in Athens said,
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."
                                                                                           Acts 17:22-34.
Whether to believe in God and the fact Jesus is God’s one and Only Son is up to you. Jesus speaking of Himself gave us all a choice when he 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.
Please think about it.

Jesus is

Jesus is

“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  
If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.”
                                                John 14:5-11.
Hear Jesus makes a statement that makes it clear who he is.
Jesus said,
1/ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  
2/ “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father...”
3/ “I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me”
4/ “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”
These are basic beliefs of Christianity. Christians base their faith on the fact that Jesus is the One and Only Son of God. God incarnate.
We believe what the apostle Paul said,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
Romans 5:8
Jesus died for us even though we were sinners separated from Him. As C. S. Lewis puts it,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” 
                                           C.S. Lewis
We believe what Simeon said as recorded in the book of Luke.
“Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 
“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 
                                                                                                  Luke 2:28-32.
Jesus is God’s salvation, for all people. A light to show Gentiles (non-Jews) the way to heaven. And to glorify the People of Israel.
  We Christians believe the apostle Paul who wrote,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                     Ephesians 2:8,9.
It is by the grace of God we get to heaven not our works. Our salvation is an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews stating,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                          Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
                                                                                                         Hebrews 11:6
  We also believe in what Jesus said when speaking of him self he said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                            John 3:16-18.
We believe God showed his love for each individual by sending His One and Only Son down to earth to save us from our sins.
In doing so he offers all people everywhere the opportunity to enter heaven by simply believing Jesus is The Saviour of man. The one and Only Son of God.
The choice however is up to the individual.
Will you pray and ask Jesus into your heart and life today. Will you accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
The choice is up to you. It requires nothing more than a simple prayer like this.
Dear Heavenly Father
I believe Jesus is your one and Only Son. That He came to earth to pay the price for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner and ask your forgiveness in the name of Jesus.
Please Lord Jesus come into my heart and life right now. Show me your ways and direct my life from this day forward.
                           Amen.
If you truly believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of Man and have prayed that prayer, I would ask that you start praying directly to God and reading the Bible. Ask God to direct you to a good church congregation.
Even if you don’t believe in Jesus I would ask that you at least visit a church and learn more about Jesus. Talk to the pastor of the church and ask him any questions you might have.
An honest pastor will readily answer all the questions you have.
I recommend that you visit a Baptist Church as I have found them to be well balanced, knowledgeable, and firmly rooted in the basics of Christianity.
Please think about it.

Just like the thief

Just like the thief
Billy Graham said,
“I'm going to Heaven just like the thief on the cross who said in that last moment: 'Lord, remember me.'”
           Billy Graham.
As far as I know Christians are the only one’s who believe that as the apostle Paul put it,
“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.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 
                                                          Romans 3:23,24.
C. S. Lewis said,
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.” 
                                            C.S. Lewis
Christians believe in a God that loves and understands us.
I firmly believe Jesus came into the world to show mankind how far in human terms God would go to reconcile man to himself.
I also believe because of Jesus coming to earth we can never stand before God and say you don’t understand what it is to be human because he does.
In coming to earth Jesus experienced everything a man could experience.
Many in the world today think that if the good you do out weighs the bad you do you get to heaven. The Christian believes that our good works are not good enough to get us to heaven. That is why Jesus came.
The apostle John writes,
“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.
Paul makes it clear,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
Romans 5:8.
Christ died for our sins. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. It is through faith in Him that we enter heaven. To quote the writer of Hebrews again,
“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.
Jesus speaking of Himself gave us a choice when he 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.
The choice is yours.
Please think about it.

The Acceptable Time

The Acceptable time
Billy Graham said,
“The Bible says today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation... But there will come a time when it will be too late for you.”
                                                 Billy Graham.
One of the reasons I tell people about Jesus is because I am convinced the Bible is correct and that Jesus is the way to heaven.
I also believe the words of the apostle Paul when he spoke to the Athenians saying,
“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
                                                                                              Acts 17: 30,31.
You can scoff and not believe what Paul said, many in Athens that day did but are you sure what Christians say about Jesus is not true? Are you really sure?
I leave with you for your consideration what the book of acts records about what the apostle Paul said to the Athenians
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  
A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”  
(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.  
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  
For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  
At that, Paul left the Council.  
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others."
                                                                                              Acts 17:17-34.
C. S. Lewis said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
                                                     C. S. Lewis.
Only you can decide for yourself how important the message of Christianity is. God will not force you. God gives each person a freewill to do as they wish. That includes the right to believe in Him or not.
Thus the choice is yours.
Please think about it.

Jesus a Lunatic???

Jesus a Lunatic???
Matthews Gospel records,
“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them.  
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?  
He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.  
Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?  
I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.  
If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.  
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” 
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,  and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 
He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?  
How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.  
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. 
                                                                                                     Matthew 12:1-14.
Here the Pharisees who were so legalistic accuse Jesus and his disciples of working on the Sabbath. They interpreted what Jesus and His disciples were doing as harvesting the wheat, threshing it and preparing it as food.
These men were so afraid of upsetting God that they held to a very strict interpretation of the law. So strict it placed heavy burdens on people.
They didn’t even like the fact that Jesus healed a man, did a good work on the Sabbath.
They especially didn’t like the fact that he called himself Lord of the Sabbath. Equating himself with God.
Jesus knew this. He also knew that to equate himself with God was punishable by death.
Jesus could have avoided controversy by simply not saying who he was. By not claiming to be the Son of God. But he didn’t.
C. S. Lewis points out,
“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
The disciples of Jesus, and close to three billion Christians around the world today believe Jesus to be the Son of God the Saviour of mankind. Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh.
Now either we Christians are right or we have been believing what is perhaps the most monumental lie in human history.
John’s Gospel records Jesus asking a question to Martha that we all must answer,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world, 
John 11:25,26.
Question: Who do you think Jesus really is?
Please think about it.