Summing up the Bible

A summing up of the Bible

“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 
“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 22:35-40.

How can anyone argue with love being the most important thing in the law. Jesus is not alone in saying this.
A thirteenth century Jewish sage, Hillel, was asked to sum up the entire Torah (the Law) while standing on one leg. He responded with av’ahavta l’reacha komacha (you shall love you neighbour as yourself.
I believe however that the love spoken of has to be that from God.
Sadly we have to many ‘poor’ definitions of love. Definitions that put limits on love.
Paul writing to the Corinthians said this about love,
“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”
                                                                                             1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
This is the love Jesus and Hillel meant when they were speaking. It is an unconditional love. One that sets no boundaries.
This is true love.
A love that if put into practice really could change the world.
Think about it.

Do not bear a grudge

Do not bear a grudge

“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” 
                      Leviticus 19:18.
For years I use to watch the conflict in Northern Ireland and the killing done in the name of religion.
My mothers family emigrated to England from Ireland in the mid eighteen hundreds. There reason was to get a better life which they eventually did get but apparently not without some people disliking the fact they were catholic.
The Northern Ireland conflict is very typical of men doing things supposedly in the name of God. When really they are doing it simply with a religious name.
Jesus was a man of peace he never preached insurrection against the dominating Romans. In fact he a Jew helped a Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13).
The disciples were the same way they showed the love of God to all men irrespective of who they were.
Those who were fighting in northern Ireland were not Christians they only happened to have the labels of Christian groups.
Over the years much has been done in the name of Christianity when really it was driven by prejudges. The classic example are the crusaders who went to war killing everyone who was supposedly not a Christian.
They and particularly their leaders lost track of the key thing in Christianity. Love your neighbour as yourself.
They missed the fact that Jesus said
“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 28:19,20 
Jesus never said convert people at the edge of a sword or by torture as happened at other times in history.
Christians are today according to what some watch groups are saying the most persecuted people in the world yet the words of the Bible are still there for Christians to obey when Leviticus states,
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” 
                                       Leviticus 19:18.
Violence done in the name of Christ or a religious Christian group is not the “Christian” thing to do.
It was Jesus who told us to turn the other cheek.
True Christianity is reaching out to people in Love not bearing grudges or waging any kind of violence against ones fellow man.
Think about it.

The Way to Heaven

“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

This is the uniqueness of Christianity. Christians believe we are saved by the grace of God. Not by our works.
In Christianity it is God reaching down to man. Not man trying to reach up to God or trying to be as close to perfect as is possible.
Christians believe,
“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,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
            Romans 5:8
We believe,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and (those who believe Jesus) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
                                                                                                Romans 3:23,24
We believe,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
We believe...
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”  
                   1 Corinthians 15:3,4
We believe,
“Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
                          John 1:12
We believe that getting to heaven is as simple as saying a prayer like this,
Dear Heavenly Father
I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That he came and died for my sins.
I know that I am a sinner and I confess those sins to you now. 
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and life from this day forward.
Amen.
If you prayed that prayer and truly believe what you prayed then you are assured of going to heaven.
What I would advise now is finding a bible believing church.
Pray and ask God to lead you such a church.
I always recommend a Baptist church simply because I’ve found their teachings to be consistent all over the world.
In Canada I also recommend a Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Church because I am familiar with their solid bible based teachings as are the Assemblies of God in the United States.
Wherever you decide to go make sure, they teach directly from the bible and that their teachings do not contradict the bible. You do this by reading the Bible yourself and asking God to show you the truths contained there in.
A in a good church the pastor will always be willing to answer your questions.
In the church I attend we expect people to ask questions.
At the start of our midweek bible study we encourage anyone who has a question on any topic to ask it and we will have an answer for them.
Now having said all of this I would encourage you even if you still don’t believe to go to a church and ask questions.
Think about it.

What do you gain?

What do you gain?

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” 
                                                       Matthew 16:26,27

Do you believe you have a soul? What is it worth?
If you believe that all there is, is this life then the body at least is equal to the cost of the chemicals and water that make it up. Not very much.
But we are more than a complicated biochemical cocktail. Man has a soul. Man was created to live forever. And one day we will stand before God.
Think about what you are doing. Is it really worth while?
Man is an odd creature if you think about it.
He spends a lifetime collecting ‘things’ be they widgets or dollar bills only to forfeit them at the end of his life. To my mind counter productive.
Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with being wealthy and acquiring wealth. There are many wealthy people in the church that are using their wealth for good. The church needs people like these.
Still what are you doing. Are you simply acquiring things for the sake of acquiring them?
Are you making payments with interest on money you borrowed for a car, when you could have been saving up and buying a good one with cash?
Where is your treasure?
Jesus said,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 
                                                                Matthew 6: 19-21
Where is your treasure. Will you leave it one day to someone else on this earth?
Or will your actions and deeds on this earth go before you to heaven as a wonderful witness of what you have done for Christ?
Think about it.

Holocaust Memorial

“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 
                            Genesis 12:1-3

To day January 27th 2014 is Holocaust remembrance day. A day when we remember the millions killed in the Nazi holocaust of world
war two.
I was born after the war and have only seen films of the concentration camps as a result I can only imagine the horrors.
My father was one of the liberators of Bergen Belsen. He told us very little about what he seen. Still I can remember on two occasions when he told me vividly about what he saw.
The first occasion was when the two of us were watching the news.
There was a some one who was on trial for hate literature, some one who denied the holocaust.
For a few moments he was silent, then he suddenly exploded. It was as if a dam had burst inside him and he told me what he had seen and experienced.
What he told me was beyond belief I can understand why he didn’t want to tell people. Were a writer to have written about such horrors no one would have believed him.
As I found out later from some aunts, he didn’t keep silent in the years after the war. He did tell people about what he saw. It was just that I was too young to remember.
The experience at Belsen did change his life.  
The facts speak  for themselves, over eleven million (11,000,000) people died in the holocaust. Six million (6,000,000) were jews. An estimated 1,500,000 children died. The numbers are staggering.
If my math is right that means one person was murdered every twenty seconds from the day war was declared in September of 1939 until it ended in Europe in May of 1945.
The other thing my father was bitter about was that his country, England refused to let them all go to Palestine because of politics.
  It’s interesting that the United Kingdoms fortunes started to go down after the war.
The scripture I have chosen for today is a blessing God gave to Abram the father of the Jewish nation it reads,
“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 
                            Genesis 12:1-3.
I firmly believe that, that blessing to Abram is still in effect.
       Germany as a nation repented after the war paid reparations to Israel and has become an economic power house.
While the United Kingdom who placed harsh restrictions on the Jews in Palestine going even to the point of training and arming the enemies of the Jews, had their fortunes fall.
Here in Canada we have a government that is firmly behind Israel and I believe it has resulted in Canada’s prosperity even in these uncertain times.
But all of that aside. I believe it is incumbent on all Christians everywhere to pray for and bless Israel.
Many Christians died in the holocaust also. They died for simply trying to protect Jews.
We can never let such a thing happen again.
The Reverent Martin Niemoeler a pastor in the German Confessing Church who himself spent seven year in a concentration camp wrote,

First they came for the Communist

And I did not speak out-

Because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Socialist

And I did not speak out-

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came fro the Labour Leaders

And I did not speak out-

Because I was not a Labour Leader.

Then they cam for the Jews

And I did not speak out-

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they cam for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me.

If there is one place we should be politically active, it is in our support of Israel.
There are people in this world who do not want Israel to exist.
Think of it were they to win. Millions more Jews would die.
Not only Christians, but humanity as a whole cannot let that happen.
Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray that God will bless Israel.

The Authority of Jesus

“They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.  The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.  
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,  
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 
“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”  
The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.”  
News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee”
                                                                 Mark 1:21-28
Mark tells us that the people were amazed at the teachings of Jesus. He “taught them as one who had authority not as the teachers of the law.”
He cast out demons from a man in the synagogue and he notes that the evil spirit in the man identified Jesus as “the Holy One of God!”
These are things that prove Jesus is the one and only Son of God.
Within the Bible there is no debate as to who Jesus was. The disciples and the people around Jesus bore witness to what he did and when he did them.
The gospel writers do not shy away from anything that Jesus did.
They simply wrote it down and presented it to all who would care to read it allowing them to decide for themselves who Jesus was.
Who do you think he is?

Of God and Man

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
           Genesis 1:26,27

“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

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.”
We are God’s creations. It is God who has written on our hearts what is right and what is wrong.
To my knowledge no atheist group has ever come up with a universal set of morals. Yet there have been many who have caused great havoc on humanity. Some even in the name of religion.
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 judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
         Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
The duty of man is fear God and keep his commandments because whether you believe him or not you will one day be called to judgement.
Think about it.

On the mount of Transfiguration

On the mount of Transfiguration
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.  
There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.  
Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 
When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified.  
But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”  
When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 
                                                                                            Matthew 17:1-9.
               
Hear is another classic example of an incident recorded in the Bible that if it were not true would be counter productive to the spreading of the Gospel of Christ.
Peter James and John went up into the mountains where they saw the face of Jesus shining like the sun.
There was also an appearance of Moses and Elijah and the three men were terrified.
It was obviously a traumatic experience one worth writing about after the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Such events in my mind have to be true otherwise they wouldn’t have been put into the Bible.
There are many events mentioned in the scriptures that if not true would make the Bible out to be one of the greatest book of lies in human history.
Instead the Bible is the greatest and most honest book ever written in human history.
It is a book that has polarised people ever since it has been written, Yet to those who believe its words it is the way to salvation and life eternal.
Think about it.

The Way to Heaven

“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

This is the uniqueness of Christianity. Christians believe we are saved by the grace of God. Not by our works.
In Christianity it is God reaching down to man. Not man trying to reach up to God or trying to be as close to perfect as is possible.
Christians believe,
“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, 
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
            Romans 5:8
We believe,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and (those who believe Jesus) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
                                                                                                Romans 3:23,24
We believe,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
We believe...
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”  
                   1 Corinthians 15:3,4
We believe,
“Yet to all who received him,(Jesus) to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
                          John 1:12
We believe that getting to heaven is as simple as saying a prayer like this,
Dear Heavenly Father
I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That he came and died for my sins.
I know that I am a sinner and I confess those sins to you now.
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and life from this day forward.
Amen.
If you prayed that prayer and truly believe what you prayed then you are assured of going to heaven.
What I would advise now is finding a bible believing church.
Pray and ask God to lead you such a church.
I always recommend a Baptist church simply because I’ve found their teachings to be consistent all over the world.
In Canada I also recommend a Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada Church because I am familiar with their solid bible based teachings.
Wherever you decide to go make sure, they teach directly from the bible and that their teachings do not contradict the bible. You do this by reading the Bible yourself and asking God to show you the truths contained there in.
A in a good church the pastor will always be willing to answer your questions.
In the church I attend we expect people to ask questions.
At the start of our midweek bible study we encourage anyone who has a question on any topic to ask it and we will have an answer for them.
Now having said all of this I would encourage you even if you still don’t believe to go to a church and ask questions.
Think about it.

What do you gain?

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?  
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” 
                                                       Matthew 16:26,27

Do you believe you have a soul?
I do.
Man has to be more than a complicated biochemical cocktail. Man has a soul. Man was created to live forever. And one day we will stand before God.
Think about what you are doing. Is it really worth while?
Man is an odd creature if you think about it.
He spends a lifetime collecting ‘things’ be they widgets or dollar bills only to leave it behind him when he dies. So why do we do it?
There has to be more to life than spending a few short years on this earth only to pass into eternity and enter oblivion.
I believe man was made to live on in eternity and have fellowship with the very God that made him.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Where do you stand?
Think about it.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.  
For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.  
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 1:3-8

Here’s a Challenge to Christians. If Paul were alive today could he say the words of 1 Corinthians 1:3-8 to you?
Does the grace of God live in you? Can people say you have been enriched in every way, in all your speaking and in all your knowledge.
Is the testimony about Christ confirmed in you?
Are you eagerly awaiting the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you confident that you will be strong and blameless when Christ returns.
Just how dedicated are you to Jesus?
Many who claim to be Christians simply attend church going through the motions in the service without really taking them to heart.
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.
Do you really know God? Is Jesus really your Lord and Saviour?
Just because you were born into a Christian family or were baptized as a child does not automatically make you a Christian.
Becoming a Christians is an act of ones will when we are old enough to understand what we are doing.
It’s praying accepting that Jesus died for our sins and accepting Him into our lives.
Have you?
Think about it.

God

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
           Genesis 1:26,27

“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

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.”
We are God’s creations. It is God who has written on our hearts what is right and what is wrong.
To my knowledge no atheist group has ever come up with a universal set of morals. Yet there have been many who have caused great havoc on humanity. Some even in the name of religion.
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 judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
         Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
The duty of man is fear God and keep his commandments because whether you believe in him or not you will one day be called to judgement.
Think about it.