A contented life
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John10:10.
Here Jesus give the purpose for his life. He came into this world that we may have life to the full.
I look around at people I’ve known over the years people from various social strata. I’ve met men and women who have it all in earthly terms, success, the big house, money, a good family life everything. Yet they’ve admitted to me they are not ‘content’.
Yes they are happy with what they have, and their achievements, but they are not content. Something is missing in their lives.
At the same time I’ve met people at the other end of the social spectrum that are having a hard time making ends meet yet they are content.
The difference I’ve found in their lives is not money and possessions its having Jesus in their lives.
Yes those that are not materially blessed wouldn’t mind having more money, but they realize that material possessions dose not guarantee happiness and contentment.
There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. Wealthy people from within the Church have helped advance its message around the globe. These people have also realized that money and possessions don’t make for a contented life. Only Jesus does.
True riches however come from God.
Jesus told this parable,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46
In this world people strive to be rich or gain power be it by fair means or foul. Legal or illegal.
The late American world war two general George C. Patton said,
"For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honour of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting."
General George C. Patton
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:10,11
At the end of his book he concludes,
“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.
The call of Jesus to the world 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.
As a Christian I know Jesus gives that rest, that contentment for ones soul no matter what the situation.
Please consider learning more about Jesus.
Obtain a copy of the New Testament read it for yourself and ask God to show you the truths there in
Monday, 18 May 2015
Sunday, 17 May 2015
No God. No Restraints
No God, No restraints
If there is no God then essentially you can do anything because there is no restraints.
If there is a pantheon of god’s then you could potentially do the same thing because there is probably a god that says you can do it.
In both cases such a thing could potentially see the end of mankind because mankind has no absolute rules to follow.
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.”
Abba Hillel Silver.
The Bible does not question there is a God. It simply lays down how God expects the individual is to act with respect to God and his fellow man.
God in the Bible lays down a moral code that if followed will ensure the survival of mankind.
I cannot believe that mankind developed a common moral code themselves. Mankind has shown over the years, decades, centuries, and millennium that he is selfish and destructive when left to his own devices.
The Psalmist wrote,
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”
Psalm 11:10.
We only have to look around our world today. Violence and crimes against humanity are everywhere.
Terrorist groups who have a twisted idea of God. Men and women who have no fear of God are murdering thousands.
The Twentieth century is said to be the bloodiest in human history and it seems the twenty-first is taking off from where it left off. This I believe is because those who committed the violence do not have a fear of God.
The Ten commandments lays the basics of all relationships, our relationship to God and to our fellow man.
The book of Exodus records,
“You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
Exodus 20:3-17
I believe if each individual person followed the simple commands laid down in Exodus 20:3-17 our world would be a much better place to live.
The writer of Ecclesiastes is right when he 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.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
It is when man dose not believe this statement by the writer of Ecclesiastes, or he has a twisted, mistaken belief of what God wants, that violence and man’s inhumanity to his fellow man follows.
Man needs moral absolutes and a knowledge that he will be held accountable to a higher authority in order to correctly function.
Please think about it.
If there is no God then essentially you can do anything because there is no restraints.
If there is a pantheon of god’s then you could potentially do the same thing because there is probably a god that says you can do it.
In both cases such a thing could potentially see the end of mankind because mankind has no absolute rules to follow.
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.”
Abba Hillel Silver.
The Bible does not question there is a God. It simply lays down how God expects the individual is to act with respect to God and his fellow man.
God in the Bible lays down a moral code that if followed will ensure the survival of mankind.
I cannot believe that mankind developed a common moral code themselves. Mankind has shown over the years, decades, centuries, and millennium that he is selfish and destructive when left to his own devices.
The Psalmist wrote,
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”
Psalm 11:10.
We only have to look around our world today. Violence and crimes against humanity are everywhere.
Terrorist groups who have a twisted idea of God. Men and women who have no fear of God are murdering thousands.
The Twentieth century is said to be the bloodiest in human history and it seems the twenty-first is taking off from where it left off. This I believe is because those who committed the violence do not have a fear of God.
The Ten commandments lays the basics of all relationships, our relationship to God and to our fellow man.
The book of Exodus records,
“You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
Exodus 20:3-17
I believe if each individual person followed the simple commands laid down in Exodus 20:3-17 our world would be a much better place to live.
The writer of Ecclesiastes is right when he 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.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
It is when man dose not believe this statement by the writer of Ecclesiastes, or he has a twisted, mistaken belief of what God wants, that violence and man’s inhumanity to his fellow man follows.
Man needs moral absolutes and a knowledge that he will be held accountable to a higher authority in order to correctly function.
Please think about it.
Saturday, 16 May 2015
Notes on Jesus
Notes on Jesus
Flavius Josephus (34A.D.- 98A.D.) became a Pharisee at 19, was also the commander of Jewish forces in Galilee. He later became Romanized and wrote a history of the Jewish people for the Romans.
Josephus wrote,
“About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine. They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders.” [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2]
Julian the Apostate, Roman Emperor from (361A.D-363 A.D.) said to be one of the most ardent ancient adversaries to Christianity. In his work against Christianity wrote,
“Jesus…has now been celebrated about three hundred years having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame, unless anyone thinks it is a very great work to heal lame and blind people and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany.”
At the end of his life was forced to say:
“Thou has conquered, O Galilean!”
Today there are people around the world who claim Jesus didn’t even exist. There are others who claimed he was simply a good man. That’s their opinion and they have the right to it. I as a Christian believe otherwise.
C. S. Lewis wrote of Jesus
“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
To those who would think differently than I do about Christ. I would suggest that you buy or go to the library and borrow a copy of Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis and read it for yourself.
Then ask yourself, What do you think of Christ.
Please think about it.
Flavius Josephus (34A.D.- 98A.D.) became a Pharisee at 19, was also the commander of Jewish forces in Galilee. He later became Romanized and wrote a history of the Jewish people for the Romans.
Josephus wrote,
“About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine. They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders.” [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2]
Julian the Apostate, Roman Emperor from (361A.D-363 A.D.) said to be one of the most ardent ancient adversaries to Christianity. In his work against Christianity wrote,
“Jesus…has now been celebrated about three hundred years having done nothing in his lifetime worthy of fame, unless anyone thinks it is a very great work to heal lame and blind people and exorcise demoniacs in the villages of Bethsaida and Bethany.”
At the end of his life was forced to say:
“Thou has conquered, O Galilean!”
Today there are people around the world who claim Jesus didn’t even exist. There are others who claimed he was simply a good man. That’s their opinion and they have the right to it. I as a Christian believe otherwise.
C. S. Lewis wrote of Jesus
“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
To those who would think differently than I do about Christ. I would suggest that you buy or go to the library and borrow a copy of Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis and read it for yourself.
Then ask yourself, What do you think of Christ.
Please think about it.
Friday, 15 May 2015
Consider this
Consider this
The writer of Ecclesiastes makes these remarks,
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
If there is no God and no after life the above statements from Ecclesiastes could be seen as right. However the writer after much searching come to the conclusion there is a God writing,
“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 there is no God and no after life we have nothing to fear however if there is, there is a lot to consider at the very least.
If Jesus when he said, .... “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6, is wrong then there is nothing to fear.
If however he is right then each person needs to consider accepting Jesus into their hearts and lives.
Jesus made it clear,
“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.
Again if he is wrong then there is nothing to fear but if he is right there is eternal consequences to not believing.
The choice is up to you the reader.
Please think about it.
The writer of Ecclesiastes makes these remarks,
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
Ecclesiastes 1:9
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14
If there is no God and no after life the above statements from Ecclesiastes could be seen as right. However the writer after much searching come to the conclusion there is a God writing,
“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 there is no God and no after life we have nothing to fear however if there is, there is a lot to consider at the very least.
If Jesus when he said, .... “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6, is wrong then there is nothing to fear.
If however he is right then each person needs to consider accepting Jesus into their hearts and lives.
Jesus made it clear,
“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.
Again if he is wrong then there is nothing to fear but if he is right there is eternal consequences to not believing.
The choice is up to you the reader.
Please think about it.
Thursday, 14 May 2015
The humane thing
The Humane thing
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.”
Leviticus 19: 9,10.
From the earliest of days God wanted man to watch out and help his fellow man. We are called to love our fellow man that means if necessary helping him out. The quotation from the Old Testament shows one way God provided for the poor.
In the New Testament James writes,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
James 2:14-18
The Talmud tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?” He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
The Talmud
The above statements I believe are truths both secular and religious people can agree with.
There is a need to help the poor.
I have heard both political leaders and religious leaders alike over the years say “work hard and you’ll get ahead.”
Sadly I know many people who have worked hard. Not only men and women who have one two even three jobs and still find it hard to make ends meet. But those who have had successful careers only to have something happen and cause them to end up in hard times.
The simple fact of the matter is, sometimes for whatever reason no matter how hard you work things don’t work out. It has nothing to do with how hard you work.
We as human beings need to be thinking about our fellow man and how we can help them, be they in a foreign land or in the city where we live.
We need to be calling on our government officials to spend more money on programs to help the individual who have come on hard times.
We need to be calling on private industry pay living wages and governments to raise minimum wages to livable amounts.
We need to be telling them to make real investments of tax payers dollars in health care, education, housing and other areas that directly benefit the individual.
What better way to spend tax dollars than on the people who need it and will benefit from it most.
This I believe is the Christian way to do things. The humane way to deal with our fellow man.
Please think about it.
“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.”
Leviticus 19: 9,10.
From the earliest of days God wanted man to watch out and help his fellow man. We are called to love our fellow man that means if necessary helping him out. The quotation from the Old Testament shows one way God provided for the poor.
In the New Testament James writes,
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”
James 2:14-18
The Talmud tells this story,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?” He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
The Talmud
The above statements I believe are truths both secular and religious people can agree with.
There is a need to help the poor.
I have heard both political leaders and religious leaders alike over the years say “work hard and you’ll get ahead.”
Sadly I know many people who have worked hard. Not only men and women who have one two even three jobs and still find it hard to make ends meet. But those who have had successful careers only to have something happen and cause them to end up in hard times.
The simple fact of the matter is, sometimes for whatever reason no matter how hard you work things don’t work out. It has nothing to do with how hard you work.
We as human beings need to be thinking about our fellow man and how we can help them, be they in a foreign land or in the city where we live.
We need to be calling on our government officials to spend more money on programs to help the individual who have come on hard times.
We need to be calling on private industry pay living wages and governments to raise minimum wages to livable amounts.
We need to be telling them to make real investments of tax payers dollars in health care, education, housing and other areas that directly benefit the individual.
What better way to spend tax dollars than on the people who need it and will benefit from it most.
This I believe is the Christian way to do things. The humane way to deal with our fellow man.
Please think about it.
Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Jesus
Jesus
Napoleon Bonaparte said,
"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.
Jesus is extraordinary although his pubic ministry was around three years. That ministry being in a backwater of the mighty Roman empire, more books have been written about him than all the Roman emperors.
The Roman Empire is long gone. The emperors in their graves yet the movement that Jesus started still continues and continues to grow even in places where it faces adversity.
The book of Acts records how two of Jesus disciples after his death were preaching about Him. The religious authorities had told them previously to not preach. This however did not stop them. This enraged the religious authorities and they were brought before the Sanhedrin this is the account of what happened,
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Acts 5:32-39.
I believe history has shown that Christianity is of God. That Jesus was everything he said he was and that He is the way to heaven. If the statistics are true, over two billion people on this earth today agree with me.
However that being said each individual must decide for themselves who Jesus is. As I said in the blog I posted yesterday there are several verses from the New Testament that we have to consider.
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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.
Napoleon Bonaparte said,
"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.
Jesus is extraordinary although his pubic ministry was around three years. That ministry being in a backwater of the mighty Roman empire, more books have been written about him than all the Roman emperors.
The Roman Empire is long gone. The emperors in their graves yet the movement that Jesus started still continues and continues to grow even in places where it faces adversity.
The book of Acts records how two of Jesus disciples after his death were preaching about Him. The religious authorities had told them previously to not preach. This however did not stop them. This enraged the religious authorities and they were brought before the Sanhedrin this is the account of what happened,
“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
“We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
Acts 5:32-39.
I believe history has shown that Christianity is of God. That Jesus was everything he said he was and that He is the way to heaven. If the statistics are true, over two billion people on this earth today agree with me.
However that being said each individual must decide for themselves who Jesus is. As I said in the blog I posted yesterday there are several verses from the New Testament that we have to consider.
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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.
Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Christianity
Christianity
“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 above statement by C.S. Lewis makes things abundantly clear. If Christianity is false there is nothing to fear. If correct it’s there is a lot to think about and the implication have eternal consequences.
Over the years I’ve spoken about Jesus with many men and women from every strata of society from genius’s, to university professors, to the average person on the street, to people living on the street.
The one thing I’ve found is most are willing to listen intently to what I have to say. Some will even engage me in debate which is always nice.
Never-the-less no matter what proof I give inside or outside the bible many will not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Saviour of the world
Ultimately it all comes down to a handful of verses in the Bible
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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
If what is said in the above Bible quotes is untrue then no one has anything to fear. If it is then there is a great deal to think about.
Please think about it.
“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 above statement by C.S. Lewis makes things abundantly clear. If Christianity is false there is nothing to fear. If correct it’s there is a lot to think about and the implication have eternal consequences.
Over the years I’ve spoken about Jesus with many men and women from every strata of society from genius’s, to university professors, to the average person on the street, to people living on the street.
The one thing I’ve found is most are willing to listen intently to what I have to say. Some will even engage me in debate which is always nice.
Never-the-less no matter what proof I give inside or outside the bible many will not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Saviour of the world
Ultimately it all comes down to a handful of verses in the Bible
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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
If what is said in the above Bible quotes is untrue then no one has anything to fear. If it is then there is a great deal to think about.
Please think about it.
Monday, 11 May 2015
Love
Love
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where these is hatred, let me sow love.”
Francis of Assisi
Here is a simple truth that all people everywhere can understand. Love.
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....
Now abides faith hope and love but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is a universal truth. Love is giving of ones self unconditionally with no expectation of return.
A young Anne Frank a young Jewish girl hiding from the Nazi’s in the Netherlands during world war two wrote these words,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank
Anne sadly would die in a Nazi concentration camp.
Today we can look around the world and see various terrorist organizations murdering and killing innocent men women and children. They are doing it they say in the name of God.
No god would ever do such things. The men that are doing such atrocities today around the world are no different than the Nazis and perhaps worse.
While terrorist take the lack of love beyond the point of hatred there also seems to be a lack of love entering western society.
Men and women here don’t use violence, still their lack of love is shown when they picket in front of abortion clinics yelling to the people entering they are going to hell.
When people demand the ten commandments or other religious works be taken from view in government institutions. That is showing a lack of understanding and love.
When they protest against restricting the rights of any group. That is a lack of love.
In order to have a truly free society we need to love. Love by its definition shows man how to live with his fellow man.
Please think about it.
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where these is hatred, let me sow love.”
Francis of Assisi
Here is a simple truth that all people everywhere can understand. Love.
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....
Now abides faith hope and love but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.
Love is a universal truth. Love is giving of ones self unconditionally with no expectation of return.
A young Anne Frank a young Jewish girl hiding from the Nazi’s in the Netherlands during world war two wrote these words,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can? And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible. Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving! No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank
Anne sadly would die in a Nazi concentration camp.
Today we can look around the world and see various terrorist organizations murdering and killing innocent men women and children. They are doing it they say in the name of God.
No god would ever do such things. The men that are doing such atrocities today around the world are no different than the Nazis and perhaps worse.
While terrorist take the lack of love beyond the point of hatred there also seems to be a lack of love entering western society.
Men and women here don’t use violence, still their lack of love is shown when they picket in front of abortion clinics yelling to the people entering they are going to hell.
When people demand the ten commandments or other religious works be taken from view in government institutions. That is showing a lack of understanding and love.
When they protest against restricting the rights of any group. That is a lack of love.
In order to have a truly free society we need to love. Love by its definition shows man how to live with his fellow man.
“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....
Now abides faith hope and love but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.Please think about it.
Sunday, 10 May 2015
Because of a Mother
Because of a Mother
“Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.
But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it.
She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
“Yes, go,” she answered. And the girl went and got the baby’s mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.
When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:1-10.
Today is Mother’s day in Canada. A time when we celebrate mother’s. When we thank them for all they’ve done for us.
When we look through history there is many mothers of note. However to my mind there are three mothers in history that led to the changing of history in a greater way than any other three women.
The above scripture I quoted is from Exodus and the saving of Moses from the river. The story in short goes this way. Pharaoh fearing that the Jews would rebel should an enemy come against his people ordered all the Jewish male children born to them to be killed.
One brave Hebrew mother ignored pharaoh and placed her child in a basket in the reeds where Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe.
Pharaoh’s daughter recognized that it was a Hebrew baby but decided to keep the child as her own. The sister of that child had been watching the events and asked if she should get a Hebrew woman to look after the child. Pharaoh’s daughter said yes.
The child’s mother was brought and was instructed to bring the child up until he was older where upon she made him her son.
The child, Moses, I’m sure would have the benefit of two things.
I’m sure his natural mother taught him about his heritage as a Jew. Giving him a sense of where his heritage lie.
While his adoptive mother gave him the benefit of all the learning of Egypt the most powerful and cultured nation on the earth at that time.
Thus when the time came for Moses to perform God’s work he was well educated and had a sense of his heritage, even if he was a little nervous when God called him.
Moses as we know would lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the borders of the promised land.
The effects of those two mothers, Moses’s natural mother and adopted mother however went even further. Because of there love of Moses, because of their actions another mother was born some generations further on. A mother who said,
“And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”
Luke 1:46-55.
This of course is Mary the mother of Christ. Who although of lowly birth was considered by God to be faithful and true to Him. So much so that He chose her to become the mother of His one and Only Son. The Messiah, Jesus Christ.”
It was because of these three mothers that God’s salvation has come to the world. That we can at no cost to us receive eternal life.
Jesus would say of himself,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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.”
John 3:16,17.
It is because of these three mothers and many more that over the centuries bore children that were in the line of Jesus that we today can know for certain that we will spend eternity with God.
The apostle Paul summed it up this way,
“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.
Jesus is God reaching down to man because God knows man cannot be good enough to reach up to Him.
Please think about it.
“Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.
But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.
His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it.
She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
“Yes, go,” she answered. And the girl went and got the baby’s mother.
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him.
When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:1-10.
Today is Mother’s day in Canada. A time when we celebrate mother’s. When we thank them for all they’ve done for us.
When we look through history there is many mothers of note. However to my mind there are three mothers in history that led to the changing of history in a greater way than any other three women.
The above scripture I quoted is from Exodus and the saving of Moses from the river. The story in short goes this way. Pharaoh fearing that the Jews would rebel should an enemy come against his people ordered all the Jewish male children born to them to be killed.
One brave Hebrew mother ignored pharaoh and placed her child in a basket in the reeds where Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe.
Pharaoh’s daughter recognized that it was a Hebrew baby but decided to keep the child as her own. The sister of that child had been watching the events and asked if she should get a Hebrew woman to look after the child. Pharaoh’s daughter said yes.
The child’s mother was brought and was instructed to bring the child up until he was older where upon she made him her son.
The child, Moses, I’m sure would have the benefit of two things.
I’m sure his natural mother taught him about his heritage as a Jew. Giving him a sense of where his heritage lie.
While his adoptive mother gave him the benefit of all the learning of Egypt the most powerful and cultured nation on the earth at that time.
Thus when the time came for Moses to perform God’s work he was well educated and had a sense of his heritage, even if he was a little nervous when God called him.
Moses as we know would lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the borders of the promised land.
The effects of those two mothers, Moses’s natural mother and adopted mother however went even further. Because of there love of Moses, because of their actions another mother was born some generations further on. A mother who said,
“And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.”
Luke 1:46-55.
This of course is Mary the mother of Christ. Who although of lowly birth was considered by God to be faithful and true to Him. So much so that He chose her to become the mother of His one and Only Son. The Messiah, Jesus Christ.”
It was because of these three mothers that God’s salvation has come to the world. That we can at no cost to us receive eternal life.
Jesus would say of himself,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
“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.”
John 3:16,17.
It is because of these three mothers and many more that over the centuries bore children that were in the line of Jesus that we today can know for certain that we will spend eternity with God.
The apostle Paul summed it up this way,
“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.
Jesus is God reaching down to man because God knows man cannot be good enough to reach up to Him.
Please think about it.
Saturday, 9 May 2015
Human Beings
Human Beings
Some one has said,
“Our bodies are formed from the dust of the earth; our souls are of the essence of God. We alone can look at a physical world and see spiritual life and beauty.”
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.”
Albert Einstein said,
“Human beings vegetables or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”
Albert Einstein.
I believe the dance is that of life and the player of the tune is God.
I have never been able to buy into the theory that life ends when the body dies. I have always believed that the essence that makes us human, our Soul will live on throughout eternity. Every culture that has ever existed, and the majority of people that have ever lived all have believed in an afterlife. Have believed in a God.
The question to me has always been where will you spend eternity. Will it be with God or apart from God.
As a Christian I believe Jesus said two important things,
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
I believe God gives us a Choice. To accept Him or reject him the choice is yours. There is no in between.
C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
“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.
So basically Lewis is saying. If you accept Jesus as the Son of God, then you must accept His teachings. If so you in order to get to heaven you must accept Him into your life as Lord and Saviour.
Please think about it.
Some one has said,
“Our bodies are formed from the dust of the earth; our souls are of the essence of God. We alone can look at a physical world and see spiritual life and beauty.”
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through all eternity.”
Albert Einstein said,
“Human beings vegetables or cosmic dust. We all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible player.”
Albert Einstein.
I believe the dance is that of life and the player of the tune is God.
I have never been able to buy into the theory that life ends when the body dies. I have always believed that the essence that makes us human, our Soul will live on throughout eternity. Every culture that has ever existed, and the majority of people that have ever lived all have believed in an afterlife. Have believed in a God.
The question to me has always been where will you spend eternity. Will it be with God or apart from God.
As a Christian I believe Jesus said two important things,
“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
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
I believe God gives us a Choice. To accept Him or reject him the choice is yours. There is no in between.
C. S. Lewis said of Jesus,
“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.
So basically Lewis is saying. If you accept Jesus as the Son of God, then you must accept His teachings. If so you in order to get to heaven you must accept Him into your life as Lord and Saviour.
Please think about it.
Friday, 8 May 2015
Where
Where
Where are the people?
Where?
Are they but shadows in the mall?
Are they?
Are they shadows in time,
Shadows wandering looking for the latest trinkets, bobbles or beads.
What is life?
What?
Is life but a wisp of smoke carried in the air?
A wisp in the eternal ether
Are people wisps of smoke?
What of man’s or woman’s! accomplishments?
What of them?
Is the sum total of all ones life simply a pile of shinny tin, brass, and wood?
Is that life?
Is life simply a cacophony of sounds travelling through endless time?
Is it?
Or
Is a life.
Yours and mine more?
Is it a divine opera?
An opera played out on a high mesa
A stage suspended between heaven and hell.
Are we as Shakespear said, simply actors?
I believe
Life is an opera played out before God.
On a high mesa between heaven and hell.
We are but actors in a play?
Actors awaiting the final curtain call sending us to eternity?
Are you ready for the final curtain call?
Are you?
What is the sum total of your life?
What?
What will “they” say about you as you pass on?
What will God say?
The Psalmist wrote
“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.
You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man’s life is but a breath.
Psalms 39:4,5
Jesus said,
‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.’
Revelations 3:20
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—
Ephesians 2:8
The writer of Hebrews wrote,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see...
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 11:1,6
“Jesus answered,
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father
except through me.”
John 14:6
Where will you spend eternity?
Will you accept Jesus Christ into your heart and life today?
Will you pray.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I recognize that Jesus is your one and only Son.
That he came to earth to die for my sins.
I confess I am a sinner and that I fall short of what you want for my life.
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my life.
That I may spend eternity with you
In Jesus name I pray
Amen.
Thursday, 7 May 2015
A Modern Parable
A modern parable,
Every now and then I like to make both Christian and non-Christian think just what they’d do in a given circumstance. This is one of those occasions. It’s called the Eleven O Clock Parable.
The Eleven O Clock Parable
It’s eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation waits.
Will the new law be legal?
Outside the court house men and women with placards chant.
On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.
On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.
One man among them screams angrily . “HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!”
Approached by the media he says it again, “homosexuals are going to Hell.”
From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?”
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not only to love God and love our neighbour but our enemy also?
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?
Wasn’t it the Apostle Paul who 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
Wasn’t it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?
Is this man showing love?
Is this man judging another?
Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world of which a percentage are homosexual?
Is this man even a Christian?
A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, “Can we truly know what is in someone else’s head?
Do we really know why a person is like they are?”
For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day, and how can I reach them for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, “Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision on this law.”
A comment
Jesus never said a gay man or woman couldn’t get to heaven. He didn’t say a bigot couldn’t either.
The Bible makes it clear that only sin separates us from God. And God through the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins. It is not our job.
Salvation is a very personal thing. It is between you and God no one can tell you if you are saved or not.
Salvation is not conditional on your life style, your race of ethnicity.
It is conditional on your accepting the free gift of salvation from God. On Accepting Christ as your saviour.
I like what one commentator on the Homosexual debate said, “the sin of a gay person is no worse than that of a heterosexual person.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23.
That all means ALL, every man and woman on the face of the earth. Paul also 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.
God’s gift of salvation of life everlasting in heaven is free to all who will call on the name of Jesus and accept Him into their life.
The choice is yours be you strait or gay God does not play favorites.
Please consider accepting Christ into your life today.
Every now and then I like to make both Christian and non-Christian think just what they’d do in a given circumstance. This is one of those occasions. It’s called the Eleven O Clock Parable.
The Eleven O Clock Parable
It’s eleven o clock. Inside the court house a judge is about to make his ruling. A community, a nation waits.
Will the new law be legal?
Outside the court house men and women with placards chant.
On one side of the street stand a group of gay men and women. All in favour of the new law.
On the other side of the street separated by a line of police stand radical evangelicals, denouncing the new law.
One man among them screams angrily . “HOMOSEXUALS ARE GOING TO HELL!!!”
Approached by the media he says it again, “homosexuals are going to Hell.”
From my office window I watch asking myself the question, ‘is this man an Christian?”
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not only to love God and love our neighbour but our enemy also?
Wasn’t it Christ who told us not to judge, lest we be judged likewise?
Wasn’t it the Apostle Paul who 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
Wasn’t it Christ who said go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation?
Is this man showing love?
Is this man judging another?
Can this man be effective in reaching the whole world of which a percentage are homosexual?
Is this man even a Christian?
A question keeps rolling through my mind for which I know the answer, “Can we truly know what is in someone else’s head?
Do we really know why a person is like they are?”
For a moment I stare down at the crowd. All the time asking myself who is on the way to Hell this day, and how can I reach them for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?
Turning away from my window I kneel down and pray, “Lord guide me this day. Let me make the right decision on this law.”
A comment
Jesus never said a gay man or woman couldn’t get to heaven. He didn’t say a bigot couldn’t either.
The Bible makes it clear that only sin separates us from God. And God through the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sins. It is not our job.
Salvation is a very personal thing. It is between you and God no one can tell you if you are saved or not.
Salvation is not conditional on your life style, your race of ethnicity.
It is conditional on your accepting the free gift of salvation from God. On Accepting Christ as your saviour.
I like what one commentator on the Homosexual debate said, “the sin of a gay person is no worse than that of a heterosexual person.
The apostle Paul wrote,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 3:23.
That all means ALL, every man and woman on the face of the earth. Paul also 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.
God’s gift of salvation of life everlasting in heaven is free to all who will call on the name of Jesus and accept Him into their life.
The choice is yours be you strait or gay God does not play favorites.
Please consider accepting Christ into your life today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)