The beginning of wisdom
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”
Psalm 111:10.
Mankind left to his own devices would have wiped himself out centuries ago. If it were left to survival of the fittest it would be the most vicious that dominated and would lead to the extinction of the human race,
Mankind needs a moral code to live by. I cannot believe primitive man suddenly sat down with representatives of every tribe and wrote a moral code. Which thinking logically would have had to happened. For if even one group refused to live by something as simple as do not kill while the others did. Those who did not believe in do not kill would potentially dominate the world. They would simply wipe out the others,
Mankind needs a moral code to survive.
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.
God has placed in the hearts of all men what is right and wrong. It is only when men decide to turn away from what is right and wrong that problems occur.
That is what happened in World War two. Hitler and his henchmen convinced a country of very cultured people that some ethnic groups were sub human and not worthy of life. Thus the holocaust was permitted to happen.
Today men claiming to be followers of God are beheading, torturing and murdering people simply because they disagree with them. These men are not followers of God. They are as bad if not worse than the Nazis of world war two.
I firmly believe there is a need to turn to God. To turn to the teachings of Jesus who said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”
Matthew 5:43-47
Jesus who answered the 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 22:37-40.
If we are following these teachings of Jesus we cannot go wrong. What Jesus said by any standards is the right thing to do.
I believe that if more people, from the leaders of our countries, to the leaders of the terrorist groups around the world, to the individual on the street, would follow the teaching of Love for God, ones fellow man and even ones enemy, our world would be a better place.
Please think about it.
Tuesday, 11 August 2015
The Right thing
The Humane thing.
The Talmud also 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.
Here is a concept that not only Jews and Christians can understand but I believe everyone can understand.
There is a lot of poverty in the world. Statistics point out that the top one or two percent of the worlds population own the majority of the wealth in the world. And to there credit there are many very rich people who are helping the less fortunate of the world. Most I would say quietly without fan fair. Still we only have to watch our televisions to see the immense poverty that is in the world. Not only in the second and third world but in the developed countries of the world also.
Not only do people go to bed hungry in the third world but in Canada, the United states and all western countries. This should not be.
The Jews have a concept called Tzedakah,
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah as I can find. It comes from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes...
Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence my give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden...
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles.
There are levels of Tzedakah certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more
meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are:
Please think about it.
The Talmud also 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.
Here is a concept that not only Jews and Christians can understand but I believe everyone can understand.
There is a lot of poverty in the world. Statistics point out that the top one or two percent of the worlds population own the majority of the wealth in the world. And to there credit there are many very rich people who are helping the less fortunate of the world. Most I would say quietly without fan fair. Still we only have to watch our televisions to see the immense poverty that is in the world. Not only in the second and third world but in the developed countries of the world also.
Not only do people go to bed hungry in the third world but in Canada, the United states and all western countries. This should not be.
The Jews have a concept called Tzedakah,
The following is as good an explanation of Tzedakah as I can find. It comes from a Jewish website,
“Tzedakah is the Hebrew word for acts that we call charity in English: giving assistance and money to the poor and needy or to other worthy causes. However the nature of tzedakah is very different from the idea of charity. The word “charity suggests benevolence and generosity, a magnanimous act by the wealthy and the powerful for the benefit of he poor and needy.
The word “tzedakah” is derived form the Hebrew root Tzadei-dalet-Qof, meaning righteousness, justice or fairness. In Judaism giving to the poor is not viewed as a generous, magnanimous act, it is simply and act of righteousness, performance of a duty giving the poor their due.
Giving to the poor is an obligation in Judaism, a duty that cannot be forsaken even by those who are themselves in need. Some sages have said that tzedakah is the highest of all commandments, equal to all of them combined, and that a person who does not perform tzedaka is equivalent to an idol worshipper. This is probably hyperbole, but it illustrates the importance ot tzedakah in Jewish thought....
According to Jewish law, we are required to give one-tenth of our income to the poor. This generally interpreted as one-tenth of our net income after payment of taxes...
Those who are dependent on public assistance or living on the edge of subsistence my give less but must still give to the extent they are able; however, no person should give so much that he would become a public burden...
The obligation to perform tzedakah can be fulfilled by giving money to the poor, to health care institutions, to Synagogues or educational institutions. It can also be fulfilled by supporting your children beyond the age when you are legally required to, or supporting your parents in their old age. The obligation includes giving both to Jews and gentiles.
There are levels of Tzedakah certain kinds of tzedakah are considered more
meritorious than others. The Talmud describes these different levels of tzedakah, and Rambam organized them into a list. The levels of charity from the least meritorious to the most meritorious, are:
Giving begrudgingly
Giving less than you should, be giving cheerfully,
Giving after being asked
Giving before being asked
Giving when you do not know the recipient’s identity, but the recipient knows yours
Giving when you know and the recipient’s identity, but the recipient doesn’t know yours.
Giving when neither party knows the other’s identity.
Enabling the recipient to become self-reliant.
I believe we who can, need to be giving as much as we can to help the less fortunate in this world. To me it is simply the right thing to do irrespective of what you believe.Please think about it.
Monday, 10 August 2015
A Statement under Oath
A statement under oath
“But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Yes, it is as you say,”Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.”
Matthew 26:63-65.
Here is a truth about Jesus. He made the statement under oath before the high priest that He was the Christ, the Son of God. Further more he went on to say,
“In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Quite a statement. Jesus was an educated man he knew Jewish law. He knew what claiming to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God would bring on him if the high priest did not believe him.
The high priest did not believe him saying,
“He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.”
At that moment the fate of Jesus was sealed. Under Jewish law of the day Jesus had to be put to death. All they had to do was convince the Roman governor to let them do it. Which for political expediency he did.
Christians believe Jesus is all he said he is. We believe He is the Son of God, we believe he is the suffering Messiah who will one day return to earth. We believe he is the Christ.
C. S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity makes valid point when he says,
“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.
I know there are many out there who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God the Christ, the Messiah.
What I would ask them is to study the New Testament particularly the first four books. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Keep in mind that for Jesus to make the claim he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. It would get Him the death penalty.
Ask yourself would an intelligent, well educated man say the things he did if he were not the Son of God.
And here’s one more thing to consider. In Acts chapter five we are told the story of two of Jesus’ disciples preaching in his name. They are brought before a Jewish religious court who wanted to put them to death for making the claims that Jesus is the Son of God. A wise man among them however rose and said,
“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 5:38,39.
Over two thousand years have come and gone since then. Christianity is now the largest religion in the world and still growing. Not only that it is growing without the use of force. It is a faith built on love for God, ones fellow man, and even ones enemies.
I contend that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind.
I only ask that you think about it.
“But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“Yes, it is as you say,”Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.”
Matthew 26:63-65.
Here is a truth about Jesus. He made the statement under oath before the high priest that He was the Christ, the Son of God. Further more he went on to say,
“In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Quite a statement. Jesus was an educated man he knew Jewish law. He knew what claiming to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God would bring on him if the high priest did not believe him.
The high priest did not believe him saying,
“He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.”
At that moment the fate of Jesus was sealed. Under Jewish law of the day Jesus had to be put to death. All they had to do was convince the Roman governor to let them do it. Which for political expediency he did.
Christians believe Jesus is all he said he is. We believe He is the Son of God, we believe he is the suffering Messiah who will one day return to earth. We believe he is the Christ.
C. S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity makes valid point when he says,
“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.
I know there are many out there who do not believe Jesus is the Son of God the Christ, the Messiah.
What I would ask them is to study the New Testament particularly the first four books. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Keep in mind that for Jesus to make the claim he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. It would get Him the death penalty.
Ask yourself would an intelligent, well educated man say the things he did if he were not the Son of God.
And here’s one more thing to consider. In Acts chapter five we are told the story of two of Jesus’ disciples preaching in his name. They are brought before a Jewish religious court who wanted to put them to death for making the claims that Jesus is the Son of God. A wise man among them however rose and said,
“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 5:38,39.
Over two thousand years have come and gone since then. Christianity is now the largest religion in the world and still growing. Not only that it is growing without the use of force. It is a faith built on love for God, ones fellow man, and even ones enemies.
I contend that Jesus is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind.
I only ask that you think about it.
Sunday, 9 August 2015
A note from History
A note from History
Flavius Josephus,(37AD-100AD) a Jewish historian, became a Pharisee at 19, later commander, of the Jewish forces in Galilee. He was captured by Romans and attached to their headquarters.
Josephus wrote of Jesus,
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first, did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.”
Flavius Josephus
That same tribe two thousand plus years later is still with us. I am one of them.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’"
John 14:6.
I believe the report in the apostle Johns gospel that states,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one.”
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
John 10:24-32.
Jesus equated Himself with God a crime punishable by death at the time. No man in his right mind would have said something like that. Especially someone as educated as Jesus.
C.S. Lewis states,
“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.
Jesus to my mind can only be one thing the One and Only Son of God. The saviour of mankind.
Still each and every person must answer the following question for themselves, spoken by Jesus to Mary upon the death of her brother Lazarus
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25,26
The other choice Jesus set before all of us is,
“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.
Flavius Josephus,(37AD-100AD) a Jewish historian, became a Pharisee at 19, later commander, of the Jewish forces in Galilee. He was captured by Romans and attached to their headquarters.
Josephus wrote of Jesus,
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ, and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first, did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians so named from him are not extinct at this day.”
Flavius Josephus
That same tribe two thousand plus years later is still with us. I am one of them.
I believe the words of Jesus who said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’"
John 14:6.
I believe the report in the apostle Johns gospel that states,
“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one.”
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
John 10:24-32.
Jesus equated Himself with God a crime punishable by death at the time. No man in his right mind would have said something like that. Especially someone as educated as Jesus.
C.S. Lewis states,
“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.
Jesus to my mind can only be one thing the One and Only Son of God. The saviour of mankind.
Still each and every person must answer the following question for themselves, spoken by Jesus to Mary upon the death of her brother Lazarus
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25,26
The other choice Jesus set before all of us is,
“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.
Saturday, 8 August 2015
Why Jesus came
Why Jesus came
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:10-13.
Here is why Jesus came to save sinners. The Apostle Paul states,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24
Paul also notes,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
God reached down to man. Man who had fallen short of what God wanted for his life.
Unless we as individuals admit we are sinners, humble ourselves before God and confess those sins we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
It is by the grace of God that we get to heaven Paul writing to the Ephesians states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9.
We must accept that saving grace. We must admit that we are sinners and dependent on the grace of God to forgive our sins and let us into the Kingdom of Heaven. We cannot live a life good enough to enter heaven simply because we are humans and are far from perfect.
The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10.
Anyone can know today that they are going to heaven. All they have to do is admit Jesus is the one and Only Son of God. That He came to earth to die for your sins. Then confess those sins directly to God asking his forgiveness. Then ask Jesus into your heart and life. A prayer as simple as this,
Dear Heavenly Father.
I believe in you. I believe Jesus is your one and Only Son. That He came into this world to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive them.
Please dear Lord Jesus come into my heart and life this day. Teach me your ways show me how I can serve you.
Amen.
If you said that prayer and meant it. I urge you to start reading the New Testament. Then I suggest you find a church congregation that you can be a part of.
I always suggest Baptist churches because they are consistent in what they believe and practice. In North America I also recommend the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Canada and the Assemblies of God in the United States. All believe the Bible and do their best to follow its teachings correctly.
I recommend that you also speak to the pastor of the church. All good and honest pastors will agree to meet with you. Ask questions. If you don’t understand the answer ask for clarification.
If you don’t like what you hear look for another congregation.
Also remember each church congregation even within a denomination has its own flavour so to speak. Some are lively others more conservative in worship. Some are very formal while others are less so.
So if you don’t find the first church you go to your liking try others.
Please think about it,
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:10-13.
Here is why Jesus came to save sinners. The Apostle Paul states,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24
Paul also notes,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
God reached down to man. Man who had fallen short of what God wanted for his life.
Unless we as individuals admit we are sinners, humble ourselves before God and confess those sins we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
It is by the grace of God that we get to heaven Paul writing to the Ephesians states,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9.
We must accept that saving grace. We must admit that we are sinners and dependent on the grace of God to forgive our sins and let us into the Kingdom of Heaven. We cannot live a life good enough to enter heaven simply because we are humans and are far from perfect.
The apostle John writes,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1John 1:9-10.
Anyone can know today that they are going to heaven. All they have to do is admit Jesus is the one and Only Son of God. That He came to earth to die for your sins. Then confess those sins directly to God asking his forgiveness. Then ask Jesus into your heart and life. A prayer as simple as this,
Dear Heavenly Father.
I believe in you. I believe Jesus is your one and Only Son. That He came into this world to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner and ask you to forgive them.
Please dear Lord Jesus come into my heart and life this day. Teach me your ways show me how I can serve you.
Amen.
If you said that prayer and meant it. I urge you to start reading the New Testament. Then I suggest you find a church congregation that you can be a part of.
I always suggest Baptist churches because they are consistent in what they believe and practice. In North America I also recommend the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada in Canada and the Assemblies of God in the United States. All believe the Bible and do their best to follow its teachings correctly.
I recommend that you also speak to the pastor of the church. All good and honest pastors will agree to meet with you. Ask questions. If you don’t understand the answer ask for clarification.
If you don’t like what you hear look for another congregation.
Also remember each church congregation even within a denomination has its own flavour so to speak. Some are lively others more conservative in worship. Some are very formal while others are less so.
So if you don’t find the first church you go to your liking try others.
Please think about it,
Friday, 7 August 2015
A Personal God
A personal God
Genesis states,
“the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7
When God made man, He created man that He could have a personal relationship with man. Not as one has with a pet or a robot. God gave man the ability to think logically. He also gave man a freewill. Man the right to choose between right and wrong.
Man chose wrong in disobeying God’s and thus was banished from the garden.
God however still wants to have a personal relationship with man. That’s why He chose the Abraham. Through Abraham all the world would be blessed.
That’s why God instituted the practice of sacrifices to cover the sins of man. That each and every man would realize they are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.
Today Jews all over the world celebrate Yom Kippur the day of atonement.
Yom Kippur as I understand it was instituted as a time each year when each person confesses their sins to God asking His forgiveness. It is as I understand a persons last appeal, a last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate their repentance and make amends.
As a Christian I believe God took things one step further.
God in the form of Jesus entered this world to show not just mankind in general how far he would go to have that personal relationship with him. But to show each and every person how far He would go to have a personal relationship with them.
The other reason I believe God in the form of Jesus had to enter the world was to prove he was a just God.
A God who is everything Christians and Jews believe, all powerful, all knowing omnipresent etc. I believe, realized that man could stand in front of him and quite rightly say, “you do not understand fully understand what it is to be human. Intellectually you may understand, but because you have only experienced absolute power you don’t fully understand.”
In coming to this world in the form of Jesus, God experienced from a human prospective what it is like to be human. He felt everything from the mundane things such as sun on His face to the rain. He experienced the joys of life, the love of devout parents and friends. At the same time he experienced what it was like to be rejected, persecuted, brutally beaten and put to death for a crime he didn’t commit. Put to death for simply political expediency.
And he did all this that we may be reconciled to God.
The Apostle Paul states,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:6-11
Jesus himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Now I know those who are not Christians will disagree with what I have said. And I personally cannot change anyone’s mind. I as a believer in Jesus believe however have an obligation to say what I have said.
It is between God and the individual reading this to decide for themselves if what I have said is right or wrong.
C. S. Lewis said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis.
It is up to you the reader to decide for yourself the importance of Christianity. The importance of Jesus.
Please think about it.
Genesis states,
“the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:7
When God made man, He created man that He could have a personal relationship with man. Not as one has with a pet or a robot. God gave man the ability to think logically. He also gave man a freewill. Man the right to choose between right and wrong.
Man chose wrong in disobeying God’s and thus was banished from the garden.
God however still wants to have a personal relationship with man. That’s why He chose the Abraham. Through Abraham all the world would be blessed.
That’s why God instituted the practice of sacrifices to cover the sins of man. That each and every man would realize they are sinners in need of God’s forgiveness.
Today Jews all over the world celebrate Yom Kippur the day of atonement.
Yom Kippur as I understand it was instituted as a time each year when each person confesses their sins to God asking His forgiveness. It is as I understand a persons last appeal, a last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate their repentance and make amends.
As a Christian I believe God took things one step further.
God in the form of Jesus entered this world to show not just mankind in general how far he would go to have that personal relationship with him. But to show each and every person how far He would go to have a personal relationship with them.
The other reason I believe God in the form of Jesus had to enter the world was to prove he was a just God.
A God who is everything Christians and Jews believe, all powerful, all knowing omnipresent etc. I believe, realized that man could stand in front of him and quite rightly say, “you do not understand fully understand what it is to be human. Intellectually you may understand, but because you have only experienced absolute power you don’t fully understand.”
In coming to this world in the form of Jesus, God experienced from a human prospective what it is like to be human. He felt everything from the mundane things such as sun on His face to the rain. He experienced the joys of life, the love of devout parents and friends. At the same time he experienced what it was like to be rejected, persecuted, brutally beaten and put to death for a crime he didn’t commit. Put to death for simply political expediency.
And he did all this that we may be reconciled to God.
The Apostle Paul states,
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:6-11
Jesus himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16,17.
Now I know those who are not Christians will disagree with what I have said. And I personally cannot change anyone’s mind. I as a believer in Jesus believe however have an obligation to say what I have said.
It is between God and the individual reading this to decide for themselves if what I have said is right or wrong.
C. S. Lewis said,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis.
It is up to you the reader to decide for yourself the importance of Christianity. The importance of Jesus.
Please think about it.
Thursday, 6 August 2015
Who's your Neighbour
Who's your Neighbour
A soft, soaking rain is falling from the sky. Cars made a swishing sound as they travel along the almost empty street.
All around there is the noise of the city, slowing, rising to a crescendo, then equally slowly dying to a momentary silence.
Before me, lays a picture of downtown edge. At the corner, stands a service station. Its bright lights illuminate the white wall of the restaurant across the street from it. The smell of gasoline mingling with the smell of grilling meat permeates the still air.
My watch reads 2:00 am.
Near the corner an old woman, her torn dress visible below the dirty, shabby, gray winter coat, stumbles along, holding the wall for balance.
Finally, losing her fight to remain upright, she leans her back against the wall and slowly slumps down to the ground, coming to rest over a hot air vent. Alone, she sits motionless as the rain falls.
“Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fall among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
“Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
“Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
“So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
“On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him: ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
“So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?”
And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10 32-37.
Please think about it.
January 14th
"Outside the air is a warm, seventeen centigrade, unseasonable for this time of year in this part of the world.A soft, soaking rain is falling from the sky. Cars made a swishing sound as they travel along the almost empty street.
All around there is the noise of the city, slowing, rising to a crescendo, then equally slowly dying to a momentary silence.
Before me, lays a picture of downtown edge. At the corner, stands a service station. Its bright lights illuminate the white wall of the restaurant across the street from it. The smell of gasoline mingling with the smell of grilling meat permeates the still air.
My watch reads 2:00 am.
Near the corner an old woman, her torn dress visible below the dirty, shabby, gray winter coat, stumbles along, holding the wall for balance.
Finally, losing her fight to remain upright, she leans her back against the wall and slowly slumps down to the ground, coming to rest over a hot air vent. Alone, she sits motionless as the rain falls.
Who will tell her of God’s love?
Who will love her?
Who?"
Jesus said,“Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fall among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
“Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
“Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
“So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
“On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him: ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
“So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?”
And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10 32-37.
Please think about it.
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
There is a God
There is a God
Ben Zion Bokser wrote,
“I have not seen the robin but I know he is there because I heard him singing through my window from the tree-top outside.
I have not seen God. But I have looked at my child’s eyes, and have been overwhelmed by the miracle of unfolding life.
I have watched the trees bedeck themselves with new garbs of green in the spring, and have been stirred by the miracle of continual rebirth.
I have looked at the stars, and have been overcome by the miracle of the grandeur and majesty of the universe.
I know that God exists, because I have heard the song of His presence from all the tree-tops of creation.”
Ben Zion Bokser
Not believing in God is a right God gave to all mankind. God in creating mankind with a freewill gave man a choice to believe what he wished. Even if what he believes is not true. That is the nature of freedom. One of the tenants of true freedom is to believe as you wish.
For me however if there is no God there is no meaning in life. The poet wrote,
"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25,26
Jesus is saying to you,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Please think about it.
Ben Zion Bokser wrote,
“I have not seen the robin but I know he is there because I heard him singing through my window from the tree-top outside.
I have not seen God. But I have looked at my child’s eyes, and have been overwhelmed by the miracle of unfolding life.
I have watched the trees bedeck themselves with new garbs of green in the spring, and have been stirred by the miracle of continual rebirth.
I have looked at the stars, and have been overcome by the miracle of the grandeur and majesty of the universe.
I know that God exists, because I have heard the song of His presence from all the tree-tops of creation.”
Ben Zion Bokser
Not believing in God is a right God gave to all mankind. God in creating mankind with a freewill gave man a choice to believe what he wished. Even if what he believes is not true. That is the nature of freedom. One of the tenants of true freedom is to believe as you wish.
For me however if there is no God there is no meaning in life. The poet wrote,
Where
Where are the people?
Where?
Are they but shadows in the mall?
Are they?
Are they shadows in time,
Shadows wandering,
Collecting 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 aether
Are people wisps?
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 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?
Life,
I believe,
Is an opera played out before God.
Lived on a high mesa between heaven and hell.
We are but actors in a play.
Actors who write their own script.
Actors awaiting the final curtain call ushering us to eternity.
Are you ready for the final curtain?
Ready to go beyond the vail?
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?
Where will you spend eternity?”
"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25,26
Jesus is saying to you,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6
Please think about it.
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Your Life
Your Life
Here is a beautiful piece of wisdom from Ben Zion Bokser I believe is a universal truth it is entitled The Rose Talked Back
The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.
Ben Zion Bokser
Question: is your life worthwhile? Have you done anything to help people? To perhaps even enrich the lives of those you meet?
It doesn’t have to be something great or earth shattering.
I remember when some years ago when we first moved into our house. It was winter and there had been a modest snow fall four or five inches. Enough that we needed to shovel the drive way. As we did we seen an older lady as it turned out in her eighties, across the street doing her best to shovel her driveway.
All we did was stop what we were doing and go across to shovel her driveway first. It cost us nothing but a few minutes of our time. Still you could see she deeply appreciated it. From then on for the rest of the winter my son’s or I after a snow fall slipped over to shovel her driveway before we did our own.
It was a small gesture but it made a big difference to that lady.
Such things are easy to do. It’s the little things that make a difference, volunteering at a food bank, a hospital, a hospice, or other places where there is need.
Someone once told me multimillionaires and billionaires give money and that is needed. But it is the average person who volunteers their time that makes the system work. Average people doing what they can when they can.
This is a Christian truth but one that I believe is echoed in all faiths. It a concept I believe even atheist can agree with.
As Christians I firmly believe we need to be giving of our time not just our money to help people. James the brother of Christ 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.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”
James 2:14-20
Please think about it.
Here is a beautiful piece of wisdom from Ben Zion Bokser I believe is a universal truth it is entitled The Rose Talked Back
The Rose Talked Back
The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.
Ben Zion Bokser
Question: is your life worthwhile? Have you done anything to help people? To perhaps even enrich the lives of those you meet?
It doesn’t have to be something great or earth shattering.
I remember when some years ago when we first moved into our house. It was winter and there had been a modest snow fall four or five inches. Enough that we needed to shovel the drive way. As we did we seen an older lady as it turned out in her eighties, across the street doing her best to shovel her driveway.
All we did was stop what we were doing and go across to shovel her driveway first. It cost us nothing but a few minutes of our time. Still you could see she deeply appreciated it. From then on for the rest of the winter my son’s or I after a snow fall slipped over to shovel her driveway before we did our own.
It was a small gesture but it made a big difference to that lady.
Such things are easy to do. It’s the little things that make a difference, volunteering at a food bank, a hospital, a hospice, or other places where there is need.
Someone once told me multimillionaires and billionaires give money and that is needed. But it is the average person who volunteers their time that makes the system work. Average people doing what they can when they can.
This is a Christian truth but one that I believe is echoed in all faiths. It a concept I believe even atheist can agree with.
As Christians I firmly believe we need to be giving of our time not just our money to help people. James the brother of Christ 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.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”
James 2:14-20
Please think about it.
Monday, 3 August 2015
On God
On God
“The evidence is that God is all-powerful. The point to remember is that creating a world where there’s free will and no possibility of sin is self contradiction and opens the door to people choosing evil over God, with suffering being the result. The overwhelming majority of pain in the world is cause by our choices to kill, to slander, to be selfish, to stray sexually, to break our promises, to be reckless.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
Kreeft makes a good point. God I believe has set in the heart of everyone the knowledge of good and evil. He also set in our hearts the knowledge that He doses exist.
It is a universal truth that you don’t kill, steal, or do other such things. Yet men and women everyday choose to do so. This is sin and all sin is equal and separates us from God.
Not recognizing God exists and Jesus is his one and only Son the saviour of the world also separates us from God. We must believe by faith He exists.
The writer of Hebrews said,
“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
God gives us the right to choose one of those choices is to believe that He exists or not to believe He exists. That choice also extends to Jesus also.
The decision is always up to you the individual.
Jesus gave us a warning when He said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18.
The choice as to where we will spend eternity is always yours.
I would ask you the reader to at least read the New Testament before you make any decisions about God. Read it with an open mind asking God to show you His reality.
Please think about it.
“The evidence is that God is all-powerful. The point to remember is that creating a world where there’s free will and no possibility of sin is self contradiction and opens the door to people choosing evil over God, with suffering being the result. The overwhelming majority of pain in the world is cause by our choices to kill, to slander, to be selfish, to stray sexually, to break our promises, to be reckless.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
Kreeft makes a good point. God I believe has set in the heart of everyone the knowledge of good and evil. He also set in our hearts the knowledge that He doses exist.
It is a universal truth that you don’t kill, steal, or do other such things. Yet men and women everyday choose to do so. This is sin and all sin is equal and separates us from God.
Not recognizing God exists and Jesus is his one and only Son the saviour of the world also separates us from God. We must believe by faith He exists.
The writer of Hebrews said,
“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
God gives us the right to choose one of those choices is to believe that He exists or not to believe He exists. That choice also extends to Jesus also.
The decision is always up to you the individual.
Jesus gave us a warning when He said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18.
The choice as to where we will spend eternity is always yours.
I would ask you the reader to at least read the New Testament before you make any decisions about God. Read it with an open mind asking God to show you His reality.
Please think about it.
Sunday, 2 August 2015
The way to heaven
The way to heaven
The following is what I believe is the way to heaven. I believe it is simple and open to anyone, and I mean anyone to follow.
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Next it come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for, The gospel of John states,
“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
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God and everyone no matter who they are sins,
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians stating,
“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
Ultimately however like I said, salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“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
Will you accept Christ into your life today. If you are willing, you can pray this prayer,
Dear Heavenly Father,
I believe in You. I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That he came to earth to die for my sins.
Please forgive my sins this day and come into my life. That I may spend eternity with you.
In Jesus name I pray amen.
If you have prayed that prayer in all sincerity I would suggest that you now find a copy of the Bible. There is a free down load called the ‘you version’ bible app that allows you to download various version of the bible. It’s a good app.
When it comes to the Bible there are a lot of translations, I personally use the New International version and the New King James versions. They are in modern English and easy to read.
I recommend starting in the New Testament. You don’t have to read a lot each day. A chapter is good.
When you come to a genealogy such as in the first chapter of Matthew you might want to skip it, although it shows the link between Jesus and those in the Old Testament.
Before you read, pray and ask God to show you the truths within the scriptures, ask him to open your understanding to what is written.
Also pray and ask God to direct you to a good church congregation. One that you are comfortable in.
Congregations vary even within denominations and where you may not be comfortable in one you may in another. So look around.
As these blogs are read all over the world I cannot recommend a specific church. I tend to recommend Baptist churches as they in my opinion tend to interpret the scriptures correctly and their method of worship is fairly consistent around the world.
In Canada I also know that the Pentecostal Assemblies of God are a good organization as are the Assemblies of God in the United States.
Please take sometime and consider what I have written above.
Ultimately the decision to accept Christ into your life is between you and God. All I have done here is place before you what I believe.
Please think about it.
The following is what I believe is the way to heaven. I believe it is simple and open to anyone, and I mean anyone to follow.
Ultimately salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Next it come down to who you think Jesus is and what his purpose on this earth was for, The gospel of John states,
“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
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:23,24.
Sinning is falling short of what God wants for you life. Sin separates us from God and everyone no matter who they are sins,
John noting,
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 1:9,10.
Paul make it clear salvation is not something we can work for. Paul writing to the Ephesians stating,
“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
Ultimately however like I said, salvation is an act of faith, Hebrews stating,
“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
Will you accept Christ into your life today. If you are willing, you can pray this prayer,
Dear Heavenly Father,
I believe in You. I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That he came to earth to die for my sins.
Please forgive my sins this day and come into my life. That I may spend eternity with you.
In Jesus name I pray amen.
If you have prayed that prayer in all sincerity I would suggest that you now find a copy of the Bible. There is a free down load called the ‘you version’ bible app that allows you to download various version of the bible. It’s a good app.
When it comes to the Bible there are a lot of translations, I personally use the New International version and the New King James versions. They are in modern English and easy to read.
I recommend starting in the New Testament. You don’t have to read a lot each day. A chapter is good.
When you come to a genealogy such as in the first chapter of Matthew you might want to skip it, although it shows the link between Jesus and those in the Old Testament.
Before you read, pray and ask God to show you the truths within the scriptures, ask him to open your understanding to what is written.
Also pray and ask God to direct you to a good church congregation. One that you are comfortable in.
Congregations vary even within denominations and where you may not be comfortable in one you may in another. So look around.
As these blogs are read all over the world I cannot recommend a specific church. I tend to recommend Baptist churches as they in my opinion tend to interpret the scriptures correctly and their method of worship is fairly consistent around the world.
In Canada I also know that the Pentecostal Assemblies of God are a good organization as are the Assemblies of God in the United States.
Please take sometime and consider what I have written above.
Ultimately the decision to accept Christ into your life is between you and God. All I have done here is place before you what I believe.
Please think about it.
Saturday, 1 August 2015
Something I want you to Know
Something I want you to know
As a Christian there are several things I want the world to know. The following are those things.
Abba Hillel Silver
“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.
God is a God of love that is true. What is also true is that someone who truly loves you will be there for you and will tell you the consequences of your actions.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18
The God gave you a free will to do as you wish. That includes not to believe in Him or obey what He says.
A wise man however said,
“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.
God offers salvation and eternal life with Him freely the apostle Paul saying,
“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
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith being defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1.
Please think about it.
As a Christian there are several things I want the world to know. The following are those things.
Abba Hillel Silver
“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.
God is a God of love that is true. What is also true is that someone who truly loves you will be there for you and will tell you the consequences of your actions.
Jesus said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18
The God gave you a free will to do as you wish. That includes not to believe in Him or obey what He says.
A wise man however said,
“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.
God offers salvation and eternal life with Him freely the apostle Paul saying,
“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
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Faith being defined as,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1.
Please think about it.
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