Sometimes I shake my head

Sometimes I shake my head.
“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.
Sometimes I shake my head when I listen to things that are happening in the United States. Not so long ago I heard of a store that didn’t want to serve gays. They said it was against their belief as Christians.
For me when I heard this I immediately thought of the bad old days of segregation when there were those who refused to serve people because of the colour of their skin.
I wonder would the people who want the right not to serve gays, would they extend that to Muslims, to Atheist?
Would they refuse to serve someone who commits adultery after all adultery is wrong according to Christian belief. Would these people even turn the clock all the way back and not serve people based on skin colour?
Think of the message they are sending. They are claiming to be Christians but are saying to a segment of society that they are not welcome. That is not the way to win souls for Christ.
As Christians we must follow the teachings of Christ. Christ did not discriminate. In Christ’s day tax collectors were considered sinners. Yet Christ had dinner with them. Matthew’s gospel records,
“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.
In  John 4:6-26, John records Jesus as speaking to a Samaritan woman. Jews and Samaritans didn’t speak to each other at that time. Samaritans were discriminated against. Yet Jesus spoke to this woman, who was also an adulteress.
The fact is we are all sinners. The apostle Paul stating,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” 
                                                                                  Romans 3:23,
That all means all, you, me and all who are living or have ever lived. The apostle Paul states,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
Romans 5:8.
Paul also makes it clear that Christians are not to judge those outside the Church he states,
“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.
Jesus speaking of Himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
            John 3:16,17 
Jesus showed by example how we are to reach the world. Jesus showed that we are to welcome everyone in love. Jesus told us to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. He told us to go into all the world and make disciple of all nations. We cannot do that if we discriminate against even one person.
The apostle Peter said,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 
                                                                                         1 Peter 2:11,12.
The Writer of Hebrews said,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
Hebrews 12:14.
A true Christian one who is dedicated to Christ and doing His work in this world will welcome with open arms anyone. They will do there best to live at peace with all men and open a dialogue between themselves and others that they may reach that person to Christ.
I believe as a Christian I and all Christians have a duty to love God, our neighbour and even our enemy. We are to offer in love, the same choice Jesus gave to us when speaking of Himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                              John 3:16-18.
This for me is the most important choice ever offered to mankind.
Unfortunately there are many in the world who think they are Christians but are in name only. Jesus even said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” 
                                                                                                                        Matthew 7:21-23.
It is these people, people who say they are Christians that are not, that distort the message of Christ in the eyes of non-Christians.
Please think about it.

The Christian Message, Foolishness

The Christian message, foolishness???
The apostle Paul writes,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
         1 Corinthians 1:18-25
I think Paul says it all here. Those who do not believe in Jesus as we Christians do. Can look at us and think what we preach is foolishness. After all we believe God entered the world He created in the form of His One and only Son Jesus.
One of the big questions I get, is why would God enter the world He created? To which I think the answer is simple.
First God created man with a freewill allowing the individual to do as he wished. That includes the right not to believe in God. As a result as man progressed many people chose to turn away from God. Thus God entered the world to show mankind he was real and call mankind to himself.
Second I believe God had to enter this world to fully experience all it is to be a man and thus be able to judge man justly when the time comes. Because Jesus walked the earth and lived as a man we can never say he didn’t understand what it was like to me a man.
Thirdly and I think the words of Jesus sums things up nicely, when speaking of himself 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.”
      John 3:16,17.
At the same time God through Jesus gave us a waring again Jesus speaking of himself said,
“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 3:18.
The apostle Paul echoing what Jesus said when speaking to the Athenians said
“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
                                                                             Acts 17:31.
The message we Christians present to the world may seem foolishness but the Christian walk is a walk of Faith.
Christians are to my knowledge the only faith in the world that claims God reached down in the form of his One and Only Son Jesus Christ to offer redemption from sin.
The apostle Paul writes,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.”
                                                   Ephesians 2:8,9.
The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
                                                                                                        Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
                                                                                      Hebrews 11:6
Faith in Christ, belief in His redeeming sacrifice on the cross is how Christians believe you get to heaven.
The question is do you believe this?
           Please think about it.

Why would?

Why would?
Here is something for you to consider it’s the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. The apostle John records,
“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.   But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” 
And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”  
When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.  
Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.  
When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  
“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 
Jesus wept. 
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” 
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” 
                                                                                                 John 11:17-44
Christians have no doubt the story of Lazarus is true. Yet to some it might seem far fetched, even a lie.
When it comes to advancing the cause of Christianity why would the authors of the New Testament put anything but the truth down on paper? To write a lie or anything far fetched, as raising a man from the dead, if not true would place the fledgling movement in jeopardy.
Yet the writers of the New Testament included various things from miraculous healings to the rasing of the dead.
If such things were proven to be false it would certainly put an end to the faith.
Remember at the time of the writing of the documents that now forms the New Testament, Christianity had enemies that were both Gentiles (non-Jews) and Jews. Enemies that would most certainly attack any falsehood.
Not only that but Christians have asked people throughout the centuries to believe in everything that is written in the New Testament as well as the old.
Logic tells me it would be easier for a movement like Christianity to leave out anything that seemed to fantastic to be true. Yet the writers did not. They ask the reader the same question Jesus asked Martha on the day He rose Lazarus from the dead.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world, 
John 11:25,26
  The Question to you dear reader is who do you think Jesus is?
Please think about it.

Of Atheism and Christianity

Of Atheism and Christianity
“Atheism is cheap on people through because it snobbishly says nine out of ten people through history have been wrong about God and have had a lie at the core of their hearts.”
Peter John Kreeft ph.d 
The writer or Ecclesiastes states
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  
                                                                                         Ecclesiastes 3:11.
I firmly believe that man is an eternal being. That atheist are wrong. I believe that from the moment of conception God places in the heart of all people a sense of eternity. But like the Ecclesiastes states, “yet they (Men) cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 
We cannot fathom God completely because we are finite beings of flesh and blood. We can only fully understand what we can see in the world around us.
All our knowledge of God comes from the teachings of the Bible. In the Bible God sets in human terms what heaven is like. But to my mind it’s like trying to describe the planet Pluto to a five year old. Even those who have seen the latest images of Pluto have trouble putting into words what they see.
So it is with God. I believe God through the prophets, through Jesus and the writers of the Old and New Testaments explained to man the best way possible what heaven is like. And because there is no way of knowing short of going there we have to take their word for it.
That’s where faith comes in. The writer of Hebrews states,
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                                   Hebrews 11:1
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
                                                                                                      Hebrews 11:6.
The writer of Hebrews however makes it clear,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  
“So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. 
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ? 
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ? 
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 
In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.” 
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. 
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 
                                                                                 Hebrews 1:1-9.
Jesus is the Son of God. God incarnate. Jesus came to this earth to show man how far He would go to reconcile Himself to man.
Jesus speaking of himself gave each person a choice saying,
“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.
In one way Atheism is like Christianity.
Atheist ask the individual to have faith they are right and God does not exist.
    Christianity asks the individual to have faith there is a God who loves them and sent His son to die for their sins.
The question comes down to who do you believe?
Who are you willing to trust with your eternal destiny?
Please think about it.

The Song

The Song
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.
I have talked to many who do not believe in God. They say they can’t see or touch God therefore he doesn’t exist. To which I say there are a lot of things that you can’t see or touch but you know exists.
There’s a funny little story about a conversation in school between a ten year old named Johnny and his teacher.
Johnny said. “But miss I know there is a God. The Bible tell me there is.”
The teacher replied, “Johnny you can’t see God can you?”
“No miss” replied Johnny. 
“You can’t touch God can you?” said the teacher.
“No miss” said Johnny.
“Then if you can’t see or touch God what makes you think He’s real?” asked the teacher.
“A little girl, another eight year old raised her hand.
“Yes Jenny?” asked the teacher.
“Miss.” said Jenny “miss we can’t see or touch your brain. Does that mean it’s doesn’t exist?”
The lesson being, just because you can’t see or touch something doesn’t mean it is nonexistent.
Thus it is with God. We as humans do not know everything therefor if we simply say because we can’t see it or touch it, it doesn’t exist. Doesn’t necessarily make it so.
Like I’ve said in previous blog postings, We can’t see subatomic particles yet they exist.
How do we know these things exist. We know because well educated people looked around them and said such and such is happening therefor, there must be something we can’t see that is causing it to happen.
These men then wrote there theory down and had faith that they were right. Einstein is a good example. It is only recently a hundred years after he postulated some of his theories that they are being proved.
Thus is with God.
   As Ben Zion Bokser said,
“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.”
The Psalmist states,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 
                                                                                                 Psalm 19:1-3.
In order to truly know God a person needs faith. The writer of 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.
Some Christians say faith is simple. It’s not. Believing in something you cannot see. Putting your trust in something that you cannot touch is very hard. Just ask any scientist that has put forth a controversial theory.
Having faith in something you cannot see or touch takes great trust. Thus it is with God. God want’s people He can trust. That’s why God asks us to have faith in Him even though we cannot see or touch him.
Please think about it.

The Hardest Thing

The hardest thing
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” 
                                                                                                                          Hebrews 11:1
Perhaps the hardest thing anyone can do is to have faith in something or someone. Faith requires trust. It’s being sure that what we have faith in will not let us down.
In the secular world scientist do it all the time. They come up with a theory that something is there, usually based on things they observe. They then say if such and such is happening then this must exist. The classic example is some of Albert Einstein theories. It is only now a hundred years after he made some of his predictions that they have been proved.
Yet Einstein believed in his theories his whole life even though he couldn’t prove them other than on paper.
So it is with God. God asks us to have faith in Him without actually seeing Him. But God does not ask us to have blind faith. He says to us through the Bible look around. The Psalmist states,
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” 
                                                                                                    Psalm 19:1-3.
The perfection of creation, of the universe from the smallest subatomic particle to the vastness of the galaxies all say there is a creator behind it.
Whether God created the world using the big bang over billions of years or did it in six days it doesn’t matter. The key is that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it.
In creating man God gave man freewill and the ability to think independently. This included the freedom to believe in God or not. The freedom for man to create his own theory as to how the universe began.
God however loved mankind enough to reach down to him and offer mankind an eternity of peace with Him.
John’s Gospel records,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....  
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 
                                                                                            John 1:1-4, 11-14.
What John is saying is that God, the creator of the universe and everything in it, in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus entered the world He created. He did this to point each individual to Himself.
For someone to believe that, as true Christians do takes a lot of faith. But that is what God wants. The writer of Hebrews states,
“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.
I firmly believe that God made following Him an act of faith because only true believers follow by faith. Because having faith in someone is one of the hardest things a person can do.
Thus the questions becomes: Do you believe in God? Do you believe that Jesus is the one and Only Son of God the saviour of mankind?
Please think about it.

I wonder

I wonder
Psalm two reads,
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 
“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” 
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 
Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
                                                                            Psalm 2.
Sometimes I wonder if those who don’t believe in God have read Psalm two. I especially wonder if extreme dictators like there is in North Korea while saying publicly they do not believe in God may have read Psalm two and believe it.
If they believed it then it would account for them standing against Christianity and God in general because it ultimately states the Messiah will reign over all the earth and they will be judged.
If as atheist say there is no God and Jesus was just a good man then there is nothing to fear from writings like Psalm two.
If on the other hand the Bible is true that the Messiah will one day return to earth and redeem His people and rule the earth then those who oppose God have a great deal to fear.
Not only that there is nothing they can do to stop Christ’s return.
Shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious body of the Jews at the time were forced into a debate as to who Jesus was. It occurred after two of Christ’s disciples who had been told by them not to preach in His name were caught doing so again. The book of acts records,
“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 5:28-39.
I as a Christian truly believe those who oppose Jesus and Christianity are fighting against God.
The proof is Christianity has continued to grow despite at times severe persecution from both governments and private individuals.
Napoleon Bonaparte said of Jesus,
“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.”
                                                                                                                               Napoleon Bonaparte,
Napoleon was right Jesus and his followers have won converts though a doctrine of love for God, one’s neighbour and even one’s enemy.
That being said there will be a time when Jesus returns to earth to judge the world and everyone in it.
Until then the God who created the heavens and the earth has given everyone a freewill to choose to believe in Him or not.
The choice until the return of Christ, as to where you will spend eternity and how God will judge you is in your hands. You can either accept or reject Him.
Jesus speaking of himself left us a choice when he said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                                                   John 3:16-18
Please think about it.

Of Grass and Glory

Of grass and glory
Gen. 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."
                                   Gen. George C. Patton.
“All glory is fleeting” no matter who you are, how famous or how humble you are. You will one day be forgotten to the people of this world. Even the most famous person will be but a note in some history book.
The prophet Isaiah states,
“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” 
“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” 
                                                                                                                         Isaiah 40:6-8.
I like what Isaiah states, “God’s word stands forever”. God is there for all generations. For everyone who ever lived, is living or is yet to be born.
The one thing I a believer in Christ agree with an atheist on is that one day our bodies will be little more than dust. That’s not to say we are.
I believe we, the essence if you will of what we are, what Christians call the soul lives on throughout eternity.
The thing is where will you spend eternity.
As Tony Campolo the American evangelist put it,
“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this - when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?”
                                                                                                                Tony Campolo.
Christians make it clear you can know here and now where you will spend eternity. The apostle John speaking of Jesus states,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                  John 1:12,13.
The apostle Paul tell us,
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.” 
                                                                      Ephesians 2:8,9.
It is by the grace of God we are saved and enter heaven. It is an act of faith on our part.
Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                            John 3:16-18.
God when He created man gave him complete freedom. That freedom is complete freedom it allows each and every man the right to believe in God or not. Such is the nature of true freedom.
However to get to heaven takes faith the writer of Hebrews saying,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
                                                                                                    Hebrews 11:6.
Thus the choice is yours. Believe that there is a God and that Jesus is his one and only Son. The Saviour of mankind or reject Him.
The choice is yours.
Please think about it.  

Of Philosophers

Of Philosophers
          St. Augustine wrote,
“I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are very wise and very beautiful; but I never read in either of them:  "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden."  
                                                                                                               St Augustine.
There are many very good philosophers in the world today. Many men and women who are espousing good ways in which to live. I see that as a good thing. BUT. All the good philosophers in the world cannot get you into heaven.
Only Jesus said,
“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.
Jesus and His disciple spoke in absolutes.
In the above scripture Jesus makes it clear that He will give you rest. All we have to do is have faith in Him.
I personally can attest to this. Over the years I have gone thorough many very serious problems in my life. Yet through it all I have been able to go to Christ in prayer and find peace that got me through all of it.
I also know many people who have also found rest in Christ as they have gone through extreme hardships.
Philosophers as good as their teachings may be cannot match the teachings of Jesus. They cannot do this because Jesus is God. The teachings of Jesus are directly form God.
Jesus said,
“I and the Father are one.”
                                John 10:30.
Jesus also said,
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. 
                                                                                                                                              John 14:6.
These are radical statements for his day. For that matter they are radical statements for today. Christianity to my knowledge is the only religion in the world in which it’s founder claimed to be God incarnate.
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.
Thus it comes down to the choice of each individual who reads or hears about the teachings of Jesus. Each individual must make their own choice.
Before you the reader make any decision about Jesus I would ask that you take time and read the New Testament honesty asking God to show you His reality.
Please think about it.

Freedom

Freedom
The United States of America Declaration of independence
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Noble words. Freedoms most in the world aspire to reach.
We in the west particularly here in North America have incredible freedoms. Freedoms many in the world can only dream of. All of this because we live in a secular democracy, in which politicians do their best to strike a balance that affords freedom for all.
That’s the way it is with God. The writers of the declaration of independence got it right when they wrote that,
“they (we, all individuals) are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
God did not make robots. Androids that at the push of a button did His bidding. Instead I believe that God created a man to have fellowship with Him. Someone with a freewill that could disagree with Him.
Someone who could even say God does not exist.
Such is the nature of true freedom. You have the right to say and do what you want. At the same time one must remember that there is consequences for everyone of our actions.
If we break the law or commit some kind of violent act we must pay the price for it be it jail time or worse.
If we on the other hand show love and respect to others there is most certainly positive benefits.
So it is when it comes to believing in God. Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                          John 3:16-18.
Jesus makes the choice clear. Believe and go to heaven or don’t believe and stand condemned.
Believing in God is an act of faith. The writer of 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.
If you think about it, it stands to reason if you don’t believe in God especially after you’ve been told about Him, why should He let you into heaven?
God has given us complete freedom to do as we wish therefore I ask, what do you believe?
Please think about it.

Someone asked

Someone asked

Someone once asked me, “What is the most important decision one can make in life?
To which I answered, “to follow Jesus” because Jesus can bring a peace into your life like nothing else can.
I have proven the truth of what Jesus said when he said,
“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.
I do no see God as an old man with a long beared and big stick ready to bash anyone who does wrong. Quite the contrary I see God as loving his creation so much that,
1/ He gave each person the right to complete freedom of actions. Freedom so complete that the individual has the right to believe in God or not.
Freedom to live life the way God wanted them to live or to do the complete opposite.
2/ I see a God who loved each person in this world so much that when He seen the world turning away from Him, He entered the world He created, in the form of His one and Only Son Jesus Christ. To offer all men everywhere the opportunity, the choice to follow Him or reject Him.
Jesus speaking of himself said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. 
                                                                                                          John 3:16-18.
I believe in a God that wants only the best for us. That he offers us peace even in the worst of circumstances.
I believe in God who asks us to have faith in Him even though we cannot see Him, because He knows those who believe in such a way are true believers.
I also believe in what the apostle John wrote,
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” 
                     John 1:12,13 
Now the questions I would ask you the reader is,
Do you believe in God?
Do you have peace in your heart?
Are you a child of God?
Please think about it.

A Truth

A Truth
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
                                                                                                                                          Buddha.
I believe truth is truth no matter where it is found and the Buddha got it right when he said,
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
By my way of thinking each person on this earth is made up of body mind and soul.
Our soul is the essence of our being. It is who we are. It is the thing that will continue on throughout eternity when our body has turned to dust.
The soul like the body needs feeding not physical food but spiritual food.
A secular person, one who fails to recognize there is a soul that needs to be fed at some point I believe in there life, realizes they have an emptiness inside.
Some try to fill this using drugs, illegal and legal. Some try to fill it by doing good even great humanitarian works. And while these things may give one a good feeling they do not fulfill the needs of the soul.
People do day and throughout history have tried to fill their souls with philosophies both good and bad. Yet all too often they still feel empty inside.
St. Augustine said,
“I have read in Plato and Cicero sayings that are very wise and very beautiful; but I never read in either of them:  "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden."  
                                                                                                                St Augustine.
Philosophers and others have searched for centuries for millennia for the meaning of life. Seeking rest for the soul. Yet they have not found what Jesus offers.
Jesus said,
“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. 
Jesus does in deed offer rest for your soul. I and other Christians know this that is why we want people to hear about Christ.
Henry Drummond wrote,
“Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be that spring.  Every action has a keynote; let Christ be that note, to which your whole life is attuned.” 
                                                                                  Henry Drummond.
What I would ask of you the reader, is to read the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. Let his words speak to your mind and soul. Let Jesus show you who He truly is. It cannot hurt.
At the very least you will be enriched by His teaching of universal truths that apply to all mankind.
At the very best you will find true rest for your soul and an assurance of going to heaven to be with God.
 Please think about it.