Careful, don't Cherry Pick

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

                                                                                 Matthew 7:1,2 the words of Jesus.

Where do we draw the line when following the laws of the Old Testament? After all Jesus came to give us a new covenant. The writer of Hebrews saying,
“They(the priests)  serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”  
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.” 
                                                                                             Hebrews 8:5,6
When I talk with members of the gay and lesbian community about Christ. They at times until they get to know me become defensive. And with just cause.
They see well meaning Christians constantly putting them down. Pointing out that they have a “special sin”.
The following is something that was passed on to me. It’s obviously sarcastic but it points out the slippery slope we can get on if we start cherry picking old Testament laws.

“Laura Schlessinger is a US radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstances. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a US resident:

Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him or her that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to follow them.

(a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

(b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
(c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

(d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

(e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on Sunday (the Sabbath). In the book of Exodus verse 35:2 it clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

(f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't know. Can you settle this?

(g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

(h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?

(i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

(j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16). Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14).

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging, and we should do what the bible says.
Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

While the above is very sarcastic it points out to Christians that we must be very careful with regards to old Testament law.
Paul writing to the Galatians states,
"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” 
Faith or Observance of the Law 
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.  
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?  
Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?  
Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?  
Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 
Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  
Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  
The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”  
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”  
Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”  
The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”  
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”  
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” 
                                                                                         Galations 2:21- 3:14
The bottom line in all of this is that there is no grater or lesser sin. Moreover we cannot choose what sins are applicable in the twenty-first century.
Matthew notes, 
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 
                                                                                                  Matthew 28:18-20.
We are not called to judge anyone or to say for that matter what sin is.
It is the Holy Spirits job to convict men of their sins. It’s that simple. We are to present the Gospel of Faith.
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.  
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 
                                   Ephesians 2:8-10
This is the lot of the Christian, to present the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour to a lost and dying world without judging. For only God knows what is inside the persons heart.
Only God knows why we are as we are.
Think about it.

Christians sin also

Read 1 John 1

“If we claim to be without sin, 

we deceive ourselves and the truth is no in us. 

If we confess our sins, 

he is faithful and just 

and will forgive us our sins

 and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

                                                                                          1 John 1:8,9

All to many of us once we become Christians take things for granted. We take our salvation too much for granted.
When we first come to Christ the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin and need of a Saviour and we act on that conviction and confess our sins.
As time goes on and we grow there can come a point I think in most Christians lives when we take that salvation very much for granted. We’re saved that’s all we have to worry about seems to be our attitude.
But even as mature Christians we make mistakes we sin.
Sin is simply falling short of what God wants for our life, and we need to be aware of our sin. We must realize that sin is sin there is no such thing as a big sin and a little unimportant sin.
We must be open at all times to the moving of the Holy Spirit in our lives to convict us of the sins we are doing. And we must be ready to confess those sins to God.
Peter tells us

"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this,

 make every effort to be found spotless,

 blameless and at peace with him."

                                                                                           2 Peter 3:14
We can only do what Peter is saying if we are aware of the sin in our lives and as soon as we become aware of it confess it to Christ.
Christians are not perfect people we are simply progressing.
As we grow in Christ we see many areas in our lives where we fall and many areas we need to fix up. It is therefore imperative that we go on a daily basis to God and admit we’ve fallen.
There’s a radio show I listen to called Key Life on it the minister Steve Brown has a simple prayer I think tells it all, he ends the prayer to the effect “and forgive my sins for which there are many”
I like what John say in the last verse of 1 John 1:10

"If we claim we have not sinned, 

we make him out to be a liar 

and his word has no place in our lives."

Something to think about.
All too often when we pray we are asking God for something. Or to get us out of something that has happened to us.
We over look the mistakes in our life. The places where we fall short of what God would want for us. We feel we are saved and that is the end of it. Not so.
We all sin and make mistakes it is just part of the growing process. But we should not be lax in confessing our sin.
As soon as we become aware of our sin we should confess it to God.
Do you?

A Lesson for Christians form the Talmud

“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitality invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God.  Learning that he was a fire-worshipper.   Abraham drove him from his door.  That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said: ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?”
                                                                                                                            The Talmud

Do Christians drive people away from their door because of what they believe? I think so.
Case in point the same sex marriage debate. The gay and lesbian community have been lobbying governments for years to be able to be ‘married’.
Christians and other religious groups have a very clear definition of marriage. It is the union of a man and a woman. And to Christians in particular marriage is a very sacred thing. To violate what they feel is it’s true meaning is to put a red flag in front of a bull. It’s the equivalent of a Christian asking a gay man to stop being gay.
Now before I go any further. Let me make it clear I am not asking Christians or for that matter members of the gay community to give up their beliefs.
What I am asking is that Christians, of which I am one, recognize that we live in a free and democratic secular society. A society where governments try to work in what they consider is the best interest of all people.
As Christians I don’t think we should be standing with placards in front of parliament trying to restrict the rights of others.
To do so is to like Abraham throw the person out of our tent and potentially sentence them to an eternity separated from God.
I feel we need to reach out to the gay community agreeing to disagree at least on the same sex marriage debate.
I also believe that until we put the placards down and stop protesting against everything except our right to worship freely, our ability to reach others will be at least limited.
We cannot stand on street corners, scream in the media, and yell from the pulpit, in a secular world such as we live in “because I disagree with you, I want your rights restricted!” Which is exactly what people see when they see us protesting against anything.
Christianity is not a “do not” belief system.
Christianity is a lifestyle. It is a belief that God himself reached down to man saying, Jesus himself 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. John 3:16, 17.
How can we as Christians possibly hope to get that message to anyone when they see us protesting against anything and everything we dislike.
Question: Do you really think the apostle Paul spoke against anything he disliked when he was in Athens or any other part of the Roman empire. Read Acts 17: 16-34. And think about it.

A Choice

A choice
"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.One of the verses quoted here, John 3:16 is perhaps the most quoted verse by Christians. And indeed it is perhaps one of the most important verses in the Bible.
It tells how God loved His creation so much He sent His one and only Son to earth.
This is what separates Christianity from other religions. Christianity is God reaching down to man.
God in sending Jesus to us was saying two things.
1/ I love you and am sending my One and Only Son to pay the price for your sins.
2/ I am preparing my Son to judge the world.
Later on in John Jesus states,
"
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man."
John 5: 26,27
Had God remained in His heaven and not sent the Son to walk among us we could legitimately I think say you don’t understand what it is to be human. What it is to be tempted. What it is to be a political refugee. What it is to be beaten and falsely convicted of a crime you didn’t commit. But when we stand before Jesus as our judge we can’t say that.
Jesus walked on this earth he knows what it was like to do something as mundane as walk along a dusty road. He knows what it is like to have to flee what amounted to political persecution when his parents had to flee with him to Egypt to avoid him being killed.
Jesus knew what it was like to feel the lash. The pain of being beaten and put to death in a most gruesome manner.
Jesus knew what it was like to be human.
So when we stand before Him we cannot say you don’t understand. But until that day we have a choice. The choice stated above.
"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.Where do you stand? Do you believe Jesus is the One and Only Son of God? Have you accepted Him into your heart and life?
If you want to all you have to do is ask him to come into your life. It’s as simple as a prayer. One like this.
Dear Heavenly Father
I believe that Jesus is your one and only Son. That you sent Him to earth to pay the price for my sins.
Jesus please come into my life today, forgive my sins and create in me a clean heart.
Direct my life from this day forward
Amen.
If you’ve prayed this prayer I urge you to pray and ask God to show you a church congregation that will help you grow in the Lord.
I urge you to get a Bible and start to read it. I recommend that you start in Matthew in the New Testament.
You can skip over the genealogies but read it carefully.
You might even want to get a Bible that has a commentary with it.
A commentary is simply teaching that expounds on the various verses you are reading. Teaching you what they mean.
At the same time read the Bible asking God to give you understanding. You’ll be amazed at what you learn.

An extraordinary claim

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
                                            John 14:6,7 

Jesus here is answering Thomas and in doing so makes the most extraordinary claims ever made by any one of any faith, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me.”
Jesus was no respecter of person. He doesn’t care if your gay, strait, black white, asian, or Eskimo.  He cared for everyone.
Jesus wanted all people everywhere to come into a personal relationship with God the Father. He wants all people everywhere to have eternal life.
I challenge anyone who has not taken time to read the Bible and in particular the New Testament in it’s entirety to read it with an open mind.
I don’t care what ministers or evangelist say be they in church or in the media God loves everyone.
He has a perfect plan for everyone. Psalm 139:13-16 states
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know them full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
All your eyes saw my unformed body. 
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
                                                                                                                      Psalm 139: 13-16  
God wants what it best for your life it’s that simple.
So as I said take time to read the bible with and open mind and as you do ask God to show you the truth and logic within it.

Is Your Life Meaningless?

Read Ecclesiastes 1

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”

 Says the Teacher

“Utterly meaningless!

Everything is meaning less.”

                  Ecclesiastes 1:1(niv)

The wisdom of man. Your born you labour, acquire knowledge and material wealth, bare children and die. After which you’re forgotten.
Just listen to any scientist talk about human life. Evolutionist state we came from the basic dry chemicals that made up the earth when it was first formed. The Christian would say we are created from the dust of the earth.
The difference however between the two is that the evolutionist would say when we die all that we were dies with us. Only that portion of our genetics that we past on to our children remains.
The Christian on the other hand acknowledges that we are more than that. That we have something that separates us from the animals, an eternal soul.
An animal is intelegant. Monkeys and other animals can learn to do things even use tools but they lack compassion.
For an animal to kill another animal even one of its own kind there is no remorse or feeling it’s “just doing its thing”. They have no sense of right and wrong.
Humans however have feelings they know what is right and wrong. We have a sense there is more to life than merely existing.
We strive all our lives for a meaning to life.
In his satirical book the Hitch Hikers guide to the galaxy, Douglas Adams spoofs virtually every human institution. Particularly the institutions of religion and philosophy.
In the book earth is simply an organic super, super computer built by another computer to find out what the question to the answer to the meaning of life is.
The meaning to life having already been stated by the lesser computer to be forty-two.
People today want meaning and fulfilment in their lives. Everyone is striving for it. A world class athlete strives for excellence in his or her sport. They get a great deal of pleasure and sense of accomplishment in not only winning but even if they don’t win doing their best.
The average person on the street tries to get fulfilment out of life by getting things or working for the “American or Canadian dream”.
Even if they get what they are striving for they still find themselves empty. Saying as the writer of Ecclesiastes states,

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;

 all of them are meaningless ,

 a chasing after the wind.”

                                                                           Ecclesiastes 1:14
There is a meaning to life, its just not what the world puts in front of us.
Within every person there is a need for God. We are made in the likeness of God. Only He can fulfil that emptiness we have.
That emptiness that the world has, is chasing the wind, gathering material wealth in an effort to end the aching in our soul.
To those people Jesus says, “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
Question: Is your soul at rest? Are you constantly restless? Does it seem that no matter what you do you fail to find rest within you?
Why not ask Jesus into your life today?
Jesus made it clear when he said “...I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6
Asking Jesus into your life is as simple as a prayer like this one,
Dear Heavenly Father
I know that you above all are God. I acknowledge Jesus as your One and Only Son.
I believe that He came to earth to die for my sins.
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my life today.
In Jesus name I pray
                              Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer I suggest that you pray and ask God to lead you to a church where you can fellowship with other believers.
I also urge you to read the Bible daily. If you’re in a part of the world were you cannot get a copy of the Bible then I would urge you to read the Bible on line. There are many free sites.
As I only read English the Bible translations I would recommend are the New King James, the New International Bible,  the Amplified Bible or if your English is poor try the Good News Bible.

Where is your heart

Read 1 Corinthians 8

But the man who loves God is know by God. 

So then, about eating foods sacrificed to idols:

 we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world 

and that there is no God but one. 

For even if there are so-called gods. Whether in heaven or on earth

(as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”:) 

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, 

from whom all things came and for whom we live’ 

and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, 

through whom all things came and through whom we live.

                                                                                       1 Corinthians 8:3-6
In this chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul is talking about meat being offered to idols, but in verses 3 to 6, he makes a definite statement about Christ and God.
* if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
* that there is other gods in the world but they are nothing.
* for the Christian  there is one God from whom all things come.
• and there is One Lord Jesus Christ through whom we live.

This is the message we must take to the world. THERE IS BUT ONE GOD.
Our society is as full today with “gods” as Pauls was.
People may not admit it but they hold money as a god, their car, their house and a host of other things.
Those “gods” are even making their way into the church.
“Trust God and he will ‘bless you’” some are saying. Their translation being “trust God and He will make you materially rich” the ‘give to get’ philosophy. A bad way of thinking.
God will bless you but not necessarily materially. He blesses us all the time.
If you want a good indication of where you are. If there are any “idols” or false gods in your life. Here’s a good test.
In Matthew nineteen there was a man who came to Christ and asked how to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him.
At the end when the man said he had done all of what was required of him from the religious stand point,

 “Jesus said to him, 

“If you want to be perfect go, sell what you have 

and give to the poor,

 and you will have treasure in heaven; 

and come, follow Me.”

But when the young man heard that saying,

 he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

                                                                                 Matthew 19:21,22

Something to think about:

Here is your test of your love for Christ.

• Will you be willing to give everything you have up for Christ?
• Where is you heart. 
• Is it with your work, in your house and possessions or in your Heavenly Father?  
• Who or what do you trust the most?

Here’s something for you to do. BUT think very carefully first because it does take commitment.
Pray and give everything you have to God for Him to do with as He wishes.
Then listen carefully for what God wants you to do with your life.

An Equal Opportunity God.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made I the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 
                           Psalms 139 :13-16
I am a number of months short of my sixtieth birthday. I have known the Lord as my personal Saviour for over forty-one years.
In that time I’ve seen a lot of garbage done in the name of God and it seems to be getting worse. Especially now in the age blogs and tweets and other social media.
The message of the church, the true church hasn’t changed.
It does however seem that many of the people who claim to be giving out that message have bent it to their way of thinking.
In Matthew seven Jesus makes it clear we are not to judge anyone, in Matthew 28:19,20 States
 “Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is the principle message of the church. To go into the world and introduce people to Jesus Christ and the saving grace that can only come from Him.
If one is to believe the first scriptures I quoted from Psalms 139 and I don’t know of any Christian who wouldn’t, then I would assume that God knew what we were going to be like before we were born.
God essentially read our genetic code. He knew if we were going to be tall or short. If we were to have blue eyes, green eyes or no eyes.
God knew beforehand if we were going to be gay or strait, white, black, or oriental.
He knew what “our normal” would be.
I live with Bi-polar affective disorder. I am not what some would call normal.
I get up every morning and thank God that my illness is in check enough that I didn’t do something stupid to myself the day before or during the night.
I have found there is no such thing as an “absolute normal”. We all live with our own normal.
And you know I don’t think God bothers about our “normal” he’s an equal opportunity God.  He calls to all men and women,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 
                                                                                                         Matthew 11:28
It is my experience that we all have fallen short of what God wants for our life. That’s why God sent Jesus down to earth. That we may turn to him. Ask him to forgive our sins and come into our life. That we may be guaranteed Eternal life. Think about it.

The Suffering Messiah

 The suffering Messiah

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
                                                        Isaiah 53:6 

Christians believe Jesus fulfils the Prophesy of Isaiah 53. That Jesus is the suffering Messiah. The lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
It is a concept certainly Jews but I would say most people in the world today can’t understand, the suffering Messiah.
Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. The Messiah. The saviour of not only the Jews but all mankind.
Matthew records the trial of Jesus. It climaxes with,
“Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 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. What do you think?"  "He is worthy of death," they answered.” Matthew 26:62-65
Even at his trial, undoubtedly knowing those conducting the trial had made up their minds before hand as to his fate Jesus confessed he was the Christ the Son of God.
In doing so Jesus in effect gave his enemies all they needed to pronounce the death penalty.
Someone noted to me something interesting about this point in the trial. The high priest undoubtedly without knowing it became an agent of God.
In very much the same way as the high priest transferred the sins of the people to the scape goat, he was transferring the sins of the world on to Jesus.
Jesus would take upon himself the sins of the world. He would suffer for all mankind.
Isaiah prophesied it this way,
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,  he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,  and he will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:7-11
Jesus to the Christian is the fulfilment of Isaiah 53 and God says in Isaiah 53:12,
“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,  and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Christians as far as this writer knows are the only ones to believe that Jesus suffered for the sins of the individual.
If one thinks of it is an incredible claim but true.
Not only that but Christians believe that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, that he died and rose again and ascended into heaven where he sits at the thrown of God.
Which is another incredible claim that when thought of makes Christians either very misdirected or the bearers of truth to the world?
The choice is yours. Think about it.

Life's Mission

Life’s Mission.
Read Matthew 4

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”                                                                                                               Matthew 4:17

The new Century Bible puts the above verse like this, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘change your hearts and lives, because the kingdom of heaven is near.’”

If we truly believe in Christ. If we truly take to heart what Jesus taught it will change our lives.
Our life’s mission will change.
In accepting Jesus in our life, we must admit that He is the Son of God and therefore our King.
If He truly is our king then we must give to him the honour he deserves.
Secondly, we must realize that if Jesus is who He says He is that there is more to life than what we see now. It is what we see by faith. Thus, we must strive to follow our faith and follow Jesus to the fullest of our ability.
Thirdly, we must examine our values and be willing to change. We cannot serve God and man.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we must take on the values of the kingdom of God.
Furthermore ,the world must see the values of God reflected in our lives.
Fourthly, as we allow Christ to work within our life, we will find our priorities change.
Our priorities become those of Christ.
Our principle desire becomes to show God’s love to the whole world.  Be that world our family, friends, neighbours or people in the far flung areas of the globe.

Justice

Justice

“Follow justice and justice alone, 

so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.” 

                 Deuteronomy 16:20

How do we see justice?
One speaker I heard noted that Plato’s Republic implied that justice was an harmonious arrangement within society. An agreement in which everyone had their place. Where those with humble functions are content with being subservient to those above them.
Such is not the case with Biblical justice.
The Bible holds that man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). With Genesis 2:7 stating:
“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.”
Therefore man has within him the very breath of the divine that makes each and every person equal to all others irrespective of their position in society.
Equality is the foundation of all Western democracies. The United States constitution going as  far as to say:
“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.”
The more one studies the Bible with an open mind, the more one becomes amazed at the treasure house of wisdom.
The Bible has but two points to make.
First and foremost it exists to point man to God. To show man what God requires of him. What man must do to attain salvation.
Secondly, it lays down a code of conduct that God expects man to adhere to with respect to his fellow man.
We serve a God who created the heavens and the earth. A God who despite being the Creator of heaven and earth cares for the individual within His creation.
A God who sent His one and only son not to judge us, but to save us.  As the apostle Paul reminds us:
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6
Man’s justice is sadly imperfect, as a result, he condemned many an innocent man. God’s justice, however, is perfect and on that Final Day He will judge the world.
I think Ecclesiastes put it best:
“ Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”
    Ecclesiastes 12:13,14
Think about it.

True Happiness

True Happiness
Read Mark 4:1-20

           “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

                                                                                                  Matthew 5:3

Happiness, true happiness comes from looking at life from God’s perspective. A perspective that more often than not is diametrically opposed to the teachings of the world.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus in many ways goes further than the religious leaders of his day.
He notes that there is more to life than just obeying the law.
As believers in Christ, we are called to a moral and spiritual obligation that reflects  the spirit of the law.
The New Century Bible puts Matthew 5:3 in an interesting way,

“They are blessed who realize their spiritual poverty,

 for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.”

It is only when an individual recognizes their spiritual poverty that he or she will turn to God.
Sadly, too many people intellectually know God.  They recognize He is real, but they fail to recognize their need to have a personal relationship with Him.
Thus, they miss all that God has to offer them.
Think about it.