Love and Hate
“There is one other fundamental difference between love and hate. Love is always a refuge. Hate is never a refuge. Only a mentally sick person can find refuge in his hates. But love is the enduring sanctuary of life. Life may rob you of many things. It often does. But it can never bereave us of love itself. That remains.”
-Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, rabbinic leader, from a December 22, 1940, sermon, quoted in Therefore Choose Life: Selected Sermons, Addresses and Writings of Abba Hillel Silver, Volume One, edited by Herbert Wiesner (1997)
I don’t know much of Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver but I do know that at the time he wrote what I quoted above six million Jewish men, women and children were being put to death. And millions more were dying also.
In the end world war two, a war that was started by a mad man would kill depending on what figure you take between fifty six and sixty million people. All because of a mad man who hated.
Like the first world war, world war two was not the war to end all wars. Millions have died since and millions are dying now at the hands of evil men.
As I write this there is a terrorist group ISIS out to kill Christians and minority groups they disagree with in the middle east. The United States is so concerned that they are ordering their military to bomb them. Word has it they are also dropping humanitarian supplies to these people who are fleeing what amounts to a genocide.
The men that are causing this humanitarian crisis have no love. They are filled with an idealistic doctrine that hold life in little regard. Love is not in their vocabulary. They are filled with hate.
The Apostle Paul wrote of Love,
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Irrespective of what your faith is or whether you have a faith. Even atheist can agree hate is an animal that devours everything.
Love conquers all.
The Apostle Paul said it best,
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
Think about it.
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Monday, 11 August 2014
God Created
God of Created
I’ve said it before and I have to say it again the world, the universe and everything in it is created.
I cannot have enough faith to say they were just the end results of random chance.
Look at the I’ve posted. One is a snails tongue under magnification.
Snails ave everything they need to survive on this earth. Every cell every neuron works perfectly to ensure the life of the organism.
Albert Einstein said,
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
Albert Einstein
The more I look into nature the more I see the hand of the creator.
We live in a magnificent world.
The other day I got my camera out and took a picture of the moon.
The moon responsible for the tides. Thousands of kilometres in space linked to the oceans that teem with life. The oceans that are linked to the weather. The weather that plays such an important part in where we can live and how we live.
Everything in nature is so intricately linked. I cannot believe this is all by chance.
Think about it.
Sunday, 10 August 2014
A Note
A Note
“Throughout the history of the Western world the Scriptures have been the great instigators of revolt against the worst forms of clerical and political despotism.
The Bible has been the Magna Charta of the poor and of the oppressed; down to modern times no State has had a constitution in which the interests of the people are so largely taken into accounts, in which the duties so much more than the privileges of rulers are insisted upon, as that drawn up for Israel in Deuteronomy and in Leviticus; nowhere is the fundamental truth that the welfare of the State, in the long run, depends on the uprightness of the citizen so strongly laid down....The Bible is the most democratic book in the world.”
T. H. Huxley
Huxley got it right. The bible is the most democratic book in history. It constantly reminds those in power that they should be servants of all.
Jesus said,
“The greatest among you will be your servant.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:11,12.
It reminds believers that they should obey authorities.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Romans 13:1
The Apostle Paul reminds us,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:18-21.
It is only when the rights of the individual are threatened that believers have the right to speak out.
It is only when the men move away from the truths and morality of the Bible that conflict starts.
Think about it.
“Throughout the history of the Western world the Scriptures have been the great instigators of revolt against the worst forms of clerical and political despotism.
The Bible has been the Magna Charta of the poor and of the oppressed; down to modern times no State has had a constitution in which the interests of the people are so largely taken into accounts, in which the duties so much more than the privileges of rulers are insisted upon, as that drawn up for Israel in Deuteronomy and in Leviticus; nowhere is the fundamental truth that the welfare of the State, in the long run, depends on the uprightness of the citizen so strongly laid down....The Bible is the most democratic book in the world.”
T. H. Huxley
Huxley got it right. The bible is the most democratic book in history. It constantly reminds those in power that they should be servants of all.
Jesus said,
“The greatest among you will be your servant.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Matthew 23:11,12.
It reminds believers that they should obey authorities.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Romans 13:1
The Apostle Paul reminds us,
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:18-21.
It is only when the rights of the individual are threatened that believers have the right to speak out.
It is only when the men move away from the truths and morality of the Bible that conflict starts.
Think about it.
Saturday, 9 August 2014
Evidence of God
Evidence of God
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
Albert Einstein.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
Watched a video the other day. It showed a time laps image of a mushroom growing, of vines moving up from the forest floor to the light of the sun.
It showed a dragon fly and noted that it could move all four wings in different directions using high speed photography.
It looked through a microscope and showed a snails tongue.
The whole thing was so incredible to watch.
As I watched it I was in wonder at how detailed how carefully crafted everything in nature from the vast galaxies to the smallest atoms are.
As I looked I seen the hand of a divine creator.
Every time I look at nature I cannot believe that it is as the evolutionist say it happened by chance.
The natural world is so intricate so much in balance to be just a random thing. There has to be a God who created it all.
A God who loves his creation. Who loves you and me.
If not the world and indeed the universe is a very lonely place.
Think about it.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
Albert Einstein.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1.
Watched a video the other day. It showed a time laps image of a mushroom growing, of vines moving up from the forest floor to the light of the sun.
It showed a dragon fly and noted that it could move all four wings in different directions using high speed photography.
It looked through a microscope and showed a snails tongue.
The whole thing was so incredible to watch.
As I watched it I was in wonder at how detailed how carefully crafted everything in nature from the vast galaxies to the smallest atoms are.
As I looked I seen the hand of a divine creator.
Every time I look at nature I cannot believe that it is as the evolutionist say it happened by chance.
The natural world is so intricate so much in balance to be just a random thing. There has to be a God who created it all.
A God who loves his creation. Who loves you and me.
If not the world and indeed the universe is a very lonely place.
Think about it.
Friday, 8 August 2014
A Case of Blasphemy
A case of blasphemy
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 2:1-7
This is an astounding thing for Jesus to do. He not only healed a man but he claimed to forgive sins an action that carried the death penalty. Mark noting what the teachers of the law were saying,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
The Law they were referring to comes from Leviticus. It states,
“anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.”
Leviticus 24:16
Why would Jesus risk death and the potential end of his ministry by committing a crime worthy of capital punishment.
C.S. Lewis writes,
“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.
The only conclusion one can make from the way Jesus presented himself is that he truly is the Son of God. God in the flesh.
Think about it.
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 2:1-7
This is an astounding thing for Jesus to do. He not only healed a man but he claimed to forgive sins an action that carried the death penalty. Mark noting what the teachers of the law were saying,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
The Law they were referring to comes from Leviticus. It states,
“anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.”
Leviticus 24:16
Why would Jesus risk death and the potential end of his ministry by committing a crime worthy of capital punishment.
C.S. Lewis writes,
“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.
The only conclusion one can make from the way Jesus presented himself is that he truly is the Son of God. God in the flesh.
Think about it.
Thursday, 7 August 2014
What about the Miraculous
What about the Miraculous
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic,
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Mark 2:1-12.
What is describes above is one of many miracles Jesus did. If these were fabrications why would the writers of the scriptures write about them.
Anything that is too far fetched or seemingly impossible would be counter productive to the cause of Christianity. Yet the early writers chose to include them.
To my mind this tells me they really happened.
Every miracle that is spoke of in the Bible both in the Old Testament and in the New is genuine.
They prove there is a God and they prove Jesus is the Son of God. If not the writers of the New Testament are either delusional or lying.
Either way in making things up they are not helping the cause of Christianity. If anything they are damaging it.
The writers of the Bible wrote down what they knew to be true. They did so because they wanted people everywhere to know the truth about God and Christ.
Think about it
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?
Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic,
“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Mark 2:1-12.
What is describes above is one of many miracles Jesus did. If these were fabrications why would the writers of the scriptures write about them.
Anything that is too far fetched or seemingly impossible would be counter productive to the cause of Christianity. Yet the early writers chose to include them.
To my mind this tells me they really happened.
Every miracle that is spoke of in the Bible both in the Old Testament and in the New is genuine.
They prove there is a God and they prove Jesus is the Son of God. If not the writers of the New Testament are either delusional or lying.
Either way in making things up they are not helping the cause of Christianity. If anything they are damaging it.
The writers of the Bible wrote down what they knew to be true. They did so because they wanted people everywhere to know the truth about God and Christ.
Think about it
Wednesday, 6 August 2014
The Christian
The Christian
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”
C.S. Lewis
The uniqueness of Christianity is that it is God who is reaching down to us. Paul writing to the Romans said,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
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.”
John 3:16,17
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.
All of what I have quoted above is about God reaching down to man. By the Christian way of thinking we can never be good enough to deserve to be with God. Yet God made it possible.
John saying,
“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 decision dear reader is yours. Will you accept the salvation God offered through Jesus Christ or not.
Think about it.
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”
C.S. Lewis
The uniqueness of Christianity is that it is God who is reaching down to us. Paul writing to the Romans said,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8.
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.”
John 3:16,17
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.
All of what I have quoted above is about God reaching down to man. By the Christian way of thinking we can never be good enough to deserve to be with God. Yet God made it possible.
John saying,
“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 decision dear reader is yours. Will you accept the salvation God offered through Jesus Christ or not.
Think about it.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Paul to the Athenians and you
Paul to the Athenians and you
Over the last while I have quoted many times from the Apostle Paul here I give to you the reader his speech to the Athenians.
I believe that it is as relevant today as it was when he spoke it. I ask you to decide what you think in the same way those gathered at the Areopagus did,
“A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
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.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others
Act 17:18-34
What do you think.
Think about it?
Over the last while I have quoted many times from the Apostle Paul here I give to you the reader his speech to the Athenians.
I believe that it is as relevant today as it was when he spoke it. I ask you to decide what you think in the same way those gathered at the Areopagus did,
“A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.
Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill.
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
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.”
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”
At that, Paul left the Council.
A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others
Act 17:18-34
What do you think.
Think about it?
Monday, 4 August 2014
Not a Comfortable Faith
Not a comfortable faith
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Matthew 16:24-27
C.S. Lewis wrote,
“I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”
C.S. Lewis
Some people have told me my faith in Christ is a crutch. They are wrong. I came to the realization that Christ was real and that I needed him in my life when I was nineteen.
When I became a Christian I wanted all my friends to know. The majority rejected me. I was essentially left with those I’d met in church. Actually it didn’t really bother me.
If my old friends couldn’t accept my new way of life that was fine by me.
My experience in becoming a Christian is nothing compared to those in may parts of the world. They can face jail and or torture or even death without trial,
Kelly James Clark writing in the World Post said,
“In early November, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion in the world." Although met with predictable criticism, Rupert Short's recent research report for Civitas UK confirms Merkel's claim -- we may not want to hear it, but Christianity is in peril, like no other religion. While this is a contest no one wants to win, Short shows that "Christians are targeted more than any other body of believers." Short is the author of the recently published Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack. He is concerned that "200 million Christians (10 percent of the global total) are socially disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their beliefs....”
So in light of what Kelly James Clark writes would I or anyone else become a Christian? Because we firmly believe Jesus is the Son of God. God incarnate and as Jesus himself put it,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
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
But if it is false why do governments and other groups persecute Christians so.
Think about it.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Matthew 16:24-27
C.S. Lewis wrote,
“I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.”
C.S. Lewis
Some people have told me my faith in Christ is a crutch. They are wrong. I came to the realization that Christ was real and that I needed him in my life when I was nineteen.
When I became a Christian I wanted all my friends to know. The majority rejected me. I was essentially left with those I’d met in church. Actually it didn’t really bother me.
If my old friends couldn’t accept my new way of life that was fine by me.
My experience in becoming a Christian is nothing compared to those in may parts of the world. They can face jail and or torture or even death without trial,
Kelly James Clark writing in the World Post said,
“In early November, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that Christianity is "the most persecuted religion in the world." Although met with predictable criticism, Rupert Short's recent research report for Civitas UK confirms Merkel's claim -- we may not want to hear it, but Christianity is in peril, like no other religion. While this is a contest no one wants to win, Short shows that "Christians are targeted more than any other body of believers." Short is the author of the recently published Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack. He is concerned that "200 million Christians (10 percent of the global total) are socially disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their beliefs....”
So in light of what Kelly James Clark writes would I or anyone else become a Christian? Because we firmly believe Jesus is the Son of God. God incarnate and as Jesus himself put it,
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
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
But if it is false why do governments and other groups persecute Christians so.
Think about it.
Sunday, 3 August 2014
To the Atheist
To the Atheist
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
The Bible does not debate whether there is a God or not. It makes it clear there is a God. In the very first verse it states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
It make it clear there is a God and He created the heavens and the earth.
In the New Testament the Apostle John states,
“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....”
John 1:1-4.
John even goes one step further saying that the individual can become children of God.
“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.
Then he makes an even more incredible statement,
“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 1:14.
God came into His creation.
If you think about it from a purely natural way of thinking the above statements from the Bible are bazaar. Yet Christians believe them to be true.
Christianity and Judaism from which it came truly believe in a Creator God. A God who wants a relationship with His people.
A Jewish writer 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
Every civilization since the dawn of creation has believed in an after life and a God. Many civilizations had a whole hosts of god’s. The Greeks going as far as erecting an alter to an unknown God.
Without God without God in my estimation life is meaningless.
I know there are many atheist out there that will never agree with me but I hope at the very least they will consider what I have written.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“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
Think about it.
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
The Bible does not debate whether there is a God or not. It makes it clear there is a God. In the very first verse it states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
It make it clear there is a God and He created the heavens and the earth.
In the New Testament the Apostle John states,
“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....”
John 1:1-4.
John even goes one step further saying that the individual can become children of God.
“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.
Then he makes an even more incredible statement,
“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 1:14.
God came into His creation.
If you think about it from a purely natural way of thinking the above statements from the Bible are bazaar. Yet Christians believe them to be true.
Christianity and Judaism from which it came truly believe in a Creator God. A God who wants a relationship with His people.
A Jewish writer 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
Every civilization since the dawn of creation has believed in an after life and a God. Many civilizations had a whole hosts of god’s. The Greeks going as far as erecting an alter to an unknown God.
Without God without God in my estimation life is meaningless.
I know there are many atheist out there that will never agree with me but I hope at the very least they will consider what I have written.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“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
Think about it.
To the Atheist
To the Atheist
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
The Bible does not debate whether there is a God or not. It makes it clear there is a God. In the very first verse it states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
It make it clear there is a God and He created the heavens and the earth.
In the New Testament the Apostle John states,
“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....”
John 1:1-4.
John even goes one step further saying that the individual can become children of God.
“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.
Then he makes an even more incredible statement,
“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 1:14.
God came into His creation.
If you think about it from a purely natural way of thinking the above statements from the Bible are bazaar. Yet Christians believe them to be true.
Christianity and Judaism from which it came truly believe in a Creator God. A God who wants a relationship with His people.
A Jewish writer 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
Every civilization since the dawn of creation has believed in an after life and a God. Many civilizations had a whole hosts of god’s. The Greeks going as far as erecting an alter to an unknown God.
Without God without God in my estimation life is meaningless.
I know there are many atheist out there that will never agree with me but I hope at the very least they will consider what I have written.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“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
Think about it.
“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”
C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain.
The Bible does not debate whether there is a God or not. It makes it clear there is a God. In the very first verse it states,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1
It make it clear there is a God and He created the heavens and the earth.
In the New Testament the Apostle John states,
“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....”
John 1:1-4.
John even goes one step further saying that the individual can become children of God.
“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.
Then he makes an even more incredible statement,
“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 1:14.
God came into His creation.
If you think about it from a purely natural way of thinking the above statements from the Bible are bazaar. Yet Christians believe them to be true.
Christianity and Judaism from which it came truly believe in a Creator God. A God who wants a relationship with His people.
A Jewish writer 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
Every civilization since the dawn of creation has believed in an after life and a God. Many civilizations had a whole hosts of god’s. The Greeks going as far as erecting an alter to an unknown God.
Without God without God in my estimation life is meaningless.
I know there are many atheist out there that will never agree with me but I hope at the very least they will consider what I have written.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“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
Think about it.
Saturday, 2 August 2014
A point from Paul's Pen
A point from Paul's Pen
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20.
In Corinth there were people who believed that there was no resurrection from the dead. Just as there are today.
Paul notes that if this is so then our faith as Christians is useless.
The bedrock on which Christianity is based is on the death, his physical resurrection and ascension of Christ into heaven.
Christ died for our sins. He rose conquering death and sin and he ascended to be at the right hand of the father where he will one day judge the world.
Our beliefs as Christians are a three legged stool remove one leg and our beliefs fall apart and all the Christians throughout the ages have believed for nothing.
The beliefs of Christianity are either completely true or they are potentially the biggest lie ever perpetuated on mankind.
Christianity presents to the world the facts that Jesus is the Son of God. That he is indeed God. That died for our sins. That he rose from the dead conquering death and that he ascended into heaven.
Christians asks people to believe that. Do you?
Think about it.
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:12-20.
In Corinth there were people who believed that there was no resurrection from the dead. Just as there are today.
Paul notes that if this is so then our faith as Christians is useless.
The bedrock on which Christianity is based is on the death, his physical resurrection and ascension of Christ into heaven.
Christ died for our sins. He rose conquering death and sin and he ascended to be at the right hand of the father where he will one day judge the world.
Our beliefs as Christians are a three legged stool remove one leg and our beliefs fall apart and all the Christians throughout the ages have believed for nothing.
The beliefs of Christianity are either completely true or they are potentially the biggest lie ever perpetuated on mankind.
Christianity presents to the world the facts that Jesus is the Son of God. That he is indeed God. That died for our sins. That he rose from the dead conquering death and that he ascended into heaven.
Christians asks people to believe that. Do you?
Think about it.
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