Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.

I grew up with being told about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.  I was also sent off to Sunday School with my younger sister. I am guessing that my parents felt that we all needed a bit of “religion” in our lives.

I could understand the concept of Jesus when I was a kid, He fit in with the others my parents had told us about. Did you notice I said concept of Jesus?

As I grew up the truth came out. There was no real Santa Claus! The person called Santa was based on St. Nicholas a third century devout Christian who became the Bishop of Myra. He lived in an area that is now part of modern-day Turkey.  Nicholas became known for his generosity to those in need, his great love for children. Out of this the idea of Santa Claus grew to some one who, in North America at least, come to your home in a flying sleigh that is pulled by reindeer. He then comes down the chimney and leaves gift for all the good children.

The Easter Bunny grew out of German Folklore. A rabbit that brings Easter Eggs, candy for Children.  The Tooth Fairy also grew out of folklore.

But other than for Santa Claus having some form of factual base, all of it is fiction. Santa, the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy don't exist. We build up an image and then tear it apart. We expect them to believe in a fictional character for a while, take the image away.

We also at the same time tell them about Jesus, after all He is the reason for Christmas, the time that Santa Claus comes down our chimney. We take away all but Jesus and expect our children to believe.

Is it any wonder there are so many unbelievers, so many who have difficulty believing in Who we have not seen?

Man has for centuries sold concepts of non-existent characters and have created Doubting Thomas'.

John 20:24-29

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called  Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.   So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

    After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”   Then He *said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”   Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”   Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Yes many of us have accepted the Biblical fact of Jesus. We have accepted the facts that; He was born, He taught us about the Father, healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, opened the ears of the deaf and more than any of us can imagine.

We have believed and not seen.  We haven't seen the wounds yet believe. We have heard the Word and believed.

Romans 10: 14 -17

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?   How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who  bring good news of good things!”

   However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”   So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

As this passage says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”  I have said in one of my previous messages that we must preach the truth.  The truth sets us free from the power of sin and death, it sets us free from the misconception that Satan has tried to fill the world with so that our eyes are taken off Jesus.

The truth sets us free, the truth is what will lead us to believe in what we have not seen. The truth will bring us to Jesus and Jesus to us. The truth, not folklore, not fiction but the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

John 8: 31-32

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

It has been said, preached and sung about, 'He who the Son sets free is free indeed.” But it takes the preaching of the Word, so that they may hear the truth, hear the Word and believe.

It is the spoken Word, that brought the universe into existence. It is the spoken Word that created the earth and everything that grows, walks, runs, flies, swims, crawls, slithers on the face of the earth. The were not in existence but now are.

Hebrews 11: 1-3

Now faith is the  assurance of things  hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.   For by it the men of old  gained approval.

   By faith we understand that the  worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Faith comes from hearing, faith is the assurance, the evidence of things hoped for, the conviction or believe in things we don't see. The Word of God spoke into existence the world from things that did not exist, that were not visible, from things unseen.

We must preach the truth in all aspects of life. We are surrounded by a great amount of proof that God exists, and His Son exists. The beauty around us should speak to that.

The world is filled with fiction, T.V., the theatre, novels all go to prove this. The Book, which is 66 Books in one, is filled with truth, truth and proof of the existence of an unseen, all powerful, God who created the world out of nothing!

Even though we go through this world, the various trials and tribulations that we face daily. Even though we go through good days and day. Even through the storms of life, even though tested by fire, or on the threshing floor we have a God who loves us, cares for us and will see us through. He will never let us be challenged more than we can handle.

We are blessed because we believe in a real God, a real Son and a real Holy Spirit that we can not see. But we are led by them, we can hear them, and we can see the proof around us that they do exist. The Lord is alive and still works in the world today. Jesus Christ, as we are told in the Bible is the same as yesterday, today and forever, we only need to believe.

1 Peter 1: 6-9

 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,   so that the  proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;   and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,   obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Our faith in Jesus Christ is more precious than anything on this earth. The old saying “you can't take it with you” is very true. Our pocessions her on this earth will perish, we will be have the gift of salvation that will not perish. If we only believe.

Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.

How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

Now

“Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.”

Let Us All Get Out of Our Comfort Zones

I know I have written a message that is like this one. But as I was sitting and painting today, I knew I had to go over this message again.

As I was studying one morning the following passage, which as spoken to me before, stood out to me once again. It is also a passage that I believe every Christian needs to pay attention to.

When it comes to sharing the Gospel, I am willing to use what ever avenues that are available. The following passage tells me to go and look for people, look for people that need to hear the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The passage tells us to go to places that you may not think of. Go and look for those needing to hear the Gospel in unusual places, not just the usual places you would go.

Luke 14:23

And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.

Go out into the highways and along the hedges and compel them to come in. The internet opens a lot of highways to be able to reach out to vast numbers of people.

Sharing the Gospel is what every Christian is called to do. It isn't just for those of us who have graduated from a Bible College or a Theological Seminary.

Acts 1:6-8

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”   He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;   but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

This passage has always been part and parcel of the whole message. Luke 14:23 and Acts 1:8 are telling us to Go and Go into all the world, look in all the areas, in the hedges, down the highways and more.

To me it is your neighbours who have been forgotten about. It is the old man who sits by himself in the coffee shop. It means looking down the back roads for those who people ignore.

We are to go to the remotest parts of the earth. What are we doing to spread the Gospel? Where are we spreading the Gospel? Are we getting out of our comfort zone?

We grow, personally and our church family will grow when we get out of our comfort zones. I push us to go beyond self-imposed limitations.

All too many people leave the job of “going into all the world” to the person behind the pulpit. From experience I can say to you, the preacher, pastor, teacher can not do the whole job, that is why the Master in the passage from Luke sent his servant out, the Master needed help.

We don't go alone when we do go out into the highways, hedge rows and to the ends of the earth, we go with the Holy Spirit and the power of God.

Folks, the day is coming when there will be no more time to do it. We can't procrastinate any longer. We must go.

I use this blog as part of my calling. I share the Gospel willingly where ever I go.

I challenge you to “Go out into the highways and along the hedges where you will be Jesus' witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.”

Will you answer the challenge and go?

Go Into All The World…

I am a firm believer in taking the Gospel into all the world. The Lord won’t return until all the world has heard the Gospel, that means to me every area of the world.

We have been doing such a great job of taking the Gospel to the outer reaches of the world we have forgotten to a great extent our own back yards. I see missionaries from other Pseudo Christian groups coming into our own areas and reaching out to our neighbours.

Why are we allowing these false faiths to bring people into their folds? Why are we not reaching out to our own neighbours, shut ins and forgotten ones?

Acts 1:8

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

This passage has spoken to me for several years. Jerusalem. Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest parts of the earth. As I have said we are doing a great job in the remotest parts, but not so great a job in Jerusalem (our own home area), Judea (neighbouring towns and villages), Samaria (cities and towns yet farther out, even the next province or state).

I see people being reeled into and encouraged to come into the “churches” of these false religions and we sit back and watch it happen.

What will Jesus have to say to us? If He were to come today what would He say to you and I about the job we are doing in our own back yard?

We should be out encouraging those who are in our own towns, villages, cities to come and hear the Truth. We should be compelling them for Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light!

Luke 14:23

And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.

How many seats are available in your church? Are you full to overflowing, are you pressed down shaken together and full to over flowing? Too many churches have seats that are empty, do we even have half of our seats full?

There are those out there that need to hear the Truth and we need to see that they have an opportunity to come in to the Master’s house.

Friends there are those who have been forgotten about, they came to church but for what ever reason have slipped away. There are those who have moved into our neighbourhoods and have never darkened a church door since moving into town. There are those that became disgruntled with our churches for some reason and no one has reached out to help bring them back.

Jesus went to peoples homes, He ate with them, the forgotten and unwanted ones. He went to the homes of the disgruntled. He held meetings in peoples homes and in open fields and invited people in.

Are we doing that? He never travelled more than 200 miles from where he was born. Do we pay attention to the ones 200 yards away from our home, what about those 2 streets over, those in the next village?

Those missionaries from the false churches are doing it, right under our noses. They have their own versions of our Bible. They have twisted and rewritten the words to work with there preaching.

I won’t go into their beliefs, it is enough that we have allowed them to take their messages to a lost, forgotten and disgruntled world. It is enough that they have been filling their churches while ours are not.

It is time for us to awaken, see the world immediately around us and Go Into All The World – your Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.

The Uncommon on Common Grounds

As I was studying and praying this morning it came to me that many of us don't understand Jesus and that He totally understands everything about us. It is a reality that we have difficulty getting ourselves to understand.

He totally understands us, our lives!

Many believers question their faith. Partially because Satan puts those thoughts in our head. We also question it because when we try to consider Jesus for who He is, and we have a hard time understanding Him.

I can say to you it is all in the Bible, just believe it. That won't help you. It comes from a relationship that we all should develop with Him. We need to seek Him, just like we seek out any friend. We need to get to know Him by spending time with Him, in His word and in prayer.

You may think; “How can He understand me”, “how can He know what I am going through?”

He understands us because He created us. He understands us because He lived with us. He understands us because He walked among us. He fully understands us because He made Himself flesh and lived among us. He walked on the earth among His people, He knows how people are with other people.

He ate with us. He saw and felt pain. He worked. He had friends, He lost friends. He talked to people and people talked about Him. People liked and disliked Him. He loved people, they loved Him, and some hated Him. He went to weddings and made the wedding a better celebration. He went to funerals and interrupted them, and people went home happy. He fed people, he calmed people. He felt emotions and knew other’s emotions. He had siblings, cousins and grandparents, aunts and uncles – He knew family. He cared for people and people cared for him.

Jesus was fully human and fully God. He understood and understands us because He was with us.

When we are going through things, He knows what it is like because He has been there before.

​John 1: 1-5 (NASB)

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.    He was in the beginning with God.    All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.    In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.    The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1: 14-16 (NASB)

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.   John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”   For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

John 10:14 -16 (NASB)

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.   I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

Jesus walked the face of the earth. He walked with us – like a good shepherd He was in with the sheep – not out front or behind but in the middle of the flock. His flock knows His voice, the know Him because He knows them.

When the world is making us question Him or our faith, we need to remember that He came here to walk among and be with us He totally understands what we go through in our lives.

Friends the Uncommon came and was with the common. We all walked on common ground together. 

Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, friends He knows us far better than we know ourselves. We need to develop a deeper relationship with Him, get closer to Him, allow Him into every area of our lives so that those doubts become a knowing, a knowing that He is with us in our day to day moments.

Our Heart Before God – To Know God

Psalm 46:10

“Cease striving and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Another translation reads “Be still and know.” I have liked the New American Standard version because of what I see in the depth of the translation. The passage in the NASB tells us to cease striving, stop working at it, it isn't that difficult to know God.

Psalm 46:10 says to “cease striving and know that I am God.” Stop trying so hard, sit down and relax and get to know that I am God.

God knows us, and He wants us to stop, sit down and get to know Him.

How much time do we spend getting to know Him in a personal way. Knowing Him and how He works will help us to get through the storms of life and whatever turns in the road of life that there may be.

We can go through the Bible and find many examples of people who got to know God. One example that we see a lot of in the Old Testament is David. The New Testament has a passage about How God saw David, even with all of David's faults.

Acts 13:22

After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, A man after My heart, who will do all My will.’

What a statement and what a way to be remembered, “A man after My heart” A man who wanted to know God in such a way that David is known as a man after God's heart.

Are any of us chasing after God that way? Do we want to have that close of a relationship with God?

There was a series of Books that I had read several years ago written by Tommy Tenney called The God Chasers. We need to get close to God, I don't believe we need to chase Him, and Tenney wasn't suggesting a physical chase.  He is always with us. But chasing a Godly life style, chasing a desire to know Him more and be like Him is what I am suggesting.

Setting our mind, body and soul, to wholeheartedly get to know God. So that our life is an example of a Godly person. We are in a place where we allow God to search us, help us to get rid of things in our life that will hinder a relationship with Him. The first part of Jeremiah 20: 12 says “Yet, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart...” He tells us that the Lord sees our hearts and our minds.

God knows where we have our hearts are, He knows where we place our priorities. He knows our very thoughts, He knows what is on our and in our minds.

The world can be a very busy place, we can get so caught up in the things going on around us that we allow our priorities to get shuffled around. We can lose site of God and our relationship with Him.

As it is if you look at the world around there are so many things that demand our attention that so many people have lost site of several things. People lose site of family priorities, job related priorities, and so many other things. So, few people set God as their number one priority, then family, then job.

Too many live in a world of self, “Me, Me, Me.”

At times I have looked at myself and backed off things if I even remotely think I have set a personal agenda as a priority.  No, at those moments we must stop and closely look at ourselves and our lives.

If we find our time with God is off, we need to change that. If we find that we have set ourselves up as number one, we have to be able to see that and make changes.

The only way we can truly get to know God is to develop a relationship with Him. We need to sit and listen, we need to be still, stop striving.

Matthew 11: 28-30

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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.”

Come to me all of you are weary, you are striving, you need to rest, Be still will you, learn from Me, learn My ways. We try and do it our way so much, but Jesus invites us to learn from Him in how to walk through this world.

He isn't saying He will take the burdens of life away, but He is saying that He will teach how to work through them.

God sees our hearts, our minds, He knows our Hearts and our minds. Yet we struggle to get to know Him, we need to stop working so hard at that. Sit down and allow God to show us the way, let Him examine us and help us to correct us on life's path.

Open your heart and God in wholeheartedly. Be one who is after God's heart. Ask God to ...

Psalm 51: 10-13

 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

He will clean you heart, with your co-operation, because we have to be willing. Knowing God with your whole heart, opens you to a life that abundant and free.

John 8:36

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Does God Exist?

A question that man has asked since the beginning of time, “Does God Exist?”

Some deny His existence, some have varying views of His existence, others believe there are multiple gods in many forms that serve many purposes.

If you have heard or read any of my messages you know what I believe. Yes, God Does Absolutely Exist! He has been in existence forever, The Alpha and The Omega, The Beginning and The End.

Scripture speaks of God as being an eternal, ever existing being. God tells us so. The very first verse of the Bible “In The Beginning God.”

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

In the Beginning – He existed, if you are a believer that should be enough, God has existed. Jesus Himself in the Book of Revelation tells us in a couple of places that He is the Alpha and the Omega, Jesus is The Beginning and The End.

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

God says I Am, I have Been and Always will be. I once heard a gentleman who was the chairman of a very large company say, “I turned on the lights and I will be the one to turn out the lights.”

God turned in the lights,  and as we see in Revelation He will be the Last, the One to turn the lights out.

Genesis 1: 3-5

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.   God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.   God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

God is, or as He told Moses “I Am”. He is, has and always will be here, that is why He can declare “I Am”. Look around you and see His creation that speaks loudly of a Great and Mighty God. No, I am not a Pantheist, some one who feels the whole universe is God, I just see the world and yes the universe as speaking to God's existence.

The world and the universe didn't just happen. I don't believe it happened in a “big bang”. I see a world that had a creator who had a plan. The earth set at the right distance from the sun, so we don't burn up or freeze. I don't for a second believe we grew out of a single molecule other wise I could talk to a tree and expect a response. That is a far-fetched comment yes, but just as far fetched as many a theory I have heard bounced around in my life time.

Psalm 19:1

​ The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

I believe it was all created, the universe, the fish, the stars, the trees and every living creature by the work of His hands. He spoke you and I into existence, and that sparrow, that whale and the blade of grass. There is no other totally logical or scientific explanation.

I only need to walk on a beach, through a forest, look out the windows of my home, go for a drive on roads less travelled. In all of it I see God. The birds in the air, at a bird feeder, in a tree. Seeing a seal, an otter, a deer, a fox or even a moose. Driving the road from our old cottage and seeing a mother bear and he cubs run across the road.

God is, was and always will be. In all the world around us I see His creation.

John 1:1-4

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.    He was in the beginning with God.    All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.    In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

Jesus is the Word, He spoke the world and all that is around into being. Yet He lowered Himself to come to earth so that you and I would have a way to heaven.

God is, God was and God always will be.

As a new believer or some one who is seeking answers look at the world around you. Look at the wonder of the world. The mountains, the oceans, lakes and rivers. Consider the seasons. How can we expect that all this just happened, wasn’t plan and set in place? We have everything we need to live and more.

Have you ever considered the new you, considered the you before you believed in Jesus and the you after you accepted Christ as your Saviour? The old vs the new. The old has passed away and the new lives.

As Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

My message is to provoke thought and consideration. Study the Bible, study the world around us. I am positive that you too will say “Does God exist, Yes!”

To Be Humble In Spirit

As I look at our world today, even in day to day work for the average person, I see a problem and that is so many filled with pride. With pride comes egos that are so large they have difficulty getting in the door. I have heard it said of such people that they are legends in their own minds.

We see news makers, world leaders, actors or sport people, Preachers, Business people, Store Managers, people from every area of life who believe they are better than other people.

All too often these people hold a superior attitude and let everyone know it.

One passage that I see shows this very well is the story of the Rich Young Ruler.

Mark 10: 17-31

The Rich Young Ruler
 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ‘DO not murder, DO not commit adultery, DO not steal, DO not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.
And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus *answered again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
 Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

Here we have a young man who wanted eternal life. He asked Jesus how to obtain it. Jesus tells the young man what he must do. The Rich young ruler says I have done all of that. Jesus knowing the man’s problem, as only the Lord could know, tells him to go and sell all his possessions.

This man shows us what many with pride and ego issues are like. Sure, I have already done all of that. I have been doing that since I was a youth. Jesus speaks to him and says, go and sell your possessions and give it all to the poor.

The Young man could not do that. He was to proud of all that he owned and all that he had done to get it. How could he let all that go?

So many people don’t see what Jesus truly call us to do. We are to humble ourselves, not raise ourselves up. We are to leave things behind in order to follow Jesus. How many would be willing to leave it all behind. The best example I can show of some one doing so, Peter, Jesus said follow me. Peter dropped the nets and followed Jesus.

Jesus calls those who are working, but they must be willing to set all aside for Jesus. That is what the rich young ruler was not willing to do. That is the problem of so many people, their lives, their possessions come first. Their pride gets in the way because they did that, look at all they had to do to get it.

Mark 8: 34-37

And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

This passage tells us even more what we must do, deny ourselves. There is only one way for that to happen, get off our high horse, humble ourselves, set our goals and plans aside because they are not the Lords plans.

Paul got knocked off His high horse and was shown by Jesus what he must do. God used Paul to spread the gospel. Paul was proud of his accomplishments, Paul thought himself better than most and was persecuting Christians. Jesus took the blinders off and showed Paul a better way.

We need to preach the truth so that the proud and ego centric people in this world are given the opportunity to change their ways. Time is short, those of us who know the Lord must share the true, the real and good news, the Gospel, The Word of Jesus Christ with the world.

Read these few passages from Proverbs on what the Lord says of Pride.

Proverbs 8:13

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.

Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 16: 18-19

Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

 Pride goes before destruction, it is followed by dishonour, the Lord hates pride and arrogance. What more do we need to be told?

It is better to live and be humble than to be caught up in pride and set yourself above the world around you. Show them and share with them the truth.

Friends Pride goes before the fall, before destruction, this reminds me of narrow is the way that leads to life and broad is the path that leads to destruction.

They must know the truth because the truth will set them free.

Born To You In The City Of David... A Way In The Manger On a Not So Silent Night

As I sit here today there are only a few days before Christmas. The day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

I remember as a child watching “Charlie Brown's Christmas” every year. Listening to Linus read the Christmas story as it is laid out in Luke 2. As a boy it didn't mean much to me, it was a good show and Linus was just part of the show.

As I grew older and continued watching those words Linus said started to have a real meaning to me. Words that today might be preached in church but are so alive to me. I used them as part of a message several years ago and they come back to me even more alive tonight.

A simple cartoon for kids, with the Gospel message so that all of us could appreciate the real meaning of Christmas.

Read those words, what do they mean to you?

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

Luke 2:1-20 (NASB)

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.    This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.   And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.   Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,   in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.   While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.   And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.   And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.   But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;   for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is  Christ the Lord.    This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”   And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men  with whom He is pleased.”

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”   So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.   When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.   And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.   But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.   The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

What a day!

When Jesus was born, He made “A Way In A Manger On A Not So Silent Night” Jesus made a way for all of us to come into the throne room of God. Jesus In that manger that we sing about every year, that we display on our lawns, at the front of our churches. In that manger lay the King of Kings our Saviour Christ the King.

Jesus came down to earth, so that we could be saved. We may sing Oh Silent Night, but it wasn't silent. Angels proclaiming Jesus arrival. Shepherds coming to see Him. The Kings from the East. The worship of Jesus that He would have known in Heaven came down to earth to announce to a world that desperately needed Him that Emmanuel – God With Us, had arrived.

Today we have the privilege to be able to talk with the Lord, to come into His presence, the gift of salvation, the grace of God and so much more. We have all of that because Jesus was Born in the City of David all those years ago.

It isn't about the Christmas gifts we find under a tree. It isn't about a stocking stuffed full, or a turkey with all the trimmings. It is all about Jesus!

Jesus would have us open our doors to those who are less fortunate. Jesus would have us give to others, before we get something ourselves. Jesus gave us His all, His life, His everything. Through all that He gave us we get eternal life, only by accepting Jesus as our Lord.

As simple cartoon for kids, with the Gospel message so that all of us could appreciate the real meaning of Christmas, yet has that message remained in the hearts of man. Did that message touch many lives, I believe it did, it may just have to be awakened?

Friends for a few moments look at Christmas, look at your Christmas. How much of a blessing to the world around you is it? Is Christ the centre of your Christmas?

Jesus the Christ the reason we celebrate Christmas. Let’s put Him back in Christmas.

A World Of Temptation

We live in a world that desperately needs Jesus. We all need to return to Him and follow Him closer than ever. Why? Just look at the news, look around you. Stand back and look at our world.

There are so many options to be distracted and drawn away from the Lord out there that we need to be strong in our faith not to fall.

Matthew 18:7-11

“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the  fiery hell.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. [ For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

Luke 17:1

​ He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!

These two passages tell us that there will be temptations, stumbling blocks that will be put in our way. What we do, how we respond, react or deal with those stumbling blocks is up to us. We can avoid them or fall for them. The closer the walk we have with Jesus the better we will be able to withstand the temptations that come

Ephesians 6:10-13

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

A close walk with the Lord, knowing the Word, will empower you to resist those challenges to your faith. You will be able to withstand the temptations, the stumbling blocks that are put in front of.

It is at moments of weakness that you will be tempted, we always need to be on guard. We never know when something will present itself to distract us from our path, take our eyes off Jesus. Just as Jesus was tempted in everyway, we are tempted in every way. He had to be tempted in all the ways we are tempted so that He would be the perfect Lamb of God. We can follow in His foot steps, listen to the still small voice, when temptation comes stand firm.

As we are told in Ephesians “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

We have the Lord with us, and when we have on the full armour of God, we can withstand the and resist the evil that is set before us.

Study the Word of God. Make it part of your life. Study to show yourself approved. Equip yourself so on the day that temptation presents itself you can speak to that mountain and tell it to move. The world we live in today has so many distractions to take our focus off Christ and we must know the Lord, know His Word, Have the Holy Spirit living in us in order to resist in the evil day.

This isn’t a new problem, it is something that has been around for as long as man has been on the earth.

Genesis 4:7

If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

This passage speaks volumes to me about the condition of the world we live in, it speaks about choices and that we can make the right choice. It tells me that sin looks tempting and that is its' desire, that it is set there to draw us in, it says that the choice is ours,

What will we do? Will we as Cain did allow the temptation to take over, will we fall into the trap?

The choice is yours and it is mine! Fall for it and allow it to be your master or you be the master and follow the narrow way.

Matthew 7:13-14

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.   For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Luke 13: 23b - 28

And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.   Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’   Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’;  and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’   In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.

In these passages we are told that the way is narrow. The path leading to destruction is broad and there are many that travel that broad path. Luke says that there will be people knocking at heavens gate looking to come in, saying they knew Jesus but His response will be Go away, I don't know you, I don't know where you are from.

Luke uses words that would suggest that it is not easy, but it is something we will have to work at  “Strive to enter through the narrow door.” How hard are we striving to get in, are we on the straight and narrow, do we really work at our salvation from the stand point of once we have accepted Christ we continue in His ways or do we continue in our worldly ways?

Jesus says “He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’”

Depart from Me, how hard will it be to hear those word? I pray that none of us will, but I have to ask, are we walking in the way of the Lord? As that passage in Genesis tells us that sin awaits, it is crouched at the door waiting for us, we can fall for it or we can master it, the choice is ours.

I am not just writing this for people to hear or read, I am writing this for myself as well. It is something we all need to hear and all need to be reminded of, sin awaits!

We must walk daily with the Lord, not just when it is convenient or is the right moment because of where we are and what people around us think of us. This is an issue we all face, no matter who we are or what we do.

Temptation, sin awaits us. What we do with it is up to us! Will we master it or will it master us?