Finding God

There are many stories around us of people dying or suffering from one infection or the other ailment. It is really important to do what's necessary to be safe in terms of health and hygiene.

It is also important to seek and find God. The Bible says to seek him while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6). God's kingdom is near you and finding him is easier than you think. Its even easier to find him than it is to find good ol' Waldo!

Tell God you want to live for him, that means to turn away from your sins and renounce living for yourself and tell him you believe in the good news that Jesus died so you could be reconciled with God. So, over to you. Do your bit and God will do his. Tell me about it.

A Gift For All

Most people love Christmas and from November to early January even those that claim to be atheists seem to be gripped by a spirit of Christmas - a spirit that expresses love to people by giving them gifts. We are even charitable to people we do not know at all, and give to those who are in more difficult circumstances than we are. In expressing love by giving, we behave just like our creator, reflecting that trait of our Father in heaven who "loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." 

Just as we give our children gifts in this period as an expression of love, whether or not they have been deserving of it throughout the year, so has God also shown us great love in that even when we did not acknowledge him, he allowed Jesus Christ to die for all on the cross. Christmas is a season for all - Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, free thinkers, atheists, straight people, gay people, climate change advocates, animal rights campaigners, environmentalists, pro-abortion campaigners, whatever your persuasion - all give gifts.

In the same vein, God's gift is for all mankind. God is all-inclusive on this gift and does not care if you are Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, free thinker, atheist, straight, gay, environmentalist... Whatever your persuasion, 'everyone' who accepts his gift (and believes in Jesus), will have a life with God forever. God does not care about religion. Rather he cares more about a relationship with you. If you believe Jesus and accept God's gift, you are declared to be right standing before God, not because you have lived perfectly but because God has declared it to be so. From that time onward, God sees you always through the prism of Christ. 

This Christmas, take time to consider God's gift to you. Park religion at the door, because God is not impressed. Rather, accept his gift and open a new life of personal relationship with him through Jesus Christ.

Good News in a fake news world

The Gospel is the good news that although we are sinners and deserving of God's wrath, God who is love, sent His Son, Jesus, to be our substitute and take the punishment for our sin, so that we could be made righteous in His sight, just as if we had never sinned. Salvation is based on our faith in this work, fully and completely done by Christ alone and not on any thing we do or can do or perform.

The news is so good that it sounds "too good to be true" to many. Non-Christians who have heard the news and prefer where they are, just do not accept it and continue to live on their own terms damning any consequence that may arise from not being reconciled with God through Christ. Even Christians struggle with the news, as they work hard trying to live holy lives instead of accepting by faith, the righteousness that Jesus has already conferred upon them. They also live on their own terms, righteous on their own terms not God's, bearing needless burdens and pain.

The bottom-line is that Jesus is the good news. "Your only claim to salvation is faith in Jesus as your Saviour" - Andrew Wommack. In the same vein, your only claim to righteousness is faith in Jesus as your righteousness. The bible puts it this way - "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 (NLT). The challenge is to be reconciled with God and Jesus is the way to make that happen.

So there you have it - Jesus is the good news in a fake news world. This is the truth that is always constant, no matter who you are or where you are in this world, whether you are Mongolian or Albanian, no matter what the economy says or does, whether Trump or Merkel endorse it or not, whether you accept it or not.

Respond to the Good News and be reconciled with God!

Don't leave it to chance - instruct your household

The bible tells us Abraham believed God and God counted him as righteous because of his faith (Romans 4:3). His relationship with God was at a level where God could share his plans with Abraham because He knew Abraham would command his children and his household and they would keep the way of the Lord, so that God could fulfil his promises. (Gen 18:19). That's a level of intimacy that one can aspire to. God was certain of one thing though - He knew Abraham would teach his household ...

Can God trust you to do the same?

Don't leave it to chance - command your children and households to keep God's  way by doing what is right and just.

Community: Building each other up

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT http://bible.com/116/1th.5.11.NLT

The Pilgrim's mindset

This post is essentially the message shared today at the Milton Keynes Christian Centre by Billy Ritchie.
Heb 11:39 -12:2

The author of Hebrews compares life to a race but sees this race more as a marathon than a sprint.
When following Jesus an 'endurance' mindset is greater than having an  'instant' mindset. There is room for the instant in God's kingdom as we are instantly transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light when we   give our lives to God. The key issue is not to focus on the instant but on the long term sustainability of our relationship with God. God's plan for this relationship is covered through discipleship. Following him and sharing with those around us of his goodness in our lives. "Let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Discipleship is about sharing experiences and about the process. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

When following Jesus, being a pilgrim is greater than being a tourist who visits a spiritual attraction once in a while and returns home till the next visit. We are on a spiritual journey and are pilgrims here because we are citizens of heaven which is our spiritual home. We are not seeking a temporary spiritual high but rather a spiritual home that is on high.

7 habits of a pilgrim
There are seven key habits of a pilgrim which have been identified by Jonathan Edwards
•Pilgrims are not diverted from their aim
•Pilgrims are to hold the things of this world loosely
• Pilgrims become like what they hope to attain. As we seek Jesus earnestly, we become more and more like him
• Pilgrims will not be satisfied with anything less than God
• Pilgrims are not grieved by their arrival at the journey's end
• Pilgrims ponder what they pursue
• Pilgrims travel together

God uses discipleship to shape us and guide us as we live between times and experiences (of good and not so good; of doubt and faith etc) that shape our lives.

The Jesus experiment

The Jesus experiment - What did Jesus do in his private life: Mark Sherratt