Mathew 9:10-12
'While Jesus was having dinner at Mathew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
'On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Does this mean Jesus did not want to save or help the 'righteous'?
No, just that unless the 'righteous' realise they are also 'sinners' they cannot be helped. Because the cross is God's sacrifice for our sin and it will mean nothing to us unless we acknowledge we are all sinners, but through faith in Jesus, our sin was transferred to Jesus who bore the penalty of all sin by dying on the cross. And because Jesus is the Son of God, and led a sinless life despite temptation, He is able to bear the sin of the world, take our punishment for us, forgive us, and allow us to share eternal life with Him in heaven and on earth. Because you enter the Kingdom of God once you believe, not once you physically die. God's Kingdom is of the spirit, and it is the spirit of love. (NB you cannot be tempted to do something if you are incapable of doing it, therefore Jesus had the freedom of choice and ability to sin but chose not to.)
So what will you do, now you know this? Will you invite Jesus into your life? Will you dare to go against the ways of living which are contrary to God? You know what they are, you don't need me to tell you. Will you dare to bear witness to your new faith despite persecution that may come? Despite ridicule? Despite condescension? Despite the lack of faith and understanding of those close to you?
The journey will not be easy. You will be tested in your faith time and time again. And sometimes you will want to give up. Know that the effort is worthwhile and no temptation has come to us other than what is common to us, to all mankind. Run your race is such a way as to win. Your race is your life on earth and the power to run it comes not through any physical or mental strength or will but through your faith in God.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
"What kind of body will we have in heaven (assuming we get there!)?"
1 Corinthians 15:35-44
'But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another and fish another. (ie they did not evolve from each other but were created by God according to their own kind. Refer Genesis 1:21) There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.
So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
'But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals another, birds another and fish another. (ie they did not evolve from each other but were created by God according to their own kind. Refer Genesis 1:21) There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is one kind and the splendour of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendour, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendour.
So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
"How do I find God?"
Mathew 7:7-8
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Mathew 8:21-27
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Mathew 8:21-27
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
"What is the job description of a Christian?"
Mark 1:16-18
'As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me,"Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.'
'As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me,"Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.'
"How do I get rid of bad habits?"
Galatians 5:16-17
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desures what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
v19"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatory and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Find the motivation to change....
Galations 6:7-8
"Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please the sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desures what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
v19"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatory and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Find the motivation to change....
Galations 6:7-8
"Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please the sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
"How can we know the thoughts of God?"
1 Corinthians 2: 10-12
'...The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
v16..."For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we (ie Christians) have the mind of Christ.
Galatians 5:22
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.'
'...The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
v16..."For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we (ie Christians) have the mind of Christ.
Galatians 5:22
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.'
"How does the wisdom of God compare to the wisdom of the world?"
1 Corinthians 1:20-25
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not knnow him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks (ie all non Jews) look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles (ie all non-Jews), but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not knnow him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks (ie all non Jews) look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles (ie all non-Jews), but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
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