How to Persuade Unbelievers.

http://www.dsmedia.org/resources/illustrations/sweet-publishing

"But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
1 Corinthians 1:23-25

Charles Kingsley writes about this verse:

Know, that when all your arguments and philosophies have failed to teach men what they ought to do, one earnest penitent look at Christ upon his cross will teach them. That their hearts will leap up in answer, and cry, "If this be God, I can believe in him. If this be God, I can trust him. If this be God, I can obey him."

That one look at Christ upon his cross will make them  - what you could never make them - a new man, filled with a new thought; the thought that God is love, and that he who dwells in love, dwells in God and he in them.

Paul said, "And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."
1 Corinthians 2:1-2

After I had my first child, I began reading the Bible and praying. Later, I went to an evangelistic meeting with my mother and grandmother. I enjoyed all the sermons on prophecy and the Ten Commandments. But one night the preacher explained the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross. I felt amazed by the love of God for me and I felt love for Him; that was the night I walked down the aisle to give my life to God and was later baptized. The story of the cross is what saved me.

Three Things to be Thankful For in Suffering.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. My grandson was missed again this year, but we did have a Christmas full of love and joy. When someone you love so much is gone life is never the same; but you can rejoice in knowing you will see them again one day in heaven.

Hummingbird photo by: Mdf, Edited by Laitche  

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colibri-thalassinus-001-edit.jpg

Jeff Miller, preaching on Philippians 1:1-12 speaks of how there are three things to be grateful for when we are suffering.   https://bible.org/series/contradicting-hardship-philippians This got me to thinking how I feel about these three kinds of gratitude.

1. We can be grateful for God.

We have a God who is kind, loving, forgiving, strong, wise, just and creative. How blessed it is to have such a God. Imagine the gods of the pagans; gods who were cruel and had to be bribed with gifts and sometimes the death of children. I'm so grateful our God is the opposite of the pagan gods. He is the God who made the galaxies and also a hummingbird. An amazing God, and how fortunate we are to have him.

2. We can be grateful for others.

I'm so grateful for my family. We are not a perfect family. We have differing opinions and sometimes there is conflict, but we love each other and we are there for each other. If you have no family, you may have friends you can count on. Perhaps you have no family and maybe no friends. Ask God to send someone into your life and he will. Even if there is only one person we can talk with and be ourselves with, that is something to be grateful for.

3. We can be grateful for the gospel.

I take the word "gospel" as meaning the good news of salvation because of what Jesus has done for me in dying on the cross. The story of redemption actually started in the Garden of Eden and continues on for eternity. I'm so grateful for the gospel. I'm so grateful God loved us enough to suffer and die for us and give us all a chance to live with him forever.

   

October - December

Hello Everyone. These three months seem to be hard for me. In Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving in October; November 20 is my grandson Craig's birthday; December is Christmas.

My grandson died two years ago in August. I still find the holidays a difficult time. Without even knowing why, I start dragging myself around the house feeling sad, and then I remember what time of year it is. I would guess that is the reason I'm feeling pretty down.

Anyway, I guess I'll take a break until the new year. I write this blog in hopes I can help someone give God a chance in their lives. I can't imagine my life without Him and I can't imagine a future with no hope of eternal life. I hope everyone who visits has a beautiful Christmas. I have six other grandchildren and two daughters who will make my Christmas happy. God bless.

He is Greater.

If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 
John 3:20

I love this verse because I used to have a condemning heart. I felt guilt over every little thing I may have done wrong. Believe me, that is no way to live! God doesn't want us to go around feeling guilty and condemned. Now, I just say I'm sorry, know God forgives me and forget it.

God is greater than our hearts.

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Do you have bad thoughts? We all do. When I have negative thoughts I quote scripture out loud. God is greater than Satan, who is the author of evil thoughts. God's words drive Satan away.

God is greater than Satan.

But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. Matthew 12:6

Has church disappointed you?

 God is greater than any church.

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here. Matthew 12:41

God is greater than any prophet.

Matthew 12:42 The queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.

God is greater than the wisest man on earth.

For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  Psalm 95

God of Thunder.

John 12:20-33
 "Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship Jesus; these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

Philip is a Greek name and so naturally the Greeks would come to Philip to ask about Jesus. It is probable he spoke the Greek language.

Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

As the Greeks were coming to see Jesus, he spoke of how his death was like a seed which would produce many other seeds. These Greeks were evidence of people other than the Jews who would come to him for salvation. 

Then he said,
"Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came! Father, glorify your name!' Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."

The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."  He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

I believe that the voice of God thundered while the Greeks were standing by because this would be sure evidence to them that Jesus was God, for their chief God was a God of thunder. 

Zeus is the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeus 

I read once of a tribe in Africa who heard the gospel but didn't really believe until they heard the story of Jesus spitting on the dirt and healing a man's eyes. In their culture, spittle was considered a healing medicine. When they heard Jesus also used spitting, they believed.

What also moves me in this Bible passage are the words, "Now is my soul deeply troubled." I feel so sorry for Jesus, having to go through what he went through for us. He knew he would soon be arrested, tortured and nailed to a cross. Perhaps these Greeks saw him on the cross as the day turned dark with clouds.

What is Repentance?

What is repentance? 

The term shubh, is most generally employed to express the Scriptural idea of genuine repentance. It is used extensively by the prophets, and makes prominent the idea of a radical change in one's attitude toward sin and God. It implies a conscious, moral separation, and a personal decision to forsake sin and to enter into fellowship with God. It is employed extensively with reference to man's turning away from sin to righteousness.
http://biblehub.com/topical/r/repentance.htm

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:1,2

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:5,6

"So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God." mark 6:12

As these verses show, repentance was the theme of John, Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus also said, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32
He didn't come to call those who thought they were good and doing alright. These people don't think they need to repent so how could they answer the call?  

"Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? "I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:5

If we never repent of our sins - we will not be saved. We will perish, Jesus says. Not that he wants us to, but we will not be safe to take to heaven for we will not be one with God and we will bring a love of sin to heaven with us.

"Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.”Ezekiel 18:32

True & Better.

I first saw a link to this video on a blog called: Been Thinking, by Mart De Haan. I thought it was so wonderful I wanted to share it here.