The historical Christ. (1 Corinthians 15 v 3 - 8 ) 1

 It is important to know that Jesus is mentioned in secular history,by well known historians,and that He was executed by Pontius Pilate the Roman Govern ,I mention two historian's one Tacitus a Roman historian, and  Josephus a Jewish historian.Both these men wrote of a historical Christ,they were not Christians, a later historian Lucian  mentions  Jesus being crucified.  It should not surprise us that Christ was crucified  as the OT books foretold the one who would come  and die a violent death CP Psalm 22 ,Isaiah 52 v13-15, consider the whole of Isaiah 53. Jesus himself knew the reason why He had come, before He died he told His disciples,that He would be crucified and on the third day rise again. ( Luke 24 v 6 - 7, v26)Why I said that Islam was a religion built on lies was because they deny that Christ died on the cross,they refuse to accept the secular and biblical evidence,they believe it is fake news, but its not.Christianity is built on sound secular and Biblical evidence. Next time we  will consider why the cross was so necessary.

Propaganda ( Psalm 119 v130 )

Joseph Goebbels was the Minister of Propaganda this ministry sought to control what the German people would hear. One means of doing this was to issue each household with a radio,otherwise known as a,'People's Receiver'. Most of what was broadcast was in keeping with Nazi belief's,as regards the superiority of their race, and their hatred of the Jews, it was a means of brainwashing, a controlling of peoples minds.All totalitarian states do this,the cults do this Islam does also does this,people are not allowed to think for themselves, it is a religion based on lies.Christianity is not based on fake or false news, if we are Christian's, we follow one  who is way the truth and life, Jesus,the gospel is not false or fake news, we do not have a minister of propaganda.What we do have is the word of God, that word is the touchstone of our beliefs,we must not deviate from it,in any way.

                                           ''The Word of God comes first,and with that Word

                                             the Spirit breathes upon my heart so that I believe''

                                                                     Martin Luther.

Motives( 1 Corinthians 10 v 31 )

 It is all to possible  to do good things ,with bad motives,our Saviour speaks of those who  prayed in the synagogue, and some people who prayed out in the streets where everyone could see them.I remember years ago going to a large church gathering,in which they publicly called up people from missions to give them money,I felt the way they did it was wrong,I know a man who boasted how much he prayed and read his bible as compared to a man he was seeking to humiliate. The things these people  did were good in themselves,but done out of a bad motive. A  Donald Grey Barnhouse  told about little Willie, who had crawled out on the ice and rescued a playmate who had fallen through. Praise and admiration were heaped upon him. Then a lady asked,'Tell us my boy, how you were brave enough to risk your life to save your friend'. In between  breaths Willie shot back,' I had to - he had my skates on'. It is said God looks on the heart,looks beyond the deed and looks at our motives.

If it is. ( 1 John 5 v 14 )

I remember a friend of mine telling me of an experience he had,when on one occasion he had  no money,he was hungry,and he did something unusual ,he went into a cafe and ordered some food,trusting God.   .When the food arrived he bowed his head and give thanks ,unknown to him there was a person  in that cafe who decided if he saw someone giving thanks for his meal,he would pay the bill, which he did.Now that was a one off experience, I am not advocating that people do what my friend did.That was his experience in God providing ,and we do believe that God will provide for our needs (Phil 4 v19), how he will that do  this is in His hands. When I was younger I went to Bible college,for three years,my wife and I had no savings,we then had three children,and so it was very challenging.Where we foolish? ,some people may have thought so, all I can say it wasn't easy, It did not stop there when I had completed my three years,my then wife went to Bible college for one year.That was our experience,I am not encouraging anyone to do what we did, we must be careful not to put God to the test ( Deut. 6 v 16)But if it is His will to step out by faith I believe God will meet the needs,it may not be that God will provide in the way  he did for my friend or what He did for my wife and I,He may,he may not. There was a young couple at the the same Bible college that I attended,they had to leave because they did not have the funds to continue.God has his reasons,for saying yes and saying no, both can be God's will and it will work out for the best if it is His will (Romans 8 v28 )

Witnessing. ( Isaiah 55 v 11)

 No doubt about it some people are very gifted at witnessing, so maybe we should leave it to them,what do think?.I remember years a go a man who was a very simple soul,being told off by this Christian lady,because he wore a lot of badges with  Christian messages on them,shame on that lady. I am sure we have all  heard people witnessing and we have been critical the way they were doing it ,and you think that they are putting people off from being a Christian.W.P.Nicholson was a very effective  evangelist, but he used terms that would appear to most of  us as being inappropriate. I believe that there are people who are called to be evangelist, but that does not mean we should not witness for Jesus. when is the right time  to witness?, anytime,how does one go about it? ,prayerfully, humbly, then just do it. Then what about results?, leave that to God,it is He who gives the increase,the words of witness that you may give,may lie dormant in a persons mind for years,but then at a particular time it will bear fruit. Remember this ,there will be those who will take offence,that comes with the territory,as long as we are not offensive. Always remember you are not doing it on your own,God the Holy Spirit is with you, he will help you.

Can God? (Psalm 37 )

 A  little chorus goes, ' When your cup runneth over' with joy,is based on a quotation from the Hebrew Bible ,Psalm 23 v 5,means,'I have more than enough for my needs'. God loves to bless His children, most Fathers do, if they can,sometimes they just cant do it ,but our Father in heaven can,In unbelief  the children of Israel in the wilderness tested God,by declaring ,'Can God spread a table in the wilderness?'.  So often like them we limit God,but of course He can, CP Matthew 6 v 31 - 34. He is not only able, he will provide,the Psalmist in Psalm 37 v 3 exhorts us to'Trust in the Lord and do good;  so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed'  In v 25, he also declares out of his own experience,'I was young  and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread'.   Verse 3  tells us to do two things,'Trust in the Lord and do good',to trust God is essential, seems so simple it seems so simple,but many are not prepared to do that. Next he tells us to do good, no shady dealings,no thinking He will understand,no He won't,he expects us to act with integrity at all times.This Psalm was written by David,in all his troubles he had proved God to be faithful,it is now our turn to prove God's faithfulness.

One that day all be different. ( Philippians 2 v 5 - 7)

 I watched recently a movie by Robin Williams called, 'Patch Adams', it was about a man Patch Adams who wanted to help people,so he trained to be a doctor. But he wanted to bring a more human side to treating people,it was a nice movie,but for all its well intentions,it lacked something vital ,God never got a mention, That's nothing new of course, one is not condemning those are in the business of helping others,they are to be commended. The fact is ,that should not mean, God is to be ignored,which He is,the God who created us, is the God who sustains all of us,we are told that in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17 v28) .There is so much evil in this world,we read this in the newspapers ,on the TV, everyday  ,yet there is  so much more we do not see,we underestimate our sinful nature. The fact is God is not responsible for any of the evil in this world,we are.yet in spite of this God remains  a faithful creator,and blesses this world,more that we deserve.One day it may be sooner than we think,the day of Lord will come,and judgement will fall upon all those who have rejected His Son Jesus,and His wonderful love.He will no longer be ignored,and sinned against, on that great judgement day,every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord.