Christian Charity - Selfless Giving And Love In The Bible

The word "charity" has taken on a different meaning. Today "charity" pretty much means giving something to someone desperately in need. When you think of the word "charity", you imagine lines of poor people on the street, or folks whose homes were destroyed by a fire or hurricane, begging for food and clothing and anything you could give. That's what people think about when the think about being charitable these days.
But the Bible, the word "charity" has a completely different meaning. In the Bible, charity means simply loving others in the name of Jesus Christ, extending out a helping hand to those who can't help themselves in their situations.
But some people tend to take things differently. Others like to think being charitable is not being Christian, because spoon feeding was never God's way of teaching Man to learn to survive for himself. Some people, those on the receiving end, tend to feel low and inferior when receiving charity. There's never a lack of opinions or sides to hear on the topic of Christian charity.
But think about it. Don't you think it's simply your pride talking? It is a Christian trait to give without expecting to receive, and when you're being given help in order to be able to stand up from a desperate situation, why would you choose to see the act as un-Christian-like?
You have a choice to see charity as something positive or negative. Why go with the latter when you could easily believe in the former?
Some examples of charitable acts in the Bible:
1. Manna rained from the sky - Manna raining from the sky is an act of charity by God Himself. While His people were hungry in the desert, God made the sky rain manna, or bread, in order to feed His people.
2. The crucifixion of Christ - The greatest act of charity is to give one's life in order to save another, and that is exactly what Jesus showed Man when he gave his own life in order to save us from our sins.
Simply put, charity is a Christian virtue. Charity is giving in times of need without expecting anything in return, and that trait is something that ought to be found in all Christians around the world regardless of denomination. If you can give, give. If you are in the position to receive, receive in good faith and don't feel inferior about yourself. We all need a little help sometimes. That's what makes us human beings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6189543

Paul's Prescription for Christian Love and Unity

Have you ever faced opposition while on your Christian walk of faith? If so, you're not alone. Opposition to the Christian way of doing things has existed since Christianity began. In the passage from Philippians 2:1-13, Paul is trying to deal with a rift that has occurred within the church at Philippi. He argues that the people of God have an incentive to come together for hope and comfort.

Paul emphasizes three characteristics of love: Harmony, humility and helpfulness. The church at Philippi needed to submit to Christ's will and serve others. They, like all believers, needed to come together and agree in doctrine and creed, but not at the cost of the truth. Each believer has a responsibility for unity. Each believer has to take ownership of his or her own spirit and disposition. Ambition and conflict are empty works of the flesh. Christ has taught us how to submit to one another out of love instead of fear. We are to care for the interests of others more than we care about our own interests. There is a hurting world dull of hurting people. They need our help, even if it is only a hug or a sympathetic ear. We are to do so with humility. When we serve Jesus with humility, he will lift us up and exalt us just like he was exalted and lifted up. When we care for others as much as we care about ourselves, mutual service causes disunity to vanish.

Jesus is the perfect example of Christian unity. Paul tells the story of the crucifixion from Jesus' viewpoint so that his followers can see that the price of unity was Jesus' death on the cross. Jesus gave up his deity and heavenly position to become a servant. If he could waive his rights, so can we as Christians. He did this because he cared more about the human condition than he cared about his own benefit. Christ showed his humility by pouring out his life both literally and figuratively for us. He submitted himself to God's authority, especially during his anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died. When he returns, everyone will submit humbly to his authority-believers in joy, unbelievers in sorrow and remorse.

Not everyone has heard of Jesus, and that's sad. Today, knowledge of the Bible has been steadily declining. Some people think that Jesus was just a religious leader. Some people think that he was a prophet, and others think that he was a good person, but as believers we know the truth. Jesus was God in the flesh. He gave up his position in heaven to take the form of a humble human in order to save us. Paul invites us to turn away from worldly influences and focus on Jesus' example of humility. We are to persevere in faith in the face of opposition.

Why would he become a human and give up his life for us? The answer is simple. He did that because he loved us and wanted to give us our lives back. God puts Jesus in our lives through his living word-the Bible. He calls us his own through baptism. He forgives us and lives in us through the Eucharist. He is with us always. Jesus still reaches out to us today. He calls on us to trust him He tells us that we are still precious to him. He's more than a hero-he's our Lord and Saviour.
Christ didn't see his godly position and authority as something to be kept for his own benefit. He was willing to sacrifice them so that he could be the sacrifice that was needed to save humankind. That was hard for the people to accept in Old Testament times, and it's still hard for us to accept today. Christ left his heavenly position, but he was exalted by his resurrection and ascension. His exaltation will culminate with his Second Coming, when he will judge all the people and separate the saved from the unsaved. Jesus' name and reputation create his power. That power will cause everyone to pay homage to him when he returns. The people will submit to his power and honour him. When they honour Jesus, they will honour God the Father. Jesus' power exceeds earthly powers. Nothing is too difficult for him. No prayer is too hard for him to answer. His humble powers restored our broken relationship with God. There was a cost-his life-but to Jesus the cost was worth it.

Jesus is unique. He can't be imitated. Instead, we must recognize the gifts God has given us, and we must think about each other in the same way that we think about Jesus. We have to look at situations with a mind that is informed by Christ and filled with his Spirit. We can do this because Jesus stirs our hearts, minds, emotions and wills. His name has spiritual power and can't be mentioned in a neutral way. People either accept him or reject him.

There are some denominations, usually ones that are more fundamental or strict in nature, that claim that the only way we can be lifted up by Jesus is if we follow the denomination's rules and traditions. This leads to prejudice. When people of different denominations fail to love and understand each other, they fail to show Christian love, and our Christian witness is marred. Instead of focusing on theological differences, Christian denominations need to focus on the basics of the Gospel. The way we treat others affects everyone. If they see us being mean, they will likely copy our behaviour. If they see us loving others, they will hopefully copy the same behaviour.

Our one motive must be to follow him. God wants to walk with us during our journey through life. He will strengthen us during that journey. He will strengthen us when we face hard times and bring us joy through the blessings he will give us. He pays attention to us even if we ignore him, and even when we pray to him. God is at work in the ordinary, mundane things. God is working in our lives right now just like he worked in the lives of the first disciples and his first followers.
Being Christ-like is caused not by imitation but by inhabitation. We allow Christ to live through us through the choices we make. We choose to follow Jesus in all situations and trust God's Holy Spirit to give us the power, strength, love, faith and wisdom to do it. These gifts are always available for the asking because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

Jesus put our needs before his own, and he calls on us to do the same. Jesus calls on us to be servants, which means that we have to give up our right to be in charge. When we give up that right, we experience great freedom. We become available and vulnerable. We lose our fear of being taken advantage of. True humility is one of the most costly and life-enhancing of all Christian virtues and a powerful part of a spiritually solid believer. That's why Paul encourages us to imitate Christ and the humility that characterized his life of service. We are to engage the world with three expectations in mind:

1. Unity. We are to engage the world together as Christians.
2. Respect. We are to respect other people even if we can't stand them.
3. Regard. We must strive to understand and respond to the needs of other people.

A minister was sitting on an airplane when a family of three came aboard. They had purchased their tickets late and could not get seats in the same row. The flight attendant assured them that there were several empty seats, so surely someone would be willing to change seats with them.

In front of the minister were two empty seats, middle and window, and on the other side in the same row the middle and aisle seats were open. The family asked the gentleman sitting in the aisle seat in a courteous manner if he would be willing to move from the right side aisle seat to the left side aisle seat. He refused. He wasn't even courteous enough to answer verbally. He just stared straight ahead as he shook his head firmly.

There are three stages to the service path for Christians. The first stage is charity. Charity is our emotional response to human need. We want to give something to alleviate the immediate problem Charity can literally mean the difference between life and death. It is not insignificant. All of us can participate in this work of charity through our willingness to give.

The second stage is advocacy. Advocacy emerges from charity. In this stage of service we work and speak on behalf of others with the goal of changing social and political conditions so that the long term needs of the people can better be met. Advocacy is, by definition, a more controversial stage along the service path. Mother Teresa couldn't help but move from the work of charity to the poorest of the poor to becoming an international advocate for children-the born and unborn-and women. If God is calling you to participate in the work of advocacy, you'll not believe the impact it will have for those in need.

And the third stage is justice. We work for justice when we strive to change systems and processes that create the conditions for poverty or limit self-determination. Justice work naturally progresses from charity and advocacy. Justice means standing with the poor, with those in need.

When we focus our attention on Jesus' humble sacrifice, we see human pride and sin. It's only when we depend on God that we receive salvation. God calls us to humility each and every day. He calls on us to live out the love and life of Christ to a watching, hurting world around us.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8743058

The Hope of Salvation

If a Christian, you may have been asked, when were you saved? I think this is a valid question, because I believe there is an initial point that we accept Jesus into our lives and we live having a relationship with Him. However, this should just be the beginning.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9, Paul says "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." Therefore, becoming a Christian means we accept Christ and become a part of a process where we are more and more changed.
I believe this is important because people sometimes have unrealistic expectations for themselves as Christians or for others calling themselves Christians. For those calling themselves Christians, they may get discouraged when they at times fall to temptation or see non-Christians that appear better than they are. Also, non Christians can use mistakes by Christians as reasons for rejecting this faith. However, a better viewpoint is to see mature Christians as having a hope for salvation. They are looking for becoming better and better and can rejoice at their improvement from where they were before.
Rather than just a single event, salvation can be seen as a long- term process. For me personally, I see myself going through stages, each one moving me up some in maturity. I first asked Christ to come into my life as a teenager at a Billy Graham Crusade. However, my faith was not strong. It improved after getting to know men Christians while attending army reserves training camps. They answered many of my questions. I then had another boost when I found a church that was a good fit for me. Finally, as I got more involved with this church through service such as in the Men's Ministry and Children's Ministry, my faith became even stronger.
Therefore, I would encourage those in considering the Christian faith in themselves and others to ask the following questions:
* Where was the person before launching out as a Christian?
* What has the person done to nourish his or her faith and put it into action?
A person calling himself/herself a Christian has a hope of salvation which he should attempt to fulfill on a daily basis.

Why Do We Keep Believing in Christianity?

I have one word for you, I know why most of us keep believing in Christianity, hope. We're hoping for a better life, whether it's in heaven or here on earth, but we're hoping and praying that life will become better, as we remain faithful and believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
If your life is miserable on earth, you're probably hoping to go to heaven and bask in the eternal presence of the Creator. If you have everything that you need and have ever wanted on earth, you're probably hoping that heaven will be even better than Earth.
Either way we're spending our time hoping that life will be better as long as we believe in Christianity. There could be other reasons why you keep believing in Christianity, but heaven and a better life are probably the biggest draws to this religion.
There are plenty of people out there, who desperately want to go to a better place. Think about those who are starving, don't have a home, are in an abusive relationship, are dependent upon another person that they don't get along with, are suffering from mental anxieties, in the process of going to prison or are in prison and the list goes on and on.
If these people didn't have hope and believe that God was going to take care of them, what would be the point of carrying on. You will keep believing in Christianity and the ultimate father in heaven, as long as you choose to.
What if I could offer you some hope, or even a chance at a better life? Would you be interested? Of course you would, if you're one of those who are waiting for God to take care of you or solve your problems, I've got the solution and you're going to love it.
Whatever the problem is that you're having, find someone who can help you or visit your local library to get some more information. There is no need to wait for God, when you can do some of this stuff by yourself or with the help of others.
Those who help themselves, are often helping God. Don't wait for God to help you, start looking for the answers today.

You're not going to believe what you see, click here now - Manipulating Bible Verses [http://didgodactuallysaythat.spiritualbooks4u.com/Christian%20articles/manipulating_bible_verses.htm]

God's Word Will Never Fail If You Believe

Have you received any promise from God or His word and you are yet to see the fulfillment of it? Don't be discouraged for it shall surely come to pass, though it tarries be rest assured that it will be fulfilled in your life. However, you need to believe till you receive it. This post emphasizes the truth that God's word will never fail if you will choose to believe Him.
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it - Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV).
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? - Numbers 23:19 (NKJV).
"Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word." - Jeremiah 1:12 (NKJV).
God has no problem fulfilling His word in your life. He who created the whole universe and everything within will not have challenge doing what He said He will do. The question is, "will your faith be able to hold on till it receives the promise?".
There are many instances in scriptures where God had done as He had said. There is need for you to meditate on them in order to build up your faith. For example, Abraham had the word concerning fruitfulness of the body and his faith delivered Isaac to him (Genesis 21:1-2). Noah received the word of the Lord concerning deliverance and he and his entire family were delivered from the flood that destroyed the whole world (Genesis 7:7). Abraham received His word on blessings and so rejected King of Sodom's offer of the loot so that the source of his wealth won't be attributed to the king (Genesis 14:23).
The three Hebrew boys received the word of God as stated in Isaiah 43:2 that when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flame scorch you and it was so. The fire they landed into killed the men that threw them in but didn't burn them, even when they came out the smell of fire was not on them. They counted God faithful, who had promised, to do as He had spoken and He didn't fail them. God will never fail you if you will believe.
Every word of the Lord received by you will be fulfilled in your life. God says what He is capable of doing. Choose to focus on God's word and not the people or happenings around you and you will soon testify.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10051739

How Can You Know If You Are Pleasing God (John 8:21-30)?

"I'm cleaning up my room," says Joseph, 5. "People need room to walk so they don't trip. I'm not hurting anyone and that makes God happy!"
Whether you're 5 years old or 50, cleaning your room is always a challenge. It reminds me of what Phyllis Diller said, "Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance?"
"You need to be kind to your neighbors who are anyone you see, or also your enemies," says Sammy, 8.
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God, but the second greatest (love your neighbor as yourself) is like the first (Mark 12:29-31). Did you ever wonder how loving your neighbor is like loving God? Also, does this include the neighbor who plays his stereo too loud or revs his motorcycle at 1:00 a.m?
Loving your neighbor and liking your neighbor are two different things. God never commands us to like our neighbor. I don't have to like my neighbor, his loud music or inconsiderate behavior to love him. All I have to know is that God loves my neighbor.
I know from the Bible that my neighbors are created in God's image even though that image is tarnished because of sin. Nevertheless, Christ suffered and died for all my neighbors, even the ones who openly rebel and shake their fists in his face.
Do I in myself have the capacity to love my neighbor as myself? I do not.
As a Christian, there is someone living in me who knows exactly how to love my neighbors. The Apostle Paul referred to this heavenly inhabitant as "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Not only is the indwelling Christ the hope of future glory for every Christian, he's also that hope of sanity in this present life.
Let's face it. There are some people who don't like you, and there's not a lot you can do to change their opinion. In some situations, loving your neighbor might mean you refrain from retaliating against a neighbor's intentional behavior to get under your skin.
It pleases God when you allow him to love people through you that you don't even like. It's easy to love people you like. It's the stinkers that will push you to rely on God's power and resources.
Only God can love stinkers. After all, he loves you and me. Before God, we're all stinkers. Our area of stink may differ, but that doesn't make the stink any less offensive to a holy God.
"I know I am pleasing God when I set the table for dinner, when I help my mom with her shopping and when I do my chores," says Avery, 7.
Yes, even the mundane become opportunities to please God when you're living life empowered by the Lord. Here's how the Apostle Paul described living under an open heaven: "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men," (Colossians 3:23).
Think about this: Sometimes people think of pleasing God only as something huge like hearing God's call to serve him on a distant mission field. Most of the time, pleasing God comes in the form of the ordinary. If you live life before an open heaven, the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary. You're living to please God, not trying to just get through the day.
Memorize this truth: Colossians 3:23 previously quoted.
Ask this question: As a Christian, have you allowed Christ's indwelling presence to transform your ordinary world into a wonderland full of opportunities to please God?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9671052

Bible Study Lesson on Signs of the Times

Daniel 12:4 - '...to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.'
Revelation 13:16-17 describes the control of the world by the Anti-Christ. Surveillance technology: satellites, GPS systems, cameras on street corners, in public buildings, and ATMs, etc., even surveillance via computers. Also, biometric identification systems, such as fingerprint, eye and facial recognition systems. All pushing forward in the name of security and protecting against the threat of terror.

In the works are sensors to discern suspicious thought patterns: automatic measuring of blood pressure, pulse, perspiration, nervous movements or facial expressions. This will be done by machines to be used at border crossings, etc. Anything suspicious will be recorded and reported.

Lasers and microwaves will be able to detect concealed objects at longer distances. Remote controlled sensors will be able record pulse, temperature, blood pressure, etc. Intelligent software will separate tourists from potential criminals.

All these lead to more power to exercise control - leading to a total control under one dictator in a totalitarian regime. This has been attempted many times before, such as Babylon, Assyria, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, and finally the Anti-Christ with the greatest tools at his disposal. Daniel describes this as the last attempt of man to achieve a peaceful global empire without God. This kingdom will be different from all previous ones. It will take over the entire world, treading it down and breaking it in pieces (Daniel 7:23).

The recent rise to prominence of the European Union has started all nations on the path to globalization. It is seen as the logical and inevitable way to prosperity which will bring happiness, contentment, and world peace. The whole 'global warming' movement adds an emotional and universal impetus in this direction. The claim is that without all people cooperating in the struggle for a solution, the Earth will not survive. The claim is that man caused it, so man is responsible to band together to solve it, or else.

It is saddening that a great many Christians are still anti-Semitic. Some Muslims have vowed to eradicate Israel. They also condemned and berated any ability of the Jews to successfully settle in Israel. It was also widely maintained that the returning Jews could not have their own language (Hebrew) revived and commonly spoken. Any and all such rejection and derision are additional strong signs of the end times. The close of the Church Age brings in the spiritual restoration of Israel (Daniel 12:1).

Matthew 24:2 - 'And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved...' Only in our time could it be said that man had produced the means to totally destroy life on earth. God must intervene to prevent it. God's judgment against the hostile powers who will gather against Israel will be to cause them to fight one another (Zechariah 14:13). It appears that all electronic communications systems will fail (crash), leading to utter chaos.

The kings of the east will put together an army of 200 million soldiers (Revelation 9:16; 16:12). China claims to have this ability, having over 1 billion people.

The sign of Sodom was predicted by Jesus as another sign (Luke 17:18,30). Isaiah 3:9 - 'They declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not...' II Timothy 4:4: 'Andy they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.' Something false or invented like the curious theory of evolution, which is spoken of by its adherents as established 'truth' or fact. The claim is logic, and science, in spite of all scientific, observable laws such as the 2nd law of thermodynamics and of irreducible complexity etc. This theory actually requires a great amount of faith based on conjecture that has continually changed from its beginnings from Darwin, Big Bang, etc., ad nauseum. In contrast to all this is the remarkable and unique amount of recorded fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.

All nations were formed by God. They are evaluated by God. They are judged by God.

Acts 17:26: 'God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.'

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6866732

Bible Study Lesson on God and the Nations

All nations were formed by God. They are evaluated by God. They are judged by God.
Acts 17:26: 'God hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.'
The evaluation:

1. Righteousness. The land of the Canaanites was not to be occupied until the cup of the iniquity of the Amorites was full (Genesis 15:16). The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached its fullness, yet God agreed to spare them if even 10 righteous people could be found there (Genesis 18:20,32).

Romans 2:14-15 indicates that God wrote the law of righteousness in each person's heart. We call it a conscience.

2. The second item was their seeking the Lord (Acts 17:27). The abundance of evidence in the creation of God's handiwork leave men without excuse (Romans 1:20). This is His continual witness (Acts 14:17).

The choice of the ancient nations was that of not liking to retain God in their knowledge (Romans 1:21-28). Paul remarked that by his time, 'there is none that seeketh after God' (Romans 3:11). They had chosen to worship idols (Psalms 96:5).

3. The third is their treatment of His chosen nation of Israel. This was His promise to Abraham - 'I will make a great nation of thee...and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee.' (Genesis 12:2,3.) This was the nation prepared to receive the Christ child. This in spite of its recurring failures. There has always been a remnant true to God and His Word. Israel will survive forever.
God has allowed wicked nations (such as Babylon and Assyria) to chastise Israel. They were in turn destroyed for their wicked treatment of Israel.

4. The new nation - 'God has raised up a holy nation, a peculiar people...now the people of God' (I Peter 2:9,10). They are citizens of heaven, Christ their king, now serving as Christ's ambassadors, trying to convince others to be reconciled to God (II Corinthians 5:20). This is a message of eternal salvation (Matthew 28:19). God is evaluating the nations according to their response to this Gospel. On the disciples' first missionary journey, Jesus described the fate of the cities that did not welcome them as 'It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city' (Matthew 10:14-15). Any nations that persecute Christians will be judged severely (see Acts 13:51).

5. This criteria is historically the oldest: given to Adam and Eve, to subdue, have dominion over. Man has stewardship over God's creation, to understand its elements and processes, use and conserve its resources for the good of man and within the will of the Creator.

This mandate was renewed and expanded after the judgment of the great flood. Not until after the dispersion at Babel with the imposition of different languages were no nations. Apparently there were 70 original nations. Thereafter, this developed into about 200 organized nations with as many as 7,000 nations and ethnic groups. History records the rise and fall of many nations through the ages. We assume that this has taken place according to the appointed times and boundaries ordained by God's providence.

Whatever nations that exist when Christ returns will be gathered - 'Before Him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another' (Matthew 25:32). One group 'shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life' (Matthew 25:46).
Traditionally the United States has been largely supportive of Israel and Christianity. It has also sent out the largest number of missionaries in modern times. Our moral standards were relatively high, although this is now in decline.

The Ongoing Dominion Mandate, confirmed and expanded to Noah (Genesis 9:6-7). Part of this is the continuation of the monogamous marriage institution as the necessary basis of continuing the human population. People are essential to carry on the stewardship of the earth's resources. The factor of divorce, abortion, and the many forces that destroy families, polygamy, etc. show man's continual failure. Subduing the earth to be more fertile and fruitful has only limited success. Also, diseases have only partly been subdued or cured.

Economics and business have historically mingled with and been motivated by greed. Education has been subverted to the idols of evolution and humanism. Man is the only answer to his problems and the only solution available. What nation today would or could be described as seeking God and His will? What nation seeks guidance in our Savior Jesus Christ?

Human governments following the Great Flood. Genesis 9:6 - 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.' No longer a series of family revenge killings which continued the violence. This would lead to rules to control human activities that could lead to murder such as robbery, assault, slander, rape, etc. Law and punishment. Capital punishment was and is the ultimate form of enforcement and punishment. One of the great failings of modern governments has been the rejection of capital punishment, no matter how heinous the crimes committed and proven.
Over the centuries, history has recorded every type of human government, whether kind or cruel, fair or unjust, honoring God or not.

Christians are called upon to be good citizens of the nations we dwell in. Titus 3:11 - 'to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.' Peter said in I Peter 2:13-14, 'Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and the praise of them that do well.' In Matthew 22:21, Jesus said 'Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Ceasar's, and unto God the things that are God's.' There is a point where God's service demands precedence - especially if man's law forbids God's commandment to preach the Gospel of Christ (Acts 5:29).
Acts 17:24-28.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27 that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said,
For we are also his offspring.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6866747

Christian Morals

If our lives ended today, how would those around us assess our contribution to our fellow man? Our example leaves an impression on others. With God's help, it will be one of love, faith and purity of life. The book of Titus captures the pattern God gave for every believer and the direction for their life. Being a Titus chapter 2 person of godliness should be the desire of every parent for their child, every partner for their mate, and every believer for their own life.

Paul urges us to let our lives be a model, template or pattern for others to follow. We are to warn the unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak and be patient with all. In other words, we are to be Christ-like in everything we do, say or think. The more we ignore or neglect God's truth, the further away from him we slide, and the more eroded our society becomes. We are to be morally pure.
God has built into each of us an alarm system to warn us of the unwanted entry of sin into our lives. It's called guilt. Without guilt, we would continue to live in sin until it dominates and defeats us. Whenever the alarm goes off, we are to heed it and repent. Doing what is right is more important than winning.

To put it bluntly, people in our society are rusting from the inside out. Their souls are corroded, and slowly wasting away from the corrosive power of the sea of moral pollution they navigate each day. Each day we walk through life we are sprayed with the salt-like corrosive fog of the world that seeks to eat up the strength of our souls, corrode the framework of our spiritual lives, and decay us secretly on the inside. This is unseen by everyone except God.

We are not left alone on earth merely to know for ourselves what God has said, but rather to share his good news with others. When we share the good news, we must do so with a gentle, respectful delivery, but with the same zeal shown by Peter. Paul told Titus that he should come alongside every young man by sending older men in the faith to lovingly and gently nurture the young men in the faith to avoid the corrosive influences that would affect them. In modern times, that would mean guarding against the corruption of things such as greed, envy and pornography.

Purity is an un-corroded choice we can make by God's grace and through the power of his spirit. Believers who are prompted by grace must never allow themselves to succumb to the ways of the world. To be un-corroded believers, we must saturate ourselves with God's Word and invite him into our daily life.

We must not be afraid, for God will give us the strength we need. By doing so, we will easily disarm our opponents. We need to be trained in evangelism so we can be prepared for and handle all kinds of situations in a biblical manner. We must be wise in how we do this. We have the privilege of shining God's light on a hurting world. We have the hope of eternal life in heaven as well as God's comforting presence on earth. When we let that hope transform us, everyone we touch wants some of it.

We need to mention the faith we do understand, and trust the Holy Spirit to help us speak. It can make the difference between life and death for others. We must use words that people understand. We must be prepared to share our personal testimony, including the three basic points:
1. What our life was like before we received Christ.
2. How we received Christ
3. What difference Christ has made in our life.

We prepare ourselves to hear the word of God for our own lives. We prepare ourselves to listen for the voice of God in our own affairs. Doing so gives us hope. Hope is how we view tomorrow. Hope is how we are defined as a Christian.

Each Christian has gifts that are important to the church. Paul tells Titus that the young men who want to grow up to be the godly and mature servants of God must begin to cultivate six qualities while they are young-qualities that all Christians must cultivate. They are:
1. Live a restrained life in an unrestrained world.
2. Follow Christ in an Christ-less world
3. Believe right so we behave right
4. Stay focused on God in a world of distractions

We are to treasure each other's gifts, share each others' sorrows and rejoice in each other's joys. We are all part of one another.

To be sure, Christ calls us as individuals but we are part of the whole and not the whole! Creativity and innovations can be wonderfully valuable gifts for Christ's holy church. They can also be ways for precious human beings to be misled in directions that produce questionable fruit. Christ was born into this world so that others who follow him will look after their fellow men and women. To accept life and live it in that fashion means that Christ is always with us, because the gifts of serving others are continually being bestowed upon humankind. We must be alert, because there are a lot of really good deeds all about us.
When we gather as a church and hear God's Word, we have come to a point of decision. We have to decide if we are going to be just hearers of the Word or doers. We must do whatever it takes to starve the evil desires of our flesh and those of our families. We are to put on Christ by starving our flesh. We are to give Christ our unblurred, focused life, service and gifts. We can keep from wasting the most precious years of our lives by grabbing onto the grace-energized changes God wants to make inside of us, so that we will be the people he can use to maximize his Kingdom, purposes and plan for this world!

We are encouraged to be patient when persecuted for righteousness sake, just like Christ suffered patiently. We are to give ourselves wholly to God and be willing to suffer and do what is right, especially if it is God's will that we as Christians suffer for doing good. We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. We should be able to defend our faith with meekness in the fear of God.

We owe it to our fellow Christians to stand up in the defence of their reputation, and we are under special obligations to those from who we have received benefit, especially spiritual benefit, to own them as instruments in God's hand of good to us.

There are certain traits that should characterize a believer who serves the Lord. We are to obey him in doing good works, so others can see God's love and kindness through us. We are to teach God's word with passion and conviction so that others will learn to follow Christ in obedience. And we are to live with dignity-fleeing from sin and living in submission to His will-because we realize that we represent him in the world, and the rewards Christ has reserved or us are awesome.

One day we will stand in front of Jesus and give an account of our lives. He has already told us what he wants to say to each and every one of us: "Well done, good and faithful servants". He has already told us that everything we do, say or think is either good or worthless, and that the good he rewards and the worthless he burns.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6162672

Christianity And Free-Will

Is your will free - whatever we mean by that - or is "freedom" an illusion caused either by the complex chemistry of our genetics or our early upbringing, over which we had very little, if no control? A lot of sparks have flown in the debate over "free will" and its role in evangelism and conversion. Now, perhaps it's time to offer an overview of the main issue.

• A free agent

While the term "free agency" is only terminology, it helps to make a distinction here. The Bible is very clear that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). All have missed the mark or standard of obedience to God set by him. Alas, the glorious goal of an intimate love relationship with God in joyful obedience to him has been smashed and lost in ugly failure.

Jesus himself taught that "everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34). This evil rebel power has invaded our humanity, ruined it and brought us under its dictatorship. Yes, I am a free moral agent in the sense that I make moral choices and am personally responsible to God for all of my thinking and actions. I am not an automaton! But is slavery to the dictates of sin combined with an inability to break free from it, really freedom? No - not at all!

Also, it may be helpful to consider that our "will" is never an abstract entity but central to our person and that through the indwelling power of sin, I am in bondage to it and its dictates and possess no natural powers of self recovery from its tyranny.

• Responsible

One of the things I have often noticed is that people believe "free will" to be a vital part of the gospel message. So that when Christians share the gospel and ask someone to trust in the Lord Jesus as their own Saviour, they are inviting them to make a "free will" decision to trust in Christ. And then if "free will" is somehow challenged, they feel the gospel itself is being undermined, or that you are not going to share with people how they need to trust personally in the Saviour.
Part of the difficulty with this understanding is that it appears to give to everyone a general sort of freedom to make up their mind as if they already possessed this and merely had to decide to use it to put their trust in Christ for salvation.

• Responsibility not equal to ability!

The big difficulty with this common sort of "free will" idea is that it makes a universal responsibility equal to a universal ability. It seems to have the idea that because God is just (which he most certainly is) he wouldn't ask people to do something they cannot do; that is, because all people are responsible before God to repent and turn to Christ in faith, to be fair, they must all equally possess that ability and simply need to use it! And, so the thinking goes, God doesn't ask people to do what they are unable to do.

But he does! We are all obligated to be perfect and offer God absolute obedience. Heaven is perfect, and one sin is enough to be banished from it forever. Now, nothing less than a free acquittal and the perfect righteousness of Christ put to our account, received by faith, is on offer in the gospel of Christ - God's perfect solution to the worst of problems!

• Responsible but not able

One of the biggest problems with "free will" thinking in relation to evangelism is that it tends to inject a type of humanism into an understanding of fallen human nature, where people are encouraged willy-nilly to decide for Jesus and told "Go on, you can do it!" No, they cannot. This is where decisionism has ruined so many people, making them think they are truly converted. Instead, this is where the tension between God's command to repent and the sinner's natural inability ought to be made most clear, where they need to realise, by nature, they are spiritually dead - lifeless (see Ephesians 2:1) and in urgent need to be born of God, to receive life from him.

This is where the sinner ought to feel the crushing vice-grip of God's compelling command and, at the same time, his total inability to heed that command! This is where people begin to feel trapped, and rightly so and begin to call on God out of a sense of terrible lostness and inability to free themselves from the bondage of their own sinful nature, and to call with urgency, as they have never called before!

• If the Son sets you free...

What sweet good news! "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). The one Liberator of the bondage of the will is the gracious Saviour of sinners. His means? Both direct and indirect - the gospel witness of individual Christians, their prayers, the word of the cross, and the direct enlightening, convicting and regenerating work of God the Holy Spirit.

Has the Lord Jesus set you free? If he has, you will have soon found out that to love him and to serve him freely in the strength that he supplies is true freedom, with which the old notion of "free will" is unworthy of the rather exalted powers attributed to it.

Turn to him today, as naturally unable as you are, you must still turn and come to him, and when you do, you will be able to say that the Son has also set you free!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7155583