Weekend Sermon--Spiritual Inventory

II Peter 1:3-11

     Christmas has come and gone for another year, and a new year is about to dawn.  I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and that good things await you in the year to come. 
     From a secular perspective, many will make New Year's resolutions about various things.  I think the most popular New Year's resolution has to be to get in shape or to lose wight.  I've made these resolutions myself.  Unfortunately, they haven't gone too well in recent years. 
     From a spiritual perspective, I think that as we leave behind the old year, it is important to look at what we have done spiritually in the past year.  We can look back on 2011 and ask the question-What have we done for the Lord?
     One of the exercises that I have found beneficial is what I call a year end spiritual inventory.  Just as many merchants end the year by assessing their inventory of merchandise, the follower of Christ can take a spiritual inventory of their life to see in what areas they are progressing and in what areas they are lacking.
     The first area of spiritual progress I always look at is Bible study.  I've stressed this before, but the point is so important.  The believer needs to be a student of the Word.  What a resource for life God has given us.  Unfortunately, the study of God's Word often goes neglected.
     I try to read in the Old Testament, New Testament, and the words of Jesus daily.  As I look back on 2011, I have kept up on my reading regularly.
     However, reading the Bible is not all we need to be about.  We need to study the Word.  How has your study of God's Word measured up in 2011?  During the past year, I studied and shared on the blog the little books of the Bible:  Obadiah, Haggai, II John, III John, Philemon, and Jude.  Together, we also examined the minor prophets like Habakkuk and Malachi.  I know that in my Bible study I'd like to do more in the coming year.  I briefly examined the books of Ecclesiastes and Ezekiel this year, but I didn't get into them in depth the way I wanted to.  So, I know what is set before me in the way of Bible study for the start of 2012.  I hope that you can find an interesting area of Bible study in the year ahead.
     Another area I check in my spiritual inventory is my prayer life.  I'm finding as I progress in my walk with the Lord that communication with the Lord in prayer is of vital importance.  It's difficult to move through troubled days without taking time to talk with Jesus.  We can tell Him all about our trials, troubles and temptations.  It does me a great deal of good to spend time in prayer praising the Lord for who He is and for what He has done.
     If you feel that your prayer life in 2011 was lacking, the new year provides a new opportunity to improve in the area of prayer.  Try to pray at least once a day giving praise to the Lord and letting Jesus know about your concerns.
     One area where I know I dropped the ball this year was in church attendance.  Sadly, I had to leave the denomination I was a part of because this denomination has slipped into serious theological error.  The professors at the denominational schools, and many ministers, are advocating open theism and denying the inerrancy of Scripture.  One professor actually said that since God didn't have the power to create an inerrant Bible, He didn't have the power to create the world apart from the big bang.  Since leaving this denomination, I've not found a place to regularly worship, and I need to change that in 2012.
     Attending a Bible believing and Christ honoring church is really important in our walk with the Lord.  If you have a pastor who really has a heart for the things of God, he will help you grow through the teaching of solid Bible based messages.  The church also has the task of spreading the gospel, and all believers should join in that mission.
      This leads me to another area of my spiritual inventory which is analyzing how I did in sharing the faith.  As I wrote on the blog, Christians are responsible for carrying out the Great Commission.  We are to preach Jesus' message of salvation to those within our circle of influence.  Perhaps you are like me, and it's hard for you to talk with people.  One thing that I've discovered is that when I try to share my faith, the Holy Spirit gives me a strength not my own to be able to share the gospel.  I have to step out in obedience.  If you've had difficulty sharing the faith with others this year, covenant with God to be obedient to the Great Commission as we roll into 2012.
     One final area I like to exam in my spiritual inventory is how I've done in fulfilling the moral law of God.  I like to look at whether or not I'm following to the best of my ability the commandments set down for His followers by the Lord Jesus Christ.  We live in a world that is filled with temptations and things which are trying to pull us away from following the narrow path that leads to life.  If you've stumbled with some area of sin or temptation in 2011, now is the time to confess, repent, and move on in victory in 2012.
     These are just a few of the ways to look at your spiritual life.  One thing is important to emphasize.  Don't get down on yourself.  Sometimes I look at my spiritual life and I start to get depressed because I don't think I measure up.  But, remember that we can confess our shortcomings to Jesus and then make a commitment to do better.  What better time than as we move into a new year than to make the commitment to advance in our walk with God.
     Maybe you look at 2011 and think you've done an excellent job for the Lord.  All of us can do more.  This side of Heaven there is always room for improvement, so keep pressing on for Christ.
     I want to wish everyone a happy New Year.  May you all walk with the Lord and feel the presence of Jesus' love in your heart every day of 2012. Amen.
    

Malachi

     I recently finished studying the book of Malachi in the Old Testament once again.  This book, even though written over 2,400 years ago, really deals with issues facing people today.  The book deals with the issue of questioning the love of God even though He has done so much for us.  The other major theme deals with the issue of what our proper response to God and His love and majesty should be.  I hope everyone will read Malachi and all of the other neglected smaller books of the Bible.

Weekend Sermon--Isaiah 9:6-7

     Sunday is Christmas.  Jesus Christ is born, and what a difference it has made to the world.  I don't know whether or not you've ever stopped to consider what the world would be like today if Jesus Christ had never been born.  So much of our art, literature, and music is based on the life of Christ.  Jesus has made a difference in time as well as in eternity.
     Last week, we finished a two message series on the theme of commitment based on the lives of Mary and Joseph.  Every time I stop and think about the Christmas story, I'm amazed at the commitment of these two extraordinary people.
     This week, I'd like to look at the passage from Isaiah 9:6-7 which describes the characteristics of the child who would be born to us.  Of course, Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in these verses, and the fulfillment Jesus provides is past, present and future in nature.
     First of all, Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor.  To me, this signifies that Jesus knows the way.  In other words, I want to place my life in His hands because His way is the way of life.  I want to follow the plan He has for my life and do His will.  I hope that that is the desire of every believer.  The Lord knows the path ahead.  We don't.  We need to let Him guide our every decision and step in life.  He loves us and only wants what is best for us.  Why not let Him lead the way.
     Also, as a Wonderful Counselor, I can go to Jesus and ask Him about all the problems facing my life.  I can talk to Him and ask Him to show me the way.  I don't need to rely on human wisdom because with Jesus, I can have the counsel of His divine wisdom.
     Jesus is the Mighty God.  Jesus is divine.  He is God come in the flesh.  Eternity met time in the birth of Jesus Christ.
     He is the Everlasting Father.  This statement is not saying that Jesus and God the Father are the same.  It is saying that Jesus has a relationship to believers like a father does with his children.  A father protects his children from harm. He provides for the physical needs they have in life.  He is concerned for their welfare, and he desires that they have the best in every situation.
     These things apply to Jesus as well.  All good things come from the Lord.  He wants to supply all of our needs and provide us with an abundant life.  He brings the experiences and the people into our life that we need in order to mature, grow and learn so that we can become more like Him with every passing day.
     Probably my favorite phrase that describes Jesus is that He is the Prince of Peace.  Jesus brings peace on several different levels.
     First of all, Jesus came to bring peace to the soul that is burdened with sin.  Jesus was born in order that He might lead a sinless life in order that He might be the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.  He came to die that we might be free from sin, death, hell and the grave. 
     The only way that we can have peace with God is through the atoning death of Christ on the cross.  If we place our faith in Jesus' finished work on the cross, believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and repent of our sins, we can have the peace that comes from being forgiven and reconciled to God.
     Jesus also brings peace to the soul of the believer facing difficult struggles.  I know that there have been numerous occasions where I needed, and felt, the peace that only Jesus can bring.  I'd never have made it through  losing my family if it wasn't for the presence of Jesus in my life.  I'm all alone, but I have Jesus who I know is with me providing a deep peace that truly is beyond all understanding.
     Jesus doesn't just bring spiritual peace.  He is the Prince of Peace when it comes to bringing peace to this world.  Unfortunately, many who have named the name of Christ have engaged in violence and war.  But, that's not the way Jesus taught.
     Jesus taught His followers to be peacemakers.  We are to actively work for peace and not war.  The church of Jesus Christ in this world must make a difference.  Always include prayers for peace in your daily prayers.  Wars and unrest are raging all over this world.  Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Somalia are just a few of the nations experiencing turmoil.  Let us pray for peace around the world this Christmas season.  Let us work for peace in our homes, community, and nation by living out the commands of Jesus for His honor and glory.
     Ultimately, this world will only know true and lasting peace when Jesus comes again.  When He comes again, Jesus won't come like the humble baby in a manger.  Jesus will come in power and great glory.  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
     When Jesus returns, wars will cease.  There will be no more death, sickness, or disease.  Everything will be returned to the original state God desired when He first created this world in perfection.
     To be quite honest, I wish that Jesus would return today.  I long for the return of Jesus Christ.  His reign will be glorious and filled with unspeakable joy and happiness.  Finally, the hard struggle of life will end to be replaced with a life forever in the presence of the King of Kings.
     I hope that at this Christmas season, you have made your peace with God through Jesus Christ.  I hope that you have turned from sin and turned to Jesus. 
     I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and I want to thank everyone who read this blog this year.  May God bless you all.  Amen.
    

Favorite Cat Books of the Year

    Last week, I posted about the best dog books I'd read this year.  Today, I'm posting about the best cat books I read this year. "The French Cat" is a beautiful book about cats all around France.  I really enjoyed it.  The new Joe Grey Mystery, "Cat Telling Tales" was also great.  This year I started reading some of the "Cat Who" books, and I've enjoyed them as well.

Isaiah Chapter 12

I read this chapter this morning.  Here it is from The New International Version.

Isaiah Chapter 12

   "  In that day you will say:

     I will praise you, O Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
you anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say:

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

Weekend Sermon--Joseph

Matthew-1:18-2:23

     Last week, we looked at Mary the mother of Jesus and the way in which she demonstrates her great commitment to following the will of God for her life.  In spite of what the potential consequences were, Mary was willing to do what God wanted her to do.  She is an example for all of us to always be willing to do whatever it is God might be calling us to do.  Mary was a woman who praised God and was thankful for all that the Lord had done for her.
     Mary is not alone as an example of commitment to God in the Christmas story.  Joseph of Nazareth also plays his part in showing us a life that pleases God. 
     Joseph was engaged to Mary, and I'm sure that he was shocked and angered when he first heard the news of Mary's pregnancy.  He was no doubt embarrassed and and quite possibly the object of many jokes among his companions. 
     However, early on we get a picture of the kind of man Joseph was deep down in his heart and why God may have chosen Joseph to help in raising the Son of God.  Joseph, although hurt and probably angry, didn't desire any humiliation or shame to come to Mary.  The Bible says that, "Joseph being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly."  This demonstrates that Joseph was a person of true love.  At this point, Joseph is completely unaware of the miraculous nature of Mary's pregnancy.  But, Joseph sought no retaliation against Mary.
     We see in I Corinthians 13, the great chapter on love, that one the characteristics of someone who truly loves is that they are kind.  Also, they are not resentful against others.  Joseph truly was a loving, just, and virtuous man.
     As Joseph considered his predicament with Mary, an angel appeared to him with an important announcement.  The angel, probably Gabriel, told Joseph that Mary was with child from the Holy Spirit.  Joseph was instructed to take Mary as his wife and to name the child Jesus because He would save His people from their sins.
     Joseph was obedient to the commands of the Lord.  Just like Mary, Joseph was unconcerned as to what others thought about him.  He would do what the Lord asked without question.
     I hope that I can always be a person of love and integrity like Joseph.  I hope that I will always immediately be willing to do all that God asks of me.
     From Luke's gospel we know the story of how Mary and Joseph had to make their way to the city of Bethlehem in obedience to the degree that went out from Augustus.  I can imagine Joseph desperately trying to find a place for Mary to give birth besides a cattle stall.  I wonder what went through his mind when first shepherds, then wise men, came to worship the baby in a manger.
     It wasn't long before Joseph received another angelic visitation.  This time, Joseph was told to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt in order to escape the murderous plans of King Herod.  Once again, Joseph obeyed and was faithful. 
     The Bible is silent as to what happened to Joseph.  It is clear that he had already passed away by the time Jesus began His public ministry.  We know that Jesus was older than 12 when Joseph died, but more than that is speculation.
     During this Christmas season, I urge you to look at the example of Mary and Joseph.  Ponder the type of people they were.  Consider why God the Father chose them to raise His Son.  Most of all, let each of us follow their example of commitment to God's call.  May we all strive to do what we can for the Glory of God. Amen.

Here is the link once again to my Christmas story-- http://voices.yahoo.com/christmas-eve-corgi-10474515.html?cat=43

    

Best Dog Books

    As many who read this blog know, I love dogs and dog books.  This year I read three dog books that I really enjoyed.  The best new dog book was Following Atticus by Tom Ryan.  This book is about a man and his dog who hiked up mountains in New Hampshire.  It is the story of a man and a dog who have a great relationship.  The other two dog books are about dogs who served in World War II.  Sea Dog Bamse tells the story of Bamse, a Saint Bernard who served on a Norwegian naval vessel based in Scotland.  A Man and His Dog is the story of Antis.  Antis was a dog who went with his owner on several bombing missions.  Antis received the Dickin Medal from Britain for his heroic service in World War II.

A DVD Recommendation

I watched a great nature movie on DVD the other night from Disney called "African Cats".  This is an outstanding documentary focusing on lions and cheetahs.  The most awe inspiring part of the film is when the four big male lions are walking side by side across the savannah.  This is a great movie for all ages.

Weekend Sermon--Annunciation

Luke 1:26-56


     Christmas time is here, and it is one of my favorite times of the year.  We celebrate the great gift of Jesus.  A Savior has come for us.  It is truly a great time.
     Today, I'd like to focus on Mary and the announcement of Jesus' birth.  I can only imagine what a shock it was and how Mary must have felt when the angel Gabriel came with his momentous announcement.
     We know from Scripture that Mary lived in Nazareth and was engaged to a man named Joseph.  She was also a virgin.  One day, she suddenly sees an angel before her who says, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you." 
     Mary truly was favored by God.  She must have been a very special and holy person for God to entrust to her the birth and care of His Son.
     In the very fundamentalist churches I grew up in, we never talked or focused much attention on Mary.  These churches in fact seemed to downgrade her in order not to appear Catholic.  I don't think that Mary was just like any other person, and she is due great respect.  I may not agree with many of the doctrines the Catholic Church associates with Mary, but she found favor with God, I believe, because of her holiness and devotion to God.
     Mary received the great news that she was to give birth to a Son, and His name was to be called Jesus.  Jesus would be great, rule on the throne of his father David, and His kingdom would have no end.
     This announcement is packed with great meaning.  First of all, He would be Jesus the Savior.  He was the coming long foretold Messiah because He would rule as David's heir.  Jesus' Father was God clearly pointing to Jesus' divinity.  And, Jesus Christ shall reign forever and forever.
     The Bible also makes it clear that Mary was a virgin.  This is an important theological point.  Jesus was God's Son and not the son of a man.  If Mary had not been a virgin, there could have been doubt concerning the miraculous nature of Jesus' birth.  In order to be the Savior of the world, Jesus had to be born of a virgin.  In order to be the spotless lamb of God without sin, Jesus had to be free from an inborn sin nature.  Because he was not the son of a man but instead was the Son of God, Jesus was not born tainted by original sin.  If Jesus were just a man, He could not be the one to bear our sins, pay our sin debt, and provide salvation for the world.
     I'm sure Mary had a hard time taking in all that the angel Gabriel was telling her.  But, Mary serves as a model of total commitment to the will of God and total reliance on God.
     In the day Mary lived, a woman found pregnant without a husband could be stoned to death.  At the very least, she probably anticipated that Joseph would want nothing more to do with her and that she would be held in disgrace by her family and community.  But Mary cast all of this aside and uttered the words to Gabriel, "Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to you word."
     Mary was willing to do what God asked her to do no matter the consequences.  She said yes to the Lord and His will.  She also believed that God was fully capable of bringing His will to fruition.  If God was going to bring His Son into the world through her, she believed that God would keep her and the child safe and that the angel's words about Jesus would certainly come to pass.
     In our lives, we should model this type of commitment to do God's will.  It is certainly God's will that people hear the gospel, and believers should follow God's will and share their faith.  God also has a will for our individual lives.  There may be some task God is calling you to perform.  Take an example from Mary and be committed.  Become obedient to what the Lord is asking.  God will bring about His desired results when we commit ourselves to Him.  Our job is to yield ourselves to Him.  The Lord will do the rest.
     After Mary heard the words of Gabriel, she left Nazareth to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was six months pregnant.  Mary received confirmation from Elizabeth that the child Mary was carrying was indeed the Lord.  Elizabeth said that Mary was blessed among women.
     Mary expresses deep thanksgiving that God had chosen her to be the mother of His Son.  In Luke 1:48 Mary says, "He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.  For behold from now on all generations will call me blessed."
     Mary wasn't rich and didn't come for a prominent family, yet look at the mighty way God used her to bring about His purpose.  God doesn't care whether someone is rich or poor.  He doesn't regard age or fame.  The Lord is simply looking for those with a humble heart who want to serve Him with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength.
     Mary continued proclaiming the greatness of God.  She proclaimed God's merciful nature and strength.  In verses 54-55 of Luke 1, Mary says, "He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever."
     The Lord had kept His promise.  God provided as far back as Genesis 3:15 that one day there would be a Savior.  A Messiah was coming.  The prophets foretold Jesus' birth.  Isaiah 9:6 proclaimed that a child would be born who would be the Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 7:14 declares the virgin birth.  Micah 5:2 tells that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  And the words of Isaiah 53 tell how this Messiah would suffer for the sins of the world.
     God kept His promise.  He sent Jesus Christ into this world, born of the virgin Mary.  He lived a holy and sinless life.  Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross.  He rose from the dead conquering death, hell, and the grave.  One day, He will come again, and every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.  He shall reign forever and forever.
     Christmas time is here.  What a season of rejoicing.  May God's blessings be upon you.  Amen.

A Story About A Friend

I am providing a link to a story about my friend Toby.  I hope that you like it.

http://voices.yahoo.com/christmas-eve-corgi-10474515.html?cat=43

The Weekend Sermon may be delayed until Saturday as I've not felt good this week.

The First Snow

     We received our first snow of the season.  It was only about half an inch, but it looked pretty falling from the sky.  I guess winter is finally here.

The Weekend Sermon--The Prayer of Jesus--Part 2

John 17

     Last week, we began a discussion of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer as recorded in John chapter 17.  We focused on how that Jesus made a clear declaration of his divine nature.  There can be no disputing that Jesus claimed to be God come in the flesh.  We also saw that Jesus declared that He accomplished the work of training his disciples to continue the mission of spreading the Gospel.  We also saw that Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples and the importance of the unity of the body of Christ in spreading the message of Jesus in this modern day.
     Let's pick up this week with Jesus' words beginning in verse 13 where Jesus says, "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them."  This is a tremendous request that Jesus made.  He wanted them to be full of His joy.  That's what Jesus wants for His followers today.  He wants us to be filled with His life and His love.  We can know Jesus and His power and be joyful knowing that Jesus has provided our salvation and has prepared a home in heaven for us to spend all of eternity with Him.
     Many of us are going through hard times.  I know that with the many bad health problems I'm facing now it's hard not to be depressed. However, even in the midst of these hard times, I can find joy in the fact that because I know Jesus, whatever happens, He will take care of me. I trust Him and rely upon Him.
     As I've said before, all of my close family members have passed away recently, and that has certainly brought a lot of sorrow into my life.  But, I can have joy in my heart in spite of sadness knowing that my family were in Christ.  They are with Jesus now in peace.  My Mom is restored no longer suffering the effects of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.  My Dad is well again, and my friend Toby is cancer free.  This gives me joy.  It's a joy that is only possible through Jesus Christ, and I hope that everyone who is reading this has a relationship with Jesus.  I hope that you know His joy in your Spirit.
     Another interesting phrase in Jesus' prayer occurs in verse 14 where Jesus says , "They are not of this world any more than I am of this world."  I find this interesting because it demonstrates what one of the characteristics of a true follower of Christ should be.
     Jesus was not of this world.  He came from heaven, but more than that, Jesus' entire message and the value system He taught were at odds with the world system.  Because of this, those under the world's system hated Him and sought His death. 
     Jesus taught forgiveness, love, generosity, goodness, and selflessness.  The world system teaches selfishness, greed, war, and sensuality.
     As followers of Jesus Christ, this world is not our home in any sense.  Our eternal home is in heaven with Jesus.  While we are here on earth, we are not a part of this world's system.  Our values should be different.  Our ethical standards should be those taught and lived out by our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.
     Jesus continues in prayer for His disciples with the words, "Sanctify them by the truth; you word is truth."
     This verse points out two interesting teachings.  The first is sanctification.  To sanctify something means to set it apart for a holy purpose.  Believers are in a process of sanctification.  We are supposed to be becoming more and more like Jesus and less and less like our old selves every day.  We are to grow in sanctification through the application of the Word of God.
     God's Word for us today is found in the Bible.  This leads us to the second important teaching in this verse.  The Bible is the Word of God.  It is God's truth revealed to us.  As followers of Jesus, we need to study the Bible and learn everything that God is trying to communicate to us.
     In verse 20, Jesus focuses the attention of His prayer away from the disciples and to those who would come to believe as a result of the disciple's ministry.  That includes you and me.
     Verses 21-24 are Jesus' request to the Father that all of us who are believers today would be unified and one just as Jesus and the Father are one. 
     Last week, we saw that Jesus prayed for unity among His disciples.  They were unified in spreading the message of the Gospel.  Jesus wants His church to be one.  There is absolutely too much division in the body of Christ.  Sometimes it is not possible to agree with some Christians because of very important doctrinal differences.  For instance, some who claim to be followers of Jesus deny the divinity of Jesus, or they deny His substitutionary atonement.  These are vital and essential doctrines of the orthodox Christian faith.
     However, a great deal of division among believers today is over nonsense.  One of the biggest divisions that is splitting up churches is over worship styles.  Some want contemporary music.  Others want traditional.  What a stupid thing to divide over.  Have some of each, praise God, and go about spreading the message of Jesus.  This is just one example.  But, when the world sees our division, it doesn't see Jesus.
     Verse 24 is a powerful verse.  Jesus asks the Father that those who have believed in Him might be with Him and behold Him in all the fullness of His glory.  Jesus loves us.  That's why He died for us.  He wants us to spend eternity with Him because He cares about us and wants to have a relationship with us. 
    Personally, I cannot wait to see Jesus.  I can't think of anything better that seeing Jesus face to face.  To see Jesus on His throne high and lifted up and being praised by angel choirs joined by the saints is a fantastic sight I want to behold.  I want to join in a song of praise to Jesus.
     When we see Jesus in His glory, all the pain, sorrow, and heartache of this life will be over forever and ever. 
     Jesus concludes by asking that the Father's love might be in us and that Jesus Himself might be in us.  Jesus is in all who have believed in Him.  I urge you to believe in Jesus today.  Make Jesus your Lord and Savior.  He loves you.  May His name be praised.

I Don't Understand It.

    I read today on the BBC website that the nation of Hungary is considering a law to outlaw homelessness.  Those convicted would receive either a fine or a jail sentence.  Why don't they try and institute a program to help the homeless?  Then again, why don't we do more in the US?

A Good Book

     I just finished reading Cat Telling Tales by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.  This is the 17th book in the Joe Grey mystery series, and I've read them all.  For those of you who don't know, Joe Grey is a talking cat who solves mysteries in the town of Molena Point, California.  All of the books in this series are excellent, and Cat Telling Tales is one of the the very best in the series.

Weekend Sermon--The Prayer of Jesus-- Part One.

John 17

     For the past few weeks, the Weekend Sermon has focused on Jesus' teachings on the subject of prayer.  In that study, we examined the importance of prayer and how to use the Lord's Prayer as a pattern for prayer.  Last week,  I discussed the matter of being persistent in our prayer lives and never giving up.
     This week, I'd like to talk about a prayer Jesus prayed which takes up an entire chapter, chapter 17 in the Gospel of John.  Some bible scholars refer to this prayer as the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus because, as we will see, Jesus prayed to the Father on behalf of those who did and who would believe in Him.
     Jesus' prayer in John 17 comes immediately following a long teaching Jesus gave known as the Upper Room Discourse.  Before He was betrayed by Judas, Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Passover in Jerusalem.  During this time, Jesus gave His disciples a substantial body of teaching.  John chapters 14, 15, and 16 contain the teaching of Jesus on this occasion.
     Jesus began His prayer by, "lifting his eyes to heaven and praying to the Father."
     Jesus asks, "Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.  And this is eternal life that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed."
     This passage is an absolute affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ.  Jesus was asking that He be glorified and have the glory He and the Father shared before the creation of the world.  This is reminiscent of John chapter one when it states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."  Jesus is claiming that He is God.  It distresses me greatly when I hear those claiming to be Christians deny the deity of Jesus.  The belief in the deity of Jesus Christ is an absolute essential belief of the Christian faith.  Jesus makes it clear who He is.  To deny the deity of Christ is to call into question Jesus' character.
     All authority has been given to Jesus, and He has the power to grant eternal life to those who believe in Him and call upon His name.  Jesus says that He will judge the earth because all judgment has been given to the Son by the Father. 
     Jesus says that eternal life is to know God.  We have the opportunity to have a personal relationship with the King of all the universe because of what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.  The thought of this is amazing to me when I think of the vastness of space and realize the awesome power of God.  Just to think that this God loves me and wants me to spend eternity in His presence is more than humbling.  Praise be to God.
     In verse four Jesus says, "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work you gave me to do."  In verse six, Jesus spells out the nature of this work when He says, "I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.  Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me."
     In His earthly ministry, Jesus proclaimed His message through His actions, the miracles He performed, and through His teachings.  Jesus' twelve disciples were the one's who received the bulk of His teachings.  Part of Jesus' ministry on earth was to train those who would go into the world after He was gone and spread the same message Jesus came to proclaim.  Jesus had to clearly demonstrate to the disciples that His message was true and that His message was divine and not merely human in origin.
     Jesus accomplished the task.  The disciples recognized who Jesus was, and they believed His message.  It took them a long time, and often Jesus became frustrated at their lack of progress.  But during the Upper Room Discourse, the disciples(except Judas)said the following as recorded in John 16:29-30, "Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech.  Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God."  Peter also expressed the fact that he knew who Jesus was when he made his confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
     It may not seem by the world's standards that Jesus teaching of His disciples was a big accomplishment. But after the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, these eleven men spread the message of Jesus Christ all around the world.  From this band of eleven followers, the message of Jesus is now claimed as true by roughly 30% of the world's population.
     Beginning in verse 9, Jesus begins His intercession on behalf of His disciples.  In verse 11, Jesus asks the Father to keep them.  This means that Jesus is asking that their faith would be preserved to the end.  He was praying that none of them would fall away from the faith or turn from His message.  We know that none of them ever did.
     Jesus continues in verse 11 by asking the Father that the disciples might be one, even as the Father and Son were one.  There can be no greater unity than the unity among the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This is the level of unity Jesus desired for His disciples.  He wanted them to work together to proclaim His message.  And, they were one.
     Jesus knew that divisions and fighting among His followers would only bring the name Christian into disrepute.  Those who followed Jesus' teachings should be filled with his love and be able to love one another.  For a better understanding of this read I John chapter 3.
     I believe one of the great hindrances to people coming to know Jesus today is the great level of disunity and disharmony in churches.  There are so many different groups and denominations it boggles the mind.  This ought not to be.  All that this factionalism does is turn people away.  If the church is just like the world, why would anyone want to become part of it?  The Bible says that they will know we are Christians by our love for one another.  It is something to consider and correct.
    Next week, Lord willing, we will continue studying the prayer of Jesus.
    

Happy Thanksgiving

     I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

     The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday this week.

Rhino Extinction

     I read a report a few days ago saying that all species of rhino are on the verge of becoming extinct in the wild.  This is extremely sad.  One of the first duties God assigned people was to take care of creation.  If you are able, try to support organizations that are working with wildlife issues.  Hopefully, people will realize the great wrong they are doing in hunting these magnificent creatures.

Weekend Sermon--Jesus' Teachings on Prayer--Part 4

Luke 11:5-13
Luke 18:1-8

     For the past three weeks, we've been focusing on Jesus' teachings on the subject of prayer.  Part one was an examination of Jesus' example of prayer and the importance of prayer.  Part two and part three were discussions of the importance of praying the Lord's Prayer and the way in which the Lord's Prayer can be used as a pattern to construct our prayers around.
     This week, I would like to focus on Jesus' teaching on being persistent in our prayer life.
     In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells a very interesting parable about prayer.  Jesus said that there was a judge in a certain land who didn't honor or fear God , and this judge didn't care what any human being thought about him.  A widow lived in this judge's jurisdiction who kept coming and coming seeking justice from the court from someone who had treated her unjustly.  This judge didn't care about this woman or her problems and put her case off time and time again.  However, after this widow kept coming, and coming, and coming back to his court, the judge finally got sick of it.  He ruled in her favor just so he didn't have to see her in his court room one more time.
     Jesus said that we as His followers could learn a lesson from this tale.  First of all, God is not like the judge in this parable.  God cares about all of His children all over the world no matter their nationality, race, ethnicity, age, or economic status.  Jesus clearly states this in Luke 11:11-12 where He says, "You fathers-if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead?  Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion?  Of course not!  If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly  Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him."
     Secondly, God wants us to not give up on our prayer life.  Just as this widow didn't give up, God wants us to continue in prayer. 
     Jesus makes this same point about persisting in prayer in Luke 11:5-9.  In this passage, Jesus talks about a man who went over to his friends house at midnight to borrow a few loaves of bread.  At first, the man didn't want to get out of bed and get the bread.  However, the friend kept knocking at the door and making his request over and over again.  In order to get any sleep, the man got up and got his friend some bread.
     Jesus says that we should keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking because as Jesus says, "For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
     I know that in my own life there have been times when I had to keep praying in spite of the fact that things didn't look like they were getting any better.  When Toby was still with me, he had a lot of very bad medical problems.  One of his problems was a bad skin condition.  This condition made his life pretty miserable.  I prayed for Toby day after day.  I'm glad I kept praying, because Toby's skin got better, and for the rest of his life he had no more trouble with this problem.
     In the church I use to preach at, we always prayed for peace in the prayer time.  I remember at one time the war in Bosnia was terrible.  We prayed for peace for that troubled area every Sunday.  After many weeks, peace came to that part of the world.
     Sometimes, we pray and pray and our prayers aren't answered in this life.  I prayed for my Mom everyday for five years that she would recover from the effects of her bad stroke.  She never got any better.  I know that she is with Jesus now, and all of her problems are over.
     Many of the things we pray about will not have their ultimate answer until Jesus comes again.  Then all things will be made new.  Everything will be the way it was always intended to be.
     Keep praying.  Keep trusting.  In this world, or the next, God will come through. Amen

Prayer Needed

     Continue to pray for the people in Thailand who are facing such terrible flooding.  As always, pray for peace.

Weekend Sermon--Jesus' Teachings on Prayer-Part 3

Matthew 6:5-15
Luke 11:1-13

     For the past two weeks, we've been studying Jesus' teachings on the subject of prayer.  In part one, we talked about Jesus' example of prayer and how prayer is necessary to having a victorious Christian life. 
     Last week, we began an examination of the Lord's Prayer.  First of all, we discussed the fact that the Lord's Prayer should be prayed in and of it self.  Second, we examined the way in which the Lord's Prayer is a model, guide, or pattern of prayer.
     We saw that we should incorporate praise and adoration into our prayers, as well as thanksgiving.  Also, we saw that we should pray for the will of God to be done on earth just as it is always done in heaven.
     Now, let's pick up our discussion of the Lord's Prayer as a model.  Jesus says in Matthew 6:11, "Give us this day our daily bread."  Jesus is saying that it is definitely right and proper for us to pray that the Lord will meet our needs in this life.
     All of us have basic requirements that need to be meet just to live.  We need food, clothes, water, etc. Jesus expects us to pray for the provision of these things.
     A lot of us, however, pray for things we want but don't really need.  I don't think that praying about these things is totally out of bounds if kept in the proper perspective.  We don't want all of our prayer time taken up with a litany of things we want God to do for us.  Praying in this way seems to be rather self-centered, and I believe that Jesus teaches us to focus on the other and the needs of the world more than focusing on our own satisfaction.   We need to keep things in the proper perspective.
     Jesus continues His teaching with verse 12 of Matthew 6 where He states, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."  All of us need forgiveness from the sins we commit.  I don't know about you, but the harder I try, it seems the more I slip up.  Thankfully, as I John 1:9 says, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Confessing our sins restores our fellowship with the Lord.  If we have unconfessed sin in our lives, our relationship with the Lord can't be what it is supposed to be.
     However, forgiveness works two ways.  As God for Christ's sake has forgiven us, we should forgive one another.  As Jesus says in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.
     If someone who has offended us repents and asks forgiveness, we as Christ's followers are obligated to forgive.  Otherwise, when we commit a sin against God and ask His forgiveness, we won't be forgiven.
     Jesus speaks about this same principle in Matthew 18:21-35.  Peter comes to Jesus and asks if he should forgive someone up to seven times.  Jesus says that Peter should forgive not seven times but seventy times seven times.  To illustrate His point, Jesus tells Peter a story.  A man owed a huge debt he couldn't pay to his master.  This man begged and pleaded to have his debt forgiven, and his master graciously forgave the huge debt that was owed.
    Later, a fellow servant came to the servant who'd been forgiven and asked for the forgiveness of a small debt.  The servant who'd been forgiven wasn't gracious.  He had his fellow servant thrown into debtor's prison. 
     This didn't set well with the other servants who reported the situation to the master.  The master revoked the servant's forgiveness and tossed him into prison because the servant wasn't willing to forgive his fellow servant.
     Jesus sums it up in Matthew 18:35, "So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you , if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
     Those of us who have put are trust in Jesus have been forgiven from the debt of our sin.  How can we not forgive others?
     The Lord's Prayer continues with a request for deliverance from temptation and evil.  When we pray, we need to ask the Lord to not allow us to be placed in a situation that will cause us to fall into sin.  We also should pray that if temptation does come, that we will find a way to avoid sin and follow Christ fully.
     We also need to pray for protection.  There are many forces of evil at work in the world.  Let us always remember to pray for God's protection for our family and loved ones.
     Finally, Jesus concludes the Lord's Prayer with praise and adoration once again.  He says, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever."  I repeat, we can never praise the Lord enough for all that He has done and accomplished on our behalf.
     If you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I hope you will invite Him into your life this week. 
     Next week, Lord willing, we will continue with part four of Jesus' teaching on prayer. Amen.

Verse For the Day

Revelation 4:11--"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

The Weekend Sermon will be delayed one day this week.  Look for it on Saturday instead of Friday.

Thanksgiving

     I'd like to know what happened to Thanksgiving.  It seems that anymore here in the U.S. we go from Halloween right to Christmas.  Thanksgiving has become just a big turkey feast.  Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday when all the family was still around.  My Mom was an awesome cook, and she made the best turkey and all the fixings.  Toby ate so much turkey on Thanksgiving, I thought he would explode.  After our great feast, we'd watch the football games.  It was just a great day to be together with the family. 
     It is also a great time to stop and realize how we have been blessed.

Weekend Sermon--Jesus' Teachings on Prayer-Part 2

Matthew 6:5-14

     Last week, we began our examination of some of Jesus' teachings on the subject of prayer.  We saw that Jesus taught His followers about the importance of prayer by His own example of being a person of prayer.
     We next examined Jesus' emphasis on the necessity of prayer in order to have a victorious Christian life by looking at the encounter Jesus had with a demon-possessed boy.
     Finally, we saw that Jesus instructed His followers to not be hypocritical in their prayers.  Praying is not a show or a set of formulas to get God to do what you want Him to do.
     In this message, I want to focus on the Lord's Prayer as a prayer we should recite in and of itself, and I believe that Jesus gave us the prayer as a pattern to structure our prayers around.
     When I was growing up, the church I attended would never have said the Lord's Prayer in a church service.  They believed that this would make them to much like the churches with whom they disagreed.  I disagree with them about praying the Lord's Prayer.
     We have strong evidence that the early church recited the Lord's Prayer as part of its spiritual practice.  There was a book written around the year 100 AD called the Didache.  The Didache was a manual of Christian behavior and practice telling about what should be done in the church.
     One of the instructions in the Didache is that Christians should try to pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day.  If this wasn't possible, the Lord's Prayer should be prayed at the very least once a day.
     I have to say that this instruction from the Didache makes a lot of sense.  What better spiritual practice, what better way to pray than to repeat those words our Lord taught while He walked on this earth?
     I believe that the Lord's Prayer can and should be used as a pattern of prayer as well.  Let's look at one way we can use the Lord's Prayer as a pattern.
     Jesus begins His prayer with the statement, " Our Father which art in Heaven." When we pray, we address our prayers to God.  I don't think that it is wrong to address our prayers directly to Jesus, although I've heard some say this.  I like to pray as if I'm talking to Jesus.  I think Jesus is saying that we can address God as Father.  We are His children and He loves us.  He wants us to communicate with Him.
     Jesus goes on with the phrase, " Hallowed be Thy name."  This is a statement of praise and adoration. I think that a good practice in our prayer life is to incorporate praise of God in our praying.  We have so much to praise the Lord for.  We can and should praise God for who He is and for what he has done.
     The Psalms contain great words of praise to the Almighty God.  Revelation chapter four and five contain some of the greatest praise and adoration of the Father and Jesus Christ the Lamb of God which are contained in all of Scripture.  I may, Lord willing, give a message on these passages in the future.  Also, the visions of God recorded by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel are awesome descriptions of the God who is worthy of all our praise.
     Also, I believe that with our prayer and adoration, thanksgiving should be an important part of our prayer life.  Many, myself included, are quick and use many words in making requests of God.  But, often our thanksgivings are brief or non-existent.  If we do something that benefits someone else, we appreciate a thank you.  I think God does as well.
     If we are having a lot of problems in our lives and can't find too much to be thankful for, we can always thank the Lord Jesus for His great love in coming to the earth and sacrificing his life for our redemption from sin.
     Jesus moves on with the words, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven."
     There can be no doubt that God's will is done in Heaven.  Men and women do all they can to defy the will of God on earth, but in Heaven, the will of God is always accomplished.
     Our prayers should include the plea for God's Kingdom to come on this earth.  I know that I want Jesus to come and establish His Kingdom so badly I can hardly stand it.  This world is filled with violence and all manner of meanness.  I know that a better day is coming when Jesus returns to earth again.  I just want to echo the words of the apostle John, Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
     Let us all continually pray for the will of God to be done.  The Lord's will is for peace, goodness, love and the reconciliation of the lost.  Let's put aside our wills and focus on His will. 
     Next week, we will continue with the Lord's Prayer and the further teachings of Jesus on this subject.  May God bless you this week.  Amen.

Verse For the Day

Psalm 57:11--"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth."

Pray

    Please pray for the people in Thailand who are facing the terrible problem with flooding.  Also, pray for the people of Turkey who are recovering from an earthquake.  As always, pray for peace.

Thoughts About Halloween

     Today is Halloween.  This is my least favorite holiday.  In my opinion, Halloween is the most godless day a Christian could participate in.  Everything about it is utterly pagan, occult, and devilish.  It's so sad to see churches involved in this day and its so called celebrations.

Weekend Sermon--Jesus' Teachings On Prayer

Mark 1:35-38
Matthew 6:5-14

     Jesus came to this earth to redeem us from our sin.  Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave.  However, this is not all Jesus came to do.  He came to show us by His teachings and His actions how we are supposed to live a life that is pleasing to God.  The gospels are filled with Jesus' teachings and commandments on a wide variety of subjects.  This week, and next, our focus is the teachings Jesus gave to His followers on the matter of prayer.
     First of all, Jesus taught us about prayer through personal example.  Mark 1:35-36 records that Jesus' custom was to rise up early in the morning, go off by Himself to a secluded place, and spend time with the Father in prayer. There are several instances when Jesus went and prayed by Himself such as the night before He chose those who would be His twelve disciples.  Scripture also records the fact that before Jesus walked on the water, He had been praying.  Of course we also remember Jesus prayer to the Father in John chapter 17 and His prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night He was betrayed.
     Prayer was important to Jesus.  It was an integral and essential part of His life.  He taught the importance of prayer in the life of all of His followers by His own example.  
     Jesus also taught us that an active prayer life is essential for a robust, mature, and victorious Christian life.  Consider this story.
     While Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, the other nine disciples were having a spiritual encounter of a different sort.
     A man brought his demon possessed son to the nine disciples and asked them to cast the demon out of his son.  The father probably believed that since these were among Jesus' inner circle, they would know how to help his boy.  The Bible doesn't say what or how the disciples tried to cast the demon out of the boy.  It just tells us that they were unsuccessful.
     When Jesus descended from the Mount of Transfiguration, the man and his son were still there.  This man saw Jesus and said that he'd asked Jesus' disciples to heal his son, but they weren't able to do it.  Upon hearing this, Jesus became very exasperated with His disciples which was very understandable.  Jesus then rebuked the evil spirit, and the boy was miraculously delivered.
     The nine disciples couldn't understand why they weren't able to cast out the evil spirit, so they asked Jesus about the matter.  He said that that particular demon could only be cast out with prayer.  I take this to mean that those nine disciples had been neglecting prayer in their lives, therefore; they were unable to walk in victory over the power of evil.
     To me, this is an important word from Jesus.  In order to have a victorious Christian walk, I must be a person of prayer.  It is the means of staying close to the Lord.
     So often, people neglect their prayer life.  We cannot conquer sin and be an effective force for good in the world without filling our lives up spiritually.
     Our prayer life shouldn't just consist of praying at meals or on Sunday mornings or in the mid-week services at church.  The Scriptures talk about praying without ceasing. We should be in a constant attitude of prayer.  We should make sure to commune with God through prayer on a daily basis.
     Now that we've seen the importance of prayer in the life of the believer, let's focus on how Jesus taught His followers to pray.  Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them how they should pray.  They needed Jesus' instruction.
     In the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew chapter 5 through 7, Jesus gives His disciples some of His teachings on prayer.  He begins in chapter 6 verse 5 by saying that His followers aren't supposed to pray like the hypocrites pray.  Jesus said that the hypocrite prays in order to make a show.  He prays in public to draw attention to himself.  The hypocrite isn't concerned with drawing closer to God; he is trying to impress others into thinking what a spiritual and upstanding person he is.
     I think most of us who have gone to church for very long know what  Jesus is talking about here.  Sometimes you will here some very flowery prayers or other types of prayers that you know are just to impress someone.  It's part of the church show so to speak.
     Now I'm sure Jesus isn't saying that prayer in public is always wrong.  Jesus Himself prayed in public most notably when He raised Lazarus from the dead.  He also prayed and gave thanks for the food when He feed the multitudes.  The Old Testament is full of examples of public prayer.
     Jesus is saying that when we pray our focus should be on God and our relationship with Him.  We shouldn't be trying to impress or try to be something we are not.
     When Jesus speaks about doing our praying in private, I think that He means we should pray what we can pray between us and God and not draw attention to ourselves.  For instance, I've seen some people in restaurants pray really loud so that those around them could hear that they were praying.  This isn't necessary.  Just pray to God.  It shouldn't be a show.
     In chapter 6 verse 7 of Matthew, Jesus says that when we pray , we shouldn't just babble on like pagans saying the same thing over and over again.  The Lord hears us when we talk to Him.  There is no need to keep repeating ourselves.  What I think Jesus has in mind here is the repetition of phrases or mantras to try to get God to act as if that's possible through some formula or incantation.
     Prayer is talking to the Lord.  We don't have to have special words, positions, or formulas in order to get God's attention.
     Next week, we will exam in depth the Lord's Prayer and what Jesus is trying to teach us through it.  Amen.

Verse For the Day

Isaiah 55:1--"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

Day Of Discovery

     The program on the Day of Discovery broadcast this Sunday was excellent.  They had a biography of Oswald Chambers who wrote My Utmost for His Highest.  I have read this book, which is very good, but I didn't know anything about the author's life.  I think you can view this program on the Day of Discovery website.

Weekend Sermon--I Am With You

Matthew 28:16-20
Haggai 2:4
Hebrews 13:5

     In last week's message, we looked at the last words Jesus spoke to the eleven disciples before He finished His earthly ministry and ascended to the right hand of the Father.  The main part of Jesus' last words were His Great Commission commanding the disciples, and all believers, to make disciples, baptize new converts and teach them to obey Jesus' commandments.  We also examined just a few of the ways we as 21st century believers can carry out the Great Commission.
     One part of Jesus' final words that we didn't get a chance to look at in depth was His statement that , " surely  I am with you always to the very end of the age."  To me, this is a profound and comforting statement.
     In its most immediate context, Jesus is letting His disciples know that as they attempted to carry out the Great Commission, He would be with them helping them to accomplish the great task before them.  This is the only means by which they would ever be able to accomplish what they did.  Just think of it, eleven men went out and preached the message of Jesus, and from that small beginning, roughly 30% of the world now claims Jesus as Savior.  If the Lord hadn't been with them during all of the struggles, hardship, and persecutions they faced they would never have made it.  But, the risen Lord was with them every step of the way.
     Just as the Lord kept His promise to the disciples, Jesus will be with us as well.  He will never leave us or forsake us in our attempts to serve Him and in the hard times we face just trying to live our lives, He will always be there.
     I know that without Jesus helping me, I'd never have been able to be a witness in the world.  Since the time I was young, I've always had a lot of anxiety when it comes to speaking to people for the first time.  It takes a lot of work for me to engage socially.  Yet, as a young man I felt called to be in Christian ministry.  In order to do this, I'd have to talk to people and share the faith. 
     At one church I went to, they did a lot of door to door witnessing.  So, I started working in this ministry.  At first, I didn't think that I could do it, but as I began to talk to people, the peace of Christ came over me, and I didn't have any problem speaking to people in this context. 
     The same held true in the context of speaking at the nursing home and the chapel services at the local Christian School.  I know that Jesus was with me, and I felt His presence enabling me to do the task.
     In college, I really had to rely on the Lord to help me to be a witness for Him.  Without thinking that it would happen, I was thrust into my own little apologetics ministry.  I went to a Christian college that somewhere along the line forgot what that meant.  I'd have debates with the chaplain often.  He didn't believe any of the orthodox doctrines of the faith.  Not one to talk much in class, I didn't have any trouble speaking about the Bible and doctrines of the Lord with this chaplain or students.  I knew Jesus was with me.
     If you will step out in faith to fulfill the Great Commission, I know that you too will be keenly aware of the presence and power of Jesus in you life.  He will give you the strength to do what He has asked you to do.
     I believe that Jesus' words about always being with us are true in the struggles of everyday life.  Jesus said that each day had enough trouble of its own to deal with without worrying about what the next day would bring.
     I don't know how people make it in life without the presence of Jesus.  I know that I wouldn't have made it this far without Him and His help in the really hard times.
     I've faced probably four or five real hard times in my life when I didn't know if I could keep going.
     Growing up and having a lot of heartache with church and school, along with a lot of sickness was hard.  But, Jesus being with me saw me through.
     Losing Toby just about killed me.  He was the one Jesus sent to help me.  After Toby left, I felt like I was back to square one. But, Jesus being with me saw me through.
     When Mom had a massive stroke and Dad and I took care of her those five years before she passed away, I wouldn't have made it without the rock of the presence of Jesus in my soul never allowing me to get too far down.
     Four months after Mom died, my Dad had a stroke at the veterinarian's office while he was there to pick up his Akita.  He died two weeks later.
     I'm still struggling, but I know Jesus is with me not only because His Word says it, I know it because when I pray and meditate I can feel His presence in my soul.
     Every one who is alive has faced hard times when they didn't know if they could keep going.   Let me assure you, Jesus is with you.  He cares.  He loves you.  He understands and is working all things out for the ultimate good.  Trust Him, and pray of His will.
     Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us.  I know this is true.  Let us be faithful to Him in all that we do for His honor and glory.
     If your reading this and you've never asked Jesus into you life to be your Savior and Lord, I invite you to do so today.  Pray to receive Christ.  Repent of your sin, and accept Jesus' Lordship.  He will hear you when you call on His name.  Amen.

World Series

     The World Series starts tonight.  I'm really looking forward to it, and hoping for a St. Louis victory.  I have good memories of going to the baseball games with my Dad.  One of the doctors my Mom worked for had season tickets, but he didn't go to very many games.  When he didn't go, he gave the tickets to my Mom.  We sat right behind home plate.  The Royals of today are nothing like the teams when I was a boy.  It's hard to believe that the Royals beat the Cardinals in the 1985 World Series.  It seems like a lifetime ago.

Ecclesiastes

     I just finished reading the book of Ecclesiastes in my daily readings.  I find this a very depressing book.  However, there is a lot of truth in it.  I think that the writer's basic point is that a life lived without God at the center of it is ultimately meaningless since only those things done with eternity in view have any lasting consequence.  Jesus talked about this when He said not to lay up treasure on earth.  Instead, we are to lay up treasure in heaven.

Weekend Sermon--Final Words On Earth

Matthew 28:16-20

     After Jesus rose from the dead, He made several post resurrection appearances.  The Bible says that Jesus remained on earth for a period of forty days after His resurrection.
     Finally, it was time for Jesus to depart from this earth.  However, Jesus still had some last words of instruction He wished to impart to His eleven remaining disciples.  We find these words in our reading from Matthew's gospel.
     As Jesus instructed, the eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee to wait for the appearance of the risen Christ.  The first thing they did when Jesus appeared to them was they worshipped Him.  These eleven men recognized that Jesus was God and man.  They gave Jesus the honor and praise due unto Him for who He was and for what He had done.
     What strikes me in this narrative is that some still doubted.  They still weren't in full belief that Jesus was really alive.  Even thought the risen Lord had appeared to them on numerous occasions, they still had questions lingering in the back of their minds. 
     It may seem odd, but this gives me encouragement.  Sometimes when I see the hurt and the sorrow in the world it makes me wonder about God.  I still believe, but sometimes I have questions.  Knowing that at least a few of the disciples doubted even with Jesus standing right in front of them makes me feel that my faith isn't as weak as I sometimes think it is.
     Even though some of the eleven doubted, they kept on going.  All eleven of these men were in the upper room when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost.  All eleven stood together and proclaimed the message of Jesus that day.  All eleven, except for John, gave their lives for the sake of the gospel.  They struggled through their doubt to find belief.  That's what all of us must work to do in an age filled with many things which may cause us to doubt.
     It was now time for Jesus' final words of instruction.  He said, "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."  This is known as the Great Commission.
     Some theologians believe that this commandment of Jesus was only given to the eleven disciples who originally heard it, and those of us living today are not under its obligation.  I believe that nothing could be farther from the truth.  I believe that all Christians have the obligation to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
     Let's look at what this commission tells us to do.  Jesus tells us to make disciples, baptize, and teach.  The commission contains three parts.
     First of all, we are to go and make disciples.  We are supposed to share the gospel. What is the gospel?  The gospel simply put is that Jesus died for our sins, He is risen, and by placing our faith in His finished work on the cross we can be justified before God and born again.
     Every Christian should be involved in spreading the gospel.  There are many ways this may be carried out. 
     An important way that shouldn't be discounted is through giving.  Giving to world missions and the mission of the church allows the gospel to be preached across the world in places many of us will never have the opportunity to go to.
    I don't think we should leave it there, however.  We should personally share our faith with others. If your like me, your circle of contacts contains many people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Many of these may be family members and close friends.  These individuals are our mission field.
     When a conversation about religion starts, we can use this opportunity to relate in a casual way what Jesus has done for us and the way a relationship with Him has transformed our lives.
     Some may wish to become involved in evangelistic ministry.  This may include doing door to door witnessing, or passing out tracts.
     One important thing to keep in mind is that when you share your faith, don't be obnoxious.  Don't come across with a superior attitude.
      Another very important way to be a witness for the gospel is by the way we live.  The Bible says that we should live in such a way that people will see our good works and glorify the Father in Heaven. 
     What you do very often speaks louder than what you say.  As believers, when we live a Christ like life, those around us will want to know the difference a relationship with Jesus can make in their life.
     The second part of the Great Commission involves baptism.  Baptism is the first step of obedience in the Christian life following conversion.  It is an outward sign of an inward work.  Baptism is our public identification with Christ signifying our death to sin and the beginning of our new life in Christ.
     The third component of the Great Commission is the one that is unfortunately often neglected.  The new convert needs to be taught those things Jesus wants them to do and what not to do in life.  They need to be taught the Bible and what the true doctrines and beliefs of the church are.
     Sadly, there is a lot of Biblical and theological illiteracy in the church.  This is a direct result of church leaders not teaching the people.  Nothing saddens me more than seeing people who have been in church for years who have very little knowledge of what is in the Bible.  They don't know what they believe, or why they believe it.
     Jesus ended His last words by telling His disciples that He would always be with them.  Instead of going into how meaningful I find this statement now, I'd like to talk about this later. Amen

Lord, thank you for the good words you gave us.  Help each of us to spread the message of your love to the best of our ability.  Amen

Verse For the Day

Matthew 5:7-"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

Fall Color

     I've been very surprised at the nice Fall color in my area.  We had a very hot and dry Summer and Fall, so I wasn't expecting much, but the maples have been beautiful.  The biggest surprise was my walnut tree.  The leaves have turned a spectacular shade of yellow.  It's the best I've seen in 20 years.

Weekend Sermon--The Sign of Jonah--Luke 11:29-32

     In this section of Scripture, Jesus is speaking to a large crowd of people.  I'm sure they didn't expect Jesus to begin His message to them the way He did.  Jesus said that they were a wicked generation because they asked Him to perform a miraculous sign.  In other words, they wanted Jesus to perform some kind of miracle that would prove to them that He was the Messiah.
     Jesus said that He wasn't going to give them a sign except for the sign of Jonah the prophet.  What I don't get is how these people following Jesus could still be seeking a sign from Jesus to prove Himself.  At this point in Luke's Gospel, Jesus has already performed many powerful miracles witnessed by the crowds.
     In chapter 4, Jesus drove out an evil spirit in the synagogue, healed Peter's mother-in-law, and healed many people with a variety of problems.  In chapter 5, Jesus healed a man with leprosy and a paralyzed man.  Chapter 7 finds Jesus in the town of Nain raising a widow's son from the dead.  Jesus calms a storm, heals a demoniac, heals a woman with an issue of blood and raises Jairus' daughter.  Five thousand were miraculously fed in chapter 9.  What more in the way of signs did the people expect?  No wonder Jesus reacted the way He did.
     Jesus said that the same way in which Jonah was a sign to Nineveh, Jesus would be a sign to His generation.  At this point we need to ask, what is this sign of Jonah that Jesus is speaking about?
     If you recall, Jonah was a prophet from Israel.  An Old Testament book of the Bible is named for him.  God called the prophet Jonah to the city of Nineveh, the capitol of the Assyrian Empire.
     Jonah had no intention of going anywhere near Nineveh.  The Assyrians were the arch enemies of Israel, and as far as Jonah was concerned, God could just go ahead and destroy Nineveh and be done with the matter.
     Jonah got on a boat and sailed in the opposite direction.  God wasn't going to let Jonah get off the hook that easily.  A great storm arose, and Jonah, knowing he was the cause, had the sailors cast him into the sea.  As soon as Jonah hit the waves, the storm calmed and a great fish swallowed him.
     Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of the fish.  He then repented and was vomited out onto dry land.  He rushed to Nineveh and delivered a message of repentance as originally instructed by God.  All of Nineveh turned to the Lord.  Jonah, being the kind of man that he was, was angry with God for having mercy on the city.
     The sign of Jonah Jesus was speaking about was the fact that when Jonah was in the belly of the fish it was as if he were dead then came back to the land of the living.
     Jesus said that just as Jonah was three days and nights in the fish, He would be three days and nights in the grave.  Then Jesus would rise from the dead victorious over death, hell and the grave.
     The sign to Jesus' generation that proved His message was the fact that although crucified and put to death, He rose again conquering sin and its consequences forever.  Truly, as Jesus said, He is the resurrection and the life, therefore whoever believes in Him will never die.
     The resurrection of Jesus is our sign of who Jesus is and that His message is true.  The resurrection of Jesus validates everything He said about Himself and the work of redemption accomplished at Calvary.
     In spite of this sign, the vast majority of people in Jesus' day right up to the present day don't believe in Jesus' message of love and redemption. 
     Jesus told those listening to Him that the Queen of the South would stand up and judge them because she came from the ends of the earth to see Solomon, yet one greater than Solomon was among them. 
     This reminds me of many people today.  They will follow innumerable spiritual paths, but they will not follow Jesus.  Just look at the world we live in.  Only one-third of the world's population holds to the Christian religion in any form.  Two-thirds of this world is going in a different direction.
      Here in my country, the United States, many different religious teachers preach a message contrary to Jesus and they have best selling books and are featured on programs of national prominence.  All the while, the number of people who believe in the divinity of Jesus and in His resurrection grows smaller.
     This makes me sad because I know in my life that my relationship with the Jesus of the Bible has made all of the difference.  I hope that others will come to know the Savior I try to serve.
     Jesus went on to say that the people of Nineveh would rise up in judgment because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and those listening to Jesus rejected God come in human flesh.
     Jesus told the people then, and He tells us today to repent and believe in Him.  Jesus' resurrection from the dead proves who He is.
     There is no other historical religious figure who has died and risen from the dead.  The empty grave is proof of the resurrection.  The Bible says that over 500 people saw the risen Christ.  And, why would all of the Apostles except one be willing to suffer a martyr's death if they hadn't seen the risen Jesus?
     Jesus is the way.  Only He can provide the answers for life and hope for the life to come.  I urge you to believe in Him and follow Him today. Amen.
 

Good Dog Program

     There was a good dog program on "Nature" on PBS last night.  I think that the name of it was "Dogs That Changed the World."  Last night was just part one.  Next week is part two.  If you like shows about dogs, you might want to check it out.

Verses For the Day

John 14:15-17--"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

A Golf Surprise

     I am a big fan of golf.  I can't play much because after about 4 holes my shoulder goes out.  But, I love to watch golf.  I was very surprised to read this morning that for the first time in his career, Tiger Woods is out of the top 50 golf rankings.  I would never have believed it.  Maybe he will make a come back yet. The way things look right now, Jack Nicklaus' major's record is safe.

Weekend Sermon--Learning About Jesus

Hebrews 13:8- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.

     Our text today comes from Hebrews chapter 13 which is a fascinating chapter filled with good things to preach about.  Our particular verse today, is a verse that has come to mean a great deal to me over the last few years.  It is a simple verse packed with meaning.  The whole key is understanding who Jesus really is.
     Today's message is going to be pretty much autobiographical.  It took me a really long time to come to an accurate knowledge of who Jesus is, and as a result, come to find extraordinary comfort from the knowledge that Jesus is never going to change.
     I became a Christian at a very young age.  There isn't a time when I can't remember my family attending church.  I accepted Christ one day after Sunday school class.
     I was immersed in Biblical teaching and all things Christian from my childhood.  My folks were heavily involved in church and attended every service and function. 
     I attended Sunday school, children's church, mid week service, vacation Bible school, and every other service you can name.  Besides this, I attended a Christian school for almost all of my school years.
     As I grew older, my parents became very conservative in their religious beliefs and attended a very strict fundamentalist church.  I attended the school operated by this church.
     All of this time, I was presented with the teachings of Jesus.  I was taught the orthodox doctrines of the faith.  We believed that Jesus was God and man born of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave.  We believed in the rapture and the Second Coming.  But, the Jesus I was presented with was a Jesus that brought only fear and not comfort.  The Jesus we were presented with at church and school was a Jesus just waiting to punish you for the slightest infraction.  We learned about a Jesus of severe judgment and not about a Jesus who loved us and the whole world.
     I remember as a kid we were always told to be on the alert because the rapture was coming.  We were warned to behave because if Jesus came and we were doing something wrong we would be left behind to face the horrors of the tribulation period. 
    One day my parents had gone over to the neighbors house, and I didn't know they would be gone.  I came home and couldn't find them anywhere.  I was so afraid the rapture had come, and I had been left behind.
     We were taught that if we didn't tithe all of our money that Jesus would cause something to happen to us, and He would get the money out of us one way or the other.
     I think the worse thing for me was what the church taught about sickness.  I was born with a problem in my immune system.  As a young man I was often sick with respiratory problems.  Of course the church people said that I must have some sin in my life.  Being sick was Jesus' way of punishing me for my sin or my lack of faith.
     At about the age of 16, all of the fear and legalistic religion and meanness had taken there toll.  I was seriously depressed.  I'd just about come to the point of giving up on God and everything else.
     Thankfully, the Lord worked in my life in such a way that I began to see the real Jesus and what a difference He makes. 
     First of all, Jesus sent me a wonderful friend, Toby to help me through the hard times of depression and show me that true love and goodness really did exist in the world.
     At this time, I also for the first time in my life came into contact with Christians who presented a Jesus who loved people, who wanted the best for us, and who wanted to help us.  They presented a Jesus who wasn't looking to bring misery into my life.  Instead, He wanted to bring me peace.  I came to know a Jesus who wanted to be my friend.
     I also began to really study the Bible and find out for myself all of the things Jesus did and said.  It was a different picture than I'd seen before.
     It took a long time, but finally I began to see who Jesus was, and my entire spiritual life changed.  I began to realize that I could have a real relationship with Jesus.
     My prayer life changed.  I could talk to the Lord and really share with Him all of my burdens.  I could cast my cares on Him and find rest in Him.
     My behavior changed.  I wanted to serve the Lord out of love and not fear.  When I realized the depths of the love of Jesus, it made me want to love and help others and the world that God had made.
     Leaving legalistic Christianity and its distorted view of Jesus was the best thing that ever happened to me.
     I hope that you know who the real Jesus is.  I hope you know the Jesus who had compassion for the sick and hurting, who cared about the poor and those the religious people rejected.  I hope you know the Jesus who wants to be your friend. and who wants to help you and give you peace. 
     What helped me the most was to really read the Bible.  Read the words of Jesus, and His truth will come shining through.  Also, the writings of Lloyd Oglivie, Tony Campolo, Joseph Girzone, and Brennan Manning helped me in my spiritual walk,
     To really know Jesus, become a person of prayer, contemplation, and meditation.  You can really only know someone if you spend time with them.  The more you learn about Jesus the greater He becomes.  May the Lord bless you. Amen.
    

I Don't Understand It

     I just heard another conservative evangelical minister this week equate wildlife and environmental conservation as worshipping the Earth.  I don't understand why so many conservative ministers are opposed to helping animals.  Taking care of creation is not worshipping it!!  The first thing God told humans to do was to take care of what God had made.

Rin Tin Tin

     I finished reading the new Rin Tin Tin book by Susan Orlean last night.  This is an excellent book.  It is well written, easy to read and very informative.  I thought that the first half of the book that deals with the original Rin Tin Tin was the best part.  I highly recommend this book.

Weekend Sermon--A Great Cloud Of Witnesses

Reading:  Hebrews 12:1-3

     Hebrews chapter 11 is one of the greatest chapters in all of the Bible.  Many refer to it as the the Hall of Fame of Faith.  And, that is what Hebrews chapter 11 is all about.  It records how Old Testament saints believed in the promises of God.
     Abel believed God and offered a better sacrifice.  Enoch believed God and was taken to Heaven without experiencing death. Noah believed and built the ark saving his family and many animals.  Abraham believing in God left his homeland for the promised land.  He believed and had such faith and trust in God that he was willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac believing that God could raise Isaac from the dead.
     This chapter goes on to name Moses, Jacob and many others who put their trust in God.  All of these Old Testament saints passed from this earth without seeing the coming of the prophesied Messiah.  They died looking forward to the glorious day of redemption.
     Living in the twenty-first century, we have seen the promised one.  In the fullness of time, God sent His Son, Jesus to be the Messiah, the one who would redeem the world from sin.
     The Old Testament saints looked forward to the cross.  As New Testament believers, we look back on the cross where Jesus bore all of our sins in His body to secure our redemption from sin.
     Since the time of Jesus, many great saints of God have lived lives of holiness in witness to their faith and have passed from this earth.  These, along with all of the Old Testament saints make up the great cloud of witnesses the writer of Hebrews references in chapter 12 verse 1.  Everyone we know who has died in Christ is part of this cloud of witnesses. 
     I know that my parents are part of this cloud of witnesses.  My Mom accepted Jesus into her life when she was a teenager.  She faithfully served the Lord until she died two years ago. 
     My Dad didn't come to know Jesus until he was forty years old.  But thank God a minister shared the gospel with my Dad and led my Dad to Christ.
     I know others in this cloud of witnesses.  My friend Toby is there.  My grandparents are there.  They are all there in the presence of Jesus because He died and rose again.
     But, those of us who are alive here on earth still have a life to live and a mission to carry out for the Lord as His ambassadors until He calls us home.  The writer of Hebrews refers to it as running the race set before us. 
     I love the metaphor of the Christian life that these verses proclaim.  We are runners.  In the grandstand are those people of faith gone ahead of us.  We look to Jesus as our example, and we run the race of life in a manner pleasing to God.
     But how do we run the race of life well?  The writer of Hebrews has an answer to that.
     As we run the race of the Christian life, we have the example of the saints of old to emulate.  The reason we have the stories of the many characters of Scripture is so we will know how to and how not to do what is pleasing to God.  I also believe that this cloud of witnesses is there to encourage us.  I know that that is the way it is for me.  I want to stay on course and one day be reunited with my folks and Toby.  I know they're cheering me on to keep going because they want me to follow Jesus and be in His presence for all of eternity as well. I want to follow their good example.
     The writer of Hebrews goes on and says that in order to run the race effectively, we need to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets or entangles us.  It causes us to become distracted from our goal.  We take our eyes of Jesus and look to the world and the enticements it has to offer.
     What is sin?  Sin is a violation of the commands of the Lord.  The Lord has clearly revealed His commandments in His word.  When we violate one of these commandments, we sin.  Some people become burdened by sin by repeatedly engaging in the same type of sin.
     There are sins of commission and omission.  Those things we do such as violating a command not to do something are sins of commission.  When the Lord instructs us to do something like carrying out the great commission and we don't do it, that is a sin of omission. 
    However, we can lay aside the burden of sin.  The Bible says that, "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  We can repent, start over, and get back on course.  All the while, that great cloud of witnesses is cheering us on.
     The key to everything in running the race of the Christian life is looking to Jesus.  The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. 
     Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, and through His resurrection, when we place our faith and trust in Him, we are born again and begin our Christian journey.  Then we progress by looking unto Jesus.
     What does this mean?  We look unto Jesus by following the example He provided for us.  Jesus came not only to die for our sins.  He came to show us how to live a life pleasing to the Father.
     I know that this has become cliche, but in truth, a Christian is someone who asks the question, what would Jesus do? in every situation.
     If we look to Jesus, we will run a good race.  When we die, Jesus will take us home to be with Him in the place that He has prepared for us.  We will be reunited with all of those who through faith in Christ have gone before us and wait for us.
     I urge you today to follow Jesus with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Don't become distracted and burdened with sin.  Remember the example of the saints of God and run the race until you stand before Jesus and hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant.  Enter into the joy of the Lord."


Lord, help us this day to follow You.  Help us know You and serve you completely.  Amen.