A Good Concert

     It's been a long time since I've heard a good concert on TV.  Last night, however, I heard a great performance by Harry Connick Jr. on PBS.  I think that many of the PBS channels are still showing it. The trumpet player and the trombone player are excellent.

Verse For the Day

Habakkuk 3:6--He stood, and shook the earth. He looked, and made the nations tremble.  The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed.

Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew22:1-14---In this parable, a king is giving a great wedding feast for his son.  He sends his servants out to invite guests to the banquet, but no one wants to come.  The king then instructs his servants to go out in the streets and bring in guests. 
     I think this parable has two meanings.  First, the guests who rejected the invitation were the people of Jesus' day.  The Bible says that Jesus came unto His own, but His own did not receive Him.  However, some did accept Jesus.  The sinners and outcasts responded to Jesus.  Second, this parable has a present day application.  As witnesses for Jesus, not everyone we share the gospel with will respond.  We must not be discouraged because if we remain faithful, we will find those who readily accept the gospel message.

Book Recommendation

Today I would like to recommend three books by J.F. Englert: A Dog About Town, A Dog Among Diplomats, and A Dog at Sea.  I've really enjoyed these books about the crime solving Labrador, Randolph.

Verse For the Day

Habakkuk 3:19--The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.

Parable of the Tenants

Matthew 21:33-46-- In this parable, Jesus speaks in a figurative way about redemptive history.  Just as the landowner sent servants to the tenants, so to did the Lord send prophets to the people.  Just as the tenants beat and killed the servants of the landowner, so to did the people reject, ridicule, persecute and kill the prophets God sent to proclaim His message.  Finally, the owner sends his son who is killed. God sent His Son Jesus who was despised, rejected, and crucified.  However, the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  While many have rejected Jesus' message, many others have believed and have been saved and that salvation is still offered to all who believe.

Favorite Dog Movies

Here is a list of some of my favorite dog movies.

K9 and its sequels
Call of the Wild
White Fang
My Dog Skip
Most Lassie movies
Greyfriar's Bobby
Rin Tin Tin movies
Benji movies
Big Jake
Turner and Hooch

Favorite Dog Books

Here is a list of my favorite dog books

James Herriot's Dog Stories
Maya's First Rose
The Dog's Who Came to Stay
My Dog Skip
I Have Heard You Calling in the Night
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Chet and Bernie Mysteries
Nop's Trials
One Man and His Dog
Freedom In the Air
Merle's Door
A Walk Across America
A Dog About Town
Call of the Wild
White Fang

Verse For the Day

Habakkuk 2:20--"But the Lord is in His holy temple:  let all the earth keep silence before Him."

The Parable of the Two Sons

     Matthew 21:28-32-- In this passage of Scripture, Jesus tells the parable of the two sons.  In this story, a man goes to one son and asks him to work in the vineyard.  The son says he will, but then doesn't do it. 
     The father also asks his other son to work in the vineyard.  This son says he won't do it, but later changes his mind and goes to work as his father requested.
     Of course, the second son is the one who truly did the will of the father.  In Jesus' view, the religious leaders were like the first son. They claimed to be doing right, but weren't.  The prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners who were responding to the message of Jesus were like the second son.  They started out in disobedience, but ended up obeying the father's will.
     Many today are like these sons.  Some make a big show of how good they are, yet in reality they don't serve God.  Others, like the second son, are turning from rebellion to obedience. The question is, what son are we?

Minor Prophets

     I've been reading a lot in the minor prophets lately.  These are great books of the Bible, and I urge everyone to read them.  Unfortunately, you won't hear too many sermons preached from these books, and that is a shame. 
     When we went through the little books, we looked at Obadiah and Haggai seeing the truths they contained.
     If you haven't read much in the minor prophets, I recommend that you read the books of Amos and Hosea first.
     I will probably write in more detail on some of the minor prophets in coming days.

Being Thankful

     I've been thinking a lot about the verse that says "In all things give thanks".  I know that I do have much to be thankful for.  One thing for which I'm truly thankful, is the healing God provided for a skin condition I once had called vitiligo.  It is only through the healing power of Jesus that I've been freed for over eight years from this problem.  I am truly grateful and give God the glory. 
     We can never fully express our thanks for everything God has done for us.  I'm going to try to think of many specific things I'm thankful for this week.

Pray for Peace

     Pray for peace in Afghanistan.  War has plagued this nation for far too long.  This country needs peace so that the people can live lives of joy and hope. 

Nuturing Paws Book

     As I've mentioned, a story I wrote about Toby and me is being published in an anthology called "Nuturing Paws".  The book is now available to order online from Barnes and Noble.  I hope you will get a copy.

The Growing Seed--pt 2

     I'd like to add a little bit on the parable of the growing seed I talked about and the whole idea about relying on God and not human effort in building the kingdom.  We are God's instruments.  He has called us to do His work in the world.  However, we sometimes try to accomplish the work of the Spirit by human methods.  One example is in the emphasis some churches place on attracting new people.  Many try to find the most appealing music or the right program as if these human methods will advance the kingdom.  Ultimately, they won't.  Growth in church and spiritual fruit comes by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the preaching of the word.

Verse For the Day

   Matthew 7:1-2--"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Writing update

     My essay about my dog Toby was recently accepted to be published in an anthology entitled "Nuturing Paws".  I just learned that the book is coming out late this month.  I am excited to know that people will get to know more about my friend Toby.  The book should be available on amazon and Barnes and Noble soon.  If you are interested, check it out.

The Parable of the Growing Seed

     Mark 4:26-29--In this parable, a man plants seed in the ground.  The seed sprouts, grows and comes to maturity by itself.  The growth is not contingent on what the man does.  All the man does is harvest the ripe grain. Jesus says that this is what the kingdom of God is like.
     God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is the one building the kingdom.  It is not by human effort that spiritual gain is accomplished. Paul talks about this in I Corinthians 3 when he states that some plant, some water, but God gives the increase.---more on this topic later.

Looking Forward to a New Day

     I've been reading a lot in the minor prophets lately.  These books of the Bible are often ignored, yet they contain great truths.  Micah 4 is a passage that has meant a lot to me recently.  In this passage, the prophet Micah tells of the new world that is coming when Jesus returns. Verse 3 tells of the peace that will spread all over the world.  There will be no more war.  Verse 4 gives the great promise that in the world to come there will be no more fear.  Much of my early life was spent in fear, so this means so much to me.  Finally, verse 5 states that all will walk in the name of the Lord.  This is just one passage in the Bible that details what is coming for the world.  A new day is coming when Jesus Christ will rule and reign in righteousness. I can't wait.

The Parable of the Net

     Matthew 13:47-50-- In this passage, Jesus tells a parable about a fishing net being placed in the water.  When drawn out of the water, it contains many different kinds of fish.  Some of the fish are good for eating and are kept.  The ones that aren't good are placed back in the water. 
    Jesus said that this is similar to what will happen at the end of the present age.  Jesus will send the angels of Heaven to separate the righteous from wicked.  Those who are in Christ ,whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, will be with Jesus and rule and reign with Him in His eternal kingdom.  Those who have rejected the offer of salvation Jesus brings, will not inherit eternal life, but will experience eternal damnation.
     Every person has the choice right now to follow Jesus and be ready when He comes again, or to reject Jesus and go their own way.  Choose the way of life.

Verse For the Day

    Malachi 1:11- "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering:  for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts."

Just Keep Going

     Sometimes I get discouraged and upset with the way things go in my life.  Often it seems like the harder your try, the worse things get.  I just want to give up sometimes.  I need to remember that I'm trying to live for God and God will reward me in His kingdom to come.  My job is to remain faithful to Him knowing that I have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to be with me.

The Parable of the Weeds

Matthew 13:24-29 contains the parable of the weeds.  In this parable, Jesus tells a story about a farmer who went and planted his field with good seeds. However, when the farmer and his workers were asleep, an enemy came and planted weeds in the newly sown field.  Later, as the weeds and the wheat began to emerge, the workers asked if they should pull out the weeds from among the wheat.  The farmer tells them to let everything grow together until harvest; then the wheat would go into the barns, and the weeds would be burned up.
     This is a parable about believers in the world. In this world, there are those who believe in Jesus and those who don't. Both will exist together until Jesus returns and stands in judgment on the world. Those who believe in Jesus will inherit eternal life, and those who reject Jesus will miss out on Heaven.
     Some interpret this parable to also mean that in the church there are true believers and false.  We shouldn't try to make a judgment about the true and false now since Jesus the ultimate judge will handle things upon His return.
    I believe that the first interpretation is the best.

Verse For the Day

Psalm 23:1-- The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.