Scriptures for the New Year

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  I hope that all of you who read this blog will have a wonderful 2014.  As we leave 2013 behind, I want to share with you two passages of Scripture for the coming days ahead.

Philippians 3:13-14 -- "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Hebrews 12: 1-2 -- "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I also want to give you a challenge for the New Year.  Try to find at least one person in January to share the Gospel with.  Resolve to make 2014 the year that you seek to obey the Great Commission.

Weekend Sermon--A Message For the New Year

     I hope that everyone had a very good Christmas.  I'm glad you were able to join me once again for another edition of the Weekend Sermon.
     I want to thank you for your prayers the past few weeks.  The Lord is good, and He has supplied my needs for this month.  I'm very grateful, and I give the Lord Jesus all the praise and honor that is due unto Him.  I also want to thank Jesus for helping me to make it through the Christmas season when I often feel very depressed as I miss my family who have all gone on to be with Jesus in Heaven.
     There is something I want to ask everyone who reads the blog to pray about in the coming weeks.  I have been doing some research as to what countries have the fewest number of Christians and in what countries Christians face the most persecution.  The country that I found that is at or near the top of both of these categories is the Maldives located in the Indian Ocean.  This country bans all religions except Islam, and anyone who practices Christianity is severely persecuted.  According to some statistics I came across, there are only 200 to 300 Christians in this nation. 
     Please join with me in the coming weeks in praying that the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will reach the people of the Maldives.  Pray that in some way, people will hear about the love of Jesus and turn their hearts toward Him.
     Last week, we talked about Christmas and the fact that Jesus came for everyone.  He made His message of love and forgiveness known to everyone including those whom others in society rejected.  Whosoever will may come to Jesus.  Jesus said that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them out.
    Today, as we approach a new year, I want to talk about a man who greatly inspires me.  Acts chapters 6 and 7 tell the story of a man named Stephen.  Let's look at the life of this man and see what we can learn from him as we head into 2014.
     As Acts chapter 6 begins, the new Christian community is rapidly expanding.  People were being added daily to the number of believers in the church. 
     Part of the ministry of the early church was to care for the less fortunate members of the church including widows.  Unfortunately, there arose a dispute among the early Christians about whether or not one group of widows was being treated fairly.
     The Apostles decided that their job was to preach the Gospel.  They decided to appoint some men as deacons in order to make sure that the social welfare mission of the church was carried out properly.  One of the men they selected to be among the first deacons was a man named Stephen who the Bible says was a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost.
     The first thing we need to learn from the account of Stephen for the new year is the importance of taking care of the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the needs of those in the general community that the church ministers to.
     In many of the churches I attended as a young man, the social ministry of the church was looked down upon.  No one wanted to help the poor, the oppressed and the less fortunate in the church or society at large.
     This was not the way the early church acted.  The Apostles wanted to make sure that the whole ministry of the church was carried out.  They would preach and proclaim the message of salvation through Jesus, and the deacons would be in charge of the social welfare ministry of the church.
     As we head into the new year, let each one of us make a commitment to help others.  There are many people in need all around us.  The church has an important role to play in meeting people's needs. 
    I've said this before, but I believe that all churches should have a food pantry ministry to help feed the hungry.  There are also many homeless people in this country as well that need the church to help them.
    In 2014, let us commit ourselves to doing all that we can to help the poor and the oppressed in keeping with the example of Jesus, the Apostles and deacons like Stephen.
    Stephen didn't just help head up the social ministry of the church.  Stephen was a man who boldly proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Stephen was performing miracles and signs in the name of Jesus.  This caused many to believe in Jesus, and the religious leaders wanted Stephen out of the way.  They brought Stephen to trial before there council.
     In spite of persecution, Stephen did not back down in proclaiming the message of Jesus.  When he had the chance to speak before the council, Stephen gave one of the great sermons recorded in the Bible.  This is recorded in Acts chapter 7. 
     When I was in college, I had to take a church history class.  The professor of this class believed in an extreme liberal theology.  He actually called Stephen stupid, and said that Stephen shouldn't have given the message that he gave. Needless to say, this professor and I didn't see eye to eye on many things.
     It is my hope that in 2014, all of us who are followers of Jesus will have the same boldness in proclaiming the Gospel that Stephen had.  There are many people in this world who have never heard the message of Jesus.  We must obey the Great Commission and spread the Good News.
     In many countries, as we try to spread the message of Jesus, we may face great persecution just as Stephen did.  However, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit and continue in boldness to proclaim Christ.  If we don't, the message of the Gospel may be lost.
     For instance, look what is happening in many countries of the West.  Secularism is growing and growing in Western Europe, Canada and the United States.  The number of Christians is shrinking, and many immoral ideas are becoming the law and Christians are becoming marginalized in society.  It is possible that in the not too distant future, that Christianity will be little practiced in the West.
     Don't think that it can't happen.  I am reading a book called "The Lost History of Christianity" written by Philip Jenkins.  In this book, the author discusses how the Christian faith was once widespread in places like Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.  Now, there are very few Christians in any of these places.
     Unless we as followers of Jesus remain faithful in spreading the message of the Gospel, even in the face of persecution, people will not have the chance to respond to the message of Jesus and have eternal life.
      After Stephen preached his message, the people stoned him to death.  Stephen saw Jesus at the right hand of the Father.  Stephen asked as he was being stoned that this act would not be laid against the account of his killers.
     Stephen was a man who practiced forgiveness just as did His Lord who when He was being nailed to a cross said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
     In 2014, let us as followers of Christ commit ourselves to be like Stephen.  Let us proclaim the message of the Gospel even in the midst of persecution.  Let us help meet the needs of others in the name of Jesus.  And let us be people who practice forgiveness in imitation of our Lord.
     If you are reading this blog and you have never asked Jesus to come into your life as Savior and Lord, I hope that you will end the year on the right path by starting a walk with Jesus.  Begin 2014 as a follower of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and Life.  No one can come to the Father accept by Him.
     Thank you for reading this blog in 2013.  Next week, there will not be a book review on Wednesday, but book reviews will return the following week.  Next week, I will begin a series of messages on the majesty of Christ as presented in the book of Hebrews.  May God bless you.  Amen.

Christmas Eve Story

Here is a link to a story I wrote about a nice Christmas Eve that I spent with my friend Toby.


http://voices.yahoo.com/christmas-eve-corgi-10474515.html

Weekend Sermon

     I didn't think that it was going to happen, but I made it to the library this morning.  We did have the freezing mist this morning, but the roads were warm enough that it didn't cause any trouble.  The temperature got up to 55 degrees here yesterday.  Tomorrow has me kind of worried.  They are calling for freezing rain, sleet, and up to eight inches of snow.  I may stay home and not emerge until Monday.
     Well, I am glad to be able to be here and post the sermon.  Please continue to pray for me.   I have a potential job prospect, so there is at least some hope there.  I need a job bad.  I also have to sell my house.  There just seems to be no way that I can keep it.  I keep on trying.  I haven't quit yet, but life is hard.  Being able to post the sermon helps me.
      During this Christmas season when we celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace, let us especially pray for peace in this strife filled world.  It saddens me deeply when I hear about the suffering of the children in Syria.  Let us all pray that Jesus will come again quickly and redeem this world from the mess that it is in.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.  Please.
     In last week's message, I spoke about celebrating Jesus' birthday the way that He would want to have it celebrated.  We should do all that we can to make Jesus the focus of Christmas.  We should try to determine in our hearts what we can give to the Lord on His birthday.
     Today, my message will be fairly brief.  I'd like to talk about something that is revealed in the Christmas story that has further revelation throughout the life and ministry of Jesus here on the Earth. 
     When Jesus was born in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago, He demonstrated by the announcement of His birth that His ministry and love would be available to all people. 
     At times, people overlook the significance of the fact that the birth of Jesus was announced to shepherds in the field.  They heard the angel chorus that brought the exciting news that a Savior had been born, then they went to see where baby Jesus lay.
     Shepherds in Jesus day were looked upon with little respect.  They were considered to be dirty people who smelled awful, because contrary to what many people know, sheep smell worse than pigs.  Shepherds were considered to be untrustworthy, and they were looked down upon by people in high society.
      No matter what society at large and the religious leaders of the day may have felt about shepherds, these men who were watching their flocks by night were the first ones to hear the momentous news that Jesus was born.
      This is just the first time that Jesus brought His ministry and his message of love and healing to those whom the rest of the world looked down upon.  Jesus associated with those whom the religious leaders despised.  This is made clear in Luke 15:1-2 which says, "Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying 'This man receives sinners and eats with them'".
      Jesus loved and cared about the people that the rest of society despised.  The tax collectors were considered to be traitors and greedy.  Jesus chose one of the them to be one of His twelve disciples.
     Jesus loved and cared about the others who were classified as sinners.  Jesus healed the sick and touched the lepers and those considered unclean. 
     Jesus cared about the poor in the world.  He said that the poor were blessed, and that part of His ministry was to preach the gospel to the poor.
     Jesus did not reject anyone who wanted to come to Him.  Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
     In Jesus day, children were viewed as having little importance.  In fact, the disciples tried to keep the children away from Jesus.  However, Jesus told them to stop.  He said, "Let the children come unto Me."
     Samaritans and women were also not considered to be important, and they were looked down on as inferior in Jesus day.  Jesus told the good news to a Samaritan woman and used the example of the Good Samaritan in His teaching about who is my neighbor.
     Jesus also made His birth known to the learned and the wise.  The three wise men from the east saw the star and followed it to where Jesus and Mary were.
     Through much of His ministry, Jesus was rejected by the rich, the powerful and those with some type of authority.  However, He always invited people to follow Him.  Jesus said that it was hard for the rich to enter into Heaven, but it was not impossible because all things are possible with God.
     This Christmas season you may feel lonely and rejected.  You may be depressed, and others have made you feel bad.  Always remember that Jesus loves you.  Those whom society rejects, Jesus loves all the more I believe.
     During this Christmas season, if you have not accepted Jesus' gift of forgiveness, salvation and a personal relationship with Him, I hope that you will do that today.  There is no better friend than Jesus.  The Bible says that Jesus is the friend that sticks closer than a brother.
      I hope that everyone who reads this blog has a very Merry Christmas.  There won't be anymore book reviews until the New Year.  I will post a sermon next week.  May God Bless, and thank you for reading my blog.  Amen.
    

Update

Tomorrow, we are under a freezing rain advisory where I live.  I do not know if I will be able to post the sermon tomorrow or not.  I will try if the roads are not a sheet of ice.  Saturday, we are supposed to have more freezing rain, and then it is supposed to snow Saturday night and all day on Sunday.  I will try to get the sermon posted this week.  If I cannot get out, I want to just take a minute now to thank those who read this blog for their prayers throughout a difficult time in my life.  Please continue to pray as I am very depressed right now.  Everyone please have a Merry Christmas, and I will try to post when I can.  Thank you, and God bless you.

Best Dog and Cat Book of the Year

I usually post my reviews of different books on Wednesday.  I won't be able to post tomorrow, so I am writing about books today.  Also, I realized that the next two Wednesdays the library will be closed for holidays.  So, I decided to unveil my choice for the best dog and cat books I read this year.  The dog book was a hard decision.  There were two contenders.  The cat book was an easy winner.

Best Dog Book of the Year

The best dog book I read this year was "Katie Up and Down the Hall" written by Glenn Plaskin.  This book was about how a dog brought three sets of people together who may not have otherwise know each other.  When Katie came into Glenn's life, one of Glenn's friends told him about a woman who lived on Glenn's floor who was experienced with Cocker Spaniels.  Glenn went over to meet Pearl, and a great friendship developed.  Later, Glenn met Ryan and John through Katie.  All of these individuals became close friends and spent many hours helping each other through the ups and downs of life.  In a real sense, they became a family.  This book also deals with the events of September 11.  Glenn, Pearl and Katie lived in a building very near the World Trade Center.  When the buildings were attacked, Glenn, Katie and Pearl had to evacuate.  With the collapse of the towers, Glenn and Katie were separated from Pearl.  I'll let you read the book to find out how everything worked out.  This is the second best dog book that I have ever read next to "Maya's First Rose" by Martin Scot Kosins. 

Best Cat Book of the Year

The best cat book that I read in 2013 was "Pawprints in the Moonlight" by Denis O'Connor.  This is the best cat book that I have ever read.  One night, Denis hears a strange noise in the woods behind his cottage in Northumberland.  Even though it is a cold and snowy evening, Denis investigates and discovers a cat with its leg in a trap.  Denis releases the cat who runs away.  Denis follows the cat to an abandoned building and finds that the cat is the mother of two tiny kittens.  Denis takes the little family to the veterinarian, but there is nothing the vet can do.  One little black and white kitten is stronger than the other, so Denis decides to take him home and try to nurse him to health.  This is exactly what he does, and Denis names the cat Toby Jug.  Toby Jug and Denis have some wonderful adventures during their first year together.  Their great adventure is a horse riding expedition through the Cheviots.  I think that this is a really wonderful book that is well-written.  The writing style reminds me in some ways of the style of my all-time favorite writer James Herriot.  For those who are reading this blog in places outside of the United States, the book is called "Paw Tracks in the Moonlight".

Well, those are my selections.  If someone else has a dog or cat book that they thought was the best of the year, please share it in the comments section.

A Post About Dogs

 I saw this picture with its captions on the Internet.  This is one of the reasons I like dogs so much.

 

Dogs won’t leave you when times get rough

We may not have a lot of money, but we have each other.

Weekend Sermon

     Welcome to the posting of the Weekend Sermon.  I wasn't sure if I was going to make it to the library today.  This morning, the bad weather came in much sooner than anticipated.  We had a little ice problem.  About one hour ago, the temperature rose to just above freezing, and I decided to venture out to the library.  Tonight we are supposed to have freezing rain, sleet and snow.  I am already ready for the end of winter, and it hasn't even started yet.
     I have something that I am thankful to the Lord for today.  I have a potential buyer for my house.  I am praying that all goes well, but I am not counting on anything.  I am just glad that there is at least some interest.  I still am looking for more work, so please continue to pray for me in this regard.  It does get discouraging at times. 
     I would ask that everyone would continue to pray for peace in Syria.  Also, please pray that the people in the Philippines will receive the aid that they need to recover from the terrible hurricane that hit that country a few weeks ago.
     In last week's message, I brought up the stories of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as well as Job and Lazarus from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.  When we are going through suffering, hard times and struggles, we must have the attitude that Shadrach and his friends had.  We must continue to believe that God will deliver by His great power.  If He chooses not to do so, we must serve Him anyway.  God did deliver Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as well as Job.  However, Lazarus died in a wretched state.  However, Lazarus was ultimately in fantastic shape, because he was carried to Heaven where he will forever be in the presence of the Lord.  For those who follow Jesus, all will ultimately be well for the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
     I mentioned that for this week's message that I planned to speak about Stephen from the book of Acts.  However, in the last few days, a message has come upon my heart that deals with the celebration of the Christmas holidays.
    As I see the celebration of Christmas taking place and all of the activities of the holiday season taking place, a question came to my mind.  Is this the way that Jesus really wants people to celebrate His birthday? 
     The reason I ask this is because someone's birthday celebration is supposed to be about them.  It is supposed to be their day.
     The more I thought about this question, the more I came to believe that in many regards, the way that the majority of people celebrate Jesus' birthday is not what He would want.
      Unfortunately, Christmas has become more the celebration of consumerism and greed than it has become the celebration of the incarnation of Christ. 
     During the Christmas season, people will shop and spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on gifts to give to each other.  I know that this is supposed to symbolize the fact that the Father gave us the gift of His Son.  But there is so much greed and selfishness in so much of the Christmas celebration anymore.
     In the major city that is about 40 miles north of where I live, there where several places this "Black Friday" where violence broke out among shoppers who were trying to get deals on Christmas items.  What is the sense of this?
     It is my belief that entirely too much focus has gone into giving gifts to each other for Jesus' birthday, and not enough focus has gone into giving something to Jesus for His birthday.  Isn't the person whose birthday it is the one who is supposed to receive the presents?
      How can we give a present to Jesus on His birthday this Christmas?  First of all, we can give Him the gift of our service.  Paul writes in the book of Romans that we are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice unto the Lord.  In other words, we are to offer up our time, our talents and our resources for the Lord's service. 
      I believe that Jesus would be very happy if those of us who claim to follow Him would fully yield our lives to doing whatever it is He has called us to do to make this world a better place.  It would be a great gift to Jesus if we would obey His commandments and teachings especially His Great Commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person in this world.  Bringing souls into the Kingdom of Heaven is something that Jesus definitely desires.
     Another way to give a gift to Jesus on Christmas is to give to those things that are important to Jesus.  Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for those who already have a lot, think about giving to the poor and the oppressed.  Jesus cared about the poor and the needy.  Jesus said that when we do things for the least of these, we do it unto Him.
      Many charities this year are reporting record lows in giving.  Right in the area near where I live, the Salvation Army is reporting that giving is down 60 percent this year.  For Christmas this year, let's give to those who really need it.
     One other way that I believe we can give something to Jesus for His birthday this year is to spread love and peace within our families and our communities.  Try to get along with everyone this Christmas season.  Speak words that heal and not words that hurt.  As the Bible says, "Be ye kind one to another."
     I'm not trying to bring anyone down over Christmas.  It is my hope that Christmas will turn from being a commercial holiday about getting things into what it was really intended to be.  It is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ who came into this world to die for sinners.  He came to take the sins of the world upon Him.  He came to conqueror the effects of sin which are death and hell.  Thanks be to God, that Jesus has died, He is risen and He will come again.
     If you have never put your faith and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross, the greatest gift that you can give to Jesus is to turn your life over to Him and accept Him as the Savior and Lord of your life.  I hope that you will do this today.
     This Wednesday, I will post another book review.  Next Friday, I will post another Christmas sermon.  May God bless you.  Amen.
    

Book Review--Chaser

The book I am reviewing today is entitled, "Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words."  The dog knows 1,022 words to be exact.  This fantastic book written by John W. Pilley tells about the author's efforts to train his border collie named Chaser to learn many words and word categories.  Pilley is a retired Professor of Psychology at Wofford College in South Carolina.  After the death of his good dog named Yasha, it took the professor some time to acquire another canine companion.  He had wanted a border collie for a long time.  Chaser was the pick of the litter.  Pilley started teaching Chaser the basic commands right away, and she had no trouble learning.  Much of the book details the way that Pilley trained Chaser to recognize the unique names of over 1,022 objects.  After his training, Professor Pilley and a colleague at Wofford published a paper about Chaser in a peer-reviewed journal.  People around the world were amazed at Chaser's accomplishments.  Chaser has been profiled in USA Today and she has appeared on the Today show and ABC World News Tonight.  There was an extensive piece about Chaser on Nova on PBS as well.  This is a great book about a man and his dog and science.  I highly recommend Chaser.

Just a note:  There may be bad weather where I live on Friday.  The Weekend Sermon may delayed until Saturday on Sunday.

Weekend Sermon

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am so glad to be able to post another sermon this week, and I am glad that you have taken the time to read it and reflect upon it.
     It is very, very cold here where I live.  I can tell that winter has definitely arrived in the American Midwest.  I'm glad we haven't had any snow or ice yet where I live.  Just to the south of me, they are having a bad winter storm.
     Please continue to pray for me this week.  I have to be upfront with everyone and say that I am becoming seriously depressed because of the many financial and physical difficulties that I have been facing.  I keep praying and trying and struggling, but nothing is going according to plan.  To add to the problems, my bank made a serious error in my account that took two days to fix, and my car is making funny noises that have me worried.  I will continue to trust in the Lord to keep me going.  While I am happy for all the people who are finding jobs, and I am happy about the unemployment rating dropping the in the United States, I am still frustrated by the fact that no matter where I try to find work I am unsuccessful.  If I didn't have my writing work, I would have been destitute long ago.  So, I am thankful to the Lord for the work that I do have available.  Just keep praying.  I appreciate it.
      Continue in pray for peace in Syria, and add to that list of prayers for peace the Central African Republic.  There is extensive fighting occurring in that nation, and they need peace.
     In last week's message, we talked a little about Hanukkah and Jesus' message in John 10:22-30.  Those of us who trust in Christ are His sheep.  We are secure in Him, and nothing can snatch us away from Him or bring us ultimate harm.
     Today, I would like to look at a familiar story from the Old Testament that has taken on a special meaning to me in the last few weeks.  In Daniel 3, we see the story of three men who demonstrated the courage of their convictions.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were willing to give up their lives in order to remain faithful to the true and living God.
      Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken into captivity by the Babylonians at the same time as Daniel.  Along with Daniel, they refused the king's meats and lived on vegetables because they did not want to violate the dietary laws given to the Jewish people by God.
      In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar erected an image of gold, and he ordered that when the music played, everyone was to bow down and worship the image.  When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego heard the music, they did not bow down and worship the image.  The would not violate the command of the Lord.  They knew that there was only one true God and they were not to worship idols.
     When the king found out about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego's  refusal to bow to the image, he was enraged.  He gave the three friends one more chance to bow before the image.  If they refused, they would be punished by being thrown into the fiery furnace.  Of course, the three friends refused.
     In Daniel 3:17 and 18 the three men said to the king, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king.  But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."  This verse has become very important to me lately.
     These three men were not willing to violate the commandments of the Lord.  They believed that God had the power to deliver them from whatever the king had in store for them because God is more powerful than any human ruler.  What speaks to me is the second statement.  These three men said that even if God decided not to intervene and help them, they would do what is right anyway.
     I have asked the Lord to help me out of my current difficulties on many many occasions.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord has all the power needed to get me out of the mess that I am in.  If he doesn't decide to help me, and I can't go on anymore, I will still serve Him to the day that I die.  That is the inspiration I receive from Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  No matter what happened, they would serve God.
     Job was like this as well.  All of his friends were against him.  His wife told him to curse God and die.  But Job would not curse God.  Job said that even if God would slay him, he would still trust in God.
     Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Job could say this because they knew that ultimately, God is in control and He will bring justice and make everything right in the end.  That is my belief.  No matter what happens on this earth, and no matter what hard times we may go through now, all will be well.
     In the case of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they were thrown in the fiery furnace, but the fire did not harm them.  They were joined in the flames by one like the Son of God.  They came out of the fiery furnace, and the king praised the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
     Job was delivered from his problems in this lifetime as well.  He was healed, and all of his fortunes were restored.
     This is not always the case in the Bible.  Sometimes, some very bad things happen to people who believe in the Lord with all of their heart.  Take for example the man Lazarus in the story Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus.  Lazarus was destitute and homeless.  He didn't have anyone on earth who cared about him enough to help him in his time of misery.  His body was covered with sores that the dogs licked.  He was as bad off as a person can be in this life.  For some reason, God didn't deliver him in this life.  Lazarus died.  However, because Lazarus trusted in the true and living God, he was carried to Abraham's bosom where he would experience eternal join and happiness.  In spite of his terrible circumstances in life, Lazarus never stopped believing in the true and living God.
     Like me, you may be facing some really hard struggles and difficulties.  Keep praying and asking the Lord for help and deliverance.  Jesus told us not to give up in our prayers but to keep on seeking, asking and knocking.  Jesus has the power to deliver us from any and every problem.
     However, the Lord may choose not to deliver us in this life.  We must remain faithful in spite of the negative circumstances because all will be well ultimately.  Jesus is worthy of all of our praise and adoration.  He has gone to prepare a place for those of us who put our trust in Him.  One day, when we are with Jesus, all of the problems will seem as nothing compared with the joy and love that is experienced in the presence of the Lord Jesus.
     I realize that I kind of preached to myself a lot in the sermon this week.  I hope that you got something out of the message.  Next week, I want to bring a message about Stephen from the book of Acts.  After that, I want to talk about Christmas.  On Wednesday, I will post another book review.  May God bless you all.

Book Review

Today I am reviewing a book entitled "A Dog Named Slugger" written by Leigh Brill.  Ms. Brill was born with cerebral palsy that made it hard for her to walk.  While in graduate school, she met someone with a service dog who suggested that a service dog could be of great assistance with her cerebral palsy disabilities.  Leigh contacted a service dog organization, and she was matched with a yellow Labrador named Slugger.  This book tells about how Slugger changed Leigh's life.  He gave her more confidence and provided love and friendship.  There is a good chapter in the book about the author's fight against discrimination when she tried to bring Slugger to work with her.  I highly recommend this book. It is a good dog book and a good book about overcoming obstacles in life and moving ahead.

Weekend Sermon--John 10:22-30

     I am sorry that I couldn't post the Weekend Sermon until late today.  The library was closed on Friday, and this morning, their Internet was down.  I have had to go to the next town over to use the Internet at their library.
     I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  I actually had my Thanksgiving dinner a week early when my brother and his son took me out to dinner.  I didn't attempt to get out and do any shopping on Friday.  From what I saw happening on television, I am glad I stayed home. 
     Please continue to pray about the situation in Syria.  There is so much suffering among children that is going on in that country.  Pray that God in His mercy will intervene.
     Also, please continue to pray for me.  I am facing some real difficulties.  I need to sell my home fairly quickly, and I need to sell some other items that I have for sale.  I also need to find a good job this week, or I am going to be in a real bad situation.  Thank you for your continued prayers.
     In last week's message, we studied the reaction to Peter's sermon.  Peter and John were arrested, but they refused to stop preaching in the name of Jesus.  They were faithful witnesses for their Lord.
     In today's message, I would like to focus on the words of Jesus found in John 10:22-30.  In verse 22, we find Jesus in Solomon's Portico in the Temple during the Feast of the Dedication.  This is another term for the celebration of Hanukkah. 
     We often forget the fact that Jesus was a Jew.  He celebrated the Sabbath and the Jewish holy days.  Because of this, it has been by practice to do this as well.
     Hanukkah celebrates the fact that the Temple was cleansed from its defilement at the hands of Antiochus.  Antiochus Epiphanes was a tyrant from the Seleucid Empire that controlled Israel.  He wanted to Hellenize the Jewish people and lead them away from the worship of the true and living God.  Antiochus sacrificed a pig in the Temple and set up an idol of Zeus.  This led to the Maccabean revolt and the cleansing and dedication of the Temple.  This evil ruler and what he did are foretold in the book of Daniel in chapter 11.  This fulfilled prophecy in Daniel is a great example of the validity and trustworthiness of the Bible.
     While Jesus was in the Temple, He was surrounded by a crowd who wanted to know if He was really the Messiah.  Jesus answered in verse 25 by saying, " I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me."
     Jesus had performed tremendous miracles.  He had opened blind eyes and made the lame to walk.  He had cast out unclean spirits, and fed the 5,000.  However, in spite of all of this, most of the people did not believe in Him.
     Jesus said in verse 26 that the reason that they did not believe is that they were not of His sheep.  Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice, and they follow Him.  Jesus gives them eternal life.
     One way that we can know if we have a true possession of faith and not just an empty profession of faith is by our willingness to follow the voice of Jesus.  The true believer in Jesus will follow the commandments and teachings of the Lord.  The true follower of Jesus will not be distracted by the things of this world.  His eyes will be firmly fixed on Jesus who is the author and perfector of our faith.  He will do the will and work of Jesus in the world.
     Those who follow Jesus will have eternal life.  During the holiday season, I think a lot about my Mom and Dad.  I especially missed them on Thanksgiving this year.  But I know that they are not just dead and gone.  Because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, they are with Jesus in Heaven right now.
     Jesus said the once we belong to Him, once we are one of His sheep, nothing can take us away from Him.  The Father has given the sheep to Jesus who is the Great Shepherd of the sheep.  No one can take them away from the Father.
     I find extraordinary comfort in this.  I like to imagine it this way.  I am in the palm of Jesus' hand with His fingers wrapped around me.  Around Jesus' hand is wrapped the hand of the Father.  Nothing can get through there and get me away from the Father and the Son.  On top of that, the Bible says that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.  No matter what happens in life, we are safe with Jesus.  We will be with Him for all of eternity.
     In verse 30, Jesus makes a tremendous statement.  He says, "I and my Father are One."  These words were written above the altar in the church my Grandpa attended.  It is one of the clearest statements of the deity of Jesus in the Bible.  Jesus is the God/man.  We can put our trust in Him for our redemption and our eternal well being.
     I know that this is the Advent season, but I feel that the Lord is leading me to preach two other message before I preach about Christmas.  On Wednesday, I will post a book review.  May God bless you.  Amen 
    

Book Reviews

I am going to write about two different books that I finished this week.  The first is a book about Jesus entitled, "Jesus: Lord and Savior" written by F.F. Bruce.  F.F Bruce was a great Bible scholar who wrote many works about Jesus including "The Hard Sayings of Jesus".  He also wrote and edited a number of commentaries.  His commentary on the book of Philippians is one of my particular favorites. 

In this book, F.F Bruce writes about the evidence for the historical Jesus and about Jesus' life.  There are informative chapters about Jesus as the Son of God and the Incarnate Word.  The entire book is very well written and includes many Scripture references.  I highly recommend this book and others by the same author.

The second book I want to mention today is a dog book entitled "The Compassion of Dogs" by Kim D.R. Dearth.  She includes many stories in this book about how dogs have helped people to have better lives.  One of the stories I particularly liked was about a dog named Barnaby.  Barnaby was a golden retriever who worked as a hearing assistance dog.  Barnaby eventually become blind, but that didn't stop him from helping his partner know when there was something that she needed to hear.  Another great story is about a dog named Moss who helped reach a young girl that no one else could reach.  All of the stories in this book are good, and I recommend it.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States, and I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving.  There is much to be thankful for.  The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday this week.

I Can't Believe It

     Yesterday, I was watching a program on PBS called Religion and Ethics News Weekly.  They had a report on that completely shocked me.  Two cities in the southern part of the United States have actually passed  laws that forbid people from giving food to the homeless.  In one of these cities, a pastor went with his congregation every Sunday to give breakfast to the homeless population in the downtown area.  One Sunday, the police were there, and they informed him that if he fed the homeless, he would be in violation of the law and he would be arrested.

    I can't believe that this nation has sunk to this level.  We seem to want to cast the poor aside and not bother with them.  Instead of trying to help the homeless, many communities want to make their lives even more difficult. One person interviewed in the program suggested building a reserve in which to place the homeless that was several miles outside of the city.

    Unfortunately, many conservative Christian people who have extreme religious right political views have helped put people in office who want to promote greed, corruption, big business, environmental destruction and the exploitation of the poor by the rich.  How different this is from the life and ministry of Jesus.  I am thankful that in my area, there are several good ministries that try to help the homeless and those facing poverty.

    In my view, the type of ordinances passed in the towns mentioned in this program come under what was in the sermon passage on Friday.  When Peter and John were told to stop proclaiming the name of Jesus, they said they wouldn't do it.  If communities want churches to stop feeding the poor, the people in the church should say that it is better to obey God than man and do it anyway.

Weekend Sermon--Acts 4

     The weather didn't turn out to be too bad last night, so I am here to post the Weekend Sermon.  We had some freezing mist, but all that it did was glaze the car windows up.  The precipitation cleared up before the really cold blast came in.  I do not like freezing mist and rain.  One year, we had terrible tree damage in an ice storm.  It took days to clean up the big mess.
     For the past weeks, we have been praying for the people in the Philippines who were affected by the typhoon.  Please continue to pray for these people that the Lord would be with them and allow them to get the aid that they need.
     Please continue to pray for me.  I am grateful that I had writing work this week.  However, I still need more work to get out of the financial difficulties that I have been experiencing since my Dad passed away.  I hope that things get better soon.
     Last week, we focused on the message that Peter preached after the crowd gathered around him when they saw the healing of the lame man.  The important thing that I tried to focus on was that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah given by Moses, Samuel, Isaiah and the other prophets.  The resurrection of  Jesus provided evidence that the message and work of Jesus was acceptable to the Heavenly Father.   One day, Jesus will come again and restore all things to the way they were intended to be before sin came into this world.  Before that time comes, all of us have to make the choice of whether or not we will believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  We have the choice to put our faith and trust in Jesus, or we can deny Jesus and follow a different path in life.
     After Peter finished his sermon, there was a great response to his message.  As the Bible says, God's word will not return to Him void.  There were two reactions to Peter's message.  Acts 4 verse 4 says that many people heard the words that Peter spoke and believed.  In fact, 5,000 people came to faith in Christ on that day.  What a remarkable occurrence.  Many preachers don't even preach to that many people in their lifetime.  It is my hope that after reading last week's message,  that someone may have decided to invite Jesus to be the Lord of his or her life.
     There was another reaction to Peter's message.  The Sadducees and the rulers of the temple had Peter and John arrested because they preached that Jesus rose from the dead.  The Sadducees had been instrumental in having Jesus crucified.  They didn't want any preaching to be done in Jesus' name.  More than this, the Sadducees denied the doctrine of the resurrection.  Jesus and the Sadducees had an encounter about this very issue while Jesus walked this earth.  Jesus told them that God was the God of the living and not the God of the dead.
     Peter and John were brought before Annas and Caiaphas and asked in what name they had done the miracle of healing the lame man.  In verse 10 Peter said, "Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole."
     I love this verse for a number of reasons.  First of all, Peter is a different man than the one who denied Jesus three times.  Peter is filled with courage and boldness in his proclamation of the name of Jesus.  He is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Also, Peter does not back down at addressing Annas and Caiaphas.  He pointed out clearly that they were the ones who bore responsibility for the crucifixion of the Lord.  However, in spite of what they tried to do, God raised Jesus from the dead. 
     Peter went on in verse 12 to say, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we might be saved."  This is one of the most important verses in the Bible.  It relates a message that many in this world do not want to hear today.  It states clearly that Jesus is the only way of salvation.  Humanity cannot find its way to God in any way except by accepting Jesus as Lord. 
     Many people feel that this in intolerant.  They believe and teach that there are many paths to God.  This is not the teaching of the Bible.  Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth and life, no man comes to the Father except by me."  That statement and Peter's statement are as clear as can be.  Salvation and forgiveness of sin is only available through Jesus.  Humanity can only be reconciled to God through the work of Christ on the cross and through his resurrection.
     Verse 13 of chapter 4 is another great verse.  The officials saw the boldness of Peter and John.  They could tell that both of them were untrained men.  However, they could tell that Peter and John had been with Jesus.  I think that this phrase, "they had been with Jesus has at least a couple of different meanings."
     The religious officials recognized Peter and John as being among Jesus' disciples when He walked the earth.  Jesus had an inner core of three disciples that included Peter, James and John.  The four of them were often together without the other disciples present. 
     I also think that this phrase refers to the way that Peter and John spoke.  They spoke with boldness just the way Jesus did.  The Bible says that Jesus spoke with authority.  So did Peter and John.  They learned well from the master.  The religious leaders could also recognize the message of Jesus in the message of Peter and John.  Jesus taught that He was the way to eternal life.  He was the way to the Father.  This is the message the Peter and John were relating to the religious leaders as well.
     After a time of discussion, the religious leaders decided to warn Peter and John to no longer preach or speak in the name of Jesus.  Peter and John flatly refused.  They said, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."  They were commissioned by Jesus to spread His message, and that is exactly what they intended to do. 
    Finally, the officials released them, because they could not deny the validity of the miracle of the lame man who was made to walk by the name of Jesus.
     We may face situations in life where it is difficult to speak for Jesus.  The forces of evil will always try to bring persecution against those who are trying their best to go full out for the Lord.  In the midst of persecution, be bold.  Stand up for Jesus.  Proclaim His message just as Peter and John did. 
     You may be reading this message and you have been trusting in some other way of salvation apart from Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the only way.  I urge you in the name of Jesus to turn to Christ today for salvation.  Make Jesus the Lord of your life, and follow Him from this day forward.
     Next week is the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States.  The library is going to be closed for several days.  I still plan to post a review on Wednesday.  However, the Weekend Sermon will be delayed until Saturday next week.  May God bless you.  Amen.

Update

Tomorrow the forecast is calling for ice and snow in my area.  Right now, they don't think it will be too bad.  I will try to get to the library tomorrow and post the Weekend Sermon.  However, if the weather is bad, the sermon may be delayed until Saturday or Sunday.

Book Review

I am in the process of reading several different books, and I haven't finished any of them this week.  For the book review this week, I would like to recommend two books that I read some time ago.  I don't believe that I have mentioned them on the blog before. 

The books "Walking Ollie" and "Fetching Dylan" are both written by Stephen Foster.  The first book deals with Stephen and his partner purchasing Ollie who was a mix between a large breed of sighthound and some other type of dog.  Throughout the book, Stephen relates how it was difficult at first to have a relationship with Ollie, but the two managed to get along. 

In the second book, Stephen and his partner purchase a second dog.  This time, they get a Saluki named Dylan.  This book deals with the interaction of Ollie and Dylan and some of the interesting times the dogs and Stephen had together in Norwich and along the beach.

I used to enjoy reading Stephen's blog.  He was a soccer fan like I am. 

Weekend Sermon--Acts 3:11-26

     It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon.  I am glad to be able to post these messages every week.  I hope that all of you had a really good week.
     Please continue to pray for those who were struck by the terrible typhoon in the Philippines.  I heard on the news this morning that in some of the areas with the worst damage, the people have not yet received any type of aid.  Pray that aid will reach those who need it.  Pray that the Lord will heal the injured and comfort those who mourn.
     Please keep the nation of Syria in prayer.  The war there continues, and there is also an outbreak of polio among the country's children.  Pray for the war to end quickly and for the children to get well.
     I would ask that you continue to pray for me.  I am working very hard in writing, and I am doing fairly well.  I am still looking for more work.
     In last week's message, I focused on the miracle that occurred when Peter and John went to the Temple to praise the Lord and proclaim His message.  A man who was lame was instantaneously healed and began to praise God.  We learned that it is our responsibility as believers in Jesus to do all that is in our power to help those in this world who we can help.  We may not be able to do everything, but we can do what Jesus enables so to do to bring honor and glory to His name.
    After the lame man was made well, the people that saw the miracle were amazed.  They had undoubtedly seen this man begging in the Temple area for years.  Many of them may have given him money.  They knew that this was not some kind of staged miracle on the part of Peter and John to get a crowd.  A truly lame man had been restored to full health and strength.  The people wanted to know what was going on, and they flocked to Peter and John to learn more.
    In Acts 3 verse 12, the first thing that Peter did when he addressed the crowd was to take the focus off of himself.  Peter told the people that the miracle of healing that had just occurred was not through his own or John's power.  Peter directed the crowd's attention to the miracle worker Himself.  Peter put the focus on Jesus Christ.
     In verse 13 Peter said, "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when He was determined to let Him go."
      This is a very interesting verse.  Peter makes it clear that the God of the Jewish people was the one who sent Jesus into the world.  Peter also makes it clear in this passage that Jesus was the Messiah, and that this was demonstrated through the suffering of Jesus.  In Isaiah chapters 52 and 53, one called the servant is identified.  This servant would suffer for the redemption of His people.  Peter is pointing out to the crowd that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah.  Jesus is the Servant, and he suffered at the hands of His people and at the hands of the Romans in the same manner as was foretold by the prophet Isaiah. 
      As Peter says in verse 14, the people denied the Holy One and Just One.  Instead, they asked that a murderer be released to them instead.  Jesus was completely holy.  He never committed any sins.  The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in every manner that we are, yet He was without sin.  This title of "Holy One" also equates Jesus with God.  It was a name for God.  Peter was saying that the people in the crowd did not recognize their God when He came to them in human form.  Instead, they chose a murderer and asked that Jesus be crucified.
     In verse 15, Peter says that they, "killed the Prince of Life".  Jesus was the one who created all and for Him all things were created.  Every person owes their existence to Jesus.  However, so few acknowledge their Creator.  Just as the people did in Jesus' day, the people of this present age do not want to follow Jesus.  So many reject Jesus and follow a path that leads to destruction instead of following the path of the Savior that leads to life.
     Although the people and the Romans rejected Jesus and put Him to death on the cross, what Jesus did was vindicated by the Heavenly Father.  Jesus was raised from the dead.  This miraculous resurrection was the proof that all that Jesus did was true.  The resurrection was a vindication of Jesus' message.  Everything that Jesus taught while He was on this earth is true, and we should follow all that the Lord Jesus has instructed and commanded.
    The resurrection also demonstrated that the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for the sins of the human race was acceptable to the Father.  Jesus took the sins of this world on Himself.  He was the spotless lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.
     Peter makes it very clear in verse 16, that Jesus was the cause of the lame man's healing.  This reflects the glorification of the Risen Lord.  Jesus is alive and active.  He is with the Father in Heaven, and Jesus is still at work in this world.  Jesus is still touching broken lives and healing broken souls and bodies.  Jesus may use us as His instruments on this earth, but He is the one who performs mighty miracles, forgives sins and transforms people's lives.
     Once again in verse 18, Peter reiterates the fact that everything was foretold by the prophets about the Messiah was fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus.   Then in verse 19, Peter tells the people what they needed to do.  They needed to repent so that their sins could be forgiven.  Then they would receive a time of refreshing from the Lord.
     To repent means to change one's mind.  The people did not have the right understanding of who Jesus is or what He did.  Peter had just explained to them the truth about the life and work of Jesus.  The people now had a decision to make.  They could go on in the way they had been going and continue to reject Jesus, or they could change their mind, turn from their sins and be converted.  When they turned to Jesus, their sins would be blotted out.  They would be forgiven and receive the refreshing presence of the Lord in their lives.  Jesus would come into their hearts and have a relationship with them and give them eternal life.
    This same good news is available to people today.  If you have rejected Jesus, you have just had the truth about Jesus presented to you.  You now have a choice.  You can repent and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus and receive His forgiveness, or you can continue to reject Jesus just as the people did in His own time.
     Peter goes on to say that Jesus would remain in Heaven until it was time for the restoration of all things.  Jesus said that He would return to earth one day and establish His eternal kingdom that would have no end.  I am looking for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to occur, and I can't wait for that day.  When Jesus returns, He will establish a kingdom of eternal peace.  He will rule and reign in righteousness.  Sin will no longer have dominion in this world.  All will be restored to the way God designed it to be before mankind rebelled against His Creator.
     Peter once again tells the people of a prophecy that Jesus fulfilled.  Moses spoke about the fact that a prophet would be raised up from among the people.  This was Jesus.  Peter went on to say that every prophet from Samuel on spoke about Jesus.  Jesus had come to set His people free.  As God said to Abraham, all the nations of the world would be blessed through Him.  Jesus as the seed of Abraham has brought blessing to every one in this world.  Anyone can come to faith in Jesus Christ.  Anyone can turn from their iniquity and turn to the Savior.
     The people who heard Peter that day had to make a decision about Jesus.  So do you.  Will you follow Jesus.  He fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah, Moses and the other prophets.  God has raised Him from the dead.  Will you accept Him as the Lord and Savior of your life.
     Next week, I will bring a message about Acts 4 and what happened to Peter and John after this message was concluded.  I will post a review on Wednesday.  May God Bless You.

Book Review

The first book that I would like to review today is called "The Compassion of Animals" written by Kristin Von Kreisler.  This well-written book contains numerous stories about the ways that dogs, cats, horses and other animals demonstrate caring and help and protect their human companions.  One of the stories I liked the best was about a dog named Dylan who helped his human companion to overcome a depression that had incapacitated her for five years. Another good story tells about how a dog named Rosie kept burglars away from the house.  In a story about a dog named Bruno, the author tells about how Bruno came to the aid of a stranger who was being attacked in a rural area near where the dog lived.  This brave dog later suffered at the hands of humans showing once again, that in many cases, animals are much more noble acting than people.  I highly recommend this book.

The second book that I want to recommend today is not an animal book.  In his book "Loving Jesus", seminary professor Mark Allan Powell writes about how loving Jesus and being loved by Jesus is at the center of the Christian faith.  In this excellent book, Powell talks about loving Jesus in community and through the practices of prayer, Bible reading and meditation.  One of the best chapters in the book talks about how we love Jesus when we anticipate His coming and wish that we could be with Him soon.  This book is written by a seminary professor, but it is not a book of complicated, technical theology.  It is a book that should be read by those who want to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Weekend Sermon--Acts 3

     I am glad that it is once again the end of the week.  I am always glad to be posting the Weekend Sermon.  I hope that everyone had a good week.
     I am especially glad for an end to this week.  This has been a very hard week.  I am truly thankful that the Lord provided a way for me to meet some of the financial need that I have in my life.  Everything is not the way it should be, but a crisis has been survived for now.  Please keep praying that the Lord will supply all of my needs. 
     Please pray for the people in the Philippines.  A large typhoon has hit that country, and the damage has been devastating.    I know that there is one person who lives in the Philippines who regularly reads this blog.  Please be safe. 
     There is one other thing I would like everyone to pray about this week.  I heard a report that there is a serious polio outbreak in Syria.  Please pray that this will end, and the children will receive the vaccinations that they need.  Pray for peace in Syria.
     Last week, I wrote a message about the characteristics of the first believers who trusted in the Lord after Peter's message on the day of Pentecost.  At that first sermon, 3,000 people were added to the church.  They followed the doctrine and the teachings of the Apostles.  They were people of prayer who had fellowship with one another.  They also sought equality with one another.  If anyone among them had a need, the other Christians did what was necessary to meet that need.  That is the way that it should be in the body of Christ today.  There should not be extremes of poverty and wealth.  We as followers of Christ should help the other members of the body of Christ.
     In today's message, I would like to continue with the focus on what was happening in the early church as recorded in Acts chapter 3.
     When Acts 3 begins, Peter and John were going to the Temple to pray and proclaim the message of the Risen Lord.  While they were there, a man who was lame from birth was begging and asking for alms.
     Peter saw this man and told him that he didn't have any silver or gold, but what he did have, he would give to him.  He told the man to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus.  The man's legs were immediately strengthened, and he went walking and leaping and praising God.
      What lessons can we learn from this incident?  First of all, Peter and John did for the man what they could do.  In this instance, it was to restore him to physical wholeness.  We may not have been given the power by God to speak a word of healing as the Apostles were, but each one of us has been given gifts by the Lord to help meet the needs of others.
      We live in a hurting world filled with great need.  In our own communities there are people who do not have enough to eat or enough money to pay their bills.  They need some help.  Thankfully, there are Christians that God has blessed financially who are able to meet the needs of those in distress.  Others need a word of encouragement or someone to talk to.  We can speak a word of hope and lend a listening ear.
      All Christians have the task of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission.  And all of us can pray for those in need.
      We have to do what we can to help others in the name of Jesus.  Jesus will give us the strength through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
      Another important thing that I see in this incident is that the man was completely healed.  From what I can see in the Bible, there is no one who was ministered to by Jesus or the Apostles who went away partially healed.  They were made whole.
      This is something that bothers me a great deal with some of the healing ministers seen today.  Someone will claim healing, and they will get out of their wheelchair and still be limping around.  In one instance that I saw personally, a healer proclaimed healing to a man, grabbed him out of the wheelchair and pulled him on to the floor.  This poor man went crawling on his hands and knees on the floor.  The healer said that this was a great healing because now at least the man could crawl.  This kind of thing does not follow the Biblical pattern of what constitutes a miracle.  When the Lord heals someone, they are healed.
     Finally, the man who was healed gave his praise and thanksgiving to God.  As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, let's remember that we have much to be thankful for.  The Lord has given us his marvelous salvation.  We have food to eat, clothes to wear, transportation.  Whatever the Lord has done for us and provided for us, we should always give Him thanks and praise because His love for us is amazing.
     This great healing of the lame man got people's attention, and a crowd gathered.  Peter used this as an opportunity to proclaim the message of Jesus.  Peter told the crowd that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had glorified Jesus by raising Him from the dead.  It was in the name of Jesus that the man had been made whole.
     Peter then went on to proclaim the message of Jesus and how Jesus was the fulfillment of some important Old Testament prophecies.  He urged the people to repent.
     In next week's message, I want to focus on the message that Peter preached in more detail.  I also want to focus on the reaction of the religious leaders and Peter and John's defense of their actions before the Sanhedrin.
     I will post a book review on Wednesday.  May God bless you. Amen.
    

Book Review

Today I am reviewing a book for younger readers that I enjoyed.  The name of the book is "Mountain Dog" and it is written by Margarita Engle".  This book tells the story of a young boy who must go to live with his uncle when the boy's mother is sent to prison for operating a dog fighting ring.  The uncle has a mountain rescue dog named Gabe who helps the boy overcome his sadness and cope with his new situation.  What is most interesting about this novel, is that it is composed in verse.  The author does a fantastic job in this format, and I heartily recommend this book.

Another book written in a prose poem style that I like a great deal is "Platero and I" written by the Nobel Prize winning poet, Juan Ramon Jimenez.  Jimenez writes in a much more artistic style.  He was a master poet, and I recommend his work as well.

This last week, I've been reading some of the older animal books I've read many times in the past.  I don't know if I have recommended "My Dog Skip" by Willie Morris, but it is truly an outstanding book.  I enjoy this book every time that I read it.  While Willie Morris and Skip spent their years together before I came along, much of what Morris recounts in the book reminds me of growing up in my small, Kansas town.

Finally, I've been once again reading some of James Herriot's Dog Stories.  No matter how many times I read these, I like them just as much as I did when I read them the first time all those years ago.  For those of you who don't know, James Herriot is my favorite author.  Besides his books, the book that Herriot's son wrote about his father is also a book I recommend.  It is called "The Real James Herriot."

Things to Be Thankful For

I have two things to be very thankful for today.  As you know, I have asked you to pray that God would supply my financial needs.  There was a big breakthrough today.  I am going to be able to stay in my house.  Praise the Lord for His goodness.  Thank you for your prayers.

I am also thankful that there is a peace agreement in the Congo.  I have been praying for peace in this country for years.  Today, I heard on the morning news that the government and one of the rebel groups signed a peace accord.  Thank the Lord for this.  My cousin and her husband were missionaries in the Congo for several years.  They had to leave the country when war broke out.  I know that they will be glad to hear this news as well.

Weekend Sermon

      I thank the Lord that it is once again time for the Weekend Sermon.  I hope that everyone had a very good week.
      This was a very busy week for me with highs and lows.  Those who read the blog know that on Tuesday I went to an author presentation that I enjoyed very much.  I am thankful that I got to go to this as I'd been looking forward to it for a long time.  I am also thankful that all of the bad weather this week didn't cause any problems with my house's foundation that is not so good.
      I still haven't been able to sell the things that I need to sell in order to get things back on track financially.  Please continue to pray that the Lord will work in this area of my life so that I can get back on track once again.  I am really believing that the Lord is going to do something very positive in this regard in the coming days.
      Last week, we finished our series on the book of Revelation by looking at Revelation chapters 21 and 22.  One day, at the end of the Millennial reign of Christ, the Lord is going to make a new Heaven and a new earth.  All of the old will pass away and every thing will be knew.  There will be no more crying, pain or death.  I know that I am looking forward to that day.  Only those who have put their faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus will be able to be part of the New Jerusalem that is coming down out of Heaven.
     Today, I am not going to start a new series.  For the next couple of weeks, I will just write some general sermons.  Soon, we will be in the Advent season celebrating the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.  After the Advent season, I intend to start a new series.  As I mentioned last week, I am leaning towards going through the book of I Peter.  However, I may do a series on the presentation of the majesty of Christ as recorded in the book of Hebrews.  I will see how the Lord leads.
     For are message today, I would like to talk about the features that distinguished the church right after the day of Pentecost.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He was on this earth for a period of 40 days and was seen by many witnesses.  At the end of this time, Jesus ascended into Heaven in the sight of His apostles.  Before He left this earth, Jesus told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until the power of the Holy Spirit came upon them.
     Ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven, the apostles, along with several other followers of  Jesus,  were gathered in the Upper Room.  The Holy Spirit filled them, and they began to speak in other tongues. 
      Peter then preached a sermon explaining who Jesus was and what He had done. Peter urged his listeners to receive Jesus and be baptized.  Three thousand souls were added to the kingdom on that day.
     Acts 2:42-47 gives an account of the practices of these early believers that numbered 120 plus the 3,000 born again on the day of Pentecost.  The church of today would do well to imitate the spiritual practices of these first followers of the risen Lord.
     The first thing that these early Christians did was remain steadfast in the apostle's doctrine.  This is so important today that I can't emphasize it enough.  There has been a great departure from the apostle's doctrine.  Much of what is taught in church today is not the teaching of the New Testament Church.  The church will only be strong and influence the world when it follows what the Bible has to say.  So much evangelical teaching today is focused on prosperity.  This doctrine is not taught in the Scripture.  Many other churches deny the orthodox doctrines of the faith such as the full divinity of Jesus, the bodily resurrection and the literal Second Coming.  We must get back to the accurate teaching of Scripture.
     The early church also continued in fellowship and breaking of bread.  These are actually two different things.  First of all, the early believers came together to encourage one another and to help one another.  They joined together in worship and in conducting the evangelistic and social ministry of the church.  Breaking of bread refers to the celebration of communion or the Eucharist.  
     Verse 42 also says that the early Christians continued in prayer.  They were a praying people.  I believe that more time should be devoted in most church services to prayer.  All believers should be engaged in daily prayer.  I urge you to try to pray at least once every day.  Tell the Lord all of your concerns, and ask Him to intervene in this world's needs.
     Jesus spoke often about prayer.  Several months ago, I did a series of messages on this blog about Jesus' teachings on prayer.  Please reference these if you feel that these teachings would be of benefit to you.
     Verse 44 says that the early believers had all things is common.  They sold there possessions and divided their resources so that there was no need among them.  This certainly doesn't sound like any church I've ever been to.  But this is the way it should be today.  Those of us in the body of Christ should be meeting each others needs.
     Most churches have people as members who are facing a really hard time.  It is the responsibility of the family of God to help our brothers and sisters.  In a congregation of any size, someone who needs  help with food, clothing, medical expenses, transportation, heating bills, etc. shouldn't have to go to the government for help.  Christians should help each other out without making people feel humiliation.  We shouldn't be concerned about this world's riches.
     I truly believe that the teaching of the New Testament is that the church should seek equality among its members.  It is not following a New Testament pattern when there are extremes of wealth and poverty within the Christian community. 
     Let me add this so there is no misunderstanding.  I am in no way opposed to government aid programs for the poor, sick and elderly.  I actually think that there should be more of them. I find it shameful that many who claim to be Christians are constantly wanting to cut money for food stamps, social security and help for the disabled.  What I am saying is that most churches could and should do more to help fellow Christians.
     In verse 47, it says that the early Christians praised God daily.  We have so much to praise God for.  We have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus.  We have eternal life.  God has blessed us with a beautiful world.  We should praise God for who He is and for all that He has done for us.
    Finally, in the early church days, the Lord was adding to the church daily those who were being saved.  Many churches I know go for many months without seeing a convert.  These early Christians were spreading the faith.  They were obeying the Great Commission and sharing the love of Jesus.  If all of us who are followers of Jesus would do this today, we would see more people turning their lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 
     If you are reading this message, and you haven't turned to Jesus is repentance and faith, please do so today.  Believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again.  Ask Him to forgive you, and invite Him into your life as Savior and Lord.
     Next Wednesday, I will post another book review.  I hope to see you next Friday for another Weekend Sermon.  May God bless you.  Amen.

Halloween Thoughts

     Today is Halloween.  This is probably my least favorite day of the year, and a day that leaves me very perplexed as a Christian.  I cannot understand why so many Christian people continue to participate in this day.  The Bible is quite clear that God does not want his people to be involved in spiritism, witchcraft or anything to do with the occult.  However, many Christians still are involved in the activities of Halloween.
      When I was younger, I too went out trick or treating for Halloween.  But one day, I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit about participating in this obviously pagan and occult day.  Since that time, I have not had anything to do with Halloween. 
       Sadly, Halloween has become increasingly popular in American society as our culture continues to move away from following the path of the Lord.  It is my hope that Christians will be a witness and a light in the darkness and follow the path of the Savior and not pagan rituals.

Book Review

     Last night, I went to a really good author event in the town that is about seven miles south of where I live.  Luis Montalvan who wrote the book "Until Tuesday" was there with his service dog Tuesday.  It was fun.  Mr. Montalvan spoke for over two hours, and I think that he would have gone on longer, but the librarian interrupted him and brought the evening to a close. 
     Luis Montalvan brought up some important points last night.  He is an Iraq War veteran who suffers from PTSD.  His service dog, Tuesday helps him to cope with his disability.  Luis brought up the point that just because someone isn't visibly disabled doesn't mean that they don't have a disability.  Those who suffer with mental health issues are equally struggling and trying to cope.  We shouldn't judge.
   He also brought up the point that mental health problems should be treated just as other health issues are.  Ignoring those who seek help with mental and emotional issues can lead to suicide.  Family and friends should support those with mental health problems.
    Montalvan also spoke about how that he is often not allowed to go into shops, restaurants and hotels with Tuesday even though it is required by the American with Disabilities Act.  We need more understanding of the law, and the important role that dogs play in assisting those with many types of disabilities.
    What I liked so much about the evening was that you could really tell how much Luis and Tuesday loved each other.  Luis demonstrated many of the commands that Tuesday knows and showed some of the ways that Tuesday helps him throughout the day.  Luis spoke very positively about how dogs can change people's lives through the power of their love.
     I know that Toby changed my life.  If it hadn't have been for him, I wouldn't be here now.  Suffering from anxiety problems like I have for many years makes it hard to cope with life's ups and downs.  Toby helped me to make it.  He let me know that I was loved unconditionally no matter what nasty things other people had to say about me.  I am thankful to God for that dog.
    Please read "Until Tuesday" if you get the chance.  The first time that I read it, I didn't like it as much as some other dog books.  However, when I reread it in anticipation of attending the author's night last night, I thought that it was really an excellent book.  
     
    

Weekend Sermon--Revelation Series Conclusion

     Hello, and welcome to another week of the Weekend Sermon.  I am happy to be able to once again post a message. 
     I have something that I want to thank the Lord for today.  This last week I had a very good week working on writing.  I was able to work on travel articles, and that is something that I really enjoy.  In spite of this additional writing work, which isn't high paying, I am still facing financial problems that are now quite grave.  I have asked you all to pray about this in the last few weeks, and I ask you again today to keep praying on my behalf.  Something has to change by the end of next week, or I am probably going to be out of my house.  I have most of what I own on sale.  The problem is, nothing is selling.  I have not been able to find any type of job that I am able to do to supplement writing.  There are a lot of warehouse jobs in my area, but with my arthritic back and shoulder, there is no way that I can lift heavy objects on a regular basis.  Please pray that some kind of financial miracle will occur.
    Last week, we looked at Revelation chapter 5 and John's vision of the Lamb that was slain who was the only one who was found worthy to release the seals on the scroll in the hand of God.  Jesus has lived a perfect, holy and sinless life.  He shed His blood to redeem us and bring us back to a relationship with the Heavenly Father.  Because of what Jesus has done, He is worthy of all glory, honor and praise now and forevermore.
     It will be a great day in Heaven for me when I can join the twenty-four elders, the living creatures, the myriads of angels and the redeemed from every kindred, tribe and tongue as we bow before the Lamb and declare that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
     That leads me to another thing that I am thankful for.  Jesus said that He was the resurrection and life.  Whoever believed in Him, though they died, they would live again.  Because of what Jesus did, I know that my parents are part of the worship of God in Heaven right now.  Thanks be to God for that.  I hope to see them around the throne with all of those rejoicing one day soon.
     Today, we will finish our series on Revelation with chapters 21 and 22.  I am not skipping these other chapters because they aren't important, but when I started the series, I said that these were the only chapters that I was going to write about. 
     Revelation chapter 21 talks about the new Heaven and the new Earth that will be created after the Millennial reign of Christ.  I don't want to get too controversial today about all the different end time beliefs.  I will just say that I believe in a literal Millennium of 1,000 years.  However, I am not a Dispensationalist.  The 1,000 years of the Millennium is not the only period when the saints will be on the earth with the Lord.
     After the Millennium is over, Satan and those who follow him, will be destroyed.  At that time, God will create a new earth and a new Heaven.  The new earth will have no sea.  I take this literally.  The new world that God will create will be different from what we know now. 
     Verse 4 says that when the new Earth is created, there will be no more death, crying, sorrow or pain because all of the old things have passed away.  This is very exciting.  In my opinion, the world we live in now is horrible.  All of the natural world is based on something destroying something else.  The people that we love grow old and leave us.  The dogs that I love live 12 or so years and pass away.  Life as I've experienced it is painful.  That will all change one day.  Thank you Jesus.  It will all change one day.
     Those who follow Jesus will be with Him and the Father forever.  He will be with us forever, and we will never experience anything negative again.  We will have no needs, because Jesus will supply all of them through His abundant grace.
     Another feature of the new creation is the New Jerusalem.  This massive city created by God will be a place of unfathomable beauty.  In this city, God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple.  There is no need of the Sun, because the brilliant, glory of God supplies the light.  Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life may enter into the New Jerusalem.
     Chapter 22 tells about the River of Life that flows from the throne of God.  By the river is the Tree of Life which brings healing to all the nations.  There will be no war or strife in the new world to come.
     Verse 3 is an interesting verse.  It says, "There shall be no more curse."  Some people don't realize that the present world that we live in is under the curse of God.  We ask why there are storms and disease and death.  This is part of the curse.  I don't think that the world even resembles the world that God originally created when He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
     When the new creation comes, God will restore the world to the way that it was before sin entered into the picture, and God had to put a curse on the earth because of the sin of man who was given dominion over the earth.
     Jesus is the Second Adam.  He succeeded where Adam failed.  Adam sinned.  Jesus was sinless.  Adam did not fulfill the will of God.  Jesus perfectly fulfilled the will of the Father.  Jesus is the first born of a new creation.  His dominion brings an end to the curse and a restoration of the original Edenic state.
     Jesus speaks once again in chapter 22.  His words in verse 7 are tremendous.  He says, "Behold, I am coming quickly."  In verse 12, Jesus says that He will reward every person according to their work.  In verse 14 it says that those who obey the commandments of Jesus will have the right to the tree of life and the New Jerusalem.  Those who do not obey the commandments of Christ will have no part in the glorious new creation. 
     Jesus is coming again.  I can't wait.  I agree with John when he says in verse 20, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."  I don't believe that there are really any prophecies left to be fulfilled before Jesus comes.  Jesus could return at any moment to establish his rule upon this earth.  Are you ready should Jesus come today?  I hope that your answer is yes.  I hope that you have repented of your sins and asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.  If not, please do so today.  Life is short.  No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.  Today is the day of salvation.  Only those in Christ will take part in life in the new creation and the glorious New Jerusalem.
     This ends our study of Revelation.  I was going to start a new series.  However, Advent season is not that far away.  For the next few messages, I will just give messages on various texts instead of doing a series.  Lord willing, I will start a series on I Peter in January.  Next week, depending on what happens with all I am dealing with, I will post a review.  Please pray for me, and may God bless you as you seek to honor Him.  Amen.

Book Review

Today I am reviewing the new poetry book called "Dog Songs" written by Mary Oliver.  As I have mentioned in the past, Mary Oliver is my favorite, contemporary poet.  In this new volume, Ms. Oliver's poems are all about dogs.  Many are about her dog Percy who she has written extensively about before.  My favorite poems in the book were about her dog Benjamin.  I especially enjoyed the poem entitled, "Poetry Teacher." 

I have been reading my favorite dog book "Maya's First Rose" again.  This book is really very good.  Each time that I read it, I have to recommend it again.

Weekend Sermon--Revelation Chapter 5

     Welcome once again to another posting of the Weekend Sermon.  I hope that everyone is doing well, and that everyone is having a nice day.
     For the last several weeks now, I've asked those of you who read this blog to pray for me about several matters I am facing.  I must continue to ask you to pray for me, because I am facing many difficulties.  After a brief hiatus, my trouble with my stomach and pancreas is back.  I am not even able to eat anything today.  Also, instead of improving, my financial situation is at just about rock bottom.  If things don't turn around in the next couple of weeks, I may be out of my home.  That is not an exciting prospect.  So, please continue to pray for my health and my finances.
     On a positive note, there are always things to be thankful for.  There has been more writing work as of late.  That is good.  No one will hire me for any other jobs, but at least I can make a little bit writing.  Also, I had great feedback on the article that was published in the Upper Room.  It always makes me feel good when I know that what I wrote helped someone or helped to spread the gospel. 
     Last week, we studied Revelation Chapter 4.  As I mentioned, this is one of my favorite chapters in the entire Bible.  We looked at this description of the throne room of God as well as the descriptions in Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.  God is holy, awesome and powerful.  He is worthy of all of our praise.
    Today, we shift our attention to the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation.  This chapter is about the Lamb of God who is worthy.
     John begins this chapter by describing that God, who sits on the throne, had a scroll in His hand sealed with seven seals.  An angel asks in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals."
    John said that no one in Heaven or on the Earth was found who was worthy to unseal the scroll.  This filled John with sadness, and he began to weep.
    As John was weeping, one of the twenty-four elders who sit around the throne of God said, "Do not weep.  Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed to open the scroll and loose its seven seals."
    First of all what are these seals that need to be released?  Later in Revelation, we will see that these seals are the beginning of the judgment of God upon the Earth.  Jesus is the only one who is able to loosen these seals because of what He did on the cross.  By bringing redemption to the world, and by rising from the dead and conquering death, hell and the grave, Jesus has prevailed.  Because of this, the Bible says that the Father has given all judgment unto the Son.
     After the elder spoke to John, John looked and saw a great sight in the midst of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders.  John saw as he describes it in verse 6, "A Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth."
     The Lamb who was slain is Jesus.  He was crucified and suffered so that our sins might be taken away.  As John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus, "Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world."
    The sevens in this description speak of the perfection of the attributes of Jesus.  Seven signifies perfection and completeness.  Jesus is all-powerful.  He is all-knowing.  He is everywhere present.  These are the divine attributes of God signifying the divinity of the divine Son of God, Jesus Christ.
     The Lamb took the scroll from the One who sits on the throne.  When the Lamb took the scroll, the living creatures and the elders fell down in worship before the Lamb.  They used their harps to sing a song of praise, and they offered up to the Lamb the incense of the prayers of the saints.
     The prayers that we make to the Lord are a type of praise and honor to the Lord.  They are part of the worship in the throne room of God.  I think that this image is awesome.
     In verses 9 and 10, John records the song of praise to the Lamb that says, "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, For you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood.  Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God,, and we shall reign on the earth."
     There is a lot to look into in these verses.  As I stated, Jesus was worthy because He shed His blood and redeemed us to God.  What is truly wonderful in this verse is that Jesus has redeemed people from every place on the planet.  Humans from every gender, race, ethnicity and class have been redeemed and are part of the Kingdom of God.  There is no sinner that God will not save if that person will call upon the name of Jesus.  When we get to Heaven, all kinds of people will be their praising Jesus Christ for all that He has done.
     We who have been redeemed will one day rule and reign with the Lord upon the earth.  Many Christians don't quite understand this teaching.  We think that we will be in Heaven forever.  Heaven is just an intermediate place.  One day, Jesus will come and rule and reign in righteousness on this earth.  Those who are His followers will return and rule and reign with Him.  The destiny of the believer is to live forever on this restored earth.  Their will be a new Heaven and a new Earth.  I'm not saying that we won't be in Heaven some of the time.
     In verse 11, John continues by saying, "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders, and the number of them as ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands."  The entire host of Heaven joined in to praise the Lamb.
    In verse 12 they said, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing."  Jesus is worthy of all of our praise because of what He has done for us and the love that He has given unto us.
    Then in verse 13, more of God's creation joins in the praise of the Lamb.  It says, "Every creature which is in Heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them..."  One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
    What captures me about this verse is that it says every creature.  That doesn't just mean people.  One day, every animal, bird, fish and reptile created by God will in some way give praise to Jesus.  The creatures will sing praise to the creator of all.
     All of the created order sings to the Lamb, "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever."
     Just writing about this sends a chill down my spine.  This is awesome.  I can't wait for the day when Jesus comes and receives all the glory and honor that is due unto Him.  When I think of how unworthy I am and all that Jesus did for me, I am truly in awe.
     As believers in Jesus, we don't have to wait for the day described in these verse to sing our praise to the Lord.  We can praise Him every day during our prayer time.  We can sing songs of praise to Him.  We can praise the Lord by living lives that are honoring unto Him.
    If you are reading this blog, I hope that you have given your life to Jesus and made Him the Lord and Savior of your life.  He loves you, and He wants you to come to Him today.  Jesus said that He would not cast out anyone who comes to Him.
    Next week, I will publish a review on Wednesday.  I will examine Revelation chapter 21 next week.  May God bless you. Amen.