The snow storm was not as bad as predicted. We only received 10 inches of snow instead of 20 inches. I am glad that one of the farmers used his big John Deere tractor and plowed out the roads. This isn't part of the book, but the snow reminded me of it. One year, we received a lot of snow and there were drifts as high as the back fence. On top of the snow we received a coating of freezing drizzle that made the drifts as hard as rock. Toby had the best time walking up and down the drifts. He could walk right over the five foot fence and down the other side. Well, about one week later, the sun came out and softened up the snow. The two of us were out back, and Toby decided to go up the snow drift. This time, when he got to the top, it collapsed. All that I could see where Toby's two back paws kicking above the snow. I ran over to him and started digging him out. I got him out, and he was coated with wet snow. He was shaking and snorting trying to get rid of all that snow. That was the last time he ever tried to walk up a snow drift. Here is the next chapter in my book about Toby.
Chapter 6
One unpleasant activity that Toby and I both hated was dodging tornadoes. We lived right in the heart of tornado alley, so every spring there was a constant stream of severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warnings.
The house we lived in didn't have a basement, so my parents purchased a small, metal storm shelter that was supposed to hold four people. It was creepy. When I was in that thing, I felt like I was is some sort of a coffin.
My Mom was so afraid of tornadoes that she would have us go down into the storm shelter all the time. I couldn't stand being down in that shelter, so I would wait in the house or I'd stay out and see if the storm was coming. I tried to put Toby down in the shelter in advance, but he hated it too. He would try to climb the ladder and get out of there to find out where I was. Usually, we just waited it out together. There was one time, when the two of us were together while I was doing school at home when we almost waited too long.
There had been a tornado watch issued early in the morning, which is rather rare, so we were expecting bad weather. My Mom kept calling me about every five minutes from her work to see if any storms were coming. I wasn't too worried about the weather, so I wasn't really paying too much attention.
At about 11:00am, the tornado siren went off in town. Toby went crazy barking, and I jumped up from behind my desk and went to find out what was happening. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for my county.
I picked up Toby, and the two of us headed for the storm shelter. When we got outside, I really didn't see much. I decided to wait with Toby above ground and see what happened. The two of us walked around to see if we could spot anything in the distance. It wasn't even raining.
We were across the yard from the shelter when almost immediately the entire sky turned green. The two of us ran as fast as we could to the storm shelter. I opened it up just as the rain started to absolutely pour down. I picked Toby up and made my way down the ladder into the shelter pulling the door shut behind me.
Just as I pulled the door shut, the hail started. From the sound of the pounding on the shelter door, I could tell that the hail was huge. Toby and I went to the far end of the shelter and huddled there together. We could hear the wind picking up and it was roaring like a furnace.
I was scared, but Toby was never afraid of anything. He was growling at the hail, wind, thunder and lightning. Holding on to him, I wasn't afraid anymore. We waited down in the storm shelter for about thirty minutes. After that time, curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to stick my head out and see if it was clear.
When I emerged, the sun was already back out. It didn't reveal a pleasant site. I picked up Toby and went up the ladder out of the shelter. We had missed the tornado. That tornado went just north of us through farm fields. However, the hail and the wind caused a lot of damage. Two of our air conditioning units were pounded to bits. Our garden was totally ruined. All of the tomatoes were destroyed. Also, one of our apple trees and one of the pear trees in the orchard were uprooted. In town, several trees were uprooted and the siding was blown off one of the businesses.
The major damage was to the agricultural interests. All of the corn in the surrounding area was destroyed. The large hail stripped all of the ears right off of the stalks.
I sat with Toby on the back steps, and I just held on to him. I was glad we made it to the shelter, and that we were together.
That's the closest I've ever come to a tornado in the state of Kansas. The closest I ever came to a tornado was in the state of Wyoming when we were out visiting my grandparents. I watched that tornado absolutely destroy the Buffalo Ridge section of Cheyenne.
No matter what the storm, I was glad that Toby was around. Like I said, he was never afraid of anything. When he wasn't afraid, it helped me not to be afraid.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Update
We had a terrible snow storm last week, so as I said, I couldn't post the sermon. Now there is more bad news. We are predicted to have a blizzard starting tonight and lasting through Wednesday morning. If this weather comes in like they are predicting, I won't be able to post the next chapter of the Toby book on Wednesday. If we get the 20 inches of snow, I won't be able to dig out and post the sermon again either. I am sorry about all of this. I live in a rural area, and the plows don't come by the house often. My only car is a Ford Focus, and you can't get very far in the snow with it. I will do my best to post what I can when I can. May God bless you.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Toby Book and an Update
Today I am posting the next chapter in my book about my friend Toby. Starting this evening, the area where I live is predicted to have a major winter storm lasting through Friday. I am not going to try to make it to the Library to post the Weekend Sermon. The library will probably be closed anyway. If there is a big change in the weather, and we don't get what is currently predicted, I may be able to post on Saturday. I doubt this will happen. So, look for the Weekend Sermon next week. Thank you. Please pray that we don't get any freezing rain. I can't stand that stuff.
Chapter 5
As I mentioned, I was very sick as a child. I missed a lot of school, and I had difficulty keeping up at times. If something was going around, I would catch it. My immune system was very defective. A stressful environment didn't help much.
After the church my family attended opened a school, I began attending there. While there, my illnesses intensified. Because of insufficient enrollment, the school closed leaving me with no school to attend. My parents and my doctors felt that going to school at home would allow me to regain my health and complete my high school education.
Leaving the traditional school room for school at home was quite a transition. The hardest thing to adjust to was the quiet.
At this point, you may be asking what all this has to do with the book's main character. Well, Toby was my classmate, so to speak, during my home school experiences. He broke the monotony of studying alone. He was always there ready to provide a grand distraction to tedious algebra and diagramming sentences.
Every day at lunch time, we would go outside and play with the ball out on the patio. When Toby was a young dog, he was quite active and full of fire. We had some great ball games almost every day.
After lunch, I'd return to my studies and continue until about three in the afternoon. I kept the same hours as the local high school. The only difference was that I went to school with a dog. I also believe that I received a better education. I really learned to study and think for myself.
When my daily assignments were completed, Toby and I would usually go out and sit on the patio steps. The town where I live is on a high plateau. The view is incredible. There is a view for miles out back. We would sit out there and just relax and listen to the birds. It was great to have a good friend. We also liked to go out there in the evenings and look at the lights from the closest town about seven miles away. On clear evenings I'd take out my telescope and look at the night sky.
I learned a lot by studying at home. I studied biology, history, economics, algebra, literature and many other subjects. Every assignment was graded at the center where the curriculum came from.
After three years of home study, I decided that I really liked this method of study. I wanted to be a minister, so I enrolled in an external degree program at a Bible college affiliated with the church my family attended. I studied various ministerial and theological topics and earned a degree in theology.
During these years, my routine with Toby changed little. I learned much, and the two of us continued to have great times together. Toby received quite a large dose of religion listening to me give sermons for practice. He was probably one of the most well-versed dogs when it came to the theological disciplines.
While I was in Bible college, I began to learn more and felt very uncomfortable in my church. I just couldn't go along with many of their views. I planned on becoming a minister with our church pastor's home mission organization. However, that all changed abruptly. I believe that the church has the responsibility to speak up for social justice and for peace. At this time, the first Gulf War was just under way. I could not go along with praying for the death of other people. I had a major falling out with the pastor on this and other issues including legalism and the extent of salvation. I was no longer welcome in that church or denomination.
My plans for entering the ministry were on hold. Also, the Bible colleges in my old church were not accredited. I decided to get another degree, but I had to start back at square one because none of my courses would transfer.
I began attending a local community college. It was difficult at first. My health did hold up though.
Sadly, Toby was very depressed when I left for my classes. My Dad, who was retired at this time, said that Toby would lay by the front door and wouldn't move until he heard my car coming down the road in the afternoon. When I'd walk in the door, he got so excited that he jumped up and down on all four legs.
I earned my community college degree and then obtained a bachelor's degree in history at a small college in Kansas City. After this, I went back to home study for awhile earning a certificate in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin and a graduate diploma from an accredited seminary.
Toby was so glad that I was back home to study. It was at this time that I began writing, and my work began to be published. Toby lay down in my office while I wrote poetry and stories. I also did a lot of religious writing which became my way of fulfilling God's call on my life.
I do have one major regret. I wanted to have a church and live in the parsonage with Toby. It was one of my dreams. Sadly, Toby passed away a couple of years after I started writing. We never got to fulfill that dream together.
Chapter 5
As I mentioned, I was very sick as a child. I missed a lot of school, and I had difficulty keeping up at times. If something was going around, I would catch it. My immune system was very defective. A stressful environment didn't help much.
After the church my family attended opened a school, I began attending there. While there, my illnesses intensified. Because of insufficient enrollment, the school closed leaving me with no school to attend. My parents and my doctors felt that going to school at home would allow me to regain my health and complete my high school education.
Leaving the traditional school room for school at home was quite a transition. The hardest thing to adjust to was the quiet.
At this point, you may be asking what all this has to do with the book's main character. Well, Toby was my classmate, so to speak, during my home school experiences. He broke the monotony of studying alone. He was always there ready to provide a grand distraction to tedious algebra and diagramming sentences.
Every day at lunch time, we would go outside and play with the ball out on the patio. When Toby was a young dog, he was quite active and full of fire. We had some great ball games almost every day.
After lunch, I'd return to my studies and continue until about three in the afternoon. I kept the same hours as the local high school. The only difference was that I went to school with a dog. I also believe that I received a better education. I really learned to study and think for myself.
When my daily assignments were completed, Toby and I would usually go out and sit on the patio steps. The town where I live is on a high plateau. The view is incredible. There is a view for miles out back. We would sit out there and just relax and listen to the birds. It was great to have a good friend. We also liked to go out there in the evenings and look at the lights from the closest town about seven miles away. On clear evenings I'd take out my telescope and look at the night sky.
I learned a lot by studying at home. I studied biology, history, economics, algebra, literature and many other subjects. Every assignment was graded at the center where the curriculum came from.
After three years of home study, I decided that I really liked this method of study. I wanted to be a minister, so I enrolled in an external degree program at a Bible college affiliated with the church my family attended. I studied various ministerial and theological topics and earned a degree in theology.
During these years, my routine with Toby changed little. I learned much, and the two of us continued to have great times together. Toby received quite a large dose of religion listening to me give sermons for practice. He was probably one of the most well-versed dogs when it came to the theological disciplines.
While I was in Bible college, I began to learn more and felt very uncomfortable in my church. I just couldn't go along with many of their views. I planned on becoming a minister with our church pastor's home mission organization. However, that all changed abruptly. I believe that the church has the responsibility to speak up for social justice and for peace. At this time, the first Gulf War was just under way. I could not go along with praying for the death of other people. I had a major falling out with the pastor on this and other issues including legalism and the extent of salvation. I was no longer welcome in that church or denomination.
My plans for entering the ministry were on hold. Also, the Bible colleges in my old church were not accredited. I decided to get another degree, but I had to start back at square one because none of my courses would transfer.
I began attending a local community college. It was difficult at first. My health did hold up though.
Sadly, Toby was very depressed when I left for my classes. My Dad, who was retired at this time, said that Toby would lay by the front door and wouldn't move until he heard my car coming down the road in the afternoon. When I'd walk in the door, he got so excited that he jumped up and down on all four legs.
I earned my community college degree and then obtained a bachelor's degree in history at a small college in Kansas City. After this, I went back to home study for awhile earning a certificate in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin and a graduate diploma from an accredited seminary.
Toby was so glad that I was back home to study. It was at this time that I began writing, and my work began to be published. Toby lay down in my office while I wrote poetry and stories. I also did a lot of religious writing which became my way of fulfilling God's call on my life.
I do have one major regret. I wanted to have a church and live in the parsonage with Toby. It was one of my dreams. Sadly, Toby passed away a couple of years after I started writing. We never got to fulfill that dream together.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Sermon on the Mount(pt 15)
Matthew 5:33-37
Today, we will be back in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. After next week's message, we will be finished with chapter 5. We then have chapters 6 and 7 to complete to finish our study of this important teaching of Jesus Christ.
One thing I want to do before I continue is to give thanks to the Lord for His provision of the finances I needed to pay a very important bill. I didn't know where the money would come from, but the Lord provided enough work so that I had just what I needed. As you know, I've asked in recent weeks that you pray for me that the Lord would provide. The Lord has provided in answer to prayer, and I am very grateful. Thank you to everyone who interceded with the Lord on my behalf.
In last week's message, we took a one week hiatus from the Sermon on the Mount, and I posted a message based on Psalm 130. I think that the most important concept to remember from this Psalm is that the Lord loves us and wants to forgive us and answer us when we call upon His name.
Today, we begin with Matthew 5:33-34 where Jesus says, "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But, I say to you, swear not at all."
Once again, Jesus is asserting His divinity and His superiority to the teachings of the past. In many places in the Old Testament there are teachings about taking and performing vows. However, Jesus changes this entire teachings as is His divine prerogative. Jesus tells us that we shall not swear at all. We should not swear by Heaven, by earth or by ourselves.
In these verses, Jesus is abolishing the entire practice of oaths. Jesus says in Matthew 5:37, "But let your communication be Yea, yea and Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
So, what is the point Jesus is making here? How does it apply to us today?
First of all, Jesus is saying that those of us who are His followers should be people of honesty and people who keep their word. If we say that we will do something, then we should do it. We should be people of absolute integrity. We should not have to swear on the Bible or anything else as a guarantee of the fact that we will tell the truth at all times.
I know that some Christian groups interpret this passage to mean that Christians shouldn't swear an oath on the Bible to tell the truth in court. They should simple affirm the fact that they will tell the truth. I agree on this point. Swearing on the Bible, in my opinion, would be a violation of this particular teaching of Jesus.
I think that there is a larger issue at stake with this whole concept of integrity and truthfulness that has important implications on the promotion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every time someone claims to be a Christian and then is found to practice dishonesty or they are not a person of their word, it affects that person's testimony and brings dishonor to the name of Christ. I believe that it is often a major factor in keeping some people from accepting the truth of the Gospel.
I'll give you an example from my own experience. After my Mom had her stroke, and my Dad and I were trying to take care of her at the house, we had to have several repairs done on the house. We hired some contractors who made much of the fact that they had a Christian owned and operated business. Sadly, they weren't people of their word. They didn't honor their quoted prices, and they often didn't do the work they promised to do. They also didn't perform quality work.
I told Dad that the next time I hired someone to work on the house I'd hire the person who didn't claim to be a Christian. Now, I've been a Christian for 40 years. If I felt this kind of negativity, imagine how a non-Christian would feel. It would not have made them consider becoming a Christian if those who claimed to follow Jesus lacked integrity.
A while back, I posted a message on Psalm 15 that listed what the characteristics of a righteous person are. One of those characteristics is that a righteous person keeps their word even to their own disadvantage.
I believe that this is the greater point that Jesus is making in this passage. Followers of Jesus' kingdom principles are honest, they do what they say they will do, they tell the truth and they have such a reputation for honesty that they don't need to swear an oath to prove it.
Next week, we will finish chapter 5. There are some controversial things to discuss in next week's passage. I'd like to remind everyone that I'm posting one chapter a week of my book about my friend Toby on Wednesdays. This week will be chapter 5. Thank you for reading the blog. May you know the presence of Jesus this week. Amen.
Today, we will be back in our study of the Sermon on the Mount. After next week's message, we will be finished with chapter 5. We then have chapters 6 and 7 to complete to finish our study of this important teaching of Jesus Christ.
One thing I want to do before I continue is to give thanks to the Lord for His provision of the finances I needed to pay a very important bill. I didn't know where the money would come from, but the Lord provided enough work so that I had just what I needed. As you know, I've asked in recent weeks that you pray for me that the Lord would provide. The Lord has provided in answer to prayer, and I am very grateful. Thank you to everyone who interceded with the Lord on my behalf.
In last week's message, we took a one week hiatus from the Sermon on the Mount, and I posted a message based on Psalm 130. I think that the most important concept to remember from this Psalm is that the Lord loves us and wants to forgive us and answer us when we call upon His name.
Today, we begin with Matthew 5:33-34 where Jesus says, "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But, I say to you, swear not at all."
Once again, Jesus is asserting His divinity and His superiority to the teachings of the past. In many places in the Old Testament there are teachings about taking and performing vows. However, Jesus changes this entire teachings as is His divine prerogative. Jesus tells us that we shall not swear at all. We should not swear by Heaven, by earth or by ourselves.
In these verses, Jesus is abolishing the entire practice of oaths. Jesus says in Matthew 5:37, "But let your communication be Yea, yea and Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
So, what is the point Jesus is making here? How does it apply to us today?
First of all, Jesus is saying that those of us who are His followers should be people of honesty and people who keep their word. If we say that we will do something, then we should do it. We should be people of absolute integrity. We should not have to swear on the Bible or anything else as a guarantee of the fact that we will tell the truth at all times.
I know that some Christian groups interpret this passage to mean that Christians shouldn't swear an oath on the Bible to tell the truth in court. They should simple affirm the fact that they will tell the truth. I agree on this point. Swearing on the Bible, in my opinion, would be a violation of this particular teaching of Jesus.
I think that there is a larger issue at stake with this whole concept of integrity and truthfulness that has important implications on the promotion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every time someone claims to be a Christian and then is found to practice dishonesty or they are not a person of their word, it affects that person's testimony and brings dishonor to the name of Christ. I believe that it is often a major factor in keeping some people from accepting the truth of the Gospel.
I'll give you an example from my own experience. After my Mom had her stroke, and my Dad and I were trying to take care of her at the house, we had to have several repairs done on the house. We hired some contractors who made much of the fact that they had a Christian owned and operated business. Sadly, they weren't people of their word. They didn't honor their quoted prices, and they often didn't do the work they promised to do. They also didn't perform quality work.
I told Dad that the next time I hired someone to work on the house I'd hire the person who didn't claim to be a Christian. Now, I've been a Christian for 40 years. If I felt this kind of negativity, imagine how a non-Christian would feel. It would not have made them consider becoming a Christian if those who claimed to follow Jesus lacked integrity.
A while back, I posted a message on Psalm 15 that listed what the characteristics of a righteous person are. One of those characteristics is that a righteous person keeps their word even to their own disadvantage.
I believe that this is the greater point that Jesus is making in this passage. Followers of Jesus' kingdom principles are honest, they do what they say they will do, they tell the truth and they have such a reputation for honesty that they don't need to swear an oath to prove it.
Next week, we will finish chapter 5. There are some controversial things to discuss in next week's passage. I'd like to remind everyone that I'm posting one chapter a week of my book about my friend Toby on Wednesdays. This week will be chapter 5. Thank you for reading the blog. May you know the presence of Jesus this week. Amen.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Toby Book
This is the next chapter in my book about Toby. This material is copyright protected.
Chapter 4
Like me, Toby always had a lot of health problems. They began a short time after he came to live with me, and they continued throughout his life. Sickness and its various cures and palliatives were a major part of my relationship with my friend. I'm glad that I was able to take care of him. Actually, we took care of each other.
Like I said, Toby's health problems began shortly after his arrival. One night, I awoke to a horrible sight. Toby had defecated blood everywhere, and he was extremely weak. It was a Sunday morning, so I called our veterinarian at home. He told me to get Toby to his office right away, and I did. The vet ran several tests on Toby and determined that Toby had ulcerative colitis. We placed him on a course of medicine and hoped for the best.
That afternoon, Toby seemed like his normal self as he ran through the house barking at motorcycles. I thought that he would be fine, and I wasn't worried since he seemed to be making such good progress.
I was mistaken. About four days later, Toby had another episode. Of course, I rushed him to the veterinarian's office, and we began a new course of medication.
Once again, Toby had a good improvement and returned to his rambunctious and happy self. But, about four days later, he was ill again and back on his way to the vet's office. This time, more tests were run. They confirmed the initial diagnosis. However, this time, the vet placed Toby on a different type of medication.
I fully expected the symptoms to return, but this time the treatment worked. Toby was in good shape. After a fairly long course of this medication, we decided to gradually reduce the dosage. When we withdrew too much, Toby got sick again. We did eventually get Toby down to a lower dosage, but he had to remain on this daily medication for the next 10 years.
Unfortunately, colitis was just the beginning of Toby's troubles. When he was a little pup, no one looked after his teeth properly. He developed a lot of teeth issues because the teeth never had a good foundation for growth. When I bought Toby, he had so much caked in tartar on his teeth that I had the vet clean them right away. Even at a young age, some of Toby's teeth were so bad that they had to be removed.
Sometimes, Toby's roots became inflamed and infected. He'd develop large swollen places in his jaw. He eventually lost about half of his teeth. In order for him to eat properly, I had to soak up his kibble. In later life, I always bought him canned food.
One of the worst episodes with Toby's health came about when his kidneys became infected. He seemed fine one minute, and then the next minute he was violently ill. I knew that something was drastically wrong.
I was really worried as we traveled to the vet's office. The vet gave Toby a penicillin injection and some liquid sulfa medication. I was told to take Toby home and then bring him back in the afternoon for a re-check.
I waited anxiously through the day keeping a close eye on my friend. That afternoon, I took Toby back to the clinic. He received a second penicillin injection. Our vet also did a complete blood and urine work up.
The next afternoon, Toby's results showed some kidney damage, but it was not extensive. We kept Toby on the liquid sulfa, and he improved slowly. It was really hard on both of us, but once again the old boy pulled through.
Toby had many, many other health problems which I'm not going to go into detail about. One problem that was so bad and I prayed and prayed about I do want to mention. Because of the colitis medicine that he took, Toby was susceptible to opportunistic infections because of reduced immunity. When he was about 7 years old, Toby developed an opportunistic skin problem. We threw the book at this trying to treat it with little or no success. All the while I was praying that Toby would be healed of this problem.
I kept praying and praying for years about this. Thanks be to God. Toby was healed of this problem. He lived the last years of his life totally free from this skin condition. This incident taught me a lesson in being persistent in prayer.
I didn't mention all of Toby's problems in this chapter to make readers feel depressed. I included them because Toby's health was an important factor in our relationship. Caring for Toby and seeing him through this time of trial made us a pair of strong friends. It was my responsibility to care for Toby, and I made sure I did it to the best of my ability. He was a joy to take care of never causing any fuss or trouble. At least not for me.
One thing I have to mention. As Toby got to about 3 years of age, he came to the place where he only liked me and didn't really care for anybody else. He tolerated my parents, but he wouldn't play with them. He wouldn't let anybody come into my room when I was sleeping. He was extremely protective. He also absolutely hated everyone at the vet's office. If they needed to do a procedure, I had to help. They were scared to death of him. However, Toby never so much as showed the slightest flash of anger at me. I could do anything with him. To me, he was the best.
It has always been my belief that God brought the two of us together because we needed each other. I needed him to be a friend when I was friendless. Toby needed someone to help him through his many problems. Our veterinarian said that the majority of his clients wouldn't have gone to the expense and hassle of treating Toby's many problems. I found it to be a privilege. I miss him every day.
Chapter 4
Like me, Toby always had a lot of health problems. They began a short time after he came to live with me, and they continued throughout his life. Sickness and its various cures and palliatives were a major part of my relationship with my friend. I'm glad that I was able to take care of him. Actually, we took care of each other.
Like I said, Toby's health problems began shortly after his arrival. One night, I awoke to a horrible sight. Toby had defecated blood everywhere, and he was extremely weak. It was a Sunday morning, so I called our veterinarian at home. He told me to get Toby to his office right away, and I did. The vet ran several tests on Toby and determined that Toby had ulcerative colitis. We placed him on a course of medicine and hoped for the best.
That afternoon, Toby seemed like his normal self as he ran through the house barking at motorcycles. I thought that he would be fine, and I wasn't worried since he seemed to be making such good progress.
I was mistaken. About four days later, Toby had another episode. Of course, I rushed him to the veterinarian's office, and we began a new course of medication.
Once again, Toby had a good improvement and returned to his rambunctious and happy self. But, about four days later, he was ill again and back on his way to the vet's office. This time, more tests were run. They confirmed the initial diagnosis. However, this time, the vet placed Toby on a different type of medication.
I fully expected the symptoms to return, but this time the treatment worked. Toby was in good shape. After a fairly long course of this medication, we decided to gradually reduce the dosage. When we withdrew too much, Toby got sick again. We did eventually get Toby down to a lower dosage, but he had to remain on this daily medication for the next 10 years.
Unfortunately, colitis was just the beginning of Toby's troubles. When he was a little pup, no one looked after his teeth properly. He developed a lot of teeth issues because the teeth never had a good foundation for growth. When I bought Toby, he had so much caked in tartar on his teeth that I had the vet clean them right away. Even at a young age, some of Toby's teeth were so bad that they had to be removed.
Sometimes, Toby's roots became inflamed and infected. He'd develop large swollen places in his jaw. He eventually lost about half of his teeth. In order for him to eat properly, I had to soak up his kibble. In later life, I always bought him canned food.
One of the worst episodes with Toby's health came about when his kidneys became infected. He seemed fine one minute, and then the next minute he was violently ill. I knew that something was drastically wrong.
I was really worried as we traveled to the vet's office. The vet gave Toby a penicillin injection and some liquid sulfa medication. I was told to take Toby home and then bring him back in the afternoon for a re-check.
I waited anxiously through the day keeping a close eye on my friend. That afternoon, I took Toby back to the clinic. He received a second penicillin injection. Our vet also did a complete blood and urine work up.
The next afternoon, Toby's results showed some kidney damage, but it was not extensive. We kept Toby on the liquid sulfa, and he improved slowly. It was really hard on both of us, but once again the old boy pulled through.
Toby had many, many other health problems which I'm not going to go into detail about. One problem that was so bad and I prayed and prayed about I do want to mention. Because of the colitis medicine that he took, Toby was susceptible to opportunistic infections because of reduced immunity. When he was about 7 years old, Toby developed an opportunistic skin problem. We threw the book at this trying to treat it with little or no success. All the while I was praying that Toby would be healed of this problem.
I kept praying and praying for years about this. Thanks be to God. Toby was healed of this problem. He lived the last years of his life totally free from this skin condition. This incident taught me a lesson in being persistent in prayer.
I didn't mention all of Toby's problems in this chapter to make readers feel depressed. I included them because Toby's health was an important factor in our relationship. Caring for Toby and seeing him through this time of trial made us a pair of strong friends. It was my responsibility to care for Toby, and I made sure I did it to the best of my ability. He was a joy to take care of never causing any fuss or trouble. At least not for me.
One thing I have to mention. As Toby got to about 3 years of age, he came to the place where he only liked me and didn't really care for anybody else. He tolerated my parents, but he wouldn't play with them. He wouldn't let anybody come into my room when I was sleeping. He was extremely protective. He also absolutely hated everyone at the vet's office. If they needed to do a procedure, I had to help. They were scared to death of him. However, Toby never so much as showed the slightest flash of anger at me. I could do anything with him. To me, he was the best.
It has always been my belief that God brought the two of us together because we needed each other. I needed him to be a friend when I was friendless. Toby needed someone to help him through his many problems. Our veterinarian said that the majority of his clients wouldn't have gone to the expense and hassle of treating Toby's many problems. I found it to be a privilege. I miss him every day.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Psalm 130
I'm back for another Weekend Sermon. This is my favorite part of the week because I get to share the Word of the Lord.
For the past few weeks, I've been asking those of you who read the blog to pray for my financial situation. I thank you for your prayers, and I ask that you would continue to pray for me. In answer to prayer, the Lord is providing, and I believe that there are better days in the near future.
There's something else I'd ask everyone to pray about. I just found out that a corgi who's owner posts hundreds of videos about him on the Internet is very sick. Watching these videos has brought a lot of joy into my life, and I ask that you would pray that this little fellow might get well. I remember when Toby had liver cancer, all of the doctors gave him a few short weeks to live even after the operation. But, I asked Jesus to heal Toby, and Toby lived for 13 months to the astonishment of the veterinarians.
In last week's message, we talked about Jesus' teachings on lust and divorce. We all need to guard our minds and hearts, and focus on pure thoughts. Also, all believers should understand the way God feels about divorce and work to strengthen their marriage commitment.
For this week's message, I am going to take a one week break from our series on the Sermon on the Mount and talk about Psalm 130.
Psalm 130 played an important role in my life during my final semester in college. While I was in college, I sang in the college choir. During the last semester, one of the pieces we worked on was a musical setting of Psalm 130 by the composer John Rutter. Everyone in the choir found it to be a difficult piece, so the choir director made us practice an extra long time. Our performance of the piece turned out great.
Psalm 130 begins, "Out of the depths, I have called to thee O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication."
In these verses, the Psalmist is in desperate need for an answer to prayer. He needs to hear from the Lord, and in his anguish, he pleads with the Lord to listen to him.
I know that I have been in this place many times. I've had a great need, and the only place to turn to when the need is great is to the Heavenly Father who loves us. Whatever our need or whatever our burden, the Lord is always listening, and He is always near.
The object of the Psalmist's plea in Psalm 130 appears to be for forgiveness. He says, "If Thou, Lord should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand." Another translation puts it this way, "If Thou, Lord were extreme to mark what is done amiss. O Lord, who may abide it."
Contrary to what many teach, God is not looking at us from Heaven just waiting for us to do the slightest wrong and then punish us. If that were the case, everyone would be doomed.
When I was a young man in church and the school operated by my church, we were taught about a very judgmental and angry God. I remember being taught that if we failed some week to give God his 10 percent, He would get it from us some way and it wouldn't be pleasant. God was presented as always angry with us instead of as the loving Father presented by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the Psalmist says, there is forgiveness with the Lord. If we come to Him, He will not cast us away The Lord cleanses us from all unrighteousness and doesn't hold our sins against us. He is full of mercy and compassion.
The Psalmist concludes Psalm 130 by speaking about waiting for the Lord. To me, this has two implications. Sometimes, we have to wait on the Lord before we receive an answer to our prayers. This is a hard thing to do. It requires trust in God and a great deal of patience.
Sometimes, we're tempted to give up and think that our prayers will never be answered. However, Jesus taught us to always believe and not give up in prayer. I prayed for months that the Lord would heal me of vitiligo. All the while, it kept getting worse. I kept praying, and the Lord has completely healed me.
We as believers are waiting on the Lord in another way as well. We are waiting for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. When Jesus returns to this earth one day. He will rule and reign in righteousness. The world will finally know peace and an end to the sin that plagues our planet. Every knee will bow and everyone will confess that Jesus is Lord. I long for that day, and I pray that Jesus will come soon, even today.
Next week, Lord willing, we will resume our study of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. I'd also like to remind everyone again that on Wednesdays I'm posting chapters of my book about Toby. May God bless you. Amen.
For the past few weeks, I've been asking those of you who read the blog to pray for my financial situation. I thank you for your prayers, and I ask that you would continue to pray for me. In answer to prayer, the Lord is providing, and I believe that there are better days in the near future.
There's something else I'd ask everyone to pray about. I just found out that a corgi who's owner posts hundreds of videos about him on the Internet is very sick. Watching these videos has brought a lot of joy into my life, and I ask that you would pray that this little fellow might get well. I remember when Toby had liver cancer, all of the doctors gave him a few short weeks to live even after the operation. But, I asked Jesus to heal Toby, and Toby lived for 13 months to the astonishment of the veterinarians.
In last week's message, we talked about Jesus' teachings on lust and divorce. We all need to guard our minds and hearts, and focus on pure thoughts. Also, all believers should understand the way God feels about divorce and work to strengthen their marriage commitment.
For this week's message, I am going to take a one week break from our series on the Sermon on the Mount and talk about Psalm 130.
Psalm 130 played an important role in my life during my final semester in college. While I was in college, I sang in the college choir. During the last semester, one of the pieces we worked on was a musical setting of Psalm 130 by the composer John Rutter. Everyone in the choir found it to be a difficult piece, so the choir director made us practice an extra long time. Our performance of the piece turned out great.
Psalm 130 begins, "Out of the depths, I have called to thee O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication."
In these verses, the Psalmist is in desperate need for an answer to prayer. He needs to hear from the Lord, and in his anguish, he pleads with the Lord to listen to him.
I know that I have been in this place many times. I've had a great need, and the only place to turn to when the need is great is to the Heavenly Father who loves us. Whatever our need or whatever our burden, the Lord is always listening, and He is always near.
The object of the Psalmist's plea in Psalm 130 appears to be for forgiveness. He says, "If Thou, Lord should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand." Another translation puts it this way, "If Thou, Lord were extreme to mark what is done amiss. O Lord, who may abide it."
Contrary to what many teach, God is not looking at us from Heaven just waiting for us to do the slightest wrong and then punish us. If that were the case, everyone would be doomed.
When I was a young man in church and the school operated by my church, we were taught about a very judgmental and angry God. I remember being taught that if we failed some week to give God his 10 percent, He would get it from us some way and it wouldn't be pleasant. God was presented as always angry with us instead of as the loving Father presented by the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the Psalmist says, there is forgiveness with the Lord. If we come to Him, He will not cast us away The Lord cleanses us from all unrighteousness and doesn't hold our sins against us. He is full of mercy and compassion.
The Psalmist concludes Psalm 130 by speaking about waiting for the Lord. To me, this has two implications. Sometimes, we have to wait on the Lord before we receive an answer to our prayers. This is a hard thing to do. It requires trust in God and a great deal of patience.
Sometimes, we're tempted to give up and think that our prayers will never be answered. However, Jesus taught us to always believe and not give up in prayer. I prayed for months that the Lord would heal me of vitiligo. All the while, it kept getting worse. I kept praying, and the Lord has completely healed me.
We as believers are waiting on the Lord in another way as well. We are waiting for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. When Jesus returns to this earth one day. He will rule and reign in righteousness. The world will finally know peace and an end to the sin that plagues our planet. Every knee will bow and everyone will confess that Jesus is Lord. I long for that day, and I pray that Jesus will come soon, even today.
Next week, Lord willing, we will resume our study of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. I'd also like to remind everyone again that on Wednesdays I'm posting chapters of my book about Toby. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Toby Book--Chapter 3
This is the next installment of my book about Toby.
Chapter 3
Toby always was a really playful dog. He was always looking for and ready to have a good time. That quality made us quite compatible.
As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I first bonded with Toby through a game of fetch with some old kite string. Fetch became an important part of our play time, but we did graduate to better items than kite string.
The first toy I bought Toby was a small, green alligator. When I unwrapped the package and gave the gator a sharp squeak, I captured Toby's undivided attention. His ears stood up more than usual, and he starred intently at this small noisemaker.
I took the gator and flung it as far as possible across the living room. Toby dashed after it, pounced on it, and set down to have a good long chew. He never would return a thrown object back to me. I would come over to get the gator, and a tug of war ensued. As always, Toby acquiesced. With that, our modified game of fetch resumed. We could play like this for hours. Finally, both of us would end up breathless from to much gator chasing.
Toby liked to play with his gator at all times. He'd squeak it, chew it and fetch it. Whenever I said, "It's gator time" he knew instantly what that meant.
I bought Toby several other chew toys over the years. He had a rubber tennis shoe, a squeaky carrot and some other toys. Toby never liked these toys as much as his well worn gator. We played with that old swamp dweller until it finally fell apart. Sadly, I could never find another gator exactly like it again.
After gator died, Toby got into the habit of tearing his toys apart, so I didn't leave them out for him all of the time. One time, I bought him a little rubber beef steak to play with. The minute I gave it to him he ripped it apart and tried to eat it. I guess he thought that it was the real thing.
Besides playing gator, Toby and I engaged in other fun activities like racing. It was one of our favorite things to do in Toby's younger days. Out in the backyard, my uncle had an old bathtub that we used as the starting point of our races. My Mom acted as the referee and official race starter. Toby and I would stand in anticipation waiting for the signal to cruise to the finish line marked by the rose trellises at the end of the yard. I always had to hold Toby back as he always tried to gain the advantage.
When Mom said, "go", we were off and running as fast as possible. Neither of us wanted to let the other win. Unfortunately for me, Toby won the majority of these races. For a little dog, he was lightning fast. I never would have thought such stubby legs could move so fast.
Toby had a unique running style. He didn't move his front and back legs in synchrony as most dogs. Instead, Toby threw both of this front legs out, and then pushed himself along with both back legs. It was sort of a bouncing and pouncing motion that looked awkward, but it produced a great deal of speed.
Toby didn't just race me though. He liked to race through the house as motorcycles sped down the street in front of the house.
At one time, before they were outlawed, three-wheeled motorcycles were popular where I live. The kids would ride fast and loud down the streets and alleys of my community. These motorcycles drove Toby crazy. He tried to chase these roaring vehicles down even though he was safe inside the house.
My house was a long, ranch house that allowed a dog to make a straight shot from end to end without hindrance. When Toby heard the motorcycles coming, he would start barking, jump to his feet and dash from one end of the house to the other. In one great leap, he would jump on the chair by the big picture window and bark and growl at this hated nemesis.
Thankfully, this all ended when the motorcycles were banned. Toby was relieved that this was all over, and so was I.
While Toby grew to feeble to play fetch much or race, one game we played right until the end was the most fun of all. Toby possessed a great sense of smell, and his tracking ability could put a bloodhound to shame.
The way we tested Toby's tracking was by playing hide and seek indoors and outdoors. My Mom would distract Toby while I went and hid somewhere. After I was thoroughly hidden, Mom would say to Toby," Go find Garry", and Toby would be off in search of me.
Toby always found me. After a brief glance to see if I was in view, Toby put his nose to the ground and started sniffing out my scent. From my secure vantage point, I would watch him following my exact track right up to my carefully chosen hiding place. When he found me, he would jump up and down with excitement. I really believe that with a little training, Toby could have won some prizes in the AKC tracking competitions.
Toby loved to play, and I loved to play with him. We were always trying to think up new ways to have fun. Toby grew too old to play some of our games, but even when he reached his teens, he was very active and ready to go.
Don't let anyone tell you that older dogs have no energy or can't learn. Toby proved that even when they have grown old, dogs still want to play and have a good time. Give an older dog a chance, and he will become your best friend.
Chapter 3
Toby always was a really playful dog. He was always looking for and ready to have a good time. That quality made us quite compatible.
As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I first bonded with Toby through a game of fetch with some old kite string. Fetch became an important part of our play time, but we did graduate to better items than kite string.
The first toy I bought Toby was a small, green alligator. When I unwrapped the package and gave the gator a sharp squeak, I captured Toby's undivided attention. His ears stood up more than usual, and he starred intently at this small noisemaker.
I took the gator and flung it as far as possible across the living room. Toby dashed after it, pounced on it, and set down to have a good long chew. He never would return a thrown object back to me. I would come over to get the gator, and a tug of war ensued. As always, Toby acquiesced. With that, our modified game of fetch resumed. We could play like this for hours. Finally, both of us would end up breathless from to much gator chasing.
Toby liked to play with his gator at all times. He'd squeak it, chew it and fetch it. Whenever I said, "It's gator time" he knew instantly what that meant.
I bought Toby several other chew toys over the years. He had a rubber tennis shoe, a squeaky carrot and some other toys. Toby never liked these toys as much as his well worn gator. We played with that old swamp dweller until it finally fell apart. Sadly, I could never find another gator exactly like it again.
After gator died, Toby got into the habit of tearing his toys apart, so I didn't leave them out for him all of the time. One time, I bought him a little rubber beef steak to play with. The minute I gave it to him he ripped it apart and tried to eat it. I guess he thought that it was the real thing.
Besides playing gator, Toby and I engaged in other fun activities like racing. It was one of our favorite things to do in Toby's younger days. Out in the backyard, my uncle had an old bathtub that we used as the starting point of our races. My Mom acted as the referee and official race starter. Toby and I would stand in anticipation waiting for the signal to cruise to the finish line marked by the rose trellises at the end of the yard. I always had to hold Toby back as he always tried to gain the advantage.
When Mom said, "go", we were off and running as fast as possible. Neither of us wanted to let the other win. Unfortunately for me, Toby won the majority of these races. For a little dog, he was lightning fast. I never would have thought such stubby legs could move so fast.
Toby had a unique running style. He didn't move his front and back legs in synchrony as most dogs. Instead, Toby threw both of this front legs out, and then pushed himself along with both back legs. It was sort of a bouncing and pouncing motion that looked awkward, but it produced a great deal of speed.
Toby didn't just race me though. He liked to race through the house as motorcycles sped down the street in front of the house.
At one time, before they were outlawed, three-wheeled motorcycles were popular where I live. The kids would ride fast and loud down the streets and alleys of my community. These motorcycles drove Toby crazy. He tried to chase these roaring vehicles down even though he was safe inside the house.
My house was a long, ranch house that allowed a dog to make a straight shot from end to end without hindrance. When Toby heard the motorcycles coming, he would start barking, jump to his feet and dash from one end of the house to the other. In one great leap, he would jump on the chair by the big picture window and bark and growl at this hated nemesis.
Thankfully, this all ended when the motorcycles were banned. Toby was relieved that this was all over, and so was I.
While Toby grew to feeble to play fetch much or race, one game we played right until the end was the most fun of all. Toby possessed a great sense of smell, and his tracking ability could put a bloodhound to shame.
The way we tested Toby's tracking was by playing hide and seek indoors and outdoors. My Mom would distract Toby while I went and hid somewhere. After I was thoroughly hidden, Mom would say to Toby," Go find Garry", and Toby would be off in search of me.
Toby always found me. After a brief glance to see if I was in view, Toby put his nose to the ground and started sniffing out my scent. From my secure vantage point, I would watch him following my exact track right up to my carefully chosen hiding place. When he found me, he would jump up and down with excitement. I really believe that with a little training, Toby could have won some prizes in the AKC tracking competitions.
Toby loved to play, and I loved to play with him. We were always trying to think up new ways to have fun. Toby grew too old to play some of our games, but even when he reached his teens, he was very active and ready to go.
Don't let anyone tell you that older dogs have no energy or can't learn. Toby proved that even when they have grown old, dogs still want to play and have a good time. Give an older dog a chance, and he will become your best friend.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Sermon on the Mount(pt. 14)
It's been quite a week. At the beginning of the week, the temperature was 74 degrees, and we had a storm. Then, in the middle of the week, we had snow. Last night was the coldest night of the winter with -10 degree wind chill. This weather is crazy.
I'd like to thank everyone who has prayed that I might find a good job. I would like to ask you to continue to please pray for me. I am having a financial crisis, and I am praying for a miracle. Also, please pray that I will make it through the weekend without being too depressed. This Saturday is the day when my Dad had his terrible stroke from which he didn't recover. Every February 2 is like living that nightmare all over again.
The second chapter of my book about Toby was posted on Wednesday, and I will continue to post one chapter each week. There are quite a few chapters left to go. I hope that you enjoy it. When times are hard, it's when I miss Toby the most. I know that if he were still here, things would be better now even with all the problems. If he'd been here after Mom and Dad passed away, the two of us would have hit the road like we always wanted to do. I've been reading a book called, "Travels With Macy" by Bruce Fogel that tells about the author's travels across America with his golden retriever. They retraced the trip John Steinbeck took with his dog. I wish that that could have been Toby and me.
Well, enough with wishes that won't be. Last week, we talked about Jesus' statements about being angry with our brother. We should not harbor evil thoughts and unforgiveness lest it lead to something else. All of us need to control our anger. We should also seek to speak words of encouragement to one another and not bring hurt to the one's we love the most by the mean things we sometimes say. I know that I wish that I could go back in time and take back some of the nasty things I said to my folks when I was younger. One thing that I will always regret is that my Dad and I had a little argument the day before he had a stroke. I hate that this happened over something so stupid.
Today, we turn our attention to Jesus' statements about lust, adultery and divorce. I don't feel that comfortable talking about this stuff, but I'll do my best.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in her heart."
Once again, Jesus is showing His divine authority to reinterpret the law given to Moses. Of course, adultery is wrong. But, Jesus says that lust is like committing adultery in the heart. What Jesus is saying is that if people wouldn't dwell on lustful and impure thoughts, they wouldn't go to the next step and commit adultery. If as believers we keep our thoughts pure, we won't get ourselves into trouble.
We live in a culture filled with lust. Pornography is everywhere on the Internet, and is a problem for many, including Christians. Even television shows and advertisements are saturated with sexual imagery. As followers of Jesus, we need to turn away from anything that could possibly cause any lustful thoughts to come into our mind and heart. Don't let yourself get into a situation where you can be tempted. I think that is what Jesus is saying in verses 29 through 30.
Now, we come to Jesus' teaching on divorce. Here is a place where Jesus makes a big change in the law of Moses. In the Old Testament, a man was allowed to get a divorce from his wife. Jesus says that there is only one cause for divorce and that is adultery. Jesus even goes on to say that anyone who marries a divorced person is guilty of adultery.
This is a difficult subject for me to talk about for two reasons. First of all, both of my parents were divorced. My Dad was married for eleven years, and got a divorce from his first wife. In my Dad's case, this happened before he was a Christian. My Mom was married twice before she and my Dad were married. Her first husband was abusive and tried to push her down the stairs. They were only married a short time. My Mom was married for 13 years to her second husband when she found out he'd been fooling around. What makes it hard is that my Dad probably would never have become a Christian if he hadn't meet my Mom. My Mom took a lot of grief from church people for getting a divorce from her first husband. But, what was she supposed to do? You can't live with someone who is trying to harm you. Everything worked out great with my parents. They were married for 42 years.
The second reason I find this difficult is that I've never been married. I don't have any personal experience with married life. All I can do is say what Jesus said about the subject.
Divorce is a real problem in the church. I believe that the high rate of divorce in the church is a hindrance to the message of the gospel.
The Lord said in the book of Malachi that He hates divorce. As followers of Jesus, we should be faithful to our vows.
With that said, I've known many divorced people. I know that Jesus will forgive those who ask Him for forgiveness.
In my parents case, when my Dad met my Mom he started going to church, became a believer and his life was transformed. My Mom became more involved in church and taught Sunday school and children's church for several years. God brought something good out of bad situation. Unlike some church people, Jesus won't hold the fact that you've been divorced against you for the rest of your life.
If you're considering a divorce, keep in mind the words of Jesus. It is a very serious matter. Do everything in your power to repair your relationship. Pray for Jesus to help you.
There's one last thing I want to say on this matter. Jesus says that the only grounds for divorce is adultery. However, I believe that the Bible teaches that you have the right to keep yourself and your children from harm. In the church I was raised in, they didn't think that spousal abuse was a grounds for divorce. I disagree. You don't have to remain in an abusive relationship. This includes a relationship where your spouse is abusive to you or your children.
That's all I have to say on that subject. Next week, I will post the next chapter about Toby and a new sermon on Friday. Next week I am taking a one week break from the Sermon on the Mount, and I am going to post a sermon about one of the Psalms. Until then, God bless you all.
I'd like to thank everyone who has prayed that I might find a good job. I would like to ask you to continue to please pray for me. I am having a financial crisis, and I am praying for a miracle. Also, please pray that I will make it through the weekend without being too depressed. This Saturday is the day when my Dad had his terrible stroke from which he didn't recover. Every February 2 is like living that nightmare all over again.
The second chapter of my book about Toby was posted on Wednesday, and I will continue to post one chapter each week. There are quite a few chapters left to go. I hope that you enjoy it. When times are hard, it's when I miss Toby the most. I know that if he were still here, things would be better now even with all the problems. If he'd been here after Mom and Dad passed away, the two of us would have hit the road like we always wanted to do. I've been reading a book called, "Travels With Macy" by Bruce Fogel that tells about the author's travels across America with his golden retriever. They retraced the trip John Steinbeck took with his dog. I wish that that could have been Toby and me.
Well, enough with wishes that won't be. Last week, we talked about Jesus' statements about being angry with our brother. We should not harbor evil thoughts and unforgiveness lest it lead to something else. All of us need to control our anger. We should also seek to speak words of encouragement to one another and not bring hurt to the one's we love the most by the mean things we sometimes say. I know that I wish that I could go back in time and take back some of the nasty things I said to my folks when I was younger. One thing that I will always regret is that my Dad and I had a little argument the day before he had a stroke. I hate that this happened over something so stupid.
Today, we turn our attention to Jesus' statements about lust, adultery and divorce. I don't feel that comfortable talking about this stuff, but I'll do my best.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28, "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in her heart."
Once again, Jesus is showing His divine authority to reinterpret the law given to Moses. Of course, adultery is wrong. But, Jesus says that lust is like committing adultery in the heart. What Jesus is saying is that if people wouldn't dwell on lustful and impure thoughts, they wouldn't go to the next step and commit adultery. If as believers we keep our thoughts pure, we won't get ourselves into trouble.
We live in a culture filled with lust. Pornography is everywhere on the Internet, and is a problem for many, including Christians. Even television shows and advertisements are saturated with sexual imagery. As followers of Jesus, we need to turn away from anything that could possibly cause any lustful thoughts to come into our mind and heart. Don't let yourself get into a situation where you can be tempted. I think that is what Jesus is saying in verses 29 through 30.
Now, we come to Jesus' teaching on divorce. Here is a place where Jesus makes a big change in the law of Moses. In the Old Testament, a man was allowed to get a divorce from his wife. Jesus says that there is only one cause for divorce and that is adultery. Jesus even goes on to say that anyone who marries a divorced person is guilty of adultery.
This is a difficult subject for me to talk about for two reasons. First of all, both of my parents were divorced. My Dad was married for eleven years, and got a divorce from his first wife. In my Dad's case, this happened before he was a Christian. My Mom was married twice before she and my Dad were married. Her first husband was abusive and tried to push her down the stairs. They were only married a short time. My Mom was married for 13 years to her second husband when she found out he'd been fooling around. What makes it hard is that my Dad probably would never have become a Christian if he hadn't meet my Mom. My Mom took a lot of grief from church people for getting a divorce from her first husband. But, what was she supposed to do? You can't live with someone who is trying to harm you. Everything worked out great with my parents. They were married for 42 years.
The second reason I find this difficult is that I've never been married. I don't have any personal experience with married life. All I can do is say what Jesus said about the subject.
Divorce is a real problem in the church. I believe that the high rate of divorce in the church is a hindrance to the message of the gospel.
The Lord said in the book of Malachi that He hates divorce. As followers of Jesus, we should be faithful to our vows.
With that said, I've known many divorced people. I know that Jesus will forgive those who ask Him for forgiveness.
In my parents case, when my Dad met my Mom he started going to church, became a believer and his life was transformed. My Mom became more involved in church and taught Sunday school and children's church for several years. God brought something good out of bad situation. Unlike some church people, Jesus won't hold the fact that you've been divorced against you for the rest of your life.
If you're considering a divorce, keep in mind the words of Jesus. It is a very serious matter. Do everything in your power to repair your relationship. Pray for Jesus to help you.
There's one last thing I want to say on this matter. Jesus says that the only grounds for divorce is adultery. However, I believe that the Bible teaches that you have the right to keep yourself and your children from harm. In the church I was raised in, they didn't think that spousal abuse was a grounds for divorce. I disagree. You don't have to remain in an abusive relationship. This includes a relationship where your spouse is abusive to you or your children.
That's all I have to say on that subject. Next week, I will post the next chapter about Toby and a new sermon on Friday. Next week I am taking a one week break from the Sermon on the Mount, and I am going to post a sermon about one of the Psalms. Until then, God bless you all.
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