Weekend Sermon -- Various Thoughts

     Welcome to another week of the Weekend Sermon.  Thank you for taking the time to read the blog and the items that I post.  I hope and pray that all of you are doing well.
     I am feeling pretty good, and I thank you for your prayers on my behalf.  Please pray that the Lord will continue to assist me in serving Him.
     In your prayer time this week, I would once again ask you all to pray about the situation with the Ebola epidemic in Western Africa.  The latest statistics that I heard from Doctors Without Borders said that over 1,000 people have died as a result of the Ebola virus.  They think that this estimate is very low.  Also, as you pray this week, pray for the family of Robin Williams as they go through the difficult time of dealing with the death of their loved one.
     Today's sermon is going to be something different.  The name of this blog is Reflections and Various Thoughts, and this sermon is going to consist of some of the various thoughts that I've been having lately about spiritual things. 
     One of the things that I've been thinking a lot about lately is the idea of thankfulness.  Over the last few days, I've been considering all the things that I have to be thankful for.  This was prompted by the fact that things are very difficult at work right now.  I found myself getting down until I started counting the many ways that God has blessed me.
     For one thing, I can be thankful for the fact that God has revealed His love to me in the person of His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ.  I can be thankful for my salvation and my personal relationship with Jesus.
     I have also realized that I can be thankful for good food to eat and a place to live.  I have a very good friend who lives in Heaven.  That would be my friend Toby.  I also have a very good friend who lives across the street from me who has helped me out in so many ways these past few years.
     I believe that all of us as believers in the Lord should express our thankfulness to Him every day for all the blessings that we have been given.  The Bible says that we are to in all things give thanks.  This doesn't mean that we are to be thankful and happy about bad things that happen to us.  I think what it does mean is that in every situation, the follower of Jesus can express thankfulness for knowing the Risen Lord.
    The next thing that I've been thinking about the past few days is something that a minister I listen to on the Internet said.  She said that the main theme of the Bible is whether or not humans will trust God and follow what He wants them to do.  I think that she is right on the mark.  From the opening chapters in Genesis, humans have rebelled against the ways of the Lord and decided to go their own way.  We all seem to think that we know more than God.
    This got me thinking about my own life.  Often, I want things to go a certain way, and I don't trust God to work things out His way.  For instance, when the Lord called me into the ministry, I envisioned this as being the pastor of a church.  I tried to make that happen, and it didn't work out.  However, Jesus had a different plan.  He led me into a ministry of writing, and a ministry on the Internet.  I should have just trusted that Jesus would work His will out in my life, and I should have stopped trying to accomplish things in my own strength.
    I also know that I need to trust the Lord Jesus to guide me and provide for me.  I get discouraged and I worry, but I must trust in Jesus that He knows the way.
    If you are facing a difficult circumstance, put your trust in the Lord's strength and don't rely on your own strength.  Follow where Jesus leads, and don't try to go your own way.
    Finally, I've been thinking about a verse found in Genesis 18.  Abraham asks, "Will not the judge of all the earth do right?"  Often, I wonder why the Lord allows so much bad and suffering to occur in the world.  It all seems so unfair.  The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.  People that have little seem to keep getting more problems thrown upon them.  The evil seem to prosper while the righteous suffer.
    In these times, I have to remember that Jesus will do what is right.  I certainly don't understand everything that happens in my own life or in the workings of this world.  However, I know that Jesus loves the world, and He is bringing about ultimate good for this world.  Once again, it is about trusting Jesus and believing in Him.
    These are just some random thoughts.  Hopefully, they will prompt you to think about these things.
    I will post a review on Wednesday and the verse of the week on Monday.  I will post the Weekend Sermon on Friday or Saturday.  May God Bless you all.  Amen.