Welcome once again to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. I went out to dinner with my brother and his wife.
My new job is going well. I am still looking for more work, so please continue to pray for me. In your prayer time this week, please pray for those who are unemployed and looking for work. In spite of what the statistics may show, there are still many people without jobs. Also, continue to pray about the Ebola situation in Africa. Pray for peace in this troubled world.
In last week's message, we looked at four kings who had one thing in common. Each of these men had an encounter with the power of God, yet they would not turn from their wickedness and serve the True and Living God and Him only. Whatever their various reasons, these individuals turned to idols in spite of knowing the truth. So many people do the same thing today. It is a very hard thing for me to understand.
Today, we are going to look at a king who was the complete opposite of the four men we looked at last week. In fact, the king we will look at today is one of the very best rulers in the history of the land of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was the son of another king we looked at named Asa. When Asa died, Jehoshaphat assumed the throne. Jeshoshaphat began his reign well. He rejected the worship of false gods, and he placed his trust in the Living God.
Jeshoshaphat was committed to the law of God. In order to teach his people what God required of them, Jehoshaphat sent Levites throughout the kingdom to instruct people in the ways of the Lord. Jehoshaphat was a strong king, and he was very wealthy.
Then, Jehoshaphat started to go in the wrong direction. Jehoshaphat made an alliance with the evil king Ahab. They decided to go to war against the Syrians. Before the battle, Jehoshaphat did try to inquire of the Lord what should be done. The prophet Micaiah was brought before Ahab and Jehoshaphat. (We studied more about Micaiah a few sermons ago). Micaiah prophesied against Ahab, and Ahab had him throne into prison. Jehoshaphat did not come to the aid of the prophet of God, and he did not heed his warnings. Unless the Lord had intervened, Jehoshaphat like Ahab would have been killed.
When Jehoshaphat returned to Judah, the prophet Jehu confronted him. In 2 Chronicles 19: 2-3 we have Jehu's words that say, "Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Nevertheless, there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God."
After this, Jehoshaphat set about improving his kindgom. He appointed fair judges to rule rightly and fairly over the people.
Jehoshaphat learned from his mistakes. When the kingdoms of Ammon and Moab came against him, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord this time. 2 Chronicles 20 contains the prayer of Jehoshaphat for aid. The Ammonites and Moabites were defeated.
In all, Jehoshaphat reigned for 25 years. He was a good king. Up to this point, he was the best ruler of God's people since David. As we will see as we continue our study of the kings, he was probably the third or fourth best ruler of Israel or Judah.
So, what do we learn from Jehoshaphat. The first thing that strikes me about Jehoshaphat is his dedication to serving the Lord. He made a decision to follow God early on in his life, and he never wavered from that. He is one of the few kings who did not turn at some point to false gods. Even Solomon would turn from God at the end of his life, but Jehoshaphat remained faithful along with David, Hezekiah and Josiah.
Jehoshaphat did have a bump in his spiritual journey. It is one that affects many Christians. Jehoshaphat got into trouble when he joined with an evil person. Many Christians today do not practice the separation from the forces of this world as they should. I know businessmen for instance who will go into deals with those who do not honor the things of God, and they think nothing of it. In the end, this can only end in trouble for the Christian. The Bible says, "What fellowship has light with darkness." The Apostle Paul also said for the Christian to not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
Those who are not followers of Jesus Christ have a fundamentally different outlook on life and a different worldview than Christians do (or should have). Often, close association in business or personal relationships with worldy individuals leads to Christians falling into sin or compromising with the values of this world and casting aside the principles taught by Jesus.
Look at what happened to Jehoshaphat when he compromised with Ahab. Jehoshaphat stood aside while God's spokesman was abused. He did not heed what God's prophet said. As the Scriptures say, "Bad company corrupts good morals." As we will see next week, the same thing happened to Solomon.
The follower of Jesus should stand firm in following the commandments and teachings of Jesus. He is our example. It may cost us some material gain and some friendships, but faithfully following Jesus is well worth it.
Jehoshaphat did learn from his mistakes. When confronted about his sin, Jehoshaphat turned in the other direction.
I would also like to point out another good point about Jehoshaphat's reign. He believed in social justice. He appointed judges who would not be respecters of persons in regard to wealth or power. He believed in equality under the law of the Lord. Rulers today should follow this example. Leaders should promote the values of equality and fairness. They should make sure that the poor are taken care of, and that their people's needs are met. They should be leaders of the 100 percent not the top 1 percent.
Finally, we see that Jehoshaphat prayed and sought the Lord when he needed help. We must be people of prayer. We should follow Jehoshaphat's example of prayer and pray for all of our needs. We should not follow the example of Jeshoshaphat's father Asa who did not seek the Lord in his distress.
Next week, we will look into the life of Solomon. This is a man who I do not understand at all. We will see what we can learn from his life. I will post a verse on Monday. There may be a review on Wednesday. The sermon will appear on Friday or Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
A Review and Recommendation
Today, I want to recommend some books and videos that are my favorites. As some of you may know, my very favorite author is James Herriot. I like to re-read his books from time to time, and they are just as good or better each time. Herriot wrote six books in all. All Creatures Great and Small is the first book. The next books are: All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All, Every Living Thing and James Herriot's Yorkshire. In addition to these books, several anthologies of Herriot's writings are available. Some of these include the excellent James Herriot's Dog Stories as well as books with animal stories and cat stories. I think that anyone would really enjoy these books. They are extremely well-written.
Another good book is the book entitled The Real James Herriot written by Herriot's son. It tells about many things in Herriot's life not mentioned in the other books.
I would also recommend to you the British television series All Creatures Great and Small based on the Herriot books. There are seven seasons of this series available as well as two or three special episodes. The books are the best, but the tv series is excellent as well.
There have been several veterinarians who have attempted to follow in Herriot's footsteps and write about their lives. Most of these attempts aren't anywhere close to Herriot. One man whose books are very good though is Alexander Cameron. Cameron was a veterinarian for ten years before he became a minister in the Church of Scotland. His two books are Vet in the Vestry and Poultry in the Pulpit. I would recommend these books as well. He wrote another book about his days in the ministry, but I've not been able to find a copy here in the United States.
Another good book is the book entitled The Real James Herriot written by Herriot's son. It tells about many things in Herriot's life not mentioned in the other books.
I would also recommend to you the British television series All Creatures Great and Small based on the Herriot books. There are seven seasons of this series available as well as two or three special episodes. The books are the best, but the tv series is excellent as well.
There have been several veterinarians who have attempted to follow in Herriot's footsteps and write about their lives. Most of these attempts aren't anywhere close to Herriot. One man whose books are very good though is Alexander Cameron. Cameron was a veterinarian for ten years before he became a minister in the Church of Scotland. His two books are Vet in the Vestry and Poultry in the Pulpit. I would recommend these books as well. He wrote another book about his days in the ministry, but I've not been able to find a copy here in the United States.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Verse For the Week
John 4:23-24 -- " But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: For the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Thoughts On A Sunday Afternoon -- Thanksgiving
I am here again in the library on a Sunday afternoon, and I have some things that I would like to share. This Thursday is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. It has always been my favorite holiday. It is a time of food, fun and family. Today, I would just like to write about what my family used to do on Thanksgiving, and then write a little bit about what I have to be thankful for this year.
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving for me was the great meals that my Mom used to fix. She was the best cook around, as far as I was concerned. We never had to worry about a dried out turkey when Mom was cooking. She fixed great turkeys. My Mom's stuffing was tremendously good, and she also fixed us mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberries, green beans and rolls. She also made us a couple of pumpkin pies. All of this food was delicious.
On Thanksgiving afternoon my Mom, Dad, Toby and I would have a great feast. My Dad and I would eat so much we couldn't hold any more. Toby always got a Thanksgiving feast too. He loved turkey, so my Mom and I always made sure he received his portion. He was kind of different from many dogs. He liked green beans about as well as anything, so Mom gave him some green beans too. He would eat those before he ate the turkey. Dad always made sure Toby got a biscuit or two.
After the meal, we would watch the football games and try to sleep off the big meal. We always offered to help Mom with the cleaning up, but she would never accept any help.
Usually on Thanksgiving it was just the immediate family, but my Grandma did get to spend three or four Thanksgivings with us. She was the ultimate pie maker. My Mom was a great cook, but Grandma made the best pies. One Thanksgiving she made pumpkin, apple and lemon meringue pies. They were great.
When my Mom had her stroke, Thanksgivings weren't the big affair they had been. Cooking was now up to me. I couldn't put out the feast like my Mom did, but I always tried to keep the family going while I took care of the folks. I would usually just fix a small turkey breast, a little stove top stuffing, some mashed potatoes and some green beans. It was nice that we were all still together.
The last few Thanksgivings I've spent with my half-brother and his family. He usually takes us out to a restaurant.
This Thanksgiving, I'm not sure what I am going to do. I hope that everyone who reads this blog has a very happy Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.
Now, this Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for. First of all, I am thankful to the Lord Jesus for being my Lord and Savior. Without Him, my life would be absolutely meaningless. I want to thank Jesus for being with me every step of the way this year. He is my rock and my salvation.
I am also thankful for this blog and for those of you who read it. I am so happy each week when I view the blog statistics and see that people from many nations are reading what I write here. It is very humbling.
When I started this blog, it was my hope that the Lord would use it in some way to reach people with the message of His love. I pray that it has done this in your life.
I am also thankful for my jobs that the Lord has provided. I am still looking for more work, but the Lord has provided me with an income.
I also would like to express my thanks for being able to be a writer. The Lord has blessed my writing, and I am getting things published again. Writing is my great joy, and I am glad that the Lord Jesus has allowed me to use writing to serve Him in some way.
I am thankful for my friend who lives across the street. We have been friends for many years, and he has helped me in innumerable ways this year. May God's blessings be upon him and his family.
Finally, I want to thank the Lord Jesus for the time I had on this earth with my Mom, Dad and Toby. We had many wonderful years together. I miss them every day, but I know that they are safe with Jesus in Heaven right now. I am thankful that because Jesus is the Resurrection and Life, one day we will all be reunited again.
Once again, Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you.
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving for me was the great meals that my Mom used to fix. She was the best cook around, as far as I was concerned. We never had to worry about a dried out turkey when Mom was cooking. She fixed great turkeys. My Mom's stuffing was tremendously good, and she also fixed us mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberries, green beans and rolls. She also made us a couple of pumpkin pies. All of this food was delicious.
On Thanksgiving afternoon my Mom, Dad, Toby and I would have a great feast. My Dad and I would eat so much we couldn't hold any more. Toby always got a Thanksgiving feast too. He loved turkey, so my Mom and I always made sure he received his portion. He was kind of different from many dogs. He liked green beans about as well as anything, so Mom gave him some green beans too. He would eat those before he ate the turkey. Dad always made sure Toby got a biscuit or two.
After the meal, we would watch the football games and try to sleep off the big meal. We always offered to help Mom with the cleaning up, but she would never accept any help.
Usually on Thanksgiving it was just the immediate family, but my Grandma did get to spend three or four Thanksgivings with us. She was the ultimate pie maker. My Mom was a great cook, but Grandma made the best pies. One Thanksgiving she made pumpkin, apple and lemon meringue pies. They were great.
When my Mom had her stroke, Thanksgivings weren't the big affair they had been. Cooking was now up to me. I couldn't put out the feast like my Mom did, but I always tried to keep the family going while I took care of the folks. I would usually just fix a small turkey breast, a little stove top stuffing, some mashed potatoes and some green beans. It was nice that we were all still together.
The last few Thanksgivings I've spent with my half-brother and his family. He usually takes us out to a restaurant.
This Thanksgiving, I'm not sure what I am going to do. I hope that everyone who reads this blog has a very happy Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.
Now, this Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for. First of all, I am thankful to the Lord Jesus for being my Lord and Savior. Without Him, my life would be absolutely meaningless. I want to thank Jesus for being with me every step of the way this year. He is my rock and my salvation.
I am also thankful for this blog and for those of you who read it. I am so happy each week when I view the blog statistics and see that people from many nations are reading what I write here. It is very humbling.
When I started this blog, it was my hope that the Lord would use it in some way to reach people with the message of His love. I pray that it has done this in your life.
I am also thankful for my jobs that the Lord has provided. I am still looking for more work, but the Lord has provided me with an income.
I also would like to express my thanks for being able to be a writer. The Lord has blessed my writing, and I am getting things published again. Writing is my great joy, and I am glad that the Lord Jesus has allowed me to use writing to serve Him in some way.
I am thankful for my friend who lives across the street. We have been friends for many years, and he has helped me in innumerable ways this year. May God's blessings be upon him and his family.
Finally, I want to thank the Lord Jesus for the time I had on this earth with my Mom, Dad and Toby. We had many wonderful years together. I miss them every day, but I know that they are safe with Jesus in Heaven right now. I am thankful that because Jesus is the Resurrection and Life, one day we will all be reunited again.
Once again, Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Weekend Sermon -- Four Kings
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. It is so good to be with you again this week. I pray that all of you are blessed and doing well.
I want to thank you all for your prayers. Things have been going well at my new job, and writing is doing fairly well. I hope to get another job soon. Please continue to pray about this.
This week, please keep praying about the situation with the Ebola virus in Africa. I heard today that there are now cases in the nation of Mali. Pray that the spread of the this disease will stop, and pray for those who are sick that they might fully recover. Also, continue to pray for peace in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.
Last week, we began a series of messages about some of the kings who reigned over Israel and Judah. We looked last week at Asa who started off well, but in the end, he did not place his full trust in the Lord.
In this week's message, I want us to look at four kings who all have something in common, and see what their lives can teach us today.
The first king I want to focus on is a man named Jeroboam. Jeroboam became king of ten tribes of Israel when he led a rebellion against Solomon's son Rehoboam. I Kings 11 records why Jeroboam was allowed to become king.
As Solomon grew older, he actually turned away from God. Solomon built temples for the gods of his many wives, and his heart was led astray. Because of this, God took the kingdom from Solomon's descendants. God told the prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam that God was giving part of the kingdom to him.
Jeroboam did not follow the ways of the Lord. He instituted the worship of golden calves in the kingdom of Israel. Because of this, God told Ahijah the prophet to tell Jeroboam that Jeroboam's descendants would not reign over the nation.
The second king I would like to focus on is Ahab. Ahab was probably the most wicked man to rule over any part of Israel. He and his wife Jezebeel caused the people to serve the god Baal. They tried to eliminate totally the worship to the true and living God.
Ahab was confronted in his treachery by the prophet Elijah. Elijah told Ahab that a great drought was coming, and that is exactly what happened. Later, Elijah would have an epic encounter with the prophets of the false god.
Ahab clearly saw the power of the true God. In fact, Ahab seems to acknowledge the existance of the God Elijah served. However, Ahab chose to reject Elijah's God and follow false gods.
The third king that I will mention is Jehu. God raised up Jehu to be king in order to eliminate the worship of Baal from the nation of Israel. Jehu rebelled against Ahab's son and killed Jezebeel and all of Ahab's descendents. Jehu would also destroy Baal worship in its entirety. However, Jehu would not worship the God of the Bible. Instead, Jehu reinstituted the worship of the golden calves begun by Jeroboam.
Finally, we come to a king named Jehoash. When the great prophet Elisha was sick, Jehoash rushed to Elisha's side and recognized the greatness of the prophet. Jehoash even asked Elisha to help him defeat an enemy. Elisha told the king that the king would have some victories against his enemies. All transpired as Elisha predicted, but in spite of this, Jehoash did not turn his heart to the Lord. He continued in his idolatry.
So, what was it that these four kings had in common? They all received a word from the Lord and saw the demonstration of the power of God, yet they refused to follow the True and Living God. They rejected God, and they continued in their sin and idolatry.
What does this have to teach us today. First of all, this same thing happens today. God has given all of humanity the revelation of Himself in creation, yet the majority of the human race continues to deny God and follow the gods of their own imagination or no deity at all.
The Father has fully revealed Himself in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, yet people everywhere deny Him and turn their backs on Him. Jesus rose from the dead, something I believe is beyond refute, but the vast majority of humanity remains unconvinced. They see the greatness of God, and follow the devices and desires of their own hearts.
Jesus said that it would be this way. It was this way in His own day. The people of Jesus' day saw Him perform countless miracles. However, they would say, "Crucify Him. We will not have this man to rule over us." The cry, "We will not have this man to rule over us" continues today.
Jesus said in His story about the rich man and Lazarus that people would not believe even if one came back from the dead. And this statement has been borne out. Jesus has risen and is alive, but people will not yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
This isn't just true in the pagan world. Christians are sometimes guilty of acting the same way that the four kings acted. We know the truth. We can clearly read the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and His other discourses. We know what Jesus expects of us His followers. However, we deny the words of Jesus or their relevance to us, and we do what we want to do in the way we want to do it.
The four kings described in our message today did not end well. Those who deny the power of God and true revelation of Jesus Christ will not inherit the forgiveness and eternal life that that Lord offers.
If you have heard the preaching of the Word of the Lord, do not turn your back on it. Sin is blinding you to what is right, but the power of the Holy Spirit is at work in your heart to bring you to salvation. Trust in the Lord Jesus today, and don't be like those who have heard the truth but will not yield to it.
If you are a follower of Jesus, follow Him completely. You know the truth. Don't turn your back on it. Obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord, and put your trust totally in Him.
Next week, we will look at the life of another king, and try to learn from his life. I will post the verse on Monday. I will probably have a review on Wednesday. Next Saturday, I will post another sermon. In the United States, Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. I want to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving. On that day, think of all the Jesus has done for you, and give Him thanks. Amen.
I want to thank you all for your prayers. Things have been going well at my new job, and writing is doing fairly well. I hope to get another job soon. Please continue to pray about this.
This week, please keep praying about the situation with the Ebola virus in Africa. I heard today that there are now cases in the nation of Mali. Pray that the spread of the this disease will stop, and pray for those who are sick that they might fully recover. Also, continue to pray for peace in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.
Last week, we began a series of messages about some of the kings who reigned over Israel and Judah. We looked last week at Asa who started off well, but in the end, he did not place his full trust in the Lord.
In this week's message, I want us to look at four kings who all have something in common, and see what their lives can teach us today.
The first king I want to focus on is a man named Jeroboam. Jeroboam became king of ten tribes of Israel when he led a rebellion against Solomon's son Rehoboam. I Kings 11 records why Jeroboam was allowed to become king.
As Solomon grew older, he actually turned away from God. Solomon built temples for the gods of his many wives, and his heart was led astray. Because of this, God took the kingdom from Solomon's descendants. God told the prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam that God was giving part of the kingdom to him.
Jeroboam did not follow the ways of the Lord. He instituted the worship of golden calves in the kingdom of Israel. Because of this, God told Ahijah the prophet to tell Jeroboam that Jeroboam's descendants would not reign over the nation.
The second king I would like to focus on is Ahab. Ahab was probably the most wicked man to rule over any part of Israel. He and his wife Jezebeel caused the people to serve the god Baal. They tried to eliminate totally the worship to the true and living God.
Ahab was confronted in his treachery by the prophet Elijah. Elijah told Ahab that a great drought was coming, and that is exactly what happened. Later, Elijah would have an epic encounter with the prophets of the false god.
Ahab clearly saw the power of the true God. In fact, Ahab seems to acknowledge the existance of the God Elijah served. However, Ahab chose to reject Elijah's God and follow false gods.
The third king that I will mention is Jehu. God raised up Jehu to be king in order to eliminate the worship of Baal from the nation of Israel. Jehu rebelled against Ahab's son and killed Jezebeel and all of Ahab's descendents. Jehu would also destroy Baal worship in its entirety. However, Jehu would not worship the God of the Bible. Instead, Jehu reinstituted the worship of the golden calves begun by Jeroboam.
Finally, we come to a king named Jehoash. When the great prophet Elisha was sick, Jehoash rushed to Elisha's side and recognized the greatness of the prophet. Jehoash even asked Elisha to help him defeat an enemy. Elisha told the king that the king would have some victories against his enemies. All transpired as Elisha predicted, but in spite of this, Jehoash did not turn his heart to the Lord. He continued in his idolatry.
So, what was it that these four kings had in common? They all received a word from the Lord and saw the demonstration of the power of God, yet they refused to follow the True and Living God. They rejected God, and they continued in their sin and idolatry.
What does this have to teach us today. First of all, this same thing happens today. God has given all of humanity the revelation of Himself in creation, yet the majority of the human race continues to deny God and follow the gods of their own imagination or no deity at all.
The Father has fully revealed Himself in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, yet people everywhere deny Him and turn their backs on Him. Jesus rose from the dead, something I believe is beyond refute, but the vast majority of humanity remains unconvinced. They see the greatness of God, and follow the devices and desires of their own hearts.
Jesus said that it would be this way. It was this way in His own day. The people of Jesus' day saw Him perform countless miracles. However, they would say, "Crucify Him. We will not have this man to rule over us." The cry, "We will not have this man to rule over us" continues today.
Jesus said in His story about the rich man and Lazarus that people would not believe even if one came back from the dead. And this statement has been borne out. Jesus has risen and is alive, but people will not yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
This isn't just true in the pagan world. Christians are sometimes guilty of acting the same way that the four kings acted. We know the truth. We can clearly read the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and His other discourses. We know what Jesus expects of us His followers. However, we deny the words of Jesus or their relevance to us, and we do what we want to do in the way we want to do it.
The four kings described in our message today did not end well. Those who deny the power of God and true revelation of Jesus Christ will not inherit the forgiveness and eternal life that that Lord offers.
If you have heard the preaching of the Word of the Lord, do not turn your back on it. Sin is blinding you to what is right, but the power of the Holy Spirit is at work in your heart to bring you to salvation. Trust in the Lord Jesus today, and don't be like those who have heard the truth but will not yield to it.
If you are a follower of Jesus, follow Him completely. You know the truth. Don't turn your back on it. Obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord, and put your trust totally in Him.
Next week, we will look at the life of another king, and try to learn from his life. I will post the verse on Monday. I will probably have a review on Wednesday. Next Saturday, I will post another sermon. In the United States, Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. I want to wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving. On that day, think of all the Jesus has done for you, and give Him thanks. Amen.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Verse For the Week
Micah 6:8 -- "He hath shown thee o man what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Thoughts on a Sunday Afternoon
I am here again on a Sunday afternoon posting. I don't know if I will do this on a regular basis, but I've found that in the last few weeks I've had some things that I wanted to say. Last week, I posted about the dog that my Dad loved more than he loved any other dog. Quincy meant the world to my Dad.
I've been thinking lately about what Toby and I would be doing if he were still living. I know that my life would be different than it is now if he were still on this earth. If Toby would have still been living when my folks passed away, I know that the two of us would have just taken off and traveled around the country. I also know that I wouldn't be as nervous and worried about the daily occurences of life like I am now. I was never afraid when he was around because I knew I had a friend.
There is one thing I wanted to do and didn't do that I really regret. When I was a younger man, I graduated from a Bible college approved by the church my family went to. After graduation, I was going to join the missions organization operated by the church's pastor. This missions group sent pastors to churches in rural areas of the U.S. where the people might not be able to support a pastor on their own. However, the church my family was in didn't really care much for my views of the Bible or politics especially. The church would not approve me for ministry because I was a member of the Democratic Party and I was not married. I kid you not. These were the reasons.
What does this have to do about Toby you might be asking? Well, it was always my dream for the two of us to go out to a church and live in the parsonage together. It would be like two good friends off on an adventure. This didn't happen. I left right-wing churches after this, and I didn't really get back on track for the ministry for several years.
I wish that I would have just gone and started a church in the inner city somewhere were no one else wanted to go. I would have taken Toby with me, and I believe that I could have had a good ministry. I got side-tracked from what I believe God wanted me to do.
Eventually, after going back to school and studying history and philosophy, I started working as writer. I am very thankful that the Lord allowed me to use my writing as a means of ministering the Gospel.
One of my first publications as a writer was a sermon in a magazine with a worldwide distribution. I have since been published in this particular magazine several times. I am also grateful that the Lord has used me to minister on this blog. I have ministered in a different way than I thought I would.
Toby was still alive when I started writing. While I worked on writing at the computer in my room, Toby would lay down at the end of the bed and wait for me to get done for the day. He always wanted to be where I was. He kept a constant eye on me.
I remember that I was so excited when I got my publication in the religious magazine that I let out a shout. Toby started barking and running around the room.
So, in a way, I guess Toby was with me as I began my ministry. It just wasn't the way I thought it would be.
Lately, I've been thinking about my life and how it has gone so far. I've had some writing success. I've been able to minister through writing. I've had over seventy poems published along with short stories and essays. I've done quite a bit of travel writing and writing for business clients. That's nice.
I've just finished a job working as a postmaster relief officer with the United States Postal Service. That job was a real headache. Now I am working as a scheduler in an office.
I'm not getting any younger, and I've come to realize that my life is not what I want it to be and it's not what I planned it to be. While the Lord has given me opportunities to serve Him, I know that He called me at an early point in my life to do more for Him. I feel that I've let Jesus down, my parents down, Toby down and myself down. I want to do something about it.
I can't go into all of the details right now, but I am planning with the Lord's help to go into the ministry in the way He called me when I was a younger man. It will involve selling most all of my possessions, selling my house, and getting out of debt. It won't be an easy undertaking, but I really feel like it is something that I have to do. My life won't be what it is supposed to be unless I do it.
I would ask that those of you who read the blog would please pray for me that I can do what Jesus is calling me to do. I want to start a church in an under-served part of the U.S. or I want to be a self-funded missionary in a nation with few Christians.
Since Toby is in Heaven now, I won't have a corgi to travel with me. I am confident that he will be with me in spirit.
I will write more on this in the days to come.
I've been thinking lately about what Toby and I would be doing if he were still living. I know that my life would be different than it is now if he were still on this earth. If Toby would have still been living when my folks passed away, I know that the two of us would have just taken off and traveled around the country. I also know that I wouldn't be as nervous and worried about the daily occurences of life like I am now. I was never afraid when he was around because I knew I had a friend.
There is one thing I wanted to do and didn't do that I really regret. When I was a younger man, I graduated from a Bible college approved by the church my family went to. After graduation, I was going to join the missions organization operated by the church's pastor. This missions group sent pastors to churches in rural areas of the U.S. where the people might not be able to support a pastor on their own. However, the church my family was in didn't really care much for my views of the Bible or politics especially. The church would not approve me for ministry because I was a member of the Democratic Party and I was not married. I kid you not. These were the reasons.
What does this have to do about Toby you might be asking? Well, it was always my dream for the two of us to go out to a church and live in the parsonage together. It would be like two good friends off on an adventure. This didn't happen. I left right-wing churches after this, and I didn't really get back on track for the ministry for several years.
I wish that I would have just gone and started a church in the inner city somewhere were no one else wanted to go. I would have taken Toby with me, and I believe that I could have had a good ministry. I got side-tracked from what I believe God wanted me to do.
Eventually, after going back to school and studying history and philosophy, I started working as writer. I am very thankful that the Lord allowed me to use my writing as a means of ministering the Gospel.
One of my first publications as a writer was a sermon in a magazine with a worldwide distribution. I have since been published in this particular magazine several times. I am also grateful that the Lord has used me to minister on this blog. I have ministered in a different way than I thought I would.
Toby was still alive when I started writing. While I worked on writing at the computer in my room, Toby would lay down at the end of the bed and wait for me to get done for the day. He always wanted to be where I was. He kept a constant eye on me.
I remember that I was so excited when I got my publication in the religious magazine that I let out a shout. Toby started barking and running around the room.
So, in a way, I guess Toby was with me as I began my ministry. It just wasn't the way I thought it would be.
Lately, I've been thinking about my life and how it has gone so far. I've had some writing success. I've been able to minister through writing. I've had over seventy poems published along with short stories and essays. I've done quite a bit of travel writing and writing for business clients. That's nice.
I've just finished a job working as a postmaster relief officer with the United States Postal Service. That job was a real headache. Now I am working as a scheduler in an office.
I'm not getting any younger, and I've come to realize that my life is not what I want it to be and it's not what I planned it to be. While the Lord has given me opportunities to serve Him, I know that He called me at an early point in my life to do more for Him. I feel that I've let Jesus down, my parents down, Toby down and myself down. I want to do something about it.
I can't go into all of the details right now, but I am planning with the Lord's help to go into the ministry in the way He called me when I was a younger man. It will involve selling most all of my possessions, selling my house, and getting out of debt. It won't be an easy undertaking, but I really feel like it is something that I have to do. My life won't be what it is supposed to be unless I do it.
I would ask that those of you who read the blog would please pray for me that I can do what Jesus is calling me to do. I want to start a church in an under-served part of the U.S. or I want to be a self-funded missionary in a nation with few Christians.
Since Toby is in Heaven now, I won't have a corgi to travel with me. I am confident that he will be with me in spirit.
I will write more on this in the days to come.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Weekend Sermon -- Asa -- 2 Chronicles 14-16
Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you to all of you who read this blog. It means a lot to me.
This has been quite a week. Many of you have been praying about my employment situation. This Thursday, I lost my job. There was a union dispute, and my position was scheduled for elimination. There were other reasons why I left the job, but that was the primary reason. Thankfully, I found another job, and I am able to work as many hours as I was before. Also, I've been getting some writing jobs lately. Hopefully, that will pick up. I still want to get another job, so please keep praying that the Lord will provide in this area.
This week, let us all continue to pray about the Ebola situation in Africa. Pray that all will be well in this ongoing problem. Continue to pray for peace in Syria and Iraq.
We haven't done a series of messages for the Weekend Sermon in while, and I am going to remedy that situation this week. Starting this week, and continuing to the weekend before Christmas, I will be posting a series of messages focusing on some of the kings who ruled Israel and Judah. I will focus on what the Bible says about these interesting individuals, and we will examine what we can learn from their lives that will help up live lives that are pleasing to the Lord Jesus.
Today, I want to focus on what we can learn from the life of Asa. Asa was king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. If you recall, after the death of Solomon, Israel divided into two separate kingdoms. The northern ten tribes followed Jeroboam, and they were know as the Kingdom of Israel. The two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin followed Solomon's son Rehoboam. They were know as the Kingdom of Judah.
Solomon's son Rehoboam was a terrible ruler as was Solomon's grandson Abijah. They followed after idols, and they did not worship the true and living God. It took Solomon's great grandson Asa to get things back on track.
When Asa came to power, he removed all of the idols from Judah. He ordered the people to stop following false gods and to follow the law given by God in the Torah. Asa was so zealous to follow the Lord that he even removed his mother from being queen because she set up an idol in a grove.
Asa also sought the Lord when he was faced with invasion. Asa prayed and sought the Lord's help, and the Lord delivered Asa and his people from the hands of the Ethiopians.
From the way Asa's rule began, things looked promising. However, Asa didn't stay on the right course. In the latter part of his reign, Asa was facing war with Israel. Instead of seeking the Lord, Asa made an alliance with the Syrians. Asa was confronted about this by the prophet Hanani, and Asa threw him into prison. At this time, the Bible says that Asa began to oppress his people.
In the last year's of Asa's life, he had a disease of the feet. Instead of asking the Lord to help him, Asa only consulted with his physicians.
So, what can we learn from the life of Asa. First of all, we can learn from Asa's example of following the Lord. In spite of his family, Asa didn't worship idols, he turned to the Lord and had the people do the same. No matter what your spiritual background might be, you can change and turn your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
My Dad was not raised in a Christian home. He had no spiritual upbringing whatsoever. However, at the age of 40 my Dad gave his life to Jesus, and Jesus totally transformed my Dad's life. Asa early in his life also favored serving the Lord above all else. We see this in the action that Asa took in removing his mother from being queen. Doing right came above family connections. This is similar to what Jesus was talking about when He said that if someone wasn't willing to hate father, mother, and even their own life they were not worthy of Him. Following Jesus should be our top priority. Jesus must be our Lord, and our allegiance should belong to Him. Jesus is Lord. Our nation, family, friends nor our own desires are Lord. Following Jesus as Lord means following Him above all else. Our first loyalty belongs to Him.
Asa is also a good example of drifting away from serving the Lord. Later in his life, Asa went his own way. He stopped asking the Lord for help. We must not fall into this pattern of behavior. No matter what problem we might be facing, the best option is to take it to the Lord in prayer before doing anything else. Prayer should not be a last resort. It should be our first action.
When Asa was sick, he sought the physicians and not God. There is nothing wrong with going to the doctor. However, we should seek the Lord. Ultimately, Jesus is the only one with the power to work on our behalf.
We must be diligent in our walk with Jesus lest we follow Asa's course. We need to stay in prayer. We must not neglect our study of the Word, And, we must faithfully obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus. If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will not stray from the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.
Next week, I will post the verse on Monday. I will try to post a review. The sermon will appear next weekend. May God bless you all. Amen.
This has been quite a week. Many of you have been praying about my employment situation. This Thursday, I lost my job. There was a union dispute, and my position was scheduled for elimination. There were other reasons why I left the job, but that was the primary reason. Thankfully, I found another job, and I am able to work as many hours as I was before. Also, I've been getting some writing jobs lately. Hopefully, that will pick up. I still want to get another job, so please keep praying that the Lord will provide in this area.
This week, let us all continue to pray about the Ebola situation in Africa. Pray that all will be well in this ongoing problem. Continue to pray for peace in Syria and Iraq.
We haven't done a series of messages for the Weekend Sermon in while, and I am going to remedy that situation this week. Starting this week, and continuing to the weekend before Christmas, I will be posting a series of messages focusing on some of the kings who ruled Israel and Judah. I will focus on what the Bible says about these interesting individuals, and we will examine what we can learn from their lives that will help up live lives that are pleasing to the Lord Jesus.
Today, I want to focus on what we can learn from the life of Asa. Asa was king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. If you recall, after the death of Solomon, Israel divided into two separate kingdoms. The northern ten tribes followed Jeroboam, and they were know as the Kingdom of Israel. The two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin followed Solomon's son Rehoboam. They were know as the Kingdom of Judah.
Solomon's son Rehoboam was a terrible ruler as was Solomon's grandson Abijah. They followed after idols, and they did not worship the true and living God. It took Solomon's great grandson Asa to get things back on track.
When Asa came to power, he removed all of the idols from Judah. He ordered the people to stop following false gods and to follow the law given by God in the Torah. Asa was so zealous to follow the Lord that he even removed his mother from being queen because she set up an idol in a grove.
Asa also sought the Lord when he was faced with invasion. Asa prayed and sought the Lord's help, and the Lord delivered Asa and his people from the hands of the Ethiopians.
From the way Asa's rule began, things looked promising. However, Asa didn't stay on the right course. In the latter part of his reign, Asa was facing war with Israel. Instead of seeking the Lord, Asa made an alliance with the Syrians. Asa was confronted about this by the prophet Hanani, and Asa threw him into prison. At this time, the Bible says that Asa began to oppress his people.
In the last year's of Asa's life, he had a disease of the feet. Instead of asking the Lord to help him, Asa only consulted with his physicians.
So, what can we learn from the life of Asa. First of all, we can learn from Asa's example of following the Lord. In spite of his family, Asa didn't worship idols, he turned to the Lord and had the people do the same. No matter what your spiritual background might be, you can change and turn your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
My Dad was not raised in a Christian home. He had no spiritual upbringing whatsoever. However, at the age of 40 my Dad gave his life to Jesus, and Jesus totally transformed my Dad's life. Asa early in his life also favored serving the Lord above all else. We see this in the action that Asa took in removing his mother from being queen. Doing right came above family connections. This is similar to what Jesus was talking about when He said that if someone wasn't willing to hate father, mother, and even their own life they were not worthy of Him. Following Jesus should be our top priority. Jesus must be our Lord, and our allegiance should belong to Him. Jesus is Lord. Our nation, family, friends nor our own desires are Lord. Following Jesus as Lord means following Him above all else. Our first loyalty belongs to Him.
Asa is also a good example of drifting away from serving the Lord. Later in his life, Asa went his own way. He stopped asking the Lord for help. We must not fall into this pattern of behavior. No matter what problem we might be facing, the best option is to take it to the Lord in prayer before doing anything else. Prayer should not be a last resort. It should be our first action.
When Asa was sick, he sought the physicians and not God. There is nothing wrong with going to the doctor. However, we should seek the Lord. Ultimately, Jesus is the only one with the power to work on our behalf.
We must be diligent in our walk with Jesus lest we follow Asa's course. We need to stay in prayer. We must not neglect our study of the Word, And, we must faithfully obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus. If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will not stray from the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.
Next week, I will post the verse on Monday. I will try to post a review. The sermon will appear next weekend. May God bless you all. Amen.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Verse For the Week
John 4:24 -- "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Thoughts On a Sunday Afternoon
I have been thinking a lot the last couple of days about some of the dogs that my Dad liked a lot. He was a big dog lover like I am. So was my Mom.
My Dad definitely loved Toby, but Toby was my friend exclusively for the most part. Those who have read this blog for awhile know how much my friend Toby meant to me.
My Dad had a dog he cared about like I cared about Toby. My Dad's dog was named Quincy. Quincy was about eight or nine years old when my Dad got him. My Dad was in his late teens, and he was working on a farm. The farmer owned Quincy at that time, but Quincy took an instant liking to my Dad. In the evenings and on the weekends, Quincy and my Dad went hunting and fishing together. During the days, Quincy helped on the farm. My Dad said that he was the best herding and ranch dog that he had ever seen.
When my Dad was read to leave the farm at the end of the season, the farmer gave Quincy to my Dad. They continued their hunting excursions. My Dad said that Quincy could track better than a Coon Hound even though Quincy was a collie/shepherd mix. Quincy would help my Dad work a herd of hundreds of sheep for the next two years.
In 1951, my Dad was drafted for the Korean War. Quincy stayed with my Dad's brother. The dog passed away shortly after my Dad left. Dad talked about Quincy a lot. They were special friends.
My Dad had one dog while I knew him that was very special to him. I had a rottweiler named Abraham, but it became quickly evident that Abraham wanted to spend time with my Dad more than he wanted to spend time with me. One of the very few times I saw my Dad cry was when Abraham passed away.
My Dad's last dog was an Akita/rottweiler mix named Evie-Anna. She was a huge dog that weighed 130 pounds. Dad liked to buy special treats for her and take her for walks. When my Dad passed away, Evie-Anna couldn't understand where her friend was. When I went out to give her her food and water, she would always look past me towards the house to see if Dad was coming. Evie lived a long life. She was over 14 years old which is a very long life for a dog as big as she was.
My Dad definitely loved Toby, but Toby was my friend exclusively for the most part. Those who have read this blog for awhile know how much my friend Toby meant to me.
My Dad had a dog he cared about like I cared about Toby. My Dad's dog was named Quincy. Quincy was about eight or nine years old when my Dad got him. My Dad was in his late teens, and he was working on a farm. The farmer owned Quincy at that time, but Quincy took an instant liking to my Dad. In the evenings and on the weekends, Quincy and my Dad went hunting and fishing together. During the days, Quincy helped on the farm. My Dad said that he was the best herding and ranch dog that he had ever seen.
When my Dad was read to leave the farm at the end of the season, the farmer gave Quincy to my Dad. They continued their hunting excursions. My Dad said that Quincy could track better than a Coon Hound even though Quincy was a collie/shepherd mix. Quincy would help my Dad work a herd of hundreds of sheep for the next two years.
In 1951, my Dad was drafted for the Korean War. Quincy stayed with my Dad's brother. The dog passed away shortly after my Dad left. Dad talked about Quincy a lot. They were special friends.
My Dad had one dog while I knew him that was very special to him. I had a rottweiler named Abraham, but it became quickly evident that Abraham wanted to spend time with my Dad more than he wanted to spend time with me. One of the very few times I saw my Dad cry was when Abraham passed away.
My Dad's last dog was an Akita/rottweiler mix named Evie-Anna. She was a huge dog that weighed 130 pounds. Dad liked to buy special treats for her and take her for walks. When my Dad passed away, Evie-Anna couldn't understand where her friend was. When I went out to give her her food and water, she would always look past me towards the house to see if Dad was coming. Evie lived a long life. She was over 14 years old which is a very long life for a dog as big as she was.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Weekend Sermon
I am happy to be with you this week for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I pray that all of you are doing well this day.
This has been quite a week. I have things to be thankful for. I start a new job next week, and I may have another part-time job lined up. The Lord has also blessed me this week allowing me to get articles to write. It has been a stressful week as well. Times are tough at my current job. I have one week to go there. Please pray that I will make it through.
In your prayer time this week, please keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak. Also, continue to pray for peace in troubled areas of the world including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iraq and Syria. One day, the Prince of Peace will return, and all will be made new.
Over the past few weeks, I've experienced what have been some of the hardest times I've had to deal with since my parents passed away. Much of this had to do with people who I thought were my friends turning against me. They weren't what I thought they were. I have to say that this really hurts, and it is very hard to deal with.
This got me thinking recently about people in the Bible who had people that they trusted turn against them. How did they feel? What did they learn from their experience? Let's spend a little time today looking at some of these instances in the Bible.
First of all, let me say that I believe that everyone of us has at some time in our lives had the experience of having someone we thought that we could trust let us down, betray us or turn on us. It isn't pleasant, as I am sure you know.
The first person that comes to mind in this regard is Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. His own family members turned against him and did something really terrible to him. Joseph was a survivor. He made the best of a bad situation, and he rose by God's grace to the second highest position in the land of Egypt.
Eventually, Joseph had the chance to get his revenge against his brothers. However, Joseph forgave his brothers for the terrible thing they had done to him. I'm not sure I could have done that if I was in Joseph's situation.
The Bible says that, "Man meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" in reference to Joseph. Even when something hurtful happens to us, Jesus can bring something out of it for our spiritual benefit. We just might not see it right away.
Samson was another man who was betrayed in the Bible. He got himself in his own mess however. Samson is a good example of not associating with the wrong people. If Samson would have done what God told him to do, he would have been a lot better off.
Hosea did do what God told him to do, and Hosea was betrayed by his wife Gomer. She left her husband, and took up with other men. This was a metaphor for the way the people of Israel had treated God. Just as a wife leaves her husband for another lover, so too had the people of Israel left the true and living God for the worship of false gods. God was deeply hurt by the actions of His people.
Hosea went and found Gomer and brought her back home. In the same way, God came in search of sinners to bring the lost sheep back into the fold.
David experienced terrible betrayal in his life. He had a betrayal that in many ways seems to me to be the worst of all. David's own son tried to overthrow him in a rebellion. David actually had to flee. Eventually, David's forces prevailed over Absalom, and Absalom was killed against the king's wishes. Even though Absalom had done a terrible thing to him, David was deeply distressed at his son's death. David said, "Absalom my son, would that I had died instead of thee."
In Psalm 55, David gives poetic expression to a time he experienced betrayal. I love David's words in verse 6 were he says, "Oh that I had wings like a dove for then would I fly away and be at rest." How often in the past few weeks I have felt like that. I would love to just escape from all of the hurtfulness in this world and be with Jesus.
Now, for our greatest example in all things. Jesus faced the ultimate in betrayal. Jesus never did anything wrong, yet people hated Him. In the end, one of His own close followers would turn Him in to the authorities so that He would be killed.
Probably even more hurtful to Jesus were the actions of Peter. Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Peter later felt so bad about this that he wept bitterly.
How did Jesus act when He was betrayed or when people turned against Him. Jesus forgave them. Jesus even forgave the people that nailed Him to the cross. I know that as a follower of Jesus Christ I am supposed to be a person who forgives. I am trying to do that right now. It's hard. I am far from perfect.
I often think of the ways that I've disappointed Jesus in my life. It's happened many times. Every time, He has forgiven me. Jesus loves us even when we turn our backs on Him. Just think about this. The Christian religion has been around for over 2,000 years. However, over 70 percent of the people in the world reject the message of Jesus. Jesus loves them anyway. It's hard to be a person of love like Jesus. It should be my goal. I will strive to do better with the help of the Holy Spirit.
What lessons can we learn when we have faced betrayal by those we thought were our friends. First of all, try to find the good that can come out of it. Joseph is the example here. Jesus is too, of course. What seems so hurtful now may be the catalyst for something great the Lord wants to do in our lives. Trusting in the goodness of Jesus is important in these times. Joseph rose from slavery to be the second highest official in Egypt. Jesus faced Calvary, but Easter Sunday was the ultimate victory.
Another thing to learn is to be a person who is steadfast. We should not be the kind of people who hurt others and turn away from them. We must follow the example of Jesus in all things.
Don't let the hurt of betrayal get you down. I'm probably not the right person to be saying this right now. But I am trying. Trust in the Lord Jesus. Also, realize that not everyone in the world will let you down. I knew that I could always count on my Dad. No matter what mess I got myself into, my Dad would always help me out. He was always on my side.
When we face hurt and betrayal at the hands of those we thought were our friends, we need to look to Jesus. Jesus will never let you down. He will never turn His back on us. The Bible says that Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Your Mother, Father, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, children and friends may turn on you, but Jesus never will. Trust in Him. Serve Him. Love Him.
There are three verses about this theme that I would like to leave you with today. Psalm 27:10, "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Isaiah 49:15, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee." Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Next week, I will be very busy. I will post when I can, but the sermon will be on Friday or Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
This has been quite a week. I have things to be thankful for. I start a new job next week, and I may have another part-time job lined up. The Lord has also blessed me this week allowing me to get articles to write. It has been a stressful week as well. Times are tough at my current job. I have one week to go there. Please pray that I will make it through.
In your prayer time this week, please keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak. Also, continue to pray for peace in troubled areas of the world including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine, Iraq and Syria. One day, the Prince of Peace will return, and all will be made new.
Over the past few weeks, I've experienced what have been some of the hardest times I've had to deal with since my parents passed away. Much of this had to do with people who I thought were my friends turning against me. They weren't what I thought they were. I have to say that this really hurts, and it is very hard to deal with.
This got me thinking recently about people in the Bible who had people that they trusted turn against them. How did they feel? What did they learn from their experience? Let's spend a little time today looking at some of these instances in the Bible.
First of all, let me say that I believe that everyone of us has at some time in our lives had the experience of having someone we thought that we could trust let us down, betray us or turn on us. It isn't pleasant, as I am sure you know.
The first person that comes to mind in this regard is Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. His own family members turned against him and did something really terrible to him. Joseph was a survivor. He made the best of a bad situation, and he rose by God's grace to the second highest position in the land of Egypt.
Eventually, Joseph had the chance to get his revenge against his brothers. However, Joseph forgave his brothers for the terrible thing they had done to him. I'm not sure I could have done that if I was in Joseph's situation.
The Bible says that, "Man meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" in reference to Joseph. Even when something hurtful happens to us, Jesus can bring something out of it for our spiritual benefit. We just might not see it right away.
Samson was another man who was betrayed in the Bible. He got himself in his own mess however. Samson is a good example of not associating with the wrong people. If Samson would have done what God told him to do, he would have been a lot better off.
Hosea did do what God told him to do, and Hosea was betrayed by his wife Gomer. She left her husband, and took up with other men. This was a metaphor for the way the people of Israel had treated God. Just as a wife leaves her husband for another lover, so too had the people of Israel left the true and living God for the worship of false gods. God was deeply hurt by the actions of His people.
Hosea went and found Gomer and brought her back home. In the same way, God came in search of sinners to bring the lost sheep back into the fold.
David experienced terrible betrayal in his life. He had a betrayal that in many ways seems to me to be the worst of all. David's own son tried to overthrow him in a rebellion. David actually had to flee. Eventually, David's forces prevailed over Absalom, and Absalom was killed against the king's wishes. Even though Absalom had done a terrible thing to him, David was deeply distressed at his son's death. David said, "Absalom my son, would that I had died instead of thee."
In Psalm 55, David gives poetic expression to a time he experienced betrayal. I love David's words in verse 6 were he says, "Oh that I had wings like a dove for then would I fly away and be at rest." How often in the past few weeks I have felt like that. I would love to just escape from all of the hurtfulness in this world and be with Jesus.
Now, for our greatest example in all things. Jesus faced the ultimate in betrayal. Jesus never did anything wrong, yet people hated Him. In the end, one of His own close followers would turn Him in to the authorities so that He would be killed.
Probably even more hurtful to Jesus were the actions of Peter. Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Peter later felt so bad about this that he wept bitterly.
How did Jesus act when He was betrayed or when people turned against Him. Jesus forgave them. Jesus even forgave the people that nailed Him to the cross. I know that as a follower of Jesus Christ I am supposed to be a person who forgives. I am trying to do that right now. It's hard. I am far from perfect.
I often think of the ways that I've disappointed Jesus in my life. It's happened many times. Every time, He has forgiven me. Jesus loves us even when we turn our backs on Him. Just think about this. The Christian religion has been around for over 2,000 years. However, over 70 percent of the people in the world reject the message of Jesus. Jesus loves them anyway. It's hard to be a person of love like Jesus. It should be my goal. I will strive to do better with the help of the Holy Spirit.
What lessons can we learn when we have faced betrayal by those we thought were our friends. First of all, try to find the good that can come out of it. Joseph is the example here. Jesus is too, of course. What seems so hurtful now may be the catalyst for something great the Lord wants to do in our lives. Trusting in the goodness of Jesus is important in these times. Joseph rose from slavery to be the second highest official in Egypt. Jesus faced Calvary, but Easter Sunday was the ultimate victory.
Another thing to learn is to be a person who is steadfast. We should not be the kind of people who hurt others and turn away from them. We must follow the example of Jesus in all things.
Don't let the hurt of betrayal get you down. I'm probably not the right person to be saying this right now. But I am trying. Trust in the Lord Jesus. Also, realize that not everyone in the world will let you down. I knew that I could always count on my Dad. No matter what mess I got myself into, my Dad would always help me out. He was always on my side.
When we face hurt and betrayal at the hands of those we thought were our friends, we need to look to Jesus. Jesus will never let you down. He will never turn His back on us. The Bible says that Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Your Mother, Father, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, children and friends may turn on you, but Jesus never will. Trust in Him. Serve Him. Love Him.
There are three verses about this theme that I would like to leave you with today. Psalm 27:10, "When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." Isaiah 49:15, "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee." Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Next week, I will be very busy. I will post when I can, but the sermon will be on Friday or Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Book Review
As most of you who read this blog know, I like animal books. I especially like books about dogs. The book I am reviewing today is called, "A Dog's History of the World' written by Laura Hobgood-Oster. I reviewed another one of her books here on the blog in the past. Ms. Hobgood-Oster is a professor of religion at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
This was an interesting book. The author details the way that humans and dogs developed together. According to the author, it is possible that dog's have been companions with humans for over 25,000 years. The chapter on dogs and religion is especially good.
I would recommend this book for those who want to know more about how the human and dog relationship developed. Most dog lovers will enjoy this book.
This was an interesting book. The author details the way that humans and dogs developed together. According to the author, it is possible that dog's have been companions with humans for over 25,000 years. The chapter on dogs and religion is especially good.
I would recommend this book for those who want to know more about how the human and dog relationship developed. Most dog lovers will enjoy this book.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Verse For the Week
Philippians 2:5-11 -- "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Thoughts On A Sunday Afternoon
It's a windy Sunday afternoon where I live. It is a nice day. This morning, I spent quite a bit of time thinking about what the world considers success and what the Lord considers success. In the eyes of this world, a successful person is someone who makes a lot of money, has a good career or is famous. In general, the world does not take into account what the Lord considers success.
In this world's thinking, many of the great characters of Scripture would be considered unsuccessful. Most of the Old Testament prophets had little money. They were despised and rejected by this world. God's Word says that this world was not worthy of them.
Take into consideration Lazarus who I wrote about last week. He was homeless and sick. He ended up in life being licked by street dogs. However, he went to Heaven, and he is being rewarded eternally for his faithfulness to the Lord. He was considered a success in the eyes of Jesus.
Let's look at the example of Jesus Himself. Jesus certainly wasn't wealthy. When the religious leaders asked Him about paying taxes to Caesar, Jesus had to ask for a coin. He didn't have one of His own. Something similar happened when Jesus and Peter had to pay the temple tax. In order to get the tax money, Peter went fishing and the fish he pulled out of the lake had a coin in its mouth that was just enough to pay the tax for Peter and Jesus.
Jesus didn't have a big house. Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
Jesus was rejected by most in this world, and He was crucified. The people said, "Crucify him. We will not have this man to rule over us."
However, that wasn't the end of the story. The Father raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was the ultimate success. He sealed our redemption. He is the Risen King of King and Lord of Lords. One day, He will rule and reign in righteousness upon this earth, and His kingdom will have no end.
Jesus said while He was ministering on earth, "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God,"(Luke 16:15). What God considers success and what people consider success are often very different things.
In my life, I haven't been what many would consider to be highly successful. I had some money, but I lost most of it during the great recession. I am a writer, and I love writing, but I am far from famous. I just have a regular old job. Things like this used to bother me, but lately, I haven't been as worried about all of this. What I try to concern myself with is whether or not my life is pleasing to God. Am I building up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust don't corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. My prayer is that I am considered a success in the eyes of Jesus. That is what really matters.
I think being a success in the eyes of Jesus means that you are someone who strives to obey Jesus' commandments and teachings no matter the consequences. Being a success in the eyes of Jesus means following Jesus wherever He might lead.
One preacher I heard a few days ago said it very well. He said that some people get an A on earth but they have an F in Heaven. It's better to have an F on earth and an A in Heaven. Pleasing the Lord Jesus is what life is really all about. May God bless you.
In this world's thinking, many of the great characters of Scripture would be considered unsuccessful. Most of the Old Testament prophets had little money. They were despised and rejected by this world. God's Word says that this world was not worthy of them.
Take into consideration Lazarus who I wrote about last week. He was homeless and sick. He ended up in life being licked by street dogs. However, he went to Heaven, and he is being rewarded eternally for his faithfulness to the Lord. He was considered a success in the eyes of Jesus.
Let's look at the example of Jesus Himself. Jesus certainly wasn't wealthy. When the religious leaders asked Him about paying taxes to Caesar, Jesus had to ask for a coin. He didn't have one of His own. Something similar happened when Jesus and Peter had to pay the temple tax. In order to get the tax money, Peter went fishing and the fish he pulled out of the lake had a coin in its mouth that was just enough to pay the tax for Peter and Jesus.
Jesus didn't have a big house. Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
Jesus was rejected by most in this world, and He was crucified. The people said, "Crucify him. We will not have this man to rule over us."
However, that wasn't the end of the story. The Father raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was the ultimate success. He sealed our redemption. He is the Risen King of King and Lord of Lords. One day, He will rule and reign in righteousness upon this earth, and His kingdom will have no end.
Jesus said while He was ministering on earth, "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God,"(Luke 16:15). What God considers success and what people consider success are often very different things.
In my life, I haven't been what many would consider to be highly successful. I had some money, but I lost most of it during the great recession. I am a writer, and I love writing, but I am far from famous. I just have a regular old job. Things like this used to bother me, but lately, I haven't been as worried about all of this. What I try to concern myself with is whether or not my life is pleasing to God. Am I building up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust don't corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. My prayer is that I am considered a success in the eyes of Jesus. That is what really matters.
I think being a success in the eyes of Jesus means that you are someone who strives to obey Jesus' commandments and teachings no matter the consequences. Being a success in the eyes of Jesus means following Jesus wherever He might lead.
One preacher I heard a few days ago said it very well. He said that some people get an A on earth but they have an F in Heaven. It's better to have an F on earth and an A in Heaven. Pleasing the Lord Jesus is what life is really all about. May God bless you.
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