Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for reading the blog again this week. I pray that it is a blessing to you.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers this week. It was a struggle to make it through the week at work. My new job is very difficult, and it is making me very nervous. Without the help of the Lord Jesus, I would have probably handed in my resignation this week. However, I thank the Lord that He did help me, and I made it through the week. I am feeling much better about the job, and I am thankful to Jesus for providing me with this work opportunity. Once again, thank you for your prayers, and I humbly ask that you continue to remember me in your prayers.
In our prayers this week, let us pray for peace. I heard a very distressing report on the radio this morning about the conflict that is occurring in Libya. Let us pray for peace in this land. Let us also pray for peace in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Please continue to pray for the recovery of those afflicted by the Ebola virus. Here in the U.S. there are many suffering with the flu. Let us pray for the end of this flu epidemic.
This week, I am beginning a series of messages on the New Testament book of I Peter. We will go verse by verse and chapter by chapter and see what the Lord has to say to us. Every four or five weeks, I will take a break from I Peter and post a sermon on a miracle of Jesus, a parable of Jesus, or some other Bible topic.
When we begin to consider and study any book of the Bible, it is important at the outset to examine the authorship of the book. Most conservative and evangelical scholars are in agreement that I Peter was written by the Apostle Peter sometime around 60 AD. Most of the scholars during the first portion of church history were in agreement on this point as well. A few scholars believe that this book was not written by Peter because, according to them, the language of the epistle is too Pauline. These scholars would attribute the authorship of I Peter to an associate of Paul.
I firmly believe that this epistle was written by the Apostle Peter. II Peter may be a different story, but that discussion is for another day.
As we progress through I Peter, we will see that the theme of this epistle is suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. Those to whom Peter was writing were experience a significant time of persecution based on their devotion to the Lord Jesus. Peter is writing to encourage them and give them hope during this hard time. This is an important work filled with important themes, and I look forward to going through this book with you in the coming weeks.
I Peter 1:1 introduces Peter as the author of this work. Peter also identifies the audience of this epistle as those believers in Christ who reside in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Bithynia and Asia. I find it interesting that Peter refers to those to whom he is writing as strangers. That is what we as followers of Jesus truly are. We are strangers in this world. The book of Hebrews calls us strangers and pilgrims.
Those who follow the path of Jesus are supposed to be different from those who do not follow Jesus Christ as Lord. We are supposed to have different values. Are actions are supposed to set us apart from the way of this world which is the way of sin that ultimately leads to death and destruction.
As it says in the Bible, we are not looking for an earthly city. We are seeking a heavenly city whose builder and maker is God.
Verse 2 of chapter 1 presents us with one of the most controversial subjects in theology. I guess this is as good a time as any to address the issue. Verse 2 states, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
The entire theological concept of election and predestination is very controversial. Let me try to explain what I believe the Scripture teaches on this matter. Let's start by explaining things from a Calvinistic perspective. Calvinists have an acrostic called TULIP to help describe their beliefs. The T stands for total depravity. I, along with Calvinists believe in total depravity. Humanity is fallen and dead in sin.
The U stands for Unconditional election. Here is where I believe the problem comes in. Calvinists believe in the complete sovereignty of God. This means that God can do whatever He wishes to do. I agree with them on this point 100 percent. The Calvinist believes that God predestined people for salvation or reprobation before the foundation of the world. They stress that it was an act of God apart from anything that humans did.
I do not believe that this is quite what the Bible teaches. According to what we see here in I Peter, and in other Scriptures, God in His sovereignty chose to base election and predestination on the response of individuals to the Gospel. God in His foreknowledge saw those who would accept Jesus and those who would reject Jesus. God then elected those whom He foreknew would accept Jesus. God chose to do it this way. He was perfectly free to do things anyway that He wished.
The L in TULIP stands for limited atonement. This presents a problem because it views the atonement purely in human terms. While Jesus died to take away our sins, the death and resurrection of Jesus has cosmological significance. Jesus' work of redemption was about bringing everything in the universe back to the state in which it existed before sin and rebellion entered into the universe. I do not believe in limited atonement, and I see no place in Scripture where this doctrine is taught.
The I stands for irresistible grace. In other words, when the elect person is called by God, they are not able to resist. I believe that all throughout the Bible people are presented as having free will given to them by God. Jesus said that whosoever will may come to Him. Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. One of the best passages to refute the doctrine of irresistible grace is found in the defense Stephen gives in the book of Acts. Stephen asks the Pharisees how long they will resist the call of the Holy Spirit.
The P stands for perseverance of the saints also known as eternal security. I believe that Jesus clearly taught that someone who believed in Him could decide to turn from Him and go back to a life of rebellion against God. Jesus once spoke of someone putting their hand to the plow and then looking back. Jesus said the one the looks back is not worthy of Him. Contrary to what many Arminians believe, I do not see that the Bible teaches that you can sin away your salvation. A person can apostasize by telling Jesus that they don't want to follow Him anymore.
With that said, some may think that I am an Arminian. I do not consider myself an Arminian or a Calvinist. I firmly believe in the complete sovereignty of God, and I do not believe in open theism. I believe that God sovereignly chose to base election on His foreknowledge of people's freely chosen acceptance or rejection of Jesus. God was free to do otherwise.
I would also find myself at odds with both Arminians and Calvinists about what the atonement consists of. As a stated, the atonement of Jesus is cosmological.
One thing that I truly believe in is that whosoever will may come to Jesus. Whoever feels the conviction and enabling grace of the Holy Spirit and asks Jesus Christ to forgive them and to come into their heart and be their Savior and Lord will be redeemed. Jesus will not cast out or cast aside anyone who comes to Him. He will not cast out anyone who wants to follow Him and tries to do so with all of their heart.
I realize that this has been a long discussion, but it is important to address this issue especially as it comes up here in verse 2 of chapter 1.
Before I close this week, I just want to reiterate the fact that no matter who you are, Jesus loves you and cares about you. He wants you to come to Him and receive His love and salvation. Don't believe it if someone tells you that you have been rejected by the Lord. He wants you to come to Him and let Him be your Good Shepherd.
Next week we will continue our study of I Peter. On Monday, I will post the verse, and I will have a review on Wednesday. The Weekend Sermon will appear on Saturday. May God bless you all this week. Amen.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Book Review and an Update
The book that I am reviewing today is one that I may have mentioned in the past, but I can't remember if I mentioned it here on the blog or not. It is definitely worth mentioning again if I did mention it previously. "I Have Heard You Calling In the Night" written by Thomas Healy is a great book about how a dog can help to bring about a great change in a person's life.
When the book begins, Thomas is a heavy drinker and a pretty rough customer. Then he acquires a Doberman puppy, and Thomas' life begins to change. Thomas names his new dog Martin, and Martin and Thomas quickly bond and form a deep relationship.
It doesn't take Thomas long to realize that if he doesn't bring his drinking under control, he won't be able to keep Martin, and Thomas loves Martin too much to let that happen.
Much of the book details Thomas' battle to overcome his drinking problem with the help that Martin brings along with Thomas' growing religious faith.
I would definitely recommend this book. It is a good book about a man and his dog, and it is a good book dealing with how an individual works to overcome a problem. This book is for older readers only as it deals in detail with adult themes.
Update
My new job is very mind numbing. While I am very grateful to the Lord for providing me with this job, I have to say that I do not like this job at all. However, I have to stick with it in order to pay my debts off and get enough money for a larger ministry. Please pray that I can do well and keep going.
Update 2
I plan to post the Weekend Sermon on Saturday. However, snow is expected. If the weather is very bad, there might not be a sermon this week. I plan to start a series on I Peter, Lord willing. I will break from the series every month or so to do some topical sermons.
When the book begins, Thomas is a heavy drinker and a pretty rough customer. Then he acquires a Doberman puppy, and Thomas' life begins to change. Thomas names his new dog Martin, and Martin and Thomas quickly bond and form a deep relationship.
It doesn't take Thomas long to realize that if he doesn't bring his drinking under control, he won't be able to keep Martin, and Thomas loves Martin too much to let that happen.
Much of the book details Thomas' battle to overcome his drinking problem with the help that Martin brings along with Thomas' growing religious faith.
I would definitely recommend this book. It is a good book about a man and his dog, and it is a good book dealing with how an individual works to overcome a problem. This book is for older readers only as it deals in detail with adult themes.
Update
My new job is very mind numbing. While I am very grateful to the Lord for providing me with this job, I have to say that I do not like this job at all. However, I have to stick with it in order to pay my debts off and get enough money for a larger ministry. Please pray that I can do well and keep going.
Update 2
I plan to post the Weekend Sermon on Saturday. However, snow is expected. If the weather is very bad, there might not be a sermon this week. I plan to start a series on I Peter, Lord willing. I will break from the series every month or so to do some topical sermons.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Verse For the Week and an Update
Hebrews 4:9-10 --"So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his work, as God did from His."
I survived the day at work. It was a hard day. Please continue to pray for me. Thank you Lord for Your help this day. Amen.
I survived the day at work. It was a hard day. Please continue to pray for me. Thank you Lord for Your help this day. Amen.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Thoughts On A Sunday Afternoon
I just have a couple of things that I would like to mention this afternoon. First of all, I wanted to clarify something that I said in the sermon posted yesterday. I did not mean to give the impression that people come to Jesus, and Jesus leaves them in the sinful state in which they came. Jesus accepts anyone who comes to Him. That is certainly true. However, the Lord Jesus then begins the work by the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us into His image. By the work of the Spirit, we grow in the grace and knowledge of the truth, and we as the followers of Jesus become more and more like our Lord as we obey His commandments and walk in His word.
Second, I really need the prayers of everyone because I am very nervous about tomorrow. I just don't feel that I have had the training necessary to move into the next step in this job. Maybe I'm just being nervous for no reason. However, I would ask that you all would pray that I will be able to do a good job. I really want to keep this job so that I can get my debts paid and save enough to start a bigger ministry. Thank you. When I post the verse tomorrow, I will report on how things went at work. Lord Jesus help me.
Second, I really need the prayers of everyone because I am very nervous about tomorrow. I just don't feel that I have had the training necessary to move into the next step in this job. Maybe I'm just being nervous for no reason. However, I would ask that you all would pray that I will be able to do a good job. I really want to keep this job so that I can get my debts paid and save enough to start a bigger ministry. Thank you. When I post the verse tomorrow, I will report on how things went at work. Lord Jesus help me.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Weekend Sermon -- Luke 8:40-56
Welcome once again to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for reading the blog. It is good to be with you this week.
I had a busy and eventful week this past week. At my new job, I was required to pass several exams in order to receive the licensing that I needed. The tests were difficult, but I thank the Lord that I was able to pass. We also started more training this week. Monday, I have to start implementing the training into the job. I am not very comfortable about this at this point because I don't feel as if I have mastery of all the material. I will do my best, and I will pray for the Lord's help. Please pray for me that I will be able to do a good job on all of this.
I have a couple of things I want to thank the Lord Jesus for this week. I thank Jesus for the fact that He has let me have a good job. I am also thankful that I passed the examinations. I also prayed that the Lord would heal the pain in my foot, and the pain in completely gone. Praise be unto the Lord.
In your prayer time this week, please pray for peace in the world. Let us focus our prayers on Ukraine where strife continues. Also pray for the release of those being held hostage by the Islamic extremists in the Middle East.
Over the past several weeks, we have been in a series about the kings of Israel and Judah. That series of messages concluded last week. This week we will study a miracle performed by the Lord Jesus.
One day, as Jesus was going about His ministry of teaching the people, a man named Jairus came to Jesus asking Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was sick unto death. Jesus said that He would come with Jairus to heal his daughter, and the multitudes followed the Lord.
As the Lord was traveling to Jairus' home, a woman with an issue of blood came and touched the hem of Jesus garment. She thought that if she could just touch Jesus' clothes that she would be healed of the problem that had trouble her for years. She had been to many physicians and spent all her money, yet she was still suffering with her affliction.
When this woman touched Jesus' garment, she was instantly healed. Jesus felt healing power flow out of Him when the woman touched Him. Jesus stopped, turned and asked who had touched Him.
Peter said that with all of the people that were thronging around, how could they possibly know who had touched Jesus. Jesus was determined to know who had touched Him.
At this point, the woman though she was trembling with fear, identified herself to the Lord. Jesus said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."
Jesus then went on His way to Jairus' house. When He arrived, the girl was already dead, but Jesus raised the girl from death unto life.
I don't want to focus on the miracle of Jairus' daughter in our message today. That message will have to wait for another week. Instead, I want to focus on what we can learn from Jesus' healing of the woman with the issue of blood. When we really delve the depths of this miracle, we will see the profound depths of what happened on this day when our Lord walked the earth.
The Bible does not say what particular health condition afflicted this woman. Obviously, it was a type of menorrhagia, but the cause is not revealed. The physicians of Jesus day certainly had no clue as to how to help the woman.
What made this woman's situation even worse than just the physical problem was the fact that according to the religious beliefs of the day, this woman would have been considered unclean and anything and anyone she touched would have been considered unclean. She would not have been allowed in the synagogue or in the Temple. She would have been excluded and rejected for years.
This is the reason that the woman didn't want Jesus to know that she had touched Him. She feared that a rabbi of Jesus' stature would be angry that a woman in her condition had touched and defiled Him.
Of course, Jesus wasn't angry with the woman at all. He called her daughter, and recognized her great faith.
So what can we learn from this miracle to help us in our day and age. First of all, this miracle demonstrates that Jesus did not consider anyone to be unclean or unworthy of His love and acceptance. The religious leaders of Jesus' day excluded people. They felt as if those who were sick, disabled, unclean or in certain professions were under the judgment of God. They didn't measure up and God didn't want them. The religious leaders excluded the people who they thought were sinners, impure and unworthy.
Jesus didn't feel this way, and this was one of the reasons that Jesus had many clashes with the religious leaders of His day. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus touched and healed the unclean lepers and people like this woman with the issue of blood. Jesus expressed His love to everyone, and Jesus said that anyone could come to Him and receive His love and acceptance.
Sadly, the church often acts more like the religious leaders of Jesus' day and not like Jesus. They exclude people and heap condemnation on people. Often, those who know that they are sinners are made to feel as if there is no hope for them based on the way they are condemned by those in the church and by religious leaders of this day.
I know that I felt something similar to what the woman in this miracle story must have felt. When I was a younger man, I had to deal with multiple medical issues. In the fundamentalist churches that my parents attended, I was often looked down upon because I was sick a lot. I must have committed some type of sin in order to be sick like this.
When you are faced with this type of thinking, it begins to make you depressed and it makes you have a distorted view of Jesus. I thank the Lord Jesus that He allowed me to escape from this fundamentalist way of thinking, and He allowed me to understand who He really is.
While on this earth, Jesus loved and accepted those who others despised and rejected. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He loves and accepts people today.
You may have a disease that makes people turn away from you. Jesus loves and cares about you. Jesus loves you even if you are in the depths of poverty. Sometimes, I believe that those whom this world rejects are the ones that Jesus loves the most.
Jesus came to show us how much God loves us. He came to show us that anyone came come to the Father and experience His love.
The church has found many ways to try to exclude people. We say you aren't welcome because you are involved in one sin or another. Your not "our" kind of person. I actually heard that in a church once. An elder said, "we don't want them to come to this church; they aren't 'our' kind of people." We try to exclude people based on race, socioeconomic condition, sexual orientation, gender and age. I think the worst one is when churches say, "you're not one of the elect."
Jesus demonstrated in His ministry, and in this miracle with the woman with the issue of blood, that He came to give His love to all. Jesus loves everyone, and whosoever will may come and receive His forgiveness and salvation. Jesus said that, "Whoever comes to me, I will in no wise cast out."
If you have not come to know Jesus as your Lord, Savior and friend because some religious person or some church said that your not welcome or God doesn't care about you, don't listen to that. Look to Jesus. Jesus loves you, He cares about you, and He wants to have a relationship with you. He longs for you to come to Him. Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Rest in Jesus today, and realize His great love for you.
Next week, I will post a verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon will appear on Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
I had a busy and eventful week this past week. At my new job, I was required to pass several exams in order to receive the licensing that I needed. The tests were difficult, but I thank the Lord that I was able to pass. We also started more training this week. Monday, I have to start implementing the training into the job. I am not very comfortable about this at this point because I don't feel as if I have mastery of all the material. I will do my best, and I will pray for the Lord's help. Please pray for me that I will be able to do a good job on all of this.
I have a couple of things I want to thank the Lord Jesus for this week. I thank Jesus for the fact that He has let me have a good job. I am also thankful that I passed the examinations. I also prayed that the Lord would heal the pain in my foot, and the pain in completely gone. Praise be unto the Lord.
In your prayer time this week, please pray for peace in the world. Let us focus our prayers on Ukraine where strife continues. Also pray for the release of those being held hostage by the Islamic extremists in the Middle East.
Over the past several weeks, we have been in a series about the kings of Israel and Judah. That series of messages concluded last week. This week we will study a miracle performed by the Lord Jesus.
One day, as Jesus was going about His ministry of teaching the people, a man named Jairus came to Jesus asking Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was sick unto death. Jesus said that He would come with Jairus to heal his daughter, and the multitudes followed the Lord.
As the Lord was traveling to Jairus' home, a woman with an issue of blood came and touched the hem of Jesus garment. She thought that if she could just touch Jesus' clothes that she would be healed of the problem that had trouble her for years. She had been to many physicians and spent all her money, yet she was still suffering with her affliction.
When this woman touched Jesus' garment, she was instantly healed. Jesus felt healing power flow out of Him when the woman touched Him. Jesus stopped, turned and asked who had touched Him.
Peter said that with all of the people that were thronging around, how could they possibly know who had touched Jesus. Jesus was determined to know who had touched Him.
At this point, the woman though she was trembling with fear, identified herself to the Lord. Jesus said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace."
Jesus then went on His way to Jairus' house. When He arrived, the girl was already dead, but Jesus raised the girl from death unto life.
I don't want to focus on the miracle of Jairus' daughter in our message today. That message will have to wait for another week. Instead, I want to focus on what we can learn from Jesus' healing of the woman with the issue of blood. When we really delve the depths of this miracle, we will see the profound depths of what happened on this day when our Lord walked the earth.
The Bible does not say what particular health condition afflicted this woman. Obviously, it was a type of menorrhagia, but the cause is not revealed. The physicians of Jesus day certainly had no clue as to how to help the woman.
What made this woman's situation even worse than just the physical problem was the fact that according to the religious beliefs of the day, this woman would have been considered unclean and anything and anyone she touched would have been considered unclean. She would not have been allowed in the synagogue or in the Temple. She would have been excluded and rejected for years.
This is the reason that the woman didn't want Jesus to know that she had touched Him. She feared that a rabbi of Jesus' stature would be angry that a woman in her condition had touched and defiled Him.
Of course, Jesus wasn't angry with the woman at all. He called her daughter, and recognized her great faith.
So what can we learn from this miracle to help us in our day and age. First of all, this miracle demonstrates that Jesus did not consider anyone to be unclean or unworthy of His love and acceptance. The religious leaders of Jesus' day excluded people. They felt as if those who were sick, disabled, unclean or in certain professions were under the judgment of God. They didn't measure up and God didn't want them. The religious leaders excluded the people who they thought were sinners, impure and unworthy.
Jesus didn't feel this way, and this was one of the reasons that Jesus had many clashes with the religious leaders of His day. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus touched and healed the unclean lepers and people like this woman with the issue of blood. Jesus expressed His love to everyone, and Jesus said that anyone could come to Him and receive His love and acceptance.
Sadly, the church often acts more like the religious leaders of Jesus' day and not like Jesus. They exclude people and heap condemnation on people. Often, those who know that they are sinners are made to feel as if there is no hope for them based on the way they are condemned by those in the church and by religious leaders of this day.
I know that I felt something similar to what the woman in this miracle story must have felt. When I was a younger man, I had to deal with multiple medical issues. In the fundamentalist churches that my parents attended, I was often looked down upon because I was sick a lot. I must have committed some type of sin in order to be sick like this.
When you are faced with this type of thinking, it begins to make you depressed and it makes you have a distorted view of Jesus. I thank the Lord Jesus that He allowed me to escape from this fundamentalist way of thinking, and He allowed me to understand who He really is.
While on this earth, Jesus loved and accepted those who others despised and rejected. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He loves and accepts people today.
You may have a disease that makes people turn away from you. Jesus loves and cares about you. Jesus loves you even if you are in the depths of poverty. Sometimes, I believe that those whom this world rejects are the ones that Jesus loves the most.
Jesus came to show us how much God loves us. He came to show us that anyone came come to the Father and experience His love.
The church has found many ways to try to exclude people. We say you aren't welcome because you are involved in one sin or another. Your not "our" kind of person. I actually heard that in a church once. An elder said, "we don't want them to come to this church; they aren't 'our' kind of people." We try to exclude people based on race, socioeconomic condition, sexual orientation, gender and age. I think the worst one is when churches say, "you're not one of the elect."
Jesus demonstrated in His ministry, and in this miracle with the woman with the issue of blood, that He came to give His love to all. Jesus loves everyone, and whosoever will may come and receive His forgiveness and salvation. Jesus said that, "Whoever comes to me, I will in no wise cast out."
If you have not come to know Jesus as your Lord, Savior and friend because some religious person or some church said that your not welcome or God doesn't care about you, don't listen to that. Look to Jesus. Jesus loves you, He cares about you, and He wants to have a relationship with you. He longs for you to come to Him. Jesus said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Rest in Jesus today, and realize His great love for you.
Next week, I will post a verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon will appear on Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Book Review -- An Excellent Book
I just finished reading one of the best books that I've read in a very long time. It was truly an excellent book. The book in entitled "Judy" and the author is Damien Lewis. "Judy" is the story of the only dog who was an official prisoner of war in a Japanese prison camp during World War II.
Judy was an English Pointer who was brought on board a British war ship in the late 1930s as the ship's mascot. Lewis relates many of Judy's experiences with the crew of the war ship as they patrolled the rivers of China during the time of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.
Over time, Judy and her crew mates made their way to Singapore. As Lewis says, Singapore was supposed to be Britain's impregnable fortress in Asia. However, the Japanese were able to conquer the city in short order. Thousands of refugees fled Singapore aboard whatever ships they could find.
While transporting civilians away from Singapore, the ship Judy was on was destroyed by the Japanese. The crew and Judy made their way to Sumatra in the hopes of getting Allied transport. But, it was not to be. Judy and her mates were taken prisoner by the Japanese.
Lewis tells in great detail the horrendous treatment the prisoner's of war received in the camp. Hundreds died as they were forced to work on a railway through the jungle. During all this time, Judy stayed with her people and was a loyal friend. She was a source of encouragement, and she was a morale booster for those facing hell on earth.
As those of you who read this book will discover, Judy was an incredible dog. However, what I like most about the book is that Lewis details the lives of the humans in Judy's life. The men who withstood and survived what these British soldiers faced are truly remarkable people.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Get a copy. Read it. It's a great book. A must read.
Judy was an English Pointer who was brought on board a British war ship in the late 1930s as the ship's mascot. Lewis relates many of Judy's experiences with the crew of the war ship as they patrolled the rivers of China during the time of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.
Over time, Judy and her crew mates made their way to Singapore. As Lewis says, Singapore was supposed to be Britain's impregnable fortress in Asia. However, the Japanese were able to conquer the city in short order. Thousands of refugees fled Singapore aboard whatever ships they could find.
While transporting civilians away from Singapore, the ship Judy was on was destroyed by the Japanese. The crew and Judy made their way to Sumatra in the hopes of getting Allied transport. But, it was not to be. Judy and her mates were taken prisoner by the Japanese.
Lewis tells in great detail the horrendous treatment the prisoner's of war received in the camp. Hundreds died as they were forced to work on a railway through the jungle. During all this time, Judy stayed with her people and was a loyal friend. She was a source of encouragement, and she was a morale booster for those facing hell on earth.
As those of you who read this book will discover, Judy was an incredible dog. However, what I like most about the book is that Lewis details the lives of the humans in Judy's life. The men who withstood and survived what these British soldiers faced are truly remarkable people.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Get a copy. Read it. It's a great book. A must read.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Verse For the Week
John 15:9 -- "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Weekend Sermon-- Hezekiah
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am glad that you are able to join me for this week's message.
I want to thank the Lord for helping me and providing for me this week. As I left my former job and started my new job this week, I was worried that the check from the old job might not come. I prayed and asked the Lord to let the money come through, and the Lord answered my prayer. I also want to thank the Lord Jesus for healing my foot that hurt so bad and for helping me at my new job this week.
As you are in prayer this week, please pray that I will be able to pass the test I must take this week at my new job. Also pray that the Lord Jesus will strengthen me to do His will.
I would ask that we all be in prayer this week about the terrorism situation in Europe. Let us pray for an end to terrorism, and let us pray that all of the potential terrorists will be found out and brought to justice. Let us also pray for peace in the world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Libya.
I would also ask for prayer for those in the Philippines who are facing the bad storm.
For the past several weeks, we have been is a series of messages on the kings of Israel and Judah. Today is the final message in the series. I have one more king that I want to give a sermon about, but I will hold that message in reserve for a later date.
Today, we will focus our attention on the reign of king Hezekiah. You can read about the reign of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29 - 32 and in the book of 2 Kings.
Hezekiah is a good example of someone who had a bad upbringing, but he did well in spite of his early training. Hezekiah's father Ahaz was one of the most wicked kings mentioned in the Bible. Ahaz and the prophet Isaiah had some memorable encounters.
Hezekiah began his reign in a great manner. He started by reversing what his father Ahaz had done. Hezekiah did not follow the false gods of his father. Instead, Hezekiah returned to the True and Living God and restored the worship of the True and Living God to Judah. Hezekiah destroyed the groves, temples and idols dedicated to the false gods of his father.
One of Hezekiah's greatest reforms was the reinstitution of the Passover Feast. Before Hezekiah, the people had not celebrated Passover as directed by God . Under Hezekiah's reign, this was put right.
Hezekiah was a strong king. He was able to defeat the Philistines, but Judah faced a powerful enemy in Assyria. The Assyrians had conquered the norther kingdom of Israel, and now they had their sights set on Jerusalem. The Assyrians besieged the city, and it seemed as if all was lost. But, God had something else in mind.
Hezekiah called out to the Lord in prayer to deliver the nation from the Assyrians. Hezekiah also asked Isaiah for a word from Lord. Isaiah told the king that Judah would be delivered from the hands of the Assyrians, and that is exactly what happened.
By the way, Hezekiah is mentioned outside of the Bible. Archeologists have found mention of him in ancient Assyrian records.
All seemed to be going well for Hezekiah until he became sick unto death. When Isaiah told Hezekiah of the king's impending death, the king wept and cried out to God for deliverance. The Lord heard Hezekiah's prayer, and the king's life was extended for several years.
Instead of becoming more humble, Hezekiah became prideful in his later years. He boasted of his strength, and he made a big point of showing off his wealth to the ambassador's of Babylon. Isaiah told Hezekiah that this would bode poorly for Hezekiah's descendants as the Babylonians would invade Judah seeking its wealth in the years to come.
Hezekiah's heart was set on the things of God, and he eventually repented of his pridefullness and turned fully to God. Hezekiah's reign was one of the best times in the history of the nation of Judah. His entire reign was devoted to God. Hezekiah and Josiah would be the two most righteous kings in the history of Judah.
So, what can we as twenty-first century Christians learn from Hezekiah. There are three things that I want to focus on from Hezekiah's life. First of all, when Hezekiah was faced with a difficult problem, he turned to the Lord in prayer. This is what we as Christians should do. No matter what we are facing in life whether it be big or small, we should bring it to the Lord in prayer. I Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our cares upon the Lord because He cares for us.
In my life, I know that without being able to go to Jesus in prayer, I would not be able to make it through the difficult times in life. When I faced the hard times with taking care of parents, I needed to go to the Lord for help. Through all of the financial and health difficulties I've faced, it is the presence of the Lord and prayer times with Jesus that have allowed me to make it through.
I like to tell Jesus everything that I am going through whether it be good or bad. I like to talk to Him and just have a conversation. It is good to talk to the one who loves you more than you can comprehend.
Whatever issue you are facing in life, take it to the Lord in prayer. Ask the Lord to deliver you and help you. Ask the Lord to make you aware of His presence in the hard times in life when you need Him the most.
The second thing I see in the life of Hezekiah is the need for humility. Hezekiah was a good king, but he had a problem with thinking more highly of himself than he should have. Ultimately, this would contribute to getting his ancestors into trouble.
No matter how much God has blessed us, we must be humble remembering that everything that we have has been given to us by the hand of the Almighty God. We have received everything by His grace.
Our ultimate example of humility is Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death. He left the throne of Heaven and was born as a baby in a manager. Jesus gave us several teachings on humility. He taught us to seek the lowest place. He taught us to serve rather than to be served. As in all things, we must look to Jesus. If we follow Him, we too will know how to have a humble heart.
Finally, Hezekiah teaches a lesson about facing death. Now, what I am going to say is going to be controversial to some people, and some are going to think that what I am about to discuss is strange. Nonetheless, I am going to talk about what I believe. Hezekiah, like many Christians I know, became very saddened and distressed at the prospect of death. This is something that I have never really understood. Those who know in Whom they have believed should not seek death, but they should not fear death either.
If we are in Christ, we know, or should know, that we will go to be with Him in the place that He has prepared for us when we die. If we really believe what we say we believe, we should not fear death.
I am not even sure that we should not welcome the fact that we are soon to be with the Lord if we hear of our soon demise. For me, I can think of nothing better than to go to be with the Lord Jesus. I wish that He would take me to be with Him right now. All of the pain of this life would be over. I would be forever in the presence of the Lord Jesus whom I love. Also, I would see my family again. To me, this is a joyful thing and not a thing to dread. Of course, no one wants to go through a lot of pain and suffering.
The Apostle Paul had some thoughts about this as well. In the book of Philippians, Paul said that he was torn between two things. He knew that if he stayed on this earth that he would have fruitful labor for the Lord. However, he recognized that it would be much better to go and be with Christ. This is how I feel. As long as I am here on earth, I want to try to serve the Lord to the best of my ability, but if I got news tomorrow that I only had a few weeks to live, I wouldn't be upset about it.
These are just my thoughts on this. You may see things differently. To me, I just want to be with Jesus. If I were in Hezekiah's shoes, I don't think I would have wanted those fifteen more years.
With that said, I want to tell you that if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then death is something to be feared. The Bible says that it is appointed unto man once to die, and then after this the judgment. Those who die in Christ will be with Jesus for all eternity. Those who die outside of Christ will be separated from Him and face the judgment of God for all eternity.
If you haven't turned to Jesus in repentance and faith and asked Him to be the Lord of your life. I hope that you will do so today.
Israel and Judah didn't have very good rulers as a general rule. As we have seen, Israel had no righteous kings. Judah had good kings in Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Josiah, and Hezekiah. They had some fair kings and some horrible kings as well. None of the kings was anything compared to the King of Kings the Lord Jesus who will one day establish His perfect reign that will have no end.
Next week, I want to bring another message in our series on the miracles of Jesus. I have a couple of more messages in this series. On Monday, I will post a verse. I want to post a review on Wednesday, and the Weekend Sermon will appear on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
I want to thank the Lord for helping me and providing for me this week. As I left my former job and started my new job this week, I was worried that the check from the old job might not come. I prayed and asked the Lord to let the money come through, and the Lord answered my prayer. I also want to thank the Lord Jesus for healing my foot that hurt so bad and for helping me at my new job this week.
As you are in prayer this week, please pray that I will be able to pass the test I must take this week at my new job. Also pray that the Lord Jesus will strengthen me to do His will.
I would ask that we all be in prayer this week about the terrorism situation in Europe. Let us pray for an end to terrorism, and let us pray that all of the potential terrorists will be found out and brought to justice. Let us also pray for peace in the world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine and Libya.
I would also ask for prayer for those in the Philippines who are facing the bad storm.
For the past several weeks, we have been is a series of messages on the kings of Israel and Judah. Today is the final message in the series. I have one more king that I want to give a sermon about, but I will hold that message in reserve for a later date.
Today, we will focus our attention on the reign of king Hezekiah. You can read about the reign of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29 - 32 and in the book of 2 Kings.
Hezekiah is a good example of someone who had a bad upbringing, but he did well in spite of his early training. Hezekiah's father Ahaz was one of the most wicked kings mentioned in the Bible. Ahaz and the prophet Isaiah had some memorable encounters.
Hezekiah began his reign in a great manner. He started by reversing what his father Ahaz had done. Hezekiah did not follow the false gods of his father. Instead, Hezekiah returned to the True and Living God and restored the worship of the True and Living God to Judah. Hezekiah destroyed the groves, temples and idols dedicated to the false gods of his father.
One of Hezekiah's greatest reforms was the reinstitution of the Passover Feast. Before Hezekiah, the people had not celebrated Passover as directed by God . Under Hezekiah's reign, this was put right.
Hezekiah was a strong king. He was able to defeat the Philistines, but Judah faced a powerful enemy in Assyria. The Assyrians had conquered the norther kingdom of Israel, and now they had their sights set on Jerusalem. The Assyrians besieged the city, and it seemed as if all was lost. But, God had something else in mind.
Hezekiah called out to the Lord in prayer to deliver the nation from the Assyrians. Hezekiah also asked Isaiah for a word from Lord. Isaiah told the king that Judah would be delivered from the hands of the Assyrians, and that is exactly what happened.
By the way, Hezekiah is mentioned outside of the Bible. Archeologists have found mention of him in ancient Assyrian records.
All seemed to be going well for Hezekiah until he became sick unto death. When Isaiah told Hezekiah of the king's impending death, the king wept and cried out to God for deliverance. The Lord heard Hezekiah's prayer, and the king's life was extended for several years.
Instead of becoming more humble, Hezekiah became prideful in his later years. He boasted of his strength, and he made a big point of showing off his wealth to the ambassador's of Babylon. Isaiah told Hezekiah that this would bode poorly for Hezekiah's descendants as the Babylonians would invade Judah seeking its wealth in the years to come.
Hezekiah's heart was set on the things of God, and he eventually repented of his pridefullness and turned fully to God. Hezekiah's reign was one of the best times in the history of the nation of Judah. His entire reign was devoted to God. Hezekiah and Josiah would be the two most righteous kings in the history of Judah.
So, what can we as twenty-first century Christians learn from Hezekiah. There are three things that I want to focus on from Hezekiah's life. First of all, when Hezekiah was faced with a difficult problem, he turned to the Lord in prayer. This is what we as Christians should do. No matter what we are facing in life whether it be big or small, we should bring it to the Lord in prayer. I Peter 5:7 tells us to cast all of our cares upon the Lord because He cares for us.
In my life, I know that without being able to go to Jesus in prayer, I would not be able to make it through the difficult times in life. When I faced the hard times with taking care of parents, I needed to go to the Lord for help. Through all of the financial and health difficulties I've faced, it is the presence of the Lord and prayer times with Jesus that have allowed me to make it through.
I like to tell Jesus everything that I am going through whether it be good or bad. I like to talk to Him and just have a conversation. It is good to talk to the one who loves you more than you can comprehend.
Whatever issue you are facing in life, take it to the Lord in prayer. Ask the Lord to deliver you and help you. Ask the Lord to make you aware of His presence in the hard times in life when you need Him the most.
The second thing I see in the life of Hezekiah is the need for humility. Hezekiah was a good king, but he had a problem with thinking more highly of himself than he should have. Ultimately, this would contribute to getting his ancestors into trouble.
No matter how much God has blessed us, we must be humble remembering that everything that we have has been given to us by the hand of the Almighty God. We have received everything by His grace.
Our ultimate example of humility is Jesus. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death. He left the throne of Heaven and was born as a baby in a manager. Jesus gave us several teachings on humility. He taught us to seek the lowest place. He taught us to serve rather than to be served. As in all things, we must look to Jesus. If we follow Him, we too will know how to have a humble heart.
Finally, Hezekiah teaches a lesson about facing death. Now, what I am going to say is going to be controversial to some people, and some are going to think that what I am about to discuss is strange. Nonetheless, I am going to talk about what I believe. Hezekiah, like many Christians I know, became very saddened and distressed at the prospect of death. This is something that I have never really understood. Those who know in Whom they have believed should not seek death, but they should not fear death either.
If we are in Christ, we know, or should know, that we will go to be with Him in the place that He has prepared for us when we die. If we really believe what we say we believe, we should not fear death.
I am not even sure that we should not welcome the fact that we are soon to be with the Lord if we hear of our soon demise. For me, I can think of nothing better than to go to be with the Lord Jesus. I wish that He would take me to be with Him right now. All of the pain of this life would be over. I would be forever in the presence of the Lord Jesus whom I love. Also, I would see my family again. To me, this is a joyful thing and not a thing to dread. Of course, no one wants to go through a lot of pain and suffering.
The Apostle Paul had some thoughts about this as well. In the book of Philippians, Paul said that he was torn between two things. He knew that if he stayed on this earth that he would have fruitful labor for the Lord. However, he recognized that it would be much better to go and be with Christ. This is how I feel. As long as I am here on earth, I want to try to serve the Lord to the best of my ability, but if I got news tomorrow that I only had a few weeks to live, I wouldn't be upset about it.
These are just my thoughts on this. You may see things differently. To me, I just want to be with Jesus. If I were in Hezekiah's shoes, I don't think I would have wanted those fifteen more years.
With that said, I want to tell you that if you haven't accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then death is something to be feared. The Bible says that it is appointed unto man once to die, and then after this the judgment. Those who die in Christ will be with Jesus for all eternity. Those who die outside of Christ will be separated from Him and face the judgment of God for all eternity.
If you haven't turned to Jesus in repentance and faith and asked Him to be the Lord of your life. I hope that you will do so today.
Israel and Judah didn't have very good rulers as a general rule. As we have seen, Israel had no righteous kings. Judah had good kings in Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Josiah, and Hezekiah. They had some fair kings and some horrible kings as well. None of the kings was anything compared to the King of Kings the Lord Jesus who will one day establish His perfect reign that will have no end.
Next week, I want to bring another message in our series on the miracles of Jesus. I have a couple of more messages in this series. On Monday, I will post a verse. I want to post a review on Wednesday, and the Weekend Sermon will appear on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
An Interesting Book
I just finished reading an interesting book written by Philip Yancey. This book is entitled "The Question That Never Goes Away". In this book, Yancey deals with the question of why terrible and evil things happen in the world. Yancey discusses the Newtown tragedy, the Indian Ocean tsunami and other events and questions why God would allow such things to occur. He tries in the book to find the meaning in suffering. While I might not agree with all that the author concludes in the book, it is an interesting read that I recommend nonetheless.
I would also heartily recommend other books written by Philip Yancey including "What's So Amazing About Grace", "The Jesus I Never Knew", "The Bible Jesus Read" and "Soul Survivor".
Next week, I hope to give a review of really good animal book I am currently reading.
I would also heartily recommend other books written by Philip Yancey including "What's So Amazing About Grace", "The Jesus I Never Knew", "The Bible Jesus Read" and "Soul Survivor".
Next week, I hope to give a review of really good animal book I am currently reading.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Thirty Years Ago Today
Thirty years ago today, was a day that changed my life. That was the day that I met my great friend Toby. That was the day Jesus gave me a friend forever.
I can remember that day like it was yesterday. It was very icy and snowy outside, and we had a hard time pulling into the driveway of the house where Toby lived at the time.
The moment that I saw him, I knew I was going to bring him home. January 13, 1985 marked the beginning of a great 12 years. They were the best 12 years of my life.
Toby has been gone from this earth for many years now. But there is not a day that goes by when I don't think about him.
Toby and my folks are now in Heaven with Jesus. I look forward to being reunited with my family again. That will be a glorious day.
Thank you Lord for January 13, 1985 and for bringing Toby and me together.
I can remember that day like it was yesterday. It was very icy and snowy outside, and we had a hard time pulling into the driveway of the house where Toby lived at the time.
The moment that I saw him, I knew I was going to bring him home. January 13, 1985 marked the beginning of a great 12 years. They were the best 12 years of my life.
Toby has been gone from this earth for many years now. But there is not a day that goes by when I don't think about him.
Toby and my folks are now in Heaven with Jesus. I look forward to being reunited with my family again. That will be a glorious day.
Thank you Lord for January 13, 1985 and for bringing Toby and me together.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Thoughts On A Sunday Afternoon
I have a couple of things to say this afternoon. Just a few thoughts. I find these Sunday afternoons a good chance to get things off of my mind.
I heard a sermon this morning that expressed a common view that continues to upset me. It concerns the interpretation of the Scripture passage in Romans that speaks about God working out all things for our good. The minister told the story of how terrible sickness and tragedy happened to someone. Apparently, God had put all this on to the woman to make her more like Jesus as she went through all of this suffering.
This kind of preaching upsets me greatly. First of all, read the passage in Romans 8 in context. Second, Jesus was compassionate and told us that we serve a loving Heavenly Father.
The passage in Romans 8 is about the ultimate glorification that awaits the believer in Heaven. As verse 29 states, God foreknew us, and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Verse 30 goes on to say that those whom God foreknew He predestined, called, justified and glorified. This is an expression of the fact that all who are in Jesus will ultimately be with Him and receive a glorified body like unto His glorified body. We will ultimately be like Jesus.
We live in a fallen world that is filled with sin. Horrible things happen to people. This does not mean that God caused sickness and tragedy to befall people. God may bring good out of it, but I do not believe that He causes it.
My mother suffered with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and the effects of a stroke for six years. In the end, she didn't even know who she was. If someone says that God brought this on my mother to work some kind of good in her life, well, then they believe in a very cruel God and not the God revealed in Jesus.
Now, my mother has had all things ultimately work together for her good because she was in Jesus. She is in the presence of Jesus right now, and she is not suffering in any way shape or form. I wish people would stop using this verse in Romans to put the blame on God, so to speak, for the horrible things that happen in life. Most of the time there is no purpose in tragedy and sickness. It just happens, because that is the way the world is right now. Some day, when Jesus returns, it won't be that way anymore. While we face the sufferings and heartaches of life, Jesus is with us and helps us to make it through to the ultimate victory that awaits those who follow in His footsteps.
OK. I got that sorted. Now, this must have been the Sunday for my pet peeves in sermons, because I heard another one. This one was about giving unto Caesar what is Caesar's and giving to God what is God's. I do not understand where in this statement that ministers come up with the interpretation that Jesus is saying that we have a duty to God and government. Some call this the two kingdoms doctrine. I think that this statement is easily interpreted.
The coin Jesus was given had an image of Caesar on it. Jesus said to give back to Caesar what had his image on it. We should give to God what has His image on it. Since we are made in the image of God, that means that we owe everything that we have to God, and we should give ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. There is no place in the Bible that Jesus says that we have an allegiance to the state. Our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus alone. We can be good citizens, but only in so far as it does not conflict with our allegiance to Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is Lord. Caesar, the President, nor any other earthly ruler is Lord. Period. It is not God and country. It is God. Period.
I've got that off my mind. Tomorrow is the new job. I miss my old job that the union took away from me. I guess the past is past, and I have to move on. My goal is a larger ministry, and I want to use this new job as a means to that end. However, I still want to sell the house and most of my stuff. If I can get enough to pay off everything and have enough to start a church or ministry, that is what I will do.
I've been working to get the house in shape. It's coming along slowly, but progress is being made. Please pray that the Lord Jesus will help me to get things sold, and that the new job will go well tomorrow. The weather is still supposed to be bad. Pray it won't be.
As I close today, I just want to thank all of you who have read the blog over these last four years. I have had tremendous fun doing this. I love getting to spread the message of Jesus every week. Lord willing, I hope to keep going for the weeks and months and years to come.
P.S. Tuesday will mark the 30th anniversary of when I brought Toby home to live with me. I can't believe it's been that long ago. It just seems like yesterday. I want to say thank you to Jesus for bringing the two of us together. I have always said, and I will continue to say, that Toby was the friend Jesus gave me. Thank you Jesus.
I heard a sermon this morning that expressed a common view that continues to upset me. It concerns the interpretation of the Scripture passage in Romans that speaks about God working out all things for our good. The minister told the story of how terrible sickness and tragedy happened to someone. Apparently, God had put all this on to the woman to make her more like Jesus as she went through all of this suffering.
This kind of preaching upsets me greatly. First of all, read the passage in Romans 8 in context. Second, Jesus was compassionate and told us that we serve a loving Heavenly Father.
The passage in Romans 8 is about the ultimate glorification that awaits the believer in Heaven. As verse 29 states, God foreknew us, and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Verse 30 goes on to say that those whom God foreknew He predestined, called, justified and glorified. This is an expression of the fact that all who are in Jesus will ultimately be with Him and receive a glorified body like unto His glorified body. We will ultimately be like Jesus.
We live in a fallen world that is filled with sin. Horrible things happen to people. This does not mean that God caused sickness and tragedy to befall people. God may bring good out of it, but I do not believe that He causes it.
My mother suffered with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and the effects of a stroke for six years. In the end, she didn't even know who she was. If someone says that God brought this on my mother to work some kind of good in her life, well, then they believe in a very cruel God and not the God revealed in Jesus.
Now, my mother has had all things ultimately work together for her good because she was in Jesus. She is in the presence of Jesus right now, and she is not suffering in any way shape or form. I wish people would stop using this verse in Romans to put the blame on God, so to speak, for the horrible things that happen in life. Most of the time there is no purpose in tragedy and sickness. It just happens, because that is the way the world is right now. Some day, when Jesus returns, it won't be that way anymore. While we face the sufferings and heartaches of life, Jesus is with us and helps us to make it through to the ultimate victory that awaits those who follow in His footsteps.
OK. I got that sorted. Now, this must have been the Sunday for my pet peeves in sermons, because I heard another one. This one was about giving unto Caesar what is Caesar's and giving to God what is God's. I do not understand where in this statement that ministers come up with the interpretation that Jesus is saying that we have a duty to God and government. Some call this the two kingdoms doctrine. I think that this statement is easily interpreted.
The coin Jesus was given had an image of Caesar on it. Jesus said to give back to Caesar what had his image on it. We should give to God what has His image on it. Since we are made in the image of God, that means that we owe everything that we have to God, and we should give ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him. There is no place in the Bible that Jesus says that we have an allegiance to the state. Our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus alone. We can be good citizens, but only in so far as it does not conflict with our allegiance to Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is Lord. Caesar, the President, nor any other earthly ruler is Lord. Period. It is not God and country. It is God. Period.
I've got that off my mind. Tomorrow is the new job. I miss my old job that the union took away from me. I guess the past is past, and I have to move on. My goal is a larger ministry, and I want to use this new job as a means to that end. However, I still want to sell the house and most of my stuff. If I can get enough to pay off everything and have enough to start a church or ministry, that is what I will do.
I've been working to get the house in shape. It's coming along slowly, but progress is being made. Please pray that the Lord Jesus will help me to get things sold, and that the new job will go well tomorrow. The weather is still supposed to be bad. Pray it won't be.
As I close today, I just want to thank all of you who have read the blog over these last four years. I have had tremendous fun doing this. I love getting to spread the message of Jesus every week. Lord willing, I hope to keep going for the weeks and months and years to come.
P.S. Tuesday will mark the 30th anniversary of when I brought Toby home to live with me. I can't believe it's been that long ago. It just seems like yesterday. I want to say thank you to Jesus for bringing the two of us together. I have always said, and I will continue to say, that Toby was the friend Jesus gave me. Thank you Jesus.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Weekend Sermon -- Josiah and Jehoiakim
It is good to be with you all again for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope and pray that everyone who reads the blog is doing well.
This has been a week of transition for me. As most of you who read this blog know, I am starting a new job with a good salary and benefits on Monday. I am very thankful to the Lord for this opportunity. My ultimate goal is to get my debts paid off and get a larger ministry going. This week, I ended the part-time job that the Lord had provided for me while I searched for a really good job. I will miss the friends I made at this job. All in all, it was a nice place to work. I pray that the new place is nice too.
Please pray that the weather won't be bad so that I can get to work in good order on Monday. They are calling for freezing drizzle on Sunday night. Please pray that I can make it alright on my first day.
On a more important note, please be in prayer for the people in France who were the victims of the terrible terrorist attack this week. Pray that all of the perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice. Also, pray that this vicious terrorism will end in France and around the world.
This week, let us also pray for peace in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. Pray for those who are sick with Ebola, and for the end of this epidemic.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a study of the kings of Judah and Israel. We have this week and one next week to go in this series. After this, I am leaning towards a series on I Peter or the parables of Jesus. I may devote a few more sermons to the miracles of Jesus before these two series. I am not sure of the will of the Lord on this matter yet.
Today, we will focus our attention on the reigns of Josiah and his son Jehoiakim. These two men could not have been more different from each other. Josiah was only eight years old when he became king of Judah. He would reign over the land for a total of thirty-one years.
Eighteen years into Josiah's reign, the priests in the Temple discovered the book of the law in the Temple and brought it too the king. Many Bible scholars believe that this was the book of Deuteronomy.
When the king heard the words from the book of the law, he rent his clothes in distress and repentance. Josiah knew that he and his people had not done right. 2 Kings 22:13 records it this way, "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all of Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."
The king's servants consulted with Huldah the prophetess as to what to do. At the words of Huldah, Josiah began a great series of religious reforms in the kingdom. Josiah ordered the destruction of the altars to Baal and to the other foreign gods. He tore down the sacred groves and the shrines to the Sun. 2 Kings 23:13-14 records the following, " And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians... he brake in pieces the images , and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men."
In addition to this, Josiah held the greatest observance of the Passover since the time of the judges. In my opinion, Josiah was probably the most righteous king to rule over Judah. Josiah's reign would end when he was killed in a battle with the Egyptians.
At this point, Josiah's son Jehoiakim would assume the throne after the brief reign of his brother. Jehoiakim was a vicious and wicked king. He and the great prophet Jeremiah would have several encounters.
Jeremiah 36 records one of these encounters between Jeremiah and Jehoiakim. God instructed Jeremiah to write down on a scroll the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah concerning the judgment coming on Judah. Jeremiah did this, and gave it to Jehoiakim as instructed. When Jehoiakim heard the word of the Lord, he did not heed the word as his father Josiah had done. Jehoiakim actually took the scroll that contained the word of the Lord and burned it. This king would persecute the prophet Jeremiah, and he would eventually kill the the prophet Urijah.
Jehoiakim met an untimely death. He was one of the worst kings mentioned in the Bible.
So, what are we to learn from these two men. I believe that the most important lesson we can learn is from the reactions of these two men when they were presented with the word of the Lord. Josiah repented and turned to God. Jehoiakim remained in his sin and despised the word of the Lord.
This is the same reaction that people have to Scripture today. It may not be as dramatic as in the case of Jehoiakim, but it is similar nonetheless.
When the Scripture is preached or read, it will not return unto the Lord void. People will either heed the word of the Lord, or they will reject it. This occurs on a daily basis. All over this world today, there are people who hear the word, repent, turn from sin and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. On the other hand, people will hear the word of the Lord today, and they will reject it. They will not turn their lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Sadly, Christians also are guilty of sometimes despising the word of the Lord. We often read the teachings and the commands of Jesus, and yet we will not do what Jesus commands. Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord, yet you do not do what I say?"
Jesus has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even to love our enemies. Are we doing this? Jesus has commanded us to lay up treasures in heaven and not treasures on earth. Is that how we are leading our lives?
As the followers of Jesus, we should emulate what Josiah did. We should hear the word, and then act on what we have heard. As it says in James, we must be doers of the word and not hearers only.
I hope that all of you who read this blog will be students of the Bible. Read the word, especially the words of Jesus, and act on what the Bible says. Repent of sin, and then do what is right.
Next week, we will conclude our series on kings. I will post a verse and a review next week. The Weekend Sermon will appear on Saturday, Lord willing. May God bless you. Amen.
This has been a week of transition for me. As most of you who read this blog know, I am starting a new job with a good salary and benefits on Monday. I am very thankful to the Lord for this opportunity. My ultimate goal is to get my debts paid off and get a larger ministry going. This week, I ended the part-time job that the Lord had provided for me while I searched for a really good job. I will miss the friends I made at this job. All in all, it was a nice place to work. I pray that the new place is nice too.
Please pray that the weather won't be bad so that I can get to work in good order on Monday. They are calling for freezing drizzle on Sunday night. Please pray that I can make it alright on my first day.
On a more important note, please be in prayer for the people in France who were the victims of the terrible terrorist attack this week. Pray that all of the perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice. Also, pray that this vicious terrorism will end in France and around the world.
This week, let us also pray for peace in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. Pray for those who are sick with Ebola, and for the end of this epidemic.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a study of the kings of Judah and Israel. We have this week and one next week to go in this series. After this, I am leaning towards a series on I Peter or the parables of Jesus. I may devote a few more sermons to the miracles of Jesus before these two series. I am not sure of the will of the Lord on this matter yet.
Today, we will focus our attention on the reigns of Josiah and his son Jehoiakim. These two men could not have been more different from each other. Josiah was only eight years old when he became king of Judah. He would reign over the land for a total of thirty-one years.
Eighteen years into Josiah's reign, the priests in the Temple discovered the book of the law in the Temple and brought it too the king. Many Bible scholars believe that this was the book of Deuteronomy.
When the king heard the words from the book of the law, he rent his clothes in distress and repentance. Josiah knew that he and his people had not done right. 2 Kings 22:13 records it this way, "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all of Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."
The king's servants consulted with Huldah the prophetess as to what to do. At the words of Huldah, Josiah began a great series of religious reforms in the kingdom. Josiah ordered the destruction of the altars to Baal and to the other foreign gods. He tore down the sacred groves and the shrines to the Sun. 2 Kings 23:13-14 records the following, " And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians... he brake in pieces the images , and cut down the groves and filled their places with the bones of men."
In addition to this, Josiah held the greatest observance of the Passover since the time of the judges. In my opinion, Josiah was probably the most righteous king to rule over Judah. Josiah's reign would end when he was killed in a battle with the Egyptians.
At this point, Josiah's son Jehoiakim would assume the throne after the brief reign of his brother. Jehoiakim was a vicious and wicked king. He and the great prophet Jeremiah would have several encounters.
Jeremiah 36 records one of these encounters between Jeremiah and Jehoiakim. God instructed Jeremiah to write down on a scroll the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah concerning the judgment coming on Judah. Jeremiah did this, and gave it to Jehoiakim as instructed. When Jehoiakim heard the word of the Lord, he did not heed the word as his father Josiah had done. Jehoiakim actually took the scroll that contained the word of the Lord and burned it. This king would persecute the prophet Jeremiah, and he would eventually kill the the prophet Urijah.
Jehoiakim met an untimely death. He was one of the worst kings mentioned in the Bible.
So, what are we to learn from these two men. I believe that the most important lesson we can learn is from the reactions of these two men when they were presented with the word of the Lord. Josiah repented and turned to God. Jehoiakim remained in his sin and despised the word of the Lord.
This is the same reaction that people have to Scripture today. It may not be as dramatic as in the case of Jehoiakim, but it is similar nonetheless.
When the Scripture is preached or read, it will not return unto the Lord void. People will either heed the word of the Lord, or they will reject it. This occurs on a daily basis. All over this world today, there are people who hear the word, repent, turn from sin and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. On the other hand, people will hear the word of the Lord today, and they will reject it. They will not turn their lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Sadly, Christians also are guilty of sometimes despising the word of the Lord. We often read the teachings and the commands of Jesus, and yet we will not do what Jesus commands. Jesus said, "Why do you call me Lord, yet you do not do what I say?"
Jesus has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even to love our enemies. Are we doing this? Jesus has commanded us to lay up treasures in heaven and not treasures on earth. Is that how we are leading our lives?
As the followers of Jesus, we should emulate what Josiah did. We should hear the word, and then act on what we have heard. As it says in James, we must be doers of the word and not hearers only.
I hope that all of you who read this blog will be students of the Bible. Read the word, especially the words of Jesus, and act on what the Bible says. Repent of sin, and then do what is right.
Next week, we will conclude our series on kings. I will post a verse and a review next week. The Weekend Sermon will appear on Saturday, Lord willing. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Best Dog and Cat Book of 2014
Each year, I review and recommend several animal books. At the end of the year, I like to choose the best dog and cat book from the previous year. Here I my picks for best dog book and best cat book of 2014.
The best dog book that I reviewed this year was "An Unexpected Grace" written by Kristin von Kreisler. I have reviewed other books written by this author, and I have enjoyed them all. "An Unexpected Grace" is a fiction work that tells how a dog changes a woman's life for the better.
My choice for best cat book is "The World According to Bob" by James Bowen. James and Bob just keep going strong. This book is the sequel to James' first book "A Streetcat Named Bob". Both books have become international bestsellers. James was a recovering heroin addict when he rescued Bob from the streets. But, who rescued who? I think they rescued each other. James has written another book about Bob that has already been published over in the UK. It is scheduled for release in the U.S. sometime in 2015.
I've already been reading some good books to review in 2015. I look forward to reading and sharing with you the good dog, cat, animal and religious books that I read throughout the year as well as the occasional video.
The best dog book that I reviewed this year was "An Unexpected Grace" written by Kristin von Kreisler. I have reviewed other books written by this author, and I have enjoyed them all. "An Unexpected Grace" is a fiction work that tells how a dog changes a woman's life for the better.
My choice for best cat book is "The World According to Bob" by James Bowen. James and Bob just keep going strong. This book is the sequel to James' first book "A Streetcat Named Bob". Both books have become international bestsellers. James was a recovering heroin addict when he rescued Bob from the streets. But, who rescued who? I think they rescued each other. James has written another book about Bob that has already been published over in the UK. It is scheduled for release in the U.S. sometime in 2015.
I've already been reading some good books to review in 2015. I look forward to reading and sharing with you the good dog, cat, animal and religious books that I read throughout the year as well as the occasional video.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Verse For the Week
John 4:14--"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Thoughts On A Sunday Afternoon
Hello, I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Sunday. Thankfully, the weather was not bad today, so I am here at the library. The photo above is a picture of my friend Toby looking across the back yard to see what the neighbors were up to. It was taken on a cold day in the middle of winter much like today is in my part of the world.
When I saw this photo yesterday, the first thing that came into my mind is that it appeared as if Toby was looking off into the future. That got me to thinking about what the future holds.
Of course, no one can know for sure what 2015 will hold. We have our expectations and our plans, but only God knows if things will turn out the way we think they will.
As 2015 approaches, I find myself getting ready to start a new job on the 12th. I don't know what this will all amount to. Right now, my hope is that I can work this job, pay off my debts and start a larger ministry. That is the plan. I also hope to sell my house in 2015.
I just remember other years that I had plans, and things didn't turn out the way I expected. Once this happened in a very good way, and twice things went in a bad direction. I had had a great year in 1998 and 1999 was just rolling in. On January 2, my three year old dog named Colm was diagnosed with leukemia, and he wouldn't last through March. Later that year, I would become very sick with several autoimmune problems. Who knows what a year will bring.
A couple of years earlier while Tobe was still with me, we didn't expect him to make it too far into the new year. But, by the grace of God, he lived a long time.
In February of 2010, my Mom had been gone for only four months. My Dad and I were still upset about that, but we were trying to make some plans for the future. We were going to go to New England in the late Spring and check on some properties we were interested in. We were thinking about moving and getting a fresh start. However, by the end of February, my Dad would join my Mom in Heaven.
All we can do is try our best and hope for the best. Each day I pray that Jesus will guide me and that He will have His will and way in my life.
In some ways, as I have mentioned, the future is uncertain. However, those of us who are in Christ have a certain future that cannot be taken away from us.
Those who are in Christ are promised several things about their futures in the Scriptures. I would like to mention just a couple.
Those who have turned to Jesus as Savior and Lord have been promised in Philippians 1:6 "That he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." This means that Jesus will keep us and perform His transforming work within us until we are like Him in all ways. Romans 8:29-30 says it this way, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and them he justified, them he also glorified."
No matter what, the Lord has good things in the future for those who are His. First of all He predestined us. Then He has called us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we have been declared righteous and have received the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. Now we will be glorified when we see Jesus face to face. What a great day that will be. This is a future that those of us who are in Christ can count on.
Also, we can count on the fact that in the future, we will be with Jesus and we will see all those who have gone on to be with Jesus. Jesus said that He has gone to prepare a place for us, that where He is, we can be there too. Because Jesus is the Resurrection and Life, I know that my family is in Heaven with Jesus. One day in the future, I know for certain that I will be with Jesus and see my family again. Why? Because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He always kept His word and He always will.
This great future is not possible because of anything that I have done. There is nothing good or special in me. This future is only possible by the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ who loved me and gave Himself for me. He gave Himself that whosoever will may come.
If you want to have a sure future that no circumstances on earth can change, turn your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ today.
I guess this post turned into the Weekend Sermon part II, but that's OK. I hope that everyone has a good day, and I will post a verse tomorrow, Lord willing.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Weekend Sermon-- Rehoboam and Joash
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a nice New Year's Day. Lately, I have been posting the sermon on Saturday, but the weather here is predicted to be terrible tomorrow, so I am posting today like I used to do.
I did not stay up this year to see 2015 in. I was just to tired after I got home from work. I am looking forward to the middle of the month when I start my new job. I would like you to pray that I will know what to do with a situation. I am considering staying with the job I have on a very part-time basis, if they will let me, as well as working the new job. I don't know if this will leave me any time for writing though. Please pray that I will know what to do in this matter. I would also ask for your prayers about a health matter. I have had arthritis since I was in my early 20's. In the last few weeks, the arthritis has become very bad in my left foot and ankle, and I have been in excruciating pain and having difficulty walking. Please pray with me that this situation might be relieved by the Lord. Also, please pray that the weather isn't really bad tomorrow.
In other matters, let us pray this week for peace. Iraq and Syria are a mess right now. Let there be peace. Also pray for peace in Afghanistan and Libya. Wherever there is war, violence and oppression let us pray for peace and justice.
Over the last few weeks, we have been doing a series of messages about some of the kings in the Bible. We took a break for Christmas and New Year's sermons, but we are resuming our king's series today.
Today, I want to focus on two kings who were separated by quite a few years, but they had one thing in common. These two kings are Rehoboam and Joash.
Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and the grandson of David. As we saw a few weeks back, Solomon didn't end his reign on a high note. Jeroboam was on the point of revolt when Rehoboam assumed the throne. The people came to Rehoboam and asked him to remove the heavy yoke that had been placed upon them by Solomon. At this point, Rehoboam took counsel as to how to answer the people. The older men who had been advisers to Solomon counseled Rehoboam to tell the people that he would be kind to them. Then they would not revolt against his rule. Rehoboam then turned to those his own age to ask their advice. They told the king to come down heavily on the people.
Rehoboam forsook the advice of the elders and listened to his contemporaries. The result was a massive rebellion in which Jeroboam split the kingdom taking the ten northern tribes and forming a new nation. Rehoboam retained the loyalty of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin only.
During the course of his reign, Rehoboam would not follow the laws of God, and he did not turn his heart to the Lord as his grandfather David did. Rehoboam and David were polar opposites. It's hard to believe that they were even related.
Joash had a rough start in life. When he was just a baby his father was killed. At this point, Joash's grandmother, Athaliah assumed the throne and killed all of the other contenders to the throne. She tried to find her grandson and kill him, but Joash was hidden by his aunt Jehoshabeath and her husband Jehoiada who was a priest.
When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada led a successful revolt against the very wicked queen, and Joash was placed on the throne as the rightful heir. During the time that Jehoiada lived and counseled Joash, the king did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and was a very good ruler. He restored the worship in the temple.
However, Jehoiada died at the advanced age of 130. He was so respected by the people, that he was buried in the tomb of the kings. It wasn't long after this that Joash went astray. 2 Chronicles 24:17-18 says, "Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols..."
In other words, Joash did not remember the good teaching and advice he had received from his uncle. He listened to bad advice, and he turned from the True and Living God to false gods.
Not long after this, Jehoiada's son Zechariah confronted the wickedness of the king. Joash had become so evil that he had Zechariah stoned to death.
Eventually, Joash would be assassinated. He was so unpopular, that he was not even allowed to be buried in the tomb of the kings.
Rehoboam and Joash had this in common. They would not listen to Godly counsel, and they suffered the consequences. This should be a lesson to all of us.
Rehoboam received good advice, but he would not listen. This should teach us to surround ourselves with wise people who will give us the right advice. For instance, as Christians, we should be seeking counsel from believers in the Lord Jesus and not from those who follow the way of the world. So many Christians will listen to financial advice or personal advice from this world, and they do not heed Godly counsel. This will only end in run. As the Bible says, what fellowship hath light with darkness. If we take counsel from the spiritually blind, we, like them, will end up falling in the ditch.
The same principle holds true as far as Joash was concerned. He did not keep in mind the memory of the good counsel he received from Jehoiada. If he would have remembered what Jehoiada had taught him, Joash would have had a successful reign. Instead, he listened to bad advice.
One thing that I have tried to do since my Dad passed away is to remember the things that he told me. My Dad didn't have a college education, but he was a very wise man. When he was alive, I would always ask his advice on the decisions I faced.
Since my Dad has been gone, I try to image what he would tell me now. This helps me to act and make better decisions.
As followers of Jesus, our source of counsel and decision making should be the Lord. He lived a perfect, holy and sinless life to be our example of how to act in any given situation. We should always ask the question, What would Jesus do? before we act.
The way we learn about what Jesus would do is by reading the Gospels and learning about the Lord. We can also discern the will and way of Jesus through prayer and meditation. We should also be diligent students of the Bible. In the pages of God's Holy Word, we will find the answers to the questions and problems we will encounter in this life. We must follow Godly wisdom and not the way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof is the way of death.
The best counsel that I can give to anyone is to turn your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you have not done so already. Trust in His saving, forgiving and transforming power.
Next week, I will post the verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. Look for the Weekend Sermon on Saturday, unless the weather dictates a change. May God bless you. Amen.
I did not stay up this year to see 2015 in. I was just to tired after I got home from work. I am looking forward to the middle of the month when I start my new job. I would like you to pray that I will know what to do with a situation. I am considering staying with the job I have on a very part-time basis, if they will let me, as well as working the new job. I don't know if this will leave me any time for writing though. Please pray that I will know what to do in this matter. I would also ask for your prayers about a health matter. I have had arthritis since I was in my early 20's. In the last few weeks, the arthritis has become very bad in my left foot and ankle, and I have been in excruciating pain and having difficulty walking. Please pray with me that this situation might be relieved by the Lord. Also, please pray that the weather isn't really bad tomorrow.
In other matters, let us pray this week for peace. Iraq and Syria are a mess right now. Let there be peace. Also pray for peace in Afghanistan and Libya. Wherever there is war, violence and oppression let us pray for peace and justice.
Over the last few weeks, we have been doing a series of messages about some of the kings in the Bible. We took a break for Christmas and New Year's sermons, but we are resuming our king's series today.
Today, I want to focus on two kings who were separated by quite a few years, but they had one thing in common. These two kings are Rehoboam and Joash.
Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and the grandson of David. As we saw a few weeks back, Solomon didn't end his reign on a high note. Jeroboam was on the point of revolt when Rehoboam assumed the throne. The people came to Rehoboam and asked him to remove the heavy yoke that had been placed upon them by Solomon. At this point, Rehoboam took counsel as to how to answer the people. The older men who had been advisers to Solomon counseled Rehoboam to tell the people that he would be kind to them. Then they would not revolt against his rule. Rehoboam then turned to those his own age to ask their advice. They told the king to come down heavily on the people.
Rehoboam forsook the advice of the elders and listened to his contemporaries. The result was a massive rebellion in which Jeroboam split the kingdom taking the ten northern tribes and forming a new nation. Rehoboam retained the loyalty of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin only.
During the course of his reign, Rehoboam would not follow the laws of God, and he did not turn his heart to the Lord as his grandfather David did. Rehoboam and David were polar opposites. It's hard to believe that they were even related.
Joash had a rough start in life. When he was just a baby his father was killed. At this point, Joash's grandmother, Athaliah assumed the throne and killed all of the other contenders to the throne. She tried to find her grandson and kill him, but Joash was hidden by his aunt Jehoshabeath and her husband Jehoiada who was a priest.
When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada led a successful revolt against the very wicked queen, and Joash was placed on the throne as the rightful heir. During the time that Jehoiada lived and counseled Joash, the king did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and was a very good ruler. He restored the worship in the temple.
However, Jehoiada died at the advanced age of 130. He was so respected by the people, that he was buried in the tomb of the kings. It wasn't long after this that Joash went astray. 2 Chronicles 24:17-18 says, "Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols..."
In other words, Joash did not remember the good teaching and advice he had received from his uncle. He listened to bad advice, and he turned from the True and Living God to false gods.
Not long after this, Jehoiada's son Zechariah confronted the wickedness of the king. Joash had become so evil that he had Zechariah stoned to death.
Eventually, Joash would be assassinated. He was so unpopular, that he was not even allowed to be buried in the tomb of the kings.
Rehoboam and Joash had this in common. They would not listen to Godly counsel, and they suffered the consequences. This should be a lesson to all of us.
Rehoboam received good advice, but he would not listen. This should teach us to surround ourselves with wise people who will give us the right advice. For instance, as Christians, we should be seeking counsel from believers in the Lord Jesus and not from those who follow the way of the world. So many Christians will listen to financial advice or personal advice from this world, and they do not heed Godly counsel. This will only end in run. As the Bible says, what fellowship hath light with darkness. If we take counsel from the spiritually blind, we, like them, will end up falling in the ditch.
The same principle holds true as far as Joash was concerned. He did not keep in mind the memory of the good counsel he received from Jehoiada. If he would have remembered what Jehoiada had taught him, Joash would have had a successful reign. Instead, he listened to bad advice.
One thing that I have tried to do since my Dad passed away is to remember the things that he told me. My Dad didn't have a college education, but he was a very wise man. When he was alive, I would always ask his advice on the decisions I faced.
Since my Dad has been gone, I try to image what he would tell me now. This helps me to act and make better decisions.
As followers of Jesus, our source of counsel and decision making should be the Lord. He lived a perfect, holy and sinless life to be our example of how to act in any given situation. We should always ask the question, What would Jesus do? before we act.
The way we learn about what Jesus would do is by reading the Gospels and learning about the Lord. We can also discern the will and way of Jesus through prayer and meditation. We should also be diligent students of the Bible. In the pages of God's Holy Word, we will find the answers to the questions and problems we will encounter in this life. We must follow Godly wisdom and not the way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof is the way of death.
The best counsel that I can give to anyone is to turn your life over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you have not done so already. Trust in His saving, forgiving and transforming power.
Next week, I will post the verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. Look for the Weekend Sermon on Saturday, unless the weather dictates a change. May God bless you. Amen.
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