This week on the blog, I would like us to reflect on some of the events of Holy Week leading up to Resurrection Sunday. In the Weekend Sermon, we focused on the Triumphal Entry as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the people shouted "Hosanna" and waved palm branches.
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that day, He made His way to the Temple, and what He saw taking place there made Him very angry and upset.
Jesus saw that the Temple had been turned into a marketplace. It was a place of making money and extorting the people who had come to worship.
The Bible records that Jesus made a whip and drove the money-changers out of the Temple. Jesus overturned their tables sending their coins flying. Jesus told the money-changers to get the animals out of the Temple and to release the doves that they were selling.
Jesus said that the Father's house was to be a house of prayer, but they had turned it in to a den of thieves and robbers.
Today, let us reflect on how the Father's house of prayer has been turned into a den of thieves and robbers. First of all, much of American Christianity is focused upon nothing but money. It sometimes seems to me that all the preaching has turned to the acquiring of wealth. Sermons are sold as well as books and a host of Christian merchandise. Religion has become big business.
The church has also become entertainment driven. Church services are operated like a show with just the right music and program to produce the desired effect.
I think that Jesus if He came into many American churches today would have a lot of money-changers to drive out.
Let us return the focus of our worship services back to prayer and sincere worship. Let us stop trying to make the worship service a one-hour entertainment package. Who said that church can't last for several hours if the Spirit of the Lord is moving and the Word of the Lord is being proclaimed.
Finally, A word about the significance of Jesus driving the animals out of the Temple. At one time, animals were needed as part of the sacrificial system. By sending the animals out of the Temple, Jesus was demonstrating the fact that animal sacrifice would no longer be needed.
Jesus was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. He is the once and for all final sacrifice for sin. Through His death and resurrection, salvation and forgiveness are available to all people everywhere.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Verses For The Week
Psalm 22:1-2 -- "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent."
Philippians 2:5-11 -- "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
Mark 10:33-34 -- "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again."
Philippians 2:5-11 -- "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
Mark 10:33-34 -- "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again."
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Weekend Sermon -- Palm Sunday -- Luke 19:28-40
Welcome to another posting of the Weekend Sermon. It is good to be with you all this week. It is my prayer that all is going well for each and every one of you who read this blog. May the blessings of the Lord be upon you.
There is much to be thankful for this week. As a mentioned in a previous post, my friend's wife is out of the hospital, and the doctors think that she will be able to go back to work next week. My foot that has been giving me trouble is better this week.
I would ask that you continue to pray this week for peace in the troubled areas of this world. I listened to a report on the radio this week detailing the trouble with terrorist groups in Africa. The report specifically mentioned the nations of Nigeria, Niger and Chad. Let us pray for peace in these places. Let us also pray for peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, Syria and Libya.
I would also like to ask that you continue to pray for me as I am having a very difficult time at work. I also need prayer for the overall state of my health. Pray that the Lord Jesus will help me to make it through. As I have mentioned, I have fought a battle with depression for the majority of my life. Please pray that it does not get the victory over me.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the book of I Peter. This week and next week, we will be focusing on Palm Sunday and Easter. We will return to our series in I Peter after that.
Today's message focuses on Palm Sunday which was Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem the Sunday before Easter.
Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year. When I was younger, the church where my family attended gave out palm branches for the kids to wave in honor of the events that transpired on Palm Sunday. I always remember an exciting and vibrant time around the church on Palm Sunday.
It must have been an exciting occasion when the first Palm Sunday took place almost 2,000 years ago. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey in fulfillment of the prophecy of the book of Zechariah. As Jesus rode into the city, the people laid their garments in his path. The people waved the palm branches and shouted Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. When the religious leaders demanded that Jesus make the crowds end their praises of Him, Jesus said that if the people didn't praise Him the very rocks would cry out their praise of Him.
All of this praise of the Lord Jesus would take a 180 degree change in less than one week. On Good Friday, the shouts of Hosanna would change to shouts of crucify Him. We will not have this man to rule over us.
This leads me to believe that the people were expecting Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and declare Himself to be the one who would lead a rebellion against the Roman occupiers. When Jesus did not do this, the people turned against Him because they could not, or would not, understand the type of kingdom that Jesus wished to establish.
So, what is the message from the events of Palm Sunday for us today. I believe that there are several things for us to learn.
The first thing that I am always reminded of on Palm Sunday is the fact the Jesus Christ is worthy of our praise and adoration. Jesus is the divine Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who took upon Himself human flesh and came to live among humans. Jesus lived a life of sinless perfection as our example of how to live in this world. He was willing to suffer agony and humiliation on the cross in order to bear our sins and accept the punishment for sins that we rightly deserved. Jesus did this because He loved us and cared about us.
Because of who He is and for what He has done, Jesus is worthy of praise. Revelation chapters 4 and 5 speak about the praise and adoration that are due to the Lord and to the Lamb that was slain. I urge you to read these chapters and see the praise given to Jesus in the courts of Heaven because of what He has done through His redeeming work.
Every time you go to prayer, set aside a portion of your prayer time to praise the Lord Jesus. Give unto Him the honor that He is due. In church, fully enter into the time of praise and worship. Concentrate your mind and your thoughts on Jesus. Focus your full attention on giving Him the glory.
Another aspect surrounding Palm Sunday that is very important is the entire idea of the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish. The people of Jesus' day were expecting one type of kingdom, but it wasn't the type of kingdom that Jesus was representing. The people were expecting Jesus to led a violent revolt. However, these were not the kingdom values taught by the Lord.
Jesus calls those of us who are His followers to represent the values of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus preached about while He was here on earth. Jesus clearly expressed His kingdom principles in His teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus' kingdom in not a kingdom of violence, it is a kingdom of non-violence. Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who are opposed to us. Jesus us calls on us to share our resources with those who have little. He calls us to live lives of holiness that are pleasing to the Lord. Sadly, many who call themselves followers of the Lord Jesus today do not grasp the kingdom values of the Lord. They are for war when Jesus calls for peace. They seek to justify the economic oppressor instead of the economically oppressed. Instead of caring for the poor, they care for the values that increase wealth for the wealthy. Instead of serving God, they often serve mammon.
I see very little of what Jesus taught and stood for being practiced in the majority of churches in my country. I can't really speak for the rest of the world since I have only first hand knowledge of what happens here. I truly believe that if Jesus returned today and entered many of the churches here in the United States He would be rejected.
Jesus called His followers to lead a radically new kind of life filled with love, peace and non-violence. How different that is from what is being taught by so many in churches today where guns, violence, militarism, corporatism, greed and exploitation are lauded from the pulpit. I believe that Jesus would have just as much trouble with the religious leaders in America as He did with the religious leaders of His own day.
Finally, Palm Sunday reminds me of the fact that Jesus is coming again. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem the first time, He rode in to give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. His death would begin the process of returning the universe to the state in which it existed before sin came into the cosmos.
When Jesus left this world, He said that He would come again. One day, Jesus Christ will come again bringing His saints with Him. He will come riding a white horse. He will then descended from Heaven to the Mount of Olives.
When Jesus comes again, every eye will see Him and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Bible says that every creature on planet earth, including animals, will give praise and honor to Jesus Christ the King.
When Jesus returns, He will establish a kingdom of justice, peace, love and goodness. All of the created order will live in harmony. Nation will no longer rise against nation. The Bible says that each person will sit under his own vine and no one will make him afraid. There will be perfect peace, safety and tranquility.
I long for the day of Christ's return. I hope that He will come even this very day to rule and reign in righteousness forever and forever.
You can be a part of the glorious reign of Jesus Christ upon this earth. Turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Confess your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you. Believe in His resurrection from the dead, and make Jesus the Lord of your life. Then you will have a place in His reign on earth that is to come.
In the meantime, those of us who are Jesus' followers need to promote and live out the values of the kingdom right now. We must promote love, peace, goodness and non-violence as we attempt to impact our world for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. There will not be a review this week. On Thursday and Friday, I will post Holy Week material. The Weekend Sermon for Easter will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
There is much to be thankful for this week. As a mentioned in a previous post, my friend's wife is out of the hospital, and the doctors think that she will be able to go back to work next week. My foot that has been giving me trouble is better this week.
I would ask that you continue to pray this week for peace in the troubled areas of this world. I listened to a report on the radio this week detailing the trouble with terrorist groups in Africa. The report specifically mentioned the nations of Nigeria, Niger and Chad. Let us pray for peace in these places. Let us also pray for peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, Syria and Libya.
I would also like to ask that you continue to pray for me as I am having a very difficult time at work. I also need prayer for the overall state of my health. Pray that the Lord Jesus will help me to make it through. As I have mentioned, I have fought a battle with depression for the majority of my life. Please pray that it does not get the victory over me.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the book of I Peter. This week and next week, we will be focusing on Palm Sunday and Easter. We will return to our series in I Peter after that.
Today's message focuses on Palm Sunday which was Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem the Sunday before Easter.
Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year. When I was younger, the church where my family attended gave out palm branches for the kids to wave in honor of the events that transpired on Palm Sunday. I always remember an exciting and vibrant time around the church on Palm Sunday.
It must have been an exciting occasion when the first Palm Sunday took place almost 2,000 years ago. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey in fulfillment of the prophecy of the book of Zechariah. As Jesus rode into the city, the people laid their garments in his path. The people waved the palm branches and shouted Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. When the religious leaders demanded that Jesus make the crowds end their praises of Him, Jesus said that if the people didn't praise Him the very rocks would cry out their praise of Him.
All of this praise of the Lord Jesus would take a 180 degree change in less than one week. On Good Friday, the shouts of Hosanna would change to shouts of crucify Him. We will not have this man to rule over us.
This leads me to believe that the people were expecting Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and declare Himself to be the one who would lead a rebellion against the Roman occupiers. When Jesus did not do this, the people turned against Him because they could not, or would not, understand the type of kingdom that Jesus wished to establish.
So, what is the message from the events of Palm Sunday for us today. I believe that there are several things for us to learn.
The first thing that I am always reminded of on Palm Sunday is the fact the Jesus Christ is worthy of our praise and adoration. Jesus is the divine Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who took upon Himself human flesh and came to live among humans. Jesus lived a life of sinless perfection as our example of how to live in this world. He was willing to suffer agony and humiliation on the cross in order to bear our sins and accept the punishment for sins that we rightly deserved. Jesus did this because He loved us and cared about us.
Because of who He is and for what He has done, Jesus is worthy of praise. Revelation chapters 4 and 5 speak about the praise and adoration that are due to the Lord and to the Lamb that was slain. I urge you to read these chapters and see the praise given to Jesus in the courts of Heaven because of what He has done through His redeeming work.
Every time you go to prayer, set aside a portion of your prayer time to praise the Lord Jesus. Give unto Him the honor that He is due. In church, fully enter into the time of praise and worship. Concentrate your mind and your thoughts on Jesus. Focus your full attention on giving Him the glory.
Another aspect surrounding Palm Sunday that is very important is the entire idea of the Kingdom that Jesus came to establish. The people of Jesus' day were expecting one type of kingdom, but it wasn't the type of kingdom that Jesus was representing. The people were expecting Jesus to led a violent revolt. However, these were not the kingdom values taught by the Lord.
Jesus calls those of us who are His followers to represent the values of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus preached about while He was here on earth. Jesus clearly expressed His kingdom principles in His teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus' kingdom in not a kingdom of violence, it is a kingdom of non-violence. Jesus calls us to love our enemies and pray for those who are opposed to us. Jesus us calls on us to share our resources with those who have little. He calls us to live lives of holiness that are pleasing to the Lord. Sadly, many who call themselves followers of the Lord Jesus today do not grasp the kingdom values of the Lord. They are for war when Jesus calls for peace. They seek to justify the economic oppressor instead of the economically oppressed. Instead of caring for the poor, they care for the values that increase wealth for the wealthy. Instead of serving God, they often serve mammon.
I see very little of what Jesus taught and stood for being practiced in the majority of churches in my country. I can't really speak for the rest of the world since I have only first hand knowledge of what happens here. I truly believe that if Jesus returned today and entered many of the churches here in the United States He would be rejected.
Jesus called His followers to lead a radically new kind of life filled with love, peace and non-violence. How different that is from what is being taught by so many in churches today where guns, violence, militarism, corporatism, greed and exploitation are lauded from the pulpit. I believe that Jesus would have just as much trouble with the religious leaders in America as He did with the religious leaders of His own day.
Finally, Palm Sunday reminds me of the fact that Jesus is coming again. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem the first time, He rode in to give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. His death would begin the process of returning the universe to the state in which it existed before sin came into the cosmos.
When Jesus left this world, He said that He would come again. One day, Jesus Christ will come again bringing His saints with Him. He will come riding a white horse. He will then descended from Heaven to the Mount of Olives.
When Jesus comes again, every eye will see Him and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Bible says that every creature on planet earth, including animals, will give praise and honor to Jesus Christ the King.
When Jesus returns, He will establish a kingdom of justice, peace, love and goodness. All of the created order will live in harmony. Nation will no longer rise against nation. The Bible says that each person will sit under his own vine and no one will make him afraid. There will be perfect peace, safety and tranquility.
I long for the day of Christ's return. I hope that He will come even this very day to rule and reign in righteousness forever and forever.
You can be a part of the glorious reign of Jesus Christ upon this earth. Turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Confess your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you. Believe in His resurrection from the dead, and make Jesus the Lord of your life. Then you will have a place in His reign on earth that is to come.
In the meantime, those of us who are Jesus' followers need to promote and live out the values of the kingdom right now. We must promote love, peace, goodness and non-violence as we attempt to impact our world for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. There will not be a review this week. On Thursday and Friday, I will post Holy Week material. The Weekend Sermon for Easter will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you. Amen.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Update
I wanted to report that my friend's wife is out of the hospital, and she is doing much better. Thank you for your prayers in the this matter. Thanks be to God for this answer to prayer. Please continue to pray for my neighbor. He is still not doing well and is in the hospital. Also, please pray for me as I am not feeling well. Thank you. I will be praying for all of you who read the blog that the Lord's blessings will be upon you.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Book Review
I am going to review two books today that present a different theological perspective than what I hold and present on this blog. I am not someone who only reads and studies what he agrees with. I like to read and understand what others believe.
Over the last couple of weeks, I finished "Convictions" written by Marcus Borg and "Making Sense of the Bible" written by Adam Hamilton.
In "Convictions" Borg provides the reader with a sort of theological autobiography of how he came to believe what he believes. Marcus Borg is a very liberal Bible scholar with whom I have very little agreement. However, this book is interesting because it lays out the way that mainline Christians arrive at their interpretation of the meaning of the message of Jesus Christ.
In "Making Sense of the Bible" Adam Hamilton gives an easy to understand presentation of the mainline Christian understanding of the authority and inspiration of the Scripture. Hamilton describes why he does not believe in Biblical inerrancy and why he does not believe in the literal interpretation of the creation, Adam and Eve and the story of Noah's ark. While I do agree with Hamilton that Jesus is the interpretive framework of the Scriptures, I do not believe in too much else that is in this book.
These two books make interesting reading to get a different perspective on Christianity. I would only recommend reading them if you have a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of the orthodox Christian faith.
Over the last couple of weeks, I finished "Convictions" written by Marcus Borg and "Making Sense of the Bible" written by Adam Hamilton.
In "Convictions" Borg provides the reader with a sort of theological autobiography of how he came to believe what he believes. Marcus Borg is a very liberal Bible scholar with whom I have very little agreement. However, this book is interesting because it lays out the way that mainline Christians arrive at their interpretation of the meaning of the message of Jesus Christ.
In "Making Sense of the Bible" Adam Hamilton gives an easy to understand presentation of the mainline Christian understanding of the authority and inspiration of the Scripture. Hamilton describes why he does not believe in Biblical inerrancy and why he does not believe in the literal interpretation of the creation, Adam and Eve and the story of Noah's ark. While I do agree with Hamilton that Jesus is the interpretive framework of the Scriptures, I do not believe in too much else that is in this book.
These two books make interesting reading to get a different perspective on Christianity. I would only recommend reading them if you have a thorough grounding in the fundamentals of the orthodox Christian faith.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Verses For the Week
Isaiah 45:12 -- "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."
John 13:34-35 -- "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Mark 9:41 -- "For he that is not against us is on our part."
Update:
Please keep praying for my friend's wife who is in the hospital. She is starting to do better for which I am thankful to the Lord.
John 13:34-35 -- "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Mark 9:41 -- "For he that is not against us is on our part."
Update:
Please keep praying for my friend's wife who is in the hospital. She is starting to do better for which I am thankful to the Lord.
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Weekend Sermon-- I Peter 2:3 - 8
Hello, it is a beautiful day here where I live in the center of the U.S. I hope that everyone is having a good day and experiencing the blessings of the Lord.
My week has been busy as I've been working hard to get the house in better shape to sell. I've also been trying to survive at my job. I am thankful for it, but I can't say that I enjoy it. Please continue to remember me in prayer this week.
As you are in prayer this week, please remember to pray for those suffering as a result of the cyclone that hit the nation of Vanuatu. Pray that these people will receive the aid that they need to recover. Also, while Ebola is not in the news that much, and the situation has improved greatly, let us continue to pray for those who are afflicted with this disease. Let us pray for a complete eradication of this deadly virus. Continue to pray for peace in the many troubled areas of the world.
Last week, we took a break from our series of messages in I Peter. I posted a message about how that Jesus described Himself as being meek and humble of heart. We need to follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Today, we will resume our series in I Peter beginning where we left off at I Peter 2:4. I Peter 2: 4-8 speaks about Jesus being the chief cornerstone and believers being lively stones in the spiritual house that God is building. This is an unusual passage of Scripture, so lets try to figure out what its meaning is for those of us living in the 21st century.
In Psalm 118:22 it states, " The stone which the builders refuses has become the head stone of the corner." This verse is a Messianic prophecy foretelling the fact that when the Messiah revealed Himself, He would be rejected. However, even though rejected by men, the head stone of the corner would be the one who built the spiritual temple of the Lord.
This prophecy was completely fulfilled in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. During His time on this earth, Jesus was rejected by the people and especially by the religious authorities. The Bible says that He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
In Mark 12:10, Jesus quotes the passage from the Psalms concerning the rejection of the cornerstone. The context was the parable that Jesus told about the vineyard and the tenants. In this parable, Jesus speaks about a landowner who leased his vineyard out to tenants . Later the owner sent a servant to collect the portion of the harvest that was due to him. The tenants would not pay. They beat the servant and sent him away. The owner sent other servants with similar results. Finally, the owner sent his son thinking that the tenants would respect his son. However, the tenants killed the son and would not receive him.
This parable is exactly what happened throughout Biblical history. God sent many prophets to tell His people to repent and turn from sin. Most of the prophets were mocked or killed. Their message went unheeded.
Finally, God has sent His final word in His Son the Lord Jesus. When Jesus came, He was despised and rejected of men. Instead of listening to Jesus, they crucified Him. However, God raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus is Lord.
Even though Jesus was initially rejected by those He came to save, many people have responded to the message of Jesus' love and have come to know Him as Savior and Lord. Those individuals that have come to Jesus are included in God's plan for this world.
Jesus is the foundation of our faith. Jesus is the Word made flesh. We are to follow His teachings and commandments and spread His message of love and forgiveness to the world. We as Jesus' followers are established as a holy priesthood whose duty is to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
What are these spiritual sacrifices? I believe that this is referring to the fact that we are to present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice. Paul writes about this in Romans 12:1 which states, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God , that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." In other words, since we have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, we are to give all of our lives over to the service of the Lord.
We need to be willing to do anything that Jesus calls on us to do. Jesus had called all of His followers to obey the great commandment to love the Lord with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. We have received a commission from Jesus to go into all the world and to preach the Gospel to every creature. We have been given the task by Jesus to minister unto the least of these wherever we may find them.
This is one aspect of making a spiritual sacrifice to the Lord. I also believe the offering a spiritual sacrifice to the Lord means that we come to the Lord with thanksgiving, praise and expressions of our love for Him. We need to offer up our prayers as holy incense to the Lord.
Just as Jesus was rejected in His day, Jesus and His message of love is rejected by people in today's world. Jesus has revealed to this world love beyond measure. I urge you not to reject the love of Jesus. Don't keep turning Him away. Come to Him and receive His love and forgiveness.
If you have come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, thanks be to God. Offer unto Him the sacrifice of all of your life. Offer up to Him the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise. Follow the Lord Jesus wherever He may lead you.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. I should have a review on Wednesday. I will have a Palm Sunday message next week and an Easter message the following week. The I Peter series will continue after that. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Update
Once again, I would like to thank all of you who read this blog and respond to the requests for prayer that I post. Today, I have a few prayer requests to make. My good friend's wife is in the hospital with pneumonia. Please pray for her recovery. Also, my neighbor is still in the hospital with a broken hip. He was a good friend of my dad. Please pray for his recovery and rehabilitation.
I would also ask that you pray for me. I am recovering from a bad cold, and my foot has started to hurt again. I am also feeling the stirrings of depression because I just am not very happy at my job. Please pray for me. I am in great need of the intervention of the Lord Jesus to help me at this point in my life.
I will continue to pray daily for all who read this blog. May the Lord bless you this day.
I would also ask that you pray for me. I am recovering from a bad cold, and my foot has started to hurt again. I am also feeling the stirrings of depression because I just am not very happy at my job. Please pray for me. I am in great need of the intervention of the Lord Jesus to help me at this point in my life.
I will continue to pray daily for all who read this blog. May the Lord bless you this day.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Book Review
Today, I am reviewing a book entitled "The Honest Truth" written by Dan Gemeinhart. This book is a young adult book, but I enjoyed it. I actually don't think that it would be appropriate for younger readers due to the theme of the book.
In this book, the main character is a boy named Mark. Mark has beaten cancer once in his life, but now he discovers that cancer has once again invaded his body. He doesn't want to deal with it all again. Mark sets out to fulfill his dream of climbing Mount Rainier, and he figures that he will mostly likely die in the attempt.
Mark takes along his faithful dog Beau on his journey. Beau is a great dog character. He comes to Mark's rescue on more than one occasion. One of the main themes of the book is the love that Beau and Mark have for one another.
As Mark has run away from home, his parents are desperately searching for him. Mark's friend Jessie knows where he has gone, but she struggles with whether or not she should tell the authorities what she knows.
This is a very good book. I really enjoyed reading about Mark and Beau's relationship. Beau plays a critical role in the end of the book. I recommend that you read "The Honest Truth" to find out what happens to Mark, Beau and Jessie.
In this book, the main character is a boy named Mark. Mark has beaten cancer once in his life, but now he discovers that cancer has once again invaded his body. He doesn't want to deal with it all again. Mark sets out to fulfill his dream of climbing Mount Rainier, and he figures that he will mostly likely die in the attempt.
Mark takes along his faithful dog Beau on his journey. Beau is a great dog character. He comes to Mark's rescue on more than one occasion. One of the main themes of the book is the love that Beau and Mark have for one another.
As Mark has run away from home, his parents are desperately searching for him. Mark's friend Jessie knows where he has gone, but she struggles with whether or not she should tell the authorities what she knows.
This is a very good book. I really enjoyed reading about Mark and Beau's relationship. Beau plays a critical role in the end of the book. I recommend that you read "The Honest Truth" to find out what happens to Mark, Beau and Jessie.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Picture of an Old Friend
This is a picture of my friend Toby when he was five years old. It is one of my favorites.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Verses For the Week
Before I post the verses for the week, I would like to ask for everyone's prayers. I have a bad case of bronchitis. I'm going to try to go to work today, so please pray that I can make it through. My foot is feeling some better. Thank you for your prayers on that matter. Please remember the people of Vanuatu in your prayers. Also, a neighbor of mine broke his hip recently. Please pray for his speedy recovery.
Zechariah 9:9 -- "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon as ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
Luke 13:24 -- "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
John 8:58 -- "Verily, Verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am."
Zechariah 9:9 -- "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon as ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."
Luke 13:24 -- "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
John 8:58 -- "Verily, Verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am."
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Thoughts on a Sunday Afternoon
One of my friends went on a vacation this week with his family, and it got me to thinking about traveling. He and his family went to the Ozarks, and that was one of my family's favorite places to take vacations.
We used to go down to Branson back in the days before it became what it is today. Back then, Branson had Silver Dollar City and about seven or eight music shows. How different it is today. We had a lot of fun going down there. As a kid, I especially liked to go out on the old boat that traveled around the big lake next to Branson.
We also liked to stop at Springfield and stay for the weekend at a nice hotel there that had many activities. This hotel had a small golf course, three pools, tennis, racquetball and several excellent restaurants. This was the first destination that we visited after my friend Toby came to live with me.
Toby had so many health problems that I insisted that he not be boarded even over at the veterinarian's office. He would come with me.
Toby turned out to be an exceptional traveler, and he was no trouble at all. Me, Toby and my parents traveled to many places on vacation over the years.
Usually, would we go out to visit my Grandma who lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming at least once every summer. On our way out to Cheyenne, we would take different routes so as not to have to see the same dull sights along I-70 in Western Kansas all the time.
One year, we visited Colorado Springs and Rocky Mountain National Park. That was the trip that Toby almost drowned in the Big Thompson River. We were down by the river walking around when a trout jumped out of the water. Toby growled at the trout, and then the crazy guy jumped in after him. He start going down the river.
Of course, I wasn't going to let him be swept away, so I went in there after him. Thank God, I grabbed Toby and got a good foothold in the river right away. My Mom helped haul us back on to dry land.
Another great trip we took was to South Dakota. I think that South Dakota is a beautiful state. I enjoyed traveling all through the Badlands and the Black Hills.
I think that the best trip we ever took as a family was to Iowa. All of my Mom's family came from Iowa. One year, we decided to go and visit the places where my Mom, Grandpa and Grandma grew up.
Back in the 1840's my Great-Great Grandfather Caspar Uthoff left Prussia to come to America. He faced persecution for his religious beliefs, so he traveled to this country for freedom. While in St. Louis, Caspar met with others from his Swedenborgian faith who wanted to start a religious colony. This band of people settled south of Norway, Iowa. This is where my Grandpa was born back in 1901.
I think that this part of Iowa is very beautiful, and I can easily understand why the Swedenborgian colony chose it. The people of the Amana colonies would settle not far from here as well.
The church that my Grandpa attended and the cemetery were many of the Uthoff's are buried are still there. Toby and I walked all around the church and grounds. In my mind's eye, I could see my Grandpa playing baseball which he loved so much in the field next to the church.
I also enjoyed seeing where my Mom grew up in Vinton, Traer and Mason City, Iowa. She could still find the homes where she lived as a small girl. We also visited Garrison and Van Horne where my Grandma was from.
The last trip the four of us took together was to St. Louis. I wish we were all still together to take more trips. We never went to anyplace exotic, but it was fun just to be together as a family. I miss those days.
We used to go down to Branson back in the days before it became what it is today. Back then, Branson had Silver Dollar City and about seven or eight music shows. How different it is today. We had a lot of fun going down there. As a kid, I especially liked to go out on the old boat that traveled around the big lake next to Branson.
We also liked to stop at Springfield and stay for the weekend at a nice hotel there that had many activities. This hotel had a small golf course, three pools, tennis, racquetball and several excellent restaurants. This was the first destination that we visited after my friend Toby came to live with me.
Toby had so many health problems that I insisted that he not be boarded even over at the veterinarian's office. He would come with me.
Toby turned out to be an exceptional traveler, and he was no trouble at all. Me, Toby and my parents traveled to many places on vacation over the years.
Usually, would we go out to visit my Grandma who lived in Cheyenne, Wyoming at least once every summer. On our way out to Cheyenne, we would take different routes so as not to have to see the same dull sights along I-70 in Western Kansas all the time.
One year, we visited Colorado Springs and Rocky Mountain National Park. That was the trip that Toby almost drowned in the Big Thompson River. We were down by the river walking around when a trout jumped out of the water. Toby growled at the trout, and then the crazy guy jumped in after him. He start going down the river.
Of course, I wasn't going to let him be swept away, so I went in there after him. Thank God, I grabbed Toby and got a good foothold in the river right away. My Mom helped haul us back on to dry land.
Another great trip we took was to South Dakota. I think that South Dakota is a beautiful state. I enjoyed traveling all through the Badlands and the Black Hills.
I think that the best trip we ever took as a family was to Iowa. All of my Mom's family came from Iowa. One year, we decided to go and visit the places where my Mom, Grandpa and Grandma grew up.
Back in the 1840's my Great-Great Grandfather Caspar Uthoff left Prussia to come to America. He faced persecution for his religious beliefs, so he traveled to this country for freedom. While in St. Louis, Caspar met with others from his Swedenborgian faith who wanted to start a religious colony. This band of people settled south of Norway, Iowa. This is where my Grandpa was born back in 1901.
I think that this part of Iowa is very beautiful, and I can easily understand why the Swedenborgian colony chose it. The people of the Amana colonies would settle not far from here as well.
The church that my Grandpa attended and the cemetery were many of the Uthoff's are buried are still there. Toby and I walked all around the church and grounds. In my mind's eye, I could see my Grandpa playing baseball which he loved so much in the field next to the church.
I also enjoyed seeing where my Mom grew up in Vinton, Traer and Mason City, Iowa. She could still find the homes where she lived as a small girl. We also visited Garrison and Van Horne where my Grandma was from.
The last trip the four of us took together was to St. Louis. I wish we were all still together to take more trips. We never went to anyplace exotic, but it was fun just to be together as a family. I miss those days.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Weekend Sermon -- Jesus Describes Himself
Hello, and welcome to another posting of the Weekend Sermon. I am glad to be with you again this week to share the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to begin this week by asking you all to pray for the Pacific nation of Vanuatu. This nation which is a collection of islands was hit by a terrible cyclone this week. The storm caused horrific devastation to the island, and many are reported to be dead and injured. Let us pray for those who are injured that they may recover and that aid will reach the people. May the Lord comfort those who mourn.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world especially remembering to pray for peace in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution around the world.
I had fair week at work. Please pray that I will be able to do a good job. I want to do well so that I can earn enough to get my debts paid and start a larger ministry. Also, please pray that I can get a buyer for the house. I tried to do some work on the yard this morning, and I injured my foot again. My health is just not good enough to keep the place up anymore.
The stress of work and trying to keep everything going around the house hasn't helped my health situation. I am not feeling well at all, and I would appreciate it if you would pray for me. It took weeks for my foot to get better this winter, and now I went and worked outside one morning, and it is hurt again. It is very depressing. Thank you for your prayers.
For the last several weeks, we have been studying the epistle of I Peter. We completed chapter 1 of this interesting epistle last week, so I have decided to take a one week break and deliver a message about Jesus. We will resume our study of I Peter next week taking breaks from time to time.
In today's message, I wanted to write about an occasion where Jesus described Himself. Instead of asking others what they believed about Him, Jesus, in this instance, actually described His own personality.
Matthew 11:28-29 states, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."(NIV)
In this passage of Scripture, the Lord Jesus invites those who are burdened with sin and care to come to Him and let Him be the Lord of their lives. He is not an odious taskmaster. Instead, Jesus describes Himself as gentle and humble of heart.
As follower of Jesus, part of what we are required to do is to follow the example of Jesus. We are to see how Jesus acted, and we are to do likewise. In this passage, Jesus describes what He is like. We, as Jesus' followers, need to emulate our Lord's example.
First of all, Jesus describes Himself as being gentle. What does this mean. Jesus was never mean or nasty to anyone. This is one of the reasons that people were attracted to Him and wanted to listen to His message. Jesus did not condemn those that the religious leaders of His day heaped condemnation upon. Jesus had compassion upon the people. Jesus reached out to help those that society rejected.
One good example of this is the way in which Jesus reacted to lepers. In the time that Jesus was on earth, the religious leaders viewed leprosy as a sign of God's punishment for sin. Those with leprosy were excluded and cast out.
One day, a man that was filled with leprosy approached the Lord Jesus and asked if Jesus wanted to heal him. This man had probably been rejected by religious leaders countless times, and he probably wondered if Jesus would reject him too. However, Jesus reached out and touched the leper and told him that of course He wanted to heal him.
Jesus brought His healing message to everyone. In fact, in one passage of Scripture it says that the people brought the sick to Jesus from all the surrounding country, and Jesus healed them all.
Another good example of the gentleness of Jesus is found in His dealing with children. In Jesus' day, children were viewed as nobodies. But Jesus said to let the little children come to Him for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus took the children in His arms and blessed them. In Jesus' day, this was revolutionary behavior.
One of my favorite stories about Jesus is the story of Jesus and the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus demonstrated His gentleness in this account by not joining in the condemnation of this woman. Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."
We as Jesus' followers need to emulate our Lord's gentleness. Instead of heaping condemnation on people, we should show them that Jesus loves them. We should reach out and help those who need help. We should be the friend to those who are friendless. We should show Christlike love to those that others have rejected.
Jesus could be and was very bold and forthright as well. He always let the Pharisees, religious leaders and the self-righteous know just exactly what He thought of them. When His Father's house was being desecrated by those who were extorting the people for monetary gain, Jesus took a whip and drove them out.
Sometimes, we must earnestly contend for the faith as it says in Jude. We should do this with gentleness and with respect. In this too we must follow the example of our Lord and Savior.
Jesus also described Himself as being humble in heart. Humility aptly describes Jesus. Think about it. Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, was willing to leave Heaven and come to earth born as a helpless infant. He took upon Himself human flesh and was tempted in all manner like we are, yet without sin. Jesus was willing to suffer the agony of crucifixion and bear our sins in His body on the cross. He didn't have to do any of this. He did it because of His great love for us. He expressed absolute humility.
Jesus also expressed humility by acting as a servant. This is exemplified when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. This was the duty of a servant in Jesus' time. Yet, Jesus who is Lord of all washed His disciples' feet as an example for us of humble service.
Jesus never went around seeking His own gratification. Instead, Jesus helped others and met their needs.
Jesus is our perfect example. We as His followers need to have a humble heart like unto His humble heart. Our mission is to serve others. This includes sharing the message of the gospel with the world. It includes caring for others and encouraging others. It means acting like Jesus in a world filled with pride and self-promotion.
This week, let each of us look at the life and example of Jesus and find ways to be gentle and humble of heart.
If you have never accepted Jesus' invitation to come to Him and find rest for your soul, I invite you to do so today. Repent of your sins, believe that Jesus died for you and rose again, and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. Then you will find rest for your soul.
Next week, I will post a verse on Monday. I will try to have a review on Wednesday. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
I want to begin this week by asking you all to pray for the Pacific nation of Vanuatu. This nation which is a collection of islands was hit by a terrible cyclone this week. The storm caused horrific devastation to the island, and many are reported to be dead and injured. Let us pray for those who are injured that they may recover and that aid will reach the people. May the Lord comfort those who mourn.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world especially remembering to pray for peace in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution around the world.
I had fair week at work. Please pray that I will be able to do a good job. I want to do well so that I can earn enough to get my debts paid and start a larger ministry. Also, please pray that I can get a buyer for the house. I tried to do some work on the yard this morning, and I injured my foot again. My health is just not good enough to keep the place up anymore.
The stress of work and trying to keep everything going around the house hasn't helped my health situation. I am not feeling well at all, and I would appreciate it if you would pray for me. It took weeks for my foot to get better this winter, and now I went and worked outside one morning, and it is hurt again. It is very depressing. Thank you for your prayers.
For the last several weeks, we have been studying the epistle of I Peter. We completed chapter 1 of this interesting epistle last week, so I have decided to take a one week break and deliver a message about Jesus. We will resume our study of I Peter next week taking breaks from time to time.
In today's message, I wanted to write about an occasion where Jesus described Himself. Instead of asking others what they believed about Him, Jesus, in this instance, actually described His own personality.
Matthew 11:28-29 states, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."(NIV)
In this passage of Scripture, the Lord Jesus invites those who are burdened with sin and care to come to Him and let Him be the Lord of their lives. He is not an odious taskmaster. Instead, Jesus describes Himself as gentle and humble of heart.
As follower of Jesus, part of what we are required to do is to follow the example of Jesus. We are to see how Jesus acted, and we are to do likewise. In this passage, Jesus describes what He is like. We, as Jesus' followers, need to emulate our Lord's example.
First of all, Jesus describes Himself as being gentle. What does this mean. Jesus was never mean or nasty to anyone. This is one of the reasons that people were attracted to Him and wanted to listen to His message. Jesus did not condemn those that the religious leaders of His day heaped condemnation upon. Jesus had compassion upon the people. Jesus reached out to help those that society rejected.
One good example of this is the way in which Jesus reacted to lepers. In the time that Jesus was on earth, the religious leaders viewed leprosy as a sign of God's punishment for sin. Those with leprosy were excluded and cast out.
One day, a man that was filled with leprosy approached the Lord Jesus and asked if Jesus wanted to heal him. This man had probably been rejected by religious leaders countless times, and he probably wondered if Jesus would reject him too. However, Jesus reached out and touched the leper and told him that of course He wanted to heal him.
Jesus brought His healing message to everyone. In fact, in one passage of Scripture it says that the people brought the sick to Jesus from all the surrounding country, and Jesus healed them all.
Another good example of the gentleness of Jesus is found in His dealing with children. In Jesus' day, children were viewed as nobodies. But Jesus said to let the little children come to Him for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus took the children in His arms and blessed them. In Jesus' day, this was revolutionary behavior.
One of my favorite stories about Jesus is the story of Jesus and the woman who was caught in the act of adultery. Jesus demonstrated His gentleness in this account by not joining in the condemnation of this woman. Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."
We as Jesus' followers need to emulate our Lord's gentleness. Instead of heaping condemnation on people, we should show them that Jesus loves them. We should reach out and help those who need help. We should be the friend to those who are friendless. We should show Christlike love to those that others have rejected.
Jesus could be and was very bold and forthright as well. He always let the Pharisees, religious leaders and the self-righteous know just exactly what He thought of them. When His Father's house was being desecrated by those who were extorting the people for monetary gain, Jesus took a whip and drove them out.
Sometimes, we must earnestly contend for the faith as it says in Jude. We should do this with gentleness and with respect. In this too we must follow the example of our Lord and Savior.
Jesus also described Himself as being humble in heart. Humility aptly describes Jesus. Think about it. Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, was willing to leave Heaven and come to earth born as a helpless infant. He took upon Himself human flesh and was tempted in all manner like we are, yet without sin. Jesus was willing to suffer the agony of crucifixion and bear our sins in His body on the cross. He didn't have to do any of this. He did it because of His great love for us. He expressed absolute humility.
Jesus also expressed humility by acting as a servant. This is exemplified when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. This was the duty of a servant in Jesus' time. Yet, Jesus who is Lord of all washed His disciples' feet as an example for us of humble service.
Jesus never went around seeking His own gratification. Instead, Jesus helped others and met their needs.
Jesus is our perfect example. We as His followers need to have a humble heart like unto His humble heart. Our mission is to serve others. This includes sharing the message of the gospel with the world. It includes caring for others and encouraging others. It means acting like Jesus in a world filled with pride and self-promotion.
This week, let each of us look at the life and example of Jesus and find ways to be gentle and humble of heart.
If you have never accepted Jesus' invitation to come to Him and find rest for your soul, I invite you to do so today. Repent of your sins, believe that Jesus died for you and rose again, and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. Then you will find rest for your soul.
Next week, I will post a verse on Monday. I will try to have a review on Wednesday. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Update
There will not be a review posted today. I have had a very busy week, and I am behind on my reading. There will be a review next week. The Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Verses For the Week
Isaiah 11:10 -- "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek; and his rest shall be glorious."
John 16:27 -- "For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."
Matthew 5:16 -- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven."
John 16:27 -- "For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God."
Matthew 5:16 -- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven."
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Weekend Sermon -- I Peter 1:24 - 2:3
I am so glad to be able to be here to post another Weekend Sermon. As I have told you many times, this is my favorite part of the week. I really enjoy sharing the word of the Lord.
This week at work was hard, but it went really well. I had supervisor reviews this week, and I received good reports. My plan is still to keep this job for awhile and sell my house so that I can get all of the debts paid off that I accumulated when I was having so many problems after my folks passed and I was suffering financially from the great recession here in the United States. I hope to be able to start a larger ministry soon.
I would ask that you continue to pray that the job will go well. Also, please pray that the Lord will send me a buyer for the house. I am having trouble attracting interest to it, and I really need to get the house sold. I prayed last evening that the Lord Jesus would work in this matter. If He has another way to get the debts paid and my ministry going more, I prayed that He would provide a way and show me what He wants me to do.
In prayer this week, let us continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world especially the Middle East, North Africa and Ukraine. Pray for the leaders of the world as they negotiate with Iran about the nuclear situation there. Also continue to pray that the message of the love of Jesus will reach the people of the Maldives, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and other nations where speaking about Jesus is suppressed.
In last week's message, we focused on the great redemption that we have received. Our salvation was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was a lamb without spot or blemish. He died for our sins, and He rose again defeating sin and sin's consequences.
Today, I want to focus on what the Apostle Peter has to tell us about the importance of the Word of God. Verses 24-25 of chapter 1 state, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and flower falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you."
Peter is expressing here a truth that we find throughout Scripture. Human life is fleeting. We are here today and gone tomorrow. We are like grass. Grass is green and beautiful, but when the dry wind blows, it doesn't take very long for the grass to turn brown and turn to dust. In his epistle, James compares life to a mist of steam. It rises from the water and vanishes out of sight almost immediately.
The Word of the Lord is not that way. The Word of the Lord endures forever. A verse from a song that we used to sing when I was a boy in Sunday school said, "The Bible stands tho the hills may crumble." How true this is.
There are three ways in which we can view what the Word of the Lord is. First of all, the Word of the Lord is the preached Word. When someone proclaims the message of the gospel, in an important way, that is the Word of the Lord. The Lord said that His Word would not return to Him void. When the message of the Lord is proclaimed and the seed is sown, those who hear the Word will have one of two reactions. Either they will accept the message and apply it to their lives, or they will reject the message and continue in sin and rebellion against God.
The Bible is the Word of the Lord. I firmly believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of the Lord. Those of us who are followers of the Lord Jesus should be diligent students of the Bible. I will speak more about this in a few moments.
In the truest sense, Jesus is the Word of the Lord. Jesus is the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's Word to the world. For this reason, all sermons and anything that we read in the Bible must be interpreted through the life and message of Jesus. He is the final word and authority in all matters of faith.
Because God's Word stands forever, we should lay aside the sins that so easily beset us. Peter mentions malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking. In other words, we should be people who speak the truth. We should speak words that heal and not words that hurt and demean other people who like us are made in the image of God. Also, we must guard against hypocrisy. This is the sin that Jesus spoke against the most. We should not say one thing and do another. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were condemned by Jesus for their hypocrisy. We must follow Jesus and not the path of the Pharisees.
In addition to laying aside sin, we are desire the sincere milk of the Word. The Word of the Lord should be our spiritual food. Just as we need physical food to survive, we need spiritual food to feed our souls and survive spiritually.
One way that we demonstrate our desire for the milk of the Word is through the reading and studying of the Bible. Unfortunately, Biblical illiteracy is growing in the United States and in many other parts of the Western world. Even in many conservative and evangelical churches, the average member sitting in the pew does not have even a basic understanding of the stories and themes found in the Bible.
I hope that if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, that you are spending time daily in the Bible. Through the study of the Bible, we know what Jesus expects of us. We know what pleases the Lord and how we are to respond to the situations that we encounter in this life.
I have heard several people express that they have a hard time reading and studying the Bible. I would just like to give a few suggestions that might help you get started reading and studying God's Word. First of all, find a version of the Bible that you can read well. In this day and age, there are many different versions and translations of the Bible available in the English language. Whatever your reading level might be, there is a version for you.
The two versions of the Bible that I enjoy reading the most are the New King James Version and the New American Standard Version. I use the King James Version for the most part here on the blog because of copyright issues. I also memorized most the the verses I know from the King James. I love the poetic language of the King James, but I know that many find it difficult to read.
If you have difficulty reading these versions, the New International Version and the New Living Translation are very easy to read and understand.
If you are new to reading the Bible, read the Gospels first. Start with Mark. I think that it is the easiest to understand. Also, read the Psalms. They are beautiful and filled with deep meaning. After reading the Gospels, read the epistles of I, II and III John as well as James, I and II Peter and Hebrews. Then, move on from there.
In order to understand the full context of what you are reading, commentaries and study Bibles are helpful. I like the Wycliffe Commentary. Other commentaries that are good are the Everyman Bible Commentaries, and the New International Commentary on the New Testament. Many people find the Matthew Henry Commentary helpful.
My favorite study Bibles are the Nelson Study Bible and the Disciples Study Bible. Many other study Bibles are available.
It is my hope that everyone who reads this blog will be a student of the Bible. Read and study it everyday.
As we should desire the milk of the Word found in the Bible, are ultimate desire should be for Jesus who is God's final and ultimate Word. We should speak to the Lord Jesus every single day of our lives. I am finding as I go through life that I have to talk to Jesus and spend time with Him throughout the day. He speaks to my heart and lets me know that He is with me no matter what I am facing at the moment. I know that I could not have gone through the problems that I have faced in the last few years if the Lord Jesus had not been with me helping me to get through each day.
I would encourage you to spend time with Jesus in prayer and meditation on a daily basis. At least once everyday if not several times each day.
When we spend time with Jesus and we read the Bible, we will grow in the faith and become mature Christians. That is what the Lord Jesus desires.
Next week, we will take a break from our series in I Peter. The week after, we will resume our study in I Peter. On Monday, I will post the verses and on Wednesday, I hope to have a review. May God bless you. Amen.
This week at work was hard, but it went really well. I had supervisor reviews this week, and I received good reports. My plan is still to keep this job for awhile and sell my house so that I can get all of the debts paid off that I accumulated when I was having so many problems after my folks passed and I was suffering financially from the great recession here in the United States. I hope to be able to start a larger ministry soon.
I would ask that you continue to pray that the job will go well. Also, please pray that the Lord will send me a buyer for the house. I am having trouble attracting interest to it, and I really need to get the house sold. I prayed last evening that the Lord Jesus would work in this matter. If He has another way to get the debts paid and my ministry going more, I prayed that He would provide a way and show me what He wants me to do.
In prayer this week, let us continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world especially the Middle East, North Africa and Ukraine. Pray for the leaders of the world as they negotiate with Iran about the nuclear situation there. Also continue to pray that the message of the love of Jesus will reach the people of the Maldives, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and other nations where speaking about Jesus is suppressed.
In last week's message, we focused on the great redemption that we have received. Our salvation was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ who was a lamb without spot or blemish. He died for our sins, and He rose again defeating sin and sin's consequences.
Today, I want to focus on what the Apostle Peter has to tell us about the importance of the Word of God. Verses 24-25 of chapter 1 state, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and flower falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached to you."
Peter is expressing here a truth that we find throughout Scripture. Human life is fleeting. We are here today and gone tomorrow. We are like grass. Grass is green and beautiful, but when the dry wind blows, it doesn't take very long for the grass to turn brown and turn to dust. In his epistle, James compares life to a mist of steam. It rises from the water and vanishes out of sight almost immediately.
The Word of the Lord is not that way. The Word of the Lord endures forever. A verse from a song that we used to sing when I was a boy in Sunday school said, "The Bible stands tho the hills may crumble." How true this is.
There are three ways in which we can view what the Word of the Lord is. First of all, the Word of the Lord is the preached Word. When someone proclaims the message of the gospel, in an important way, that is the Word of the Lord. The Lord said that His Word would not return to Him void. When the message of the Lord is proclaimed and the seed is sown, those who hear the Word will have one of two reactions. Either they will accept the message and apply it to their lives, or they will reject the message and continue in sin and rebellion against God.
The Bible is the Word of the Lord. I firmly believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of the Lord. Those of us who are followers of the Lord Jesus should be diligent students of the Bible. I will speak more about this in a few moments.
In the truest sense, Jesus is the Word of the Lord. Jesus is the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's Word to the world. For this reason, all sermons and anything that we read in the Bible must be interpreted through the life and message of Jesus. He is the final word and authority in all matters of faith.
Because God's Word stands forever, we should lay aside the sins that so easily beset us. Peter mentions malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking. In other words, we should be people who speak the truth. We should speak words that heal and not words that hurt and demean other people who like us are made in the image of God. Also, we must guard against hypocrisy. This is the sin that Jesus spoke against the most. We should not say one thing and do another. The Pharisees of Jesus' day were condemned by Jesus for their hypocrisy. We must follow Jesus and not the path of the Pharisees.
In addition to laying aside sin, we are desire the sincere milk of the Word. The Word of the Lord should be our spiritual food. Just as we need physical food to survive, we need spiritual food to feed our souls and survive spiritually.
One way that we demonstrate our desire for the milk of the Word is through the reading and studying of the Bible. Unfortunately, Biblical illiteracy is growing in the United States and in many other parts of the Western world. Even in many conservative and evangelical churches, the average member sitting in the pew does not have even a basic understanding of the stories and themes found in the Bible.
I hope that if you claim to be a follower of Jesus, that you are spending time daily in the Bible. Through the study of the Bible, we know what Jesus expects of us. We know what pleases the Lord and how we are to respond to the situations that we encounter in this life.
I have heard several people express that they have a hard time reading and studying the Bible. I would just like to give a few suggestions that might help you get started reading and studying God's Word. First of all, find a version of the Bible that you can read well. In this day and age, there are many different versions and translations of the Bible available in the English language. Whatever your reading level might be, there is a version for you.
The two versions of the Bible that I enjoy reading the most are the New King James Version and the New American Standard Version. I use the King James Version for the most part here on the blog because of copyright issues. I also memorized most the the verses I know from the King James. I love the poetic language of the King James, but I know that many find it difficult to read.
If you have difficulty reading these versions, the New International Version and the New Living Translation are very easy to read and understand.
If you are new to reading the Bible, read the Gospels first. Start with Mark. I think that it is the easiest to understand. Also, read the Psalms. They are beautiful and filled with deep meaning. After reading the Gospels, read the epistles of I, II and III John as well as James, I and II Peter and Hebrews. Then, move on from there.
In order to understand the full context of what you are reading, commentaries and study Bibles are helpful. I like the Wycliffe Commentary. Other commentaries that are good are the Everyman Bible Commentaries, and the New International Commentary on the New Testament. Many people find the Matthew Henry Commentary helpful.
My favorite study Bibles are the Nelson Study Bible and the Disciples Study Bible. Many other study Bibles are available.
It is my hope that everyone who reads this blog will be a student of the Bible. Read and study it everyday.
As we should desire the milk of the Word found in the Bible, are ultimate desire should be for Jesus who is God's final and ultimate Word. We should speak to the Lord Jesus every single day of our lives. I am finding as I go through life that I have to talk to Jesus and spend time with Him throughout the day. He speaks to my heart and lets me know that He is with me no matter what I am facing at the moment. I know that I could not have gone through the problems that I have faced in the last few years if the Lord Jesus had not been with me helping me to get through each day.
I would encourage you to spend time with Jesus in prayer and meditation on a daily basis. At least once everyday if not several times each day.
When we spend time with Jesus and we read the Bible, we will grow in the faith and become mature Christians. That is what the Lord Jesus desires.
Next week, we will take a break from our series in I Peter. The week after, we will resume our study in I Peter. On Monday, I will post the verses and on Wednesday, I hope to have a review. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Book Review -- Tobit's Dog
Today I am reviewing the book entitled "Tobit's Dog" written by Michael Nicholas Richards. This book is a fictionalized account of the book of Tobit which is found in the Old Testament in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles and is included in the Apocrypha by many Protestant churches.
In this book, the author moves the setting of the story from Nineveh in the time before Christ to the period just before World War II in the American South when racism was a terrible problem.
Those who love dogs probably know that the book of Tobit mentions that when Tobias and the archangel Raphael in disguise went on their journey, Tobias' dog went with them. In the book, "Tobit's Dog" the dog is named Okra and he plays a much more prominent role than the dog in the book of Tobit. I won't say more than that and give the story away.
I felt that this book was very well done. The story was quite believable, and the author did a great job of setting the story in a more modern setting. Some of the instances from the book of Tobit are changed around so that they aren't as supernatural in their presentation.
I would recommend this book to those looking for a good story with a moral message. It also has a good dog character.
For those who have never read the book of Tobit in the Bible, I would recommend that you read it too. It is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I would also recommend that you read I and II Maccabees and Judith as well.
In this book, the author moves the setting of the story from Nineveh in the time before Christ to the period just before World War II in the American South when racism was a terrible problem.
Those who love dogs probably know that the book of Tobit mentions that when Tobias and the archangel Raphael in disguise went on their journey, Tobias' dog went with them. In the book, "Tobit's Dog" the dog is named Okra and he plays a much more prominent role than the dog in the book of Tobit. I won't say more than that and give the story away.
I felt that this book was very well done. The story was quite believable, and the author did a great job of setting the story in a more modern setting. Some of the instances from the book of Tobit are changed around so that they aren't as supernatural in their presentation.
I would recommend this book to those looking for a good story with a moral message. It also has a good dog character.
For those who have never read the book of Tobit in the Bible, I would recommend that you read it too. It is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I would also recommend that you read I and II Maccabees and Judith as well.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Verses For the Week
Lamentations 3:21-23-- "This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
Mark 8:36 -- "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
John 15:15 -- "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called your friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
Mark 8:36 -- "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
John 15:15 -- "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called your friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
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