Verses For the Week

    I hope that everyone is successfully memorizing the verses that I have posted so far.  Here are the memory verses for this week.

Matthew 5;6 -- "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Revelation 21:1 -- "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also, there was no more sea."

Weekend Sermon -- "Apostles' Creed" -- "He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate."

     Thank you for joining me for another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I look forward each week to being able to write up and post these messages.  I hope that they are of benefit to you who read them.
     I had a job interview this week, and it seemed to go fairly well.  I am considering a job change, so please pray with me about this.  I really want to go into full-time ministry work, so pray that I can find the resources to do this.  I have wanted to sell my house in order to get the money I need, but every time I try to sell it, something happens.  The roof had some damage again in the winds.  The contractors all want too much to fix it, so I am going to try and go up on the roof tomorrow and see if I can repair it.  I am very afraid to go up on the roof.  I'm not sure that I can do it, so please pray for me that I won't fall off the roof, and if I can't get the courage to get up there, pray that I can find someone to fix it at a reasonable rate.
     This week, please pray for the people of Fiji who experienced a terrible storm.  There is a lot of damage there.  Pray for aid and help to reach those people.
     Let us also continue to pray for peace in the world.  Syria, Iraq, Libya, and South Sudan are just a few of the nations in this world that need our prayers.
     As we pray for the nations of the world to hear the message of Jesus' love this week, let us pray for Suriname, Turkey, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
     For the last few weeks, we have been in a series of messages about the Apostles' Creed.  We have been examining the Creed section by section to see what it has to teach us about the important doctrines of the Christian faith.  Last week, we examined the importance of the doctrine of the Virgin birth of Jesus. There are a few things that I want to discuss about the relevance of this doctrine before I move on to the next section of the Creed.
     It is important for us to recognize the fact that Jesus actually came in the flesh.  He was not a spirit who appeared as if He possessed a physical body.  The false doctrine that Jesus did not come in the flesh began early on in the church.  The Apostle John writing in I John 1:1 touches on the the fact that this doctrine was starting even in his day.  John makes the point that he saw Jesus, and he touched Jesus' physical body.
     The idea that the physical body is evil and impure and is somehow imprisoning the spirit developed in the Gnostic beliefs and in other religions.  This teaching is contrary to all of Scripture.  Everything that God created is good.  God created our physical bodies, and although they are touched by the effects of sin, they will one day be redeemed along with all of creation.
    One day, the Bible teaches, we will receive a glorified body just like Jesus' glorified body.  The Bible teaches a bodily resurrection.  Paul speaks about this in I Thessalonians and in I Corinthians 15.  Jesus spoke about the fact that those who were in the grave would rise bodily when He made His glorious return.
     Some Christians hold to the mistaken notion that when we die we will just be a spirit that is in Heaven.  This is not what the Bible teaches.  We will receive a new body, and we will rule and reign with Jesus Christ upon this earth when He establishes His kingdom that will have no end.
     Jesus taking upon Himself human flesh demonstrates the importance of the physical creation.  It demonstrates that God has and will redeem us in body, soul and spirit.
     Now, let us turn our attention to the the phrase, "He suffered under Pontius Pilate."  I don't want to focus on the crucifixion of Jesus per se as we examine this section of the Creed.  What I do want to point out is that this phrase points to the fact that Jesus was a real figure of history.  The Creed fixes Jesus at a specific place and time in human affairs.
     Pilate was an historical figure, and we have historical proof that he actually existed and ruled as the governor of the area of Judea.  Jesus lived and ministered during this time.  He suffered and died during a set historical period.
     Jesus was not the figment of some people's imagination.  He was the living and breathing God man.  There is a great deal of historical evidence that Jesus lived.  I think that the greatest proof of Jesus' actual historical existence is evidenced in the actions of His Apostles.  They were willing to suffer terribly, and all of the Apostles but one were killed for their faith in Jesus.  I seriously doubt that they all would have been willing to do this for something that they just fabricated.
     The entire Bible is concerned with history, and historical evidence helps to bring validity to the Bible's accounts.  For instance, there is much evidence for the events of the reign of King Hezekiah.  Other kings are also verified by history.  It makes for a very interesting study to examine all of the accounts of the Bible that are confirmed by history and archaeology.
     There is another important aspect of the phrase, "He suffered under Pontius Pilate" that I would like to discuss.  Jesus suffered.  I believe that Jesus' entire life involved suffering.  Think about it.  As the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Jesus enjoyed all of the splendors of Heaven.  In order to redeem us and put the cosmic order back to right, Jesus came to this earth in the form of a servant as Paul puts it in Philippians.  Leaving all that to become a man had to be suffering in and of itself.  As a man, Jesus would have suffered what is common to all people all this earth.
     However, Jesus suffered as no man has ever suffered.  Jesus as the Lamb of God took our sins upon Himself as He was on the cross.  He suffered separation from His Heavenly Father at this time causing Jesus to cry out, "My God, My God.  Why have you forsaken Me."  How Jesus must have suffered at this time.  I can't even imagine it.
     Jesus went through all of this for you and me.  He suffered and died so that we might be redeemed and have forgiveness of sins and a new life in Him.  He calls us now to place our faith and trust in His work on the cross.  He invites us to make Him the Savior and Lord of our lives.
     I have discussed many different topics this week.  Next week, we will continue with our study of the Apostles' Creed.  I will post the memory verses on Monday.  I hope to have a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

   

Verses For the Week

     I hope that everyone was able to memorize the verses from last week.  Here are two more verses to memorize.

Matthew 5:5 -- "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

Psalm 19:1 -- "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork."

Weekend Sermon -- Apostles Creed -- "Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary"

     Welcome to this week's posting of the Weekend Sermon.  Thank you for joining me today, and thank you for reading the blog.  I hope that you all are doing well.
     This has been an eventful week for me.  I've been working hard on several projects.  I had to go to the doctor as I am having a few problems.  Please pray that I will feel better.  Also, please continue to pray for my friend's family during this time of sorrow.
     I had a little wind damage to my roof again.  I thought that we had that fixed, but apparently not.  Please pray that I will be able to get this fixed without too much expense.  This is becoming very frustrating.
     In prayer this week, remember to pray for peace.  Syria, Iraq and Libya continue to be plagued by war.  Also, pray for an end the the zika virus.  This is really bad in some parts of the world right now.
     As we pray for the spread of the message of Jesus this week, let us pray for Senegal, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo.
     For the past several weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the Apostles' Creed.  Last week, our focus was on the section dealing with Jesus who is our Lord and God's only Son.
     Everything in the Christian faith centers around the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Who is He and what did He do?  
     The Bible and the Creed are quite clear that Jesus is the Son of God.  The section that we will study today is a reiteration of this important point.  Our section today examines in what way Jesus is the Son of God.  He is the only begotten Son just as Jesus Himself points out in John 3:16.
     Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  This may not seem like a vital theological concept, but it is.
     The account of Jesus' birth says that Mary was a virgin just as had been foretold by Isaiah the prophet.  When Mary accepted the call that God placed on her life, she was overshadowed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb.
     The belief in the virgin birth is important because it clearly demonstrates the divinity of the Lord Jesus.  He did not have a human father.  He was the God man.  God was His Father.  Because Jesus did not have a human father, Jesus was not born with original sin.  Therefore, He could be without original sin and actual sin allowing Him to be the spotless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
     Jesus was the Son of God and the Second Person of the Holy Trinity from eternity past.  He became the only begotten Son at His birth.
     Some theologians have tried throughout history to denigrate the Virgin birth and promote various other theories.  One of these is adoptionism.  This theory states that Jesus was born as an ordinary man, but He became the Son of God either at His baptism or resurrection.  There is no Scriptural support for this idea, and the Creed rejects this idea.  Other more liberal theologians reject the Virgin birth because they deny anything supernatural.  Many also deny the divinity of Jesus Christ.
     Jesus Christ was the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who humbled Himself and took upon Himself the form of a person.  He lived a perfect, holy and sinless life.  He was tempted in all ways like we are, yet He was without sin.  He came to show us the way that we ought to live.  He demonstrated to us what a perfect life lived before God looks like.  Jesus then died on the cross to free of from sin and the wrath of God that our sin deserves.  He bore our sins in His body.  He died for us, and then He rose again from the dead conquering the consequences of sin.
     Jesus could do this because He was the God-man.  He was fully divine and fully human in one person.  The doctrine of the Virgin birth is one factor which demonstrates the divinity and humanity of Jesus.  It demonstrates who Jesus was.
     The portion of the Creed that we are studying today also demonstrates that the Holy Trinity was involved in the work of salvation.  God the Father sent Jesus Christ His Son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Also we are redeemed by Jesus, God becomes our Father and we are filled and sealed by the Holy Spirit.  Furthermore, we are sealed to the day of redemption by the Spirit, we are in the hands of our Savior Jesus and God the Father has everything wrapped up in His hands.
     I hope the words that I have written today go a little ways in demonstrating the importance of the doctrine of the Virgin birth.  I hope that if you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior that you will come to know him today.
     Next week, we will continue our series on the Apostles' Creed.  I will post the verses on Monday.  There will not be a review this Wednesday, but they will resume the following week.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Book Review -- "The Old Man and the Cat"

     The book I am reviewing this week is entitled "The Old Man and the Cat" written by Swedish author Nils Uddenberg.  In this book, the author details how a stray cat adopted him and his wife.  At first, the couple did not really want a cat around.  However, the cat gradually became a part of their lives.  The author especially notes that he wasn't really an animal person, but after having the cat around, he is now a cat lover.

    This book was not at all what I thought it would be when I purchased it.  While the book is interesting, it is not as good as the other cat books I've recommended here on the blog in the past.  The author more or less analyzes his relationship to the cat.  The entire book seems rather bland, in my opinion.  

    There was one aspect of the book that I particularly disliked.  On several occasions, the author disparages dogs.  This is a quick way to get me to not like a book.  While I like cats a lot, I love dogs and think that they are the greatest creatures made by God.  I get turned off fast to people who have bad things to say about dogs.

    Overall, I didn't really enjoy this book, and I can't say that I would recommend it.  There are a lot of better cat books on the market to enjoy.

Verses For the Week

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible.  It is just two verses long.  This week, let us memorize Psalm 117, and then we can say we have memorized an entire chapter of the Bible.

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

Weekend Sermon -- James 4:14

     Welcome to a new posting of the Weekend Sermon.  It is my prayer that all of you are doing well and having a good day.  Thank you for reading the blog.
     For those of you who didn't read Wednesday's posting, my friend passed away on Tuesday. It is a very sad time.  He died suddenly, and those who knew him are shocked.  I would ask you to please pray for his wife and two children during this difficult time.
     Please pray for me.  I had to go to the doctor this week.  I have an infection in my jaw.  The doctor thinks that it will get better with the medicine I am on.  Otherwise, I'm doing fairly well.  I am always grateful for your prayers on my behalf.
     In prayer this week, remember those who are suffering from the various illnesses that are on this planet.  Hawaii is having an outbreak of dengue fever, and the zika virus is bad in central and South America.  Pray that this will all end.  Remember to pray for peace around the world.
     Let us continue to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus around the world.  Pray for the nations of Burkina Faso, Togo, Turkmenistan and India.
     For the past few weeks, we have been in a study of the Apostles' Creed.  Today, I want to step away from that series for just one week and speak about something that always comes to my mind when those I know pass away.
     James 4:14 is a verse that speaks eloquently about the brevity of life.  It states, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
     Even if you live a long time, life is short.  No one knows what a day will bring forth.  It can vanish just like a vapor as James says.  Two people who are close to me died suddenly.  My Dad was almost 80 years old when he had a stroke while at the veterinarian's office.  My friend who just passed away was only 49 years old.  I'd just spoken to him on the phone two days before he died, and he was fine then.
     No one is guaranteed a tomorrow.  That is why it is important to do what is necessary today.  This makes me think of of few things that are important to do today.
    First of all, the Bible says that today is the day of salvation.  It is imperative that a person decides his or her eternal destiny right now.  What we do with Jesus Christ will determine where we will spent eternity.  My Dad, my friend who just died, my Mom and my close family members all had placed their faith and trust in Jesus.  I know that they are in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ right now.  If you have not determined your eternal destiny, I urge you to make this the day of salvation and place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ right now.
     The second thing that it is necessary to do today is to express your love to those for whom you care the most.  Tell your friends and family, and show your friends and family, how much that you love them.
     Finally, the third thing that is necessary to begin to do today are those things that you have always wanted to do in life and those things that the Lord has called you to do with your life.  If you have a dream, start doing what is necessary today to make that dream a reality.  If it is a career, an activity, whatever, don't put it off.  If the Lord has called you to a particular ministry, begin today to do what the Lord has placed within your heart.
     For me, the death of my friend has placed a new sense of urgency in my heart to do what it is that I need to do to minister for the Lord in a greater way.  I am miserable at my new job,  It is time to make a change.  Today is the day to do what God had told me to do.
     Whenever someone close to me has died, I remember the words of my favorite passage of Scripture.  I read these verses at my Mom's service.  Jesus said in John 11:25-26, "I am the resurrection and the life:  he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."  
     Because Jesus rose again from the dead, death does not have the final word.  Death is a defeated enemy.  One day, all those who have died in Christ will be reunited with Jesus in the place that He has prepared.  I look forward to that day.
     Next week, we will continue with our series in the Apostles' Creed.  I will post the verses on Monday and a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

A Sad Day

    I won't be posting a review today.  My best friend died yesterday.  We'd been friends since we were in grade school.  Please pray for his wife and two children.  May the Lord be with them in this time of sorrow.
     I plan to post the sermon on Friday.  I just don't feel like posting anything else today.

Verses For the Week

Here are this week's two new memory verses

Matthew 5:4 -- "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

Isaiah 11:6 -- "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them."

Weekend Sermon -- Apostles Creed -- "I Believe in Jesus Christ, His Only Son Our Lord."

      Thank you all for joining me for another posting of the Weekend Sermon.  I really enjoy being able to post these messages, and I hope that they are of some benefit to those who read them.  I hope that this day finds you all well.
     A good friend of mine has been ill for the past few days, and I would like to ask you to please pray for him.  He told me that he is doing some better, but he isn't well yet.
     I've decided to look for a new job.  I would ask that you please pray for me in regards to this.
     Also, as we go to pray this week, let us remember to pray about all of the terrible diseases that are affecting our world right now.  I am especially concerned about the Zika virus.  Let us pray that this disease does not spread the way that the health experts say that it will.
     Let us pray for peace in this troubled world.  Remember to pray for Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Ukraine.
     So many people around the world still need to hear the message that Jesus loves them and has come to forgive them of their sins.  Please pray for the nations of Comoros, Mali, North Korea and Brunei that the message of Jesus might reach many people.
     We have been in our study of the Apostles' Creed for a few weeks now.  Last week, we finished the section of the Creed that concerns God the Father.  This week, we will begin the section that concerns the doctrine of God the Son who is Jesus Christ. This section of the Creed begins with the statement, "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord."
     Our faith is all wrapped up around the person and work of Jesus Christ.  It is vital that we have a proper understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done.  Being a Christian means following in the footsteps of Jesus.  The religion of Christianity is all about following Jesus.
     Because of the centrality of the person of Jesus to the Christian faith, the question of who Jesus is has been at the forefront of controversy.  Even when Jesus was ministering here on earth, people were asking who He was.  Just as in our current times, people had varying ideas of who Jesus is.
     Mark chapter 8 and Matthew 16 record the time when Jesus asked His disciples what the people thought about Him.  Some of the people thought that Jesus was a great teacher or one of the prophets who had returned to bring a message from God.  As we know, the religious leaders of Jesus' day thought that He was a false teacher, and they wanted to get rid of Him.
     Then, Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"  Peter stated, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God."
     In the early part of church history, the doctrine of who Jesus was and is was quite contentious.  Some groups stated that Jesus was not really a man, He only appeared to have a body.  Others thought that Jesus was a man who was adopted to be the Son of God at His baptism or at His resurrection.  Others stated that Jesus was the Son of God, but that He was not the same as God.  He was inferior or subordinate to the Father.
     As a result of numerous church councils, the orthodox doctrine of the person of Jesus Christ was worked out and detailed in the Nicene  and Chalcedonian Creeds.  As the Scripture clearly reveals, and we have seen this in our recent study of John, Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, the Eternal Son of the Father who took upon Himself human flesh.  He came into this world to show us the proper way to live.  He came to bear our sins in His body on the cross.  He came to set us free from sin and the consequences of sin.  Praise be to God, Christ has accomplished the work.
     The debate about who Jesus is and what He came to do is in full force today.  Even those who claim to be Jesus' followers in the church are telling forth unorthodox doctrines of who Jesus is.  Many today do not view Jesus as God.  Even in many churches, Jesus is viewed as only a good moral teacher.  Jesus, and what He did on the cross, is diminished.  Many even deny that Jesus rose bodily from the grave.
    Jesus' question that He asked of His followers those many years ago still rings out today.  Who do you say that I am?   It is a question that everyone must answer personally.  Is Jesus just a man who taught good things?  Was He just a deluded person who millions mistakenly follow?  Is Jesus God come in the flesh?
     The way that you answer that question is of eternal importance.  The Bible, and Jesus Himself, make it clear that Jesus is God the Son and the Son of God.  You must decide.  Will you believe what Jesus has said about Himself?  Will you accept Jesus as the Lord of your life and all that that entails?  The choice is yours.  What will you do with Jesus?
     Next week, we will explore more of what the Creed has to say about Jesus.  We will be especially concerned with the doctrine of the Virgin birth.  On Monday, I will post more Scriptures for memorization.  I will have a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Book Recommendations -- Poetry

     Today, I am not going to review a particular book.  What I want to do in today's post is to recommend to you some of the poets whose work I have enjoyed over the years.
     When I first started exploring the creative side of my life, I started writing poetry.  In my work as a writer, poetry is one of my main pursuits.  I've been privileged to have many poems published in literary journals.
     Part of being a writer and poet is reading the works of other writers and poets.  Here are just of few of the poets whose work has influenced me and whose work I enjoy reading.

    During the time of the English Civil War, there was a group of poets known as the Cavalier Poets. They supported Charles I during the war and his son Charles II during the restoration.  Their poetry is very beautiful and easy to read and understand.  Robert Herrick, Thomas Carew and Richard Lovelace are my favorites in this group.

     Without a doubt in my mind, William Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language.  His sonnets are worth reading over and over again.
 
     George Herbert was a pastor of a small church in rural England.  His poetry is very well done.  His religious verse is especially moving.

     Two other British poets whose work I admire, and whom I've studied a great deal are William Blake and William Wordsworth.  Blake's poem about the tiger is among my very favorite.

     Among early American poets, William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allan Poe are excellent.  I especially like Poe.  His poems have a great rhythm to them.  "The Bells" and "El Dorado" are my favorites along with "The Raven".  Poe was also a master of the short story.

     Moving on to more contemporary times, William Carlos Williams, Carl Sandburg and Robert Frost are three poets whose work I have read extensively.  Williams has the ability to express a lot in short passages.

     Robinson Jeffers wrote extensively on environmental themes.  I had the privilege to write an article about his work and the home he built near the Pacific Ocean.

     As I have stated on the blog previously, Mary Oliver is my favorite poet of current times.  When she releases a new volume of poems, I purchase it immediately.  She has been a great influence on my work.

     Finally, I would like to recommend the work of Juan Ramon Jimenez.  Jimenez won the Nobel prize for literature.  He is best known for his work "Platero and I."  This is a prose poem work that contains wonderfully descriptive language and deep emotions.  I have read it again and again.

    These are just a very few of the poets whose work I enjoy.  In some later blog posts, I will write more about some of the other poets whose work I like.

Verses For the Week

Here are two more verses to memorize.


Matthew 5:3 -- "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."