Verses For the Week and Some Various Thoughts

First, the verses for the week --

II Timothy 3:16-17 --  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Now, some various thoughts --

We are at the time of year when we think about the Reformation.  The two important themes of the Reformation are sola scriptura and sola fide.  This means Scripture alone and faith alone.  Protestants believe that the only way to salvation is by faith apart from works.  There can be no mixture of faith plus works.  You can't have faith plus anything.  Salvation is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Protestants also believe that the only authority of faith is the Bible alone.  This being the case, we need to be students of the Bible.  I would urge each of you to study the Bible in a systematic fashion.  Read the Bible everyday.  Also, study the Bible.  Really get into the depths of what the Bible has to say so that you will know all that the Lord has told you and what He would have you to do.

On another note.  Today is Halloween.  I get a lot of people who disagree with me on this when I say it, but I would urge you to think twice about celebrating anything having to do with Halloween.  Anything that celebrates death, devils and dark forces is something that Christians should stay away from.  I really believe that the Lord would have us focus on something that is more in keeping with His values.

Weekend Sermon -- "Ananias of Damascus"

     It is good to be with you for another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am thankful to the Lord for giving me the opportunity each week to share these messages.  I am also thankful to each of you who take the time to read what I post.
     I have good news to report this week.  As I've posted here in the past, I've been working on a religious book for awhile now.  The book is complete, and it is out to a publisher.  Please pray that all continues to go well with this project.  I have been working on poems quite a bit lately.  I hope to have several ready to submit for publication after the first of the year.
     In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those who have been affected by storms and natural disasters around the world.  Haiti, the Carolinas, the Philippines and Japan are recovering from natural disasters.  Please pray that these areas will receive the help that they need.
     Let us also continue to pray for peace around the world.  Syria and Iraq really need our prayers for peace at this time.  Also, let us pray for Christians around the world who may be suffering persecution.  May the Lord give them a strong awareness of His presence as they face difficult times.
    For our prayer focus countries this week, let's remember the nations of Malaysia and Liberia.  Pray that many people will respond to the message of the Gospel in these two nations.
     During the last several weeks for the sermon, we have been studying some less well-known Bible characters.  Today, we turn our attention to a man named Ananias who is known in the Bible do to his encounter with one of the most important figures in the New Testament. This Ananias is not the same Ananias who was struck down along with his wife for lying to the Holy Spirit.
     We find Ananias' story in Act chapter 9.  Saul of Tarsus had made a reputation for himself for being a harsh persecutor of Christians.  When the deacon Stephen was stoned to death for his faith in Jesus, Saul stood by and held the people's coats who were stoning Stephen.
    Chapter 9 of Acts begins by telling us that Saul was threatening the believers wherever he could find them.  Saul even decided to go as far as Damascus to find Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem.
     I don't know how far Saul would really have gotten with this endeavor.  I wonder if the Roman authorities would have stood by and let him just haul people out of the city against their will.  Nonetheless, Saul went to Damascus to find Christians and persecute them.  Apparently, many Jews must have converted to Christianity in order for Saul to be so determined to go up there.
    On his way to Damascus, the Lord appeared to Saul in a flashing light from Heaven.  Saul fell to the ground, and Jesus spoke to him.  Saul was blind and had to be led into the city.
     Here is where Ananias comes in.  The Lord appeared to Ananias in a vision and called his name.  Ananias said, "Here I am, Lord."  The Lord then told Ananias to go to a street called Straight and lay his hands on Saul so that Saul could recover his sight.
    At first, Ananias was reticent to go because he knew Saul's reputation as a persecutor of Christians.  However, Ananias went after the Lord told him that Saul had been chosen to preach to the Gentiles.
 Ananias went to Saul and called Saul his brother.  Ananias told Saul, "the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  The Bible says the Saul's sight was restored, and Saul then went and preached the good news in the synagogues of Damascus to the people's amazement.
     This is one of the great stories of the Bible.  A man like Saul can go from persecuting the church to being a great Apostle and missionary.  This is only possible by the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.
    There is so much that we can say about Saul, who later changed his name to Paul's life, but our focus today is on Ananias.
    Many in the early church believed that Ananias was one of the seventy disciples that Jesus sent out two by two to spread the message about Him.  It seems apparent that Ananias was a leader in the church of Damascus, and he may have played a role in introducing Christianity to that city.
     When I look at what the Bible says about Ananias, the first thing that I note is the fact that he was immediately ready to respond to the call of the Lord.  When the Lord called his name, Ananias said "Here am I, Lord."
     Just as Ananias was responsive to the Lord, we should be as well.  When the Lord calls our name, we should be willing to to what he tells us to do.  Ananias stands in stark contrast to someone like Jonah who heard the word of the Lord and went the opposite direction.  He didn't want to go anywhere near Nineveh.
     Ananias was at first a little taken aback by the idea of going near a great persecutor of the church.  However, when the Lord told Him it was OK, Ananias went without hesitation.  He was totally committed to doing the will of God no matter what that entailed.
     Two other people that come immediately to mind who were willing to immediately follow the Lord's will even in uncertain circumstances were Amos and Jeremiah.  Amos was a shepherd and a tender of trees when God called Him to go from the southern kingdom of Judah and preach a message of judgment against the northern kingdom of Israel.  Amos did exactly what he was told even though the religious authorities in Israel opposed him.  Jeremiah had to give a hard message, and he was persecuted at every turn.  But, Jeremiah always followed the Lord's instructions to him.
     Ananias, Amos and Jeremiah are good examples to us.  We should not run from the will of the Lord.  For some of you, Jesus has told you to do a specific thing for Him.  I urge you to be obedient and follow the Lord's will.
     All of us have been given the task by the Lord to spread the Gospel.  All of us have been commanded to follow Jesus and emulate Him so that others may want to know more about the Savior we love and serve.  Don't stop following and serving the Lord.  Always seek to be obedient to Him.
    One other thing stands out about Ananias to me.  He addressed Saul as his brother right away.  Ananias recognized the fact that with God nothing is impossible and there is no sinner that Jesus cannot save.  Even though Saul had contributed to the martyrdom of  Stephen, and he had mercilessly persecuted Christians, Ananias believed that the Lord could save and redeem even someone like Saul.
     I think of my Dad when I think of people whose lives were radically transformed by the Lord Jesus.  My Dad never went to church as a boy, and as an adult he didn't want to have anything to do with religion.  My Dad drank a lot, and he lived with a woman for many years without being married to her.  My Dad got into fights a lot, and people were afraid of him.
     Several years later when my Mom and Dad were first married and I was just born, my Mom started going to church again.  One Saturday afternoon, the minister of that church came to visit my Mom.  She wasn't at home, but my Grandpa and my Dad were there.  That minister took the time to share the message of Jesus with my Dad.  That Saturday afternoon, my Dad repented of his sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  From that day forward, his life was totally transformed.
     From that day, my Dad never drank again.  He gave up his old ways of living.  He became a new creation in Christ.
     I never experienced my Dad the way he was before.  My only memories of him are as a devoted follower of Jesus who worked to bring others to Jesus and who served in various ministries of the church.
     When you see what the Lord can do in the lives of people like Saul and my Dad, you know that the Lord can and does bring anyone who calls upon Him to salvation.
     Ananias was ready to accept Saul as his brother in Christ.  Many people would not.  In fact, many people were suspicious of Saul throughout his ministry.
     This same thing happened with my Dad.  Many people in his hometown just couldn't accept the fact that he was a new man in Jesus.  They just wanted to view him as the man he was before.  Some church people even did this.
     We must be people who invite all to be our brothers and sisters in Christ.  If the Lord has provided salvation to someone, let's recognize that and encourage new believers in their walk with the Lord.  The Lord can do a work in anyone's life, Let's rejoice when that happens.  That's what the angels do.  They rejoice when a soul comes to the Lord.
     Ananias doesn't have anything else recorded about him in Scripture,  Church history tells us that he continued to minister for the Lord until he died a martyr's death.
     I just want to conclude this message with an invitation to anyone who does not know Jesus as Savior and Lord.  You can call upon the Lord in repentance and faith right now, and the Lord will hear you and forgive you.  Please, don't let another day go by without turning your life over to the Lord Jesus Christ.
     Next week, I will post a couple of verses on Monday.  There will be a review on Wednesday, and we will continue our series on less well-known Bible characters on Friday with a look at a character from the Old Testament.  May God bless you all. Amen.

Book Review -- "Cat Under Fire"

     As those of you who have read this blog for awhile know, I love the Joe Grey books written by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.  Earlier this year, I posted a very positive review of the newest book in the series called "Cat Shout For Joy."
     There are 19 books in the Joe Grey series, and I have read them all.  Some of them I've read more than once.  A little over a year ago, I posted on the blog that I was going to read the entire series again and post a short review on each title.  I posted a review on "Cat On the Edge", but that is as far as I got.  I got involved in reading many other books, and I've been really busy writing my religious book and with other work.
     Today, I would like to post a review on the second book in the Joe Grey series entitled, "Cat Under Fire."  In this book, Joe and his cat friend Dulcie are investigating the suspicious death of a local artist.  The artist was killed in a fire, and a young man is on trial for the crime.  Dulcie just doesn't believe that he is the one responsible for the artist's death, and she enlists a reluctant Joe to help her find the real killer.
     This book starts to really build the relationships between the characters that will be become regulars throughout the Joe Grey series.  We learn more about Joe's friends Clyde, Wilma and Charlie, and we get a good mystery as well.
     This is one of my favorite books in the Joe Grey series, and I highly recommend, "Cat Under Fire."

Verses For the Week

Here are the two verses for the week.  They are from the same passage.  I Corinthians 15 is one of the great chapters of the New Testament.

I Corinthians 15:51-52 -- "Behold, I tell you a mystery:  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed -- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Weekend Sermon -- "Gaius and Diotrephes"

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am glad that you stopped by to read the sermon this week, and I hope and pray that everyone is doing well.
     This week, I started a new writing project.  I am putting the finishing touches on my religious book, and now I am going to work on a novel that I've been planning out for quite some time.  I also worked on some poetry recently, so writing is going well, and this always makes me happy.
     In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those who have suffered as a result of the natural disasters around the world.  People in the United States and Haiti are still recovering from the hurricane, and there has been earthquake damage in Japan.  Pray that people will receive the aid that they need.
    Also, let us continually pray for peace.  Syria and Iraq are especially on my mind.  Pray that these two war torn countries will have peace.
    I heard a report this week about the persecution that the Christian community is facing in Pakistan.  Pray that believers in Pakistan will be strong in the faith and that many people in that nation will respond to the message of Jesus.
    For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for Sierra Leone and Myanmar.  Pray that many will hear the Gospel in these two areas.
    For the last couple of weeks, we have been in a series of messages on some of the less well-known people in the Bible.  Last week, we focused our attention on Matthias and Justus.  This week, we will turn our attention to III John and focus on Gaius and Diotrephes.  These two men present quite a contrast.
     III John was written by the Apostle John to a church that he had founded on one of his missionary journeys.  This third epistle of John is written to a man by the name of Gaius who was a prominent member of the congregation.
     In the opening verses of III John, John expresses his wish that Gaius would be in good health and prosper just as Gaius' soul prospered.  This tells me that Gaius was a man who was a committed follower of Jesus.  His soul prospered because his soul was filled with the peace of Christ, he had received the eternal and abundant life that only Jesus can bring.
     III John 4 says that Gaius was someone who obeyed the truth.  In other words, he was man of sound doctrinal belief.  Gaius knew what was right, and he followed it.  He followed John's instructions.  Of course, John taught the teachings and commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ.
     Gaius received commendation from John because Gaius was a man that showed hospitality to those who were traveling preachers.  In the time when III John was written, traveling ministers would go from city to city spreading the message of Jesus.  They would rely on the support of other Christians to help them carry out their mission for the Lord.  Gaius helped these traveling ministers so that they would be able to continue with their missionary endeavors.
     Now, John had a lot of good things to say about Gaius, but that is not the case with a man named Diotrephes.  John said that Diotrephes was man that liked to be leader, and he would not listen to what the Apostle John had to say.  Diotrephes was an authority unto himself, and he thought that his knowledge was greater than that of the Apostle John.
     Diotrephes not only attacked John's leadership, Diotrephes didn't show hospitality to the traveling ministers.  Instead, he threw the missionaries out of the church.  Diotrephes didn't want anyone else preaching in his church or getting any support from it.
     So, what can we learn from these two men.  For one thing, from Gaius we can learn the importance of following the truth and obeying the truth.  The Lord has called all of His followers to be obedient to His teachings and commandments.  Jesus said that we would be called His friends if we did those things that He commanded.
     From Gaius, we can also learn that we need to be hospitable to others and we need to aid others as they seek to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There are billions of people on this planet who have not accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.  The church needs to send more missionaries and evangelists out into this world, and these individuals will need our support to reach this world.  As the Lord has enabled each of us, let us give to help spread the message of the Gospel.
     Only 30 percent of the people in this world are Christians of any type.  That means that at least 70 percent of the people in this world are a mission field.  Jesus said that the fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few.  Let us support those who are willing to labor in the harvest field for the Lord.
     Let us also not forget that Jesus has given a Great Commission to each of us to spread the Gospel.  We all have a duty to tell others about the love, forgiveness and salvation offered by the Lord Jesus.
     Now, what can we learn from Diotrephes.  We can learn not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.  Instead of being like this man, we need to be people who exhibit a spirit of humility in imitation of the humility of the Lord Jesus.  Diotrephes shows us how not to behave.  Don't be like him.
     One think that strikes me from III John is the fact of how I want to be remembered.  Since III John was written almost 2,000 years ago, Gaius has been remembered for faithfulness and obedience while Diotrephes has been remembered for his arrogance and his opposition to an Apostle of the Lord.
     We need to think about how we want to be remembered.  We need to think about our reputation.  If someone should write an enduring work about our lives, I hope that each of us can live such a life that we will be commended like Gaius and not criticized like Diotrephes.
     In III John 11 John writes, "don't imitate the evil deeds of others, but follow the example of people who do kind deeds.  They are God's children, but those who are always doing evil have never seen God."  This is a good word for us all.  Let us be people of kindness and goodness who flee from evil and always seek to imitate and follow Jesus Christ.
     Maybe you are reading this message and you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus.  Jesus died on the cross to save you from your sins.  He bore our sins in his body on the cross.  He received the punishment that we deserved.  Jesus took our sins on the cross, and He defeated the consequences of sin when He rose bodily from the grave.
     Jesus invites you to call upon Him and ask Him to forgive you of your sins.  He asks you to believe in His resurrection and to accept Him as the Lord of your life.  If you have never asked Jesus into your life, I hope that you will do so today.
     Next week, I will post the verses on Monday.  I will have a review on Wednesday, and we will continue with our series on less well-known Bible characters on Friday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Book Recommendations

     Today, I would like to discuss some books that I've been thinking about recently.  As many of you are aware, October 4 was the day that Saint Francis of Assisi is remembered.  On that day, many churches will have a blessing of the animals service.
     I've read a lot of books about St. Francis over the years.  One that is particularly good was written by G.K Chesteron.  Also, St Bonaventure wrote a biography of St. Francis that is interesting.  I would also urge you to find a copy of the complete writings of St. Francis.  These are available in several different editions.
    Now, I want to switch gears entirely and recommend one of my very favorite books that I've been thinking about recently.  I first read "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London when I was in third grade.  Since then, I've read that book several more times.  Buck is one of the great characters of literature.  This is a great story about the desire for freedom.
     "White Fang" is another great Jack London book. I also like the "White Fang" movie with Ethan Hawke.  The sequel is fairly good, but not as good as the first one.
     Reading "The Call of the Wild" caused me to love dogs even more than I already did.  Dogs have always been an important part of my life, and I hope that they always will be.
   

Verses For the Week -- Verses About Truth

John 4:24 -- "God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth."

I John 3:18 -- "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

Weekend Sermon -- "Matthias and Justus"

     Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am glad to be with you today to post the sermon, and I hope that all of you are having a very good day.
     This has been a difficult week for me.  I haven't been feeling very well again in many different ways.  I would ask that you would please pray that I will get to feeling better again.  On a positive note, I was able to come up with a lot of new ideas to write about.  I have a new book planned, and I have been working on poetry.
     In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those affected by the hurricanes.  Bermuda, Haiti and parts of the United States have experienced significant damage.  Also, please pray for an end to the Zika virus.
     We've been praying for peace in several countries over the past weeks.  Let us continue to pray for peace in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.  For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for Benin and Uzbekistan that many in these two nations will hear the message of the love of Jesus.
     For the last couple of weeks, we have been in a series of messages on less well-known characters from the Bible.  So far, we have looked at two characters from the book of Jeremiah.  Today, we will look at two characters from the New Testament.
     As most of you I am sure already know, Jesus originally chose twelve of his followers to be his core group of disciples.  Judas Iscariot would go on and betray Jesus.  Following this betrayal, Judas went and committed suicide.  This reduced the number of disciples to eleven.
     After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Bible tells us that there were 120 people who were Jesus' committed followers.  This group included the eleven disciples, Jesus' mother Mary, Jesus' brothers and some others.  I am sure that this group also included Mary Magdalene, the women who went to the tomb of the Lord and Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
     When the disciples returned to the room where the 120 were gathered.  Peter told the assembly that it was necessary to bring the number of apostles back up to twelve as originally set out by Jesus.  Peter would go on to set down the criteria for who could be chosen.
     Peter said that those qualified had to have been a follower of Jesus since Jesus started His ministry when baptized by John.  This person would have had to have followed Jesus throughout His ministry and been there right up until the Ascension.
     When they made an investigation based on these criteria, two men met these qualifications.  There names where Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas also called Justus.
     Peter prayed to the Lord that the right person would be chosen, and then lots were cast.  The lot fell on Matthias, and he was chosen to be the twelfth apostle.
     The Bible doesn't record anything else about either one of these men.  In fact, the Bible has little to say about most of the Apostles except for Peter, John and James.  What do we know about Matthias and Justus?
     Church history tells us that Matthias went on to preach the Gospel in Ethiopia.  After that, he returned to Judea where he suffered a martyrs death.  Church history tells us that Justus went on to become the bishop of a town called Eleutheropolis.  Justus also suffered death for his faith in Jesus Christ.
     So, what can we learn from these two men.  First of all, I learn from these two that there were others who followed Jesus whose names aren't recorded in the Gospels.  Luke 10 does tell us that Jesus sent out seventy disciples two by two to spread His message.  I am pretty sure that Matthias and Justus were part of this group.
     These two men were very faithful to Jesus.  They were probably originally disciples of John the Baptist just as Peter and John were.  When they saw Jesus after His baptism, they decided to follow Him.  They remained with Jesus even after so many abandoned Jesus after His teaching that is recorded in John 6.
     These two men were never in the spotlight.  They weren't part of the inner circle.  However, they were faithful followers of Jesus.  Most of us will never be famous pastors or missionaries.  We are just ordinary Christians who are doing our best to serve the Lord.  Just like these two men, we keep trying to serve Jesus the best we can where we are placed.  Just because they weren't famous, so to speak, they still were able to serve the Lord and spread the message of His love.
     Justus in this account teaches me some important truths.  He was passed over for the top leadership post twice.  When Jesus chose the original twelve, Justus wasn't among that number, and the lot fell on Matthias and not on him.  Some people would have been very discouraged about all of this, and they may have had the attitude that if Jesus didn't think they were good enough that they would just stop following Him.
     This was not Justus' attitude at all.  He never gave up trying to serve Jesus.  Justus never went on to great fame.  He was a bishop of a church in a small area.  But he did his best to serve Jesus to the point that He was willing to lay down His life for his Savior and King.
     Not all of us can be the leaders.  Not all of us are prophets or teachers.  In I Corinthians 12, Paul makes it clear that not every one is equipped with every spiritual gift.  The Lord has given to each one of us a gift and a mission.  We are all members of the body.  Each member has to perform his or her function so that the body of Christ can move in unity to accomplish the task Jesus has given to us.
     I know that when I started out in the ministry, I had these big dreams of having a big church.  However, that is not the way the Lord had directed the path of my life.  He has allowed me to be a minister through the written word and through this blog.
     Each of us needs to find out what it is that the Lord wants us to do for Him, and we need to do it with gladness.  No matter what it is you are doing for Jesus, it is important.  If you are doing all you can for Jesus out of love for Him, Jesus is pleased.  No one else can do what you are doing because the Lord Jesus chose you to do it knowing that you would be the best person to carry out that task.
     Matthias and Justus inspire me because they mainly served behind the scenes, but they were always faithful.  They served Jesus right from the beginning and they never wavered in their faithfulness right up until when they gave their lives for Jesus.
     I hope that I can be faithful like these two men.  I may not be a famous Christian, but I am trying to do what Jesus would have me do until the day that I see Him.  I hope that when I see Him He says
"Well done."  That is my prayer.  I hope that that is your desire as well.
     One other lesson that I learn from these two men is that we have to trust our lives to the Lord having faith that He knows what is best for us.  We may have a dream or a desire and we wonder why it hasn't been realized.  Our lives may have gone a different way than we thought they would.  We have to have faith in Jesus believing that He has placed us where we need to be for His honor and glory.  By faith we need to believe that Jesus has us where we need to be at the right time.
     Next week, we will be back in the Old Testament to look at some more less well-known Bible characters.  On Monday I will post the verses.  I am not sure at this point if there will be a review on Wednesday.  I am catching up on my reading, so we will just have to see.  May God bless you all.  Thank you for reading the blog.  Amen.

Book Review -- "The Poet's Dog"

     "The Poet's Dog" written by Patricia MacLachlan is a book for younger readers, but it would certainly make enjoyable reading for those of any age.  This book begins with two children named Nickel and Flora who become lost in a snow storm.  These two are discovered by a Wolfhound named Teddy, who takes the children to a cottage in the woods that he shared with a poet named Sylvan.
     The children soon realize that Teddy can speak to them.  Sylvan told Teddy that only poets and children would be able to understand the dog speaking.
     Teddy and the children wait out the storm and enjoy one another's company.  Along the way, we learn about Sylvan and Teddy, and why Teddy is now alone in the cabin.
     This is a very short book, but it contains a great deal of emotion in few words.  I believe that the short length of the book helps to heighten its impact on the reader.  The style of writing is perfect for the story and the message that it brings.

Verses For the Week -- Verses About Unity

Psalm 133:1 -- "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity."

I Corinthians 12:12 -- "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all of the members of the body, though they are many are one body, so also is Christ."

Weekend Sermon -- "Baruch"

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  It is my prayer that all of you are doing well today.  I am glad to be with you.
     I have been working hard on my various writing projects.  As a mentioned, one of the book projects that I have been working on is complete.  I have two other book projects in mind.  I am going to wait on one until the book I've just finished is published since they are both religious books.  I do have a novel I am about to start.  Please pray that the Lord will help me with my writing.
     As you are in prayer this week, please pray for those who are in the path of hurricane Matthew.  Pray that this storm will dissipate and cause as little damage as possible.  Also, pray for those in Haiti who have been devastated by this storm.  Pray that they will receive the aid that they need.
     The church I attend has a special emphasis on helping Haiti.  One of the members of my church directs an international medical aid mission, and they will be headed to Haiti shortly.  Please pray for them.
     Also in prayer, please remember to pray for peace in the world.  Pray especially for Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for the nations of Indonesia and Togo.  Pray that many in these countries will hear the message of Jesus' love.
     Before we get into the message, I just wanted to say thank you to the Lord for keeping us all safe from the bad storms last night that were around where I live.
     Last week, we began a series of messages on less well-known characters from the Bible.  In last week's sermon, we studied Ebed-Melech.
     In today's message, we stay in the book of Jeremiah and focus our attention upon a man named Baruch.
     First, we need to get a little background information on the situation in which we find Baruch.  The prophet Jeremiah had been given the task by the Lord to tell the people that if they did not turn from their wicked ways, they would be taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  Jeremiah was opposed at every turn by the political and religious authorities.  The vast majority of the people of Israel didn't want to listen to Jeremiah either.
     Jeremiah did have one close ally and friend in his mission to proclaim the message of the Lord.  Baruch the son of Neriah was Jeremiah's friend and secretary.  He was loyal to Jeremiah, and he faithfully carried out those tasks given to him by the prophet.
     One of Baruch's jobs was to write down the prophecies given by Jeremiah.  On one occasion that is recorded in Jeremiah 36, the prophet asked Baruch to take a scroll of prophecies and read it out loud among the people so that all of the leaders and people could hear the message of the Lord.
     Even though this action could have resulted in his death, Baruch read the message of the Lord and gave a scroll of the message to the king.  When king Jehoikim was given the scroll of the message, he burned the word of the Lord.  Undeterred, Jeremiah asked Baruch to write the message again, and Baruch faithfully responded.
     When the Babylonians came and conquered Jerusalem, Baruch stayed with Jeremiah.   When Jeremiah was taken to Egypt, Baruch accompanied him.  Some church fathers believe that Baruch passed away while in Egypt.
     There is a book in the Apocrypha that bears the name of Baruch.  This book is part of the canon for Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and some Anglican churches.   Protestants in general don't accept the Apocryphal books as being part of the canon.  It has always been my thought that the Apocryphal books are very interesting, and by reading them, one will gain great insight into the New Testament.
     The book of Baruch for the most part tells those in exile to turn to the Lord and put their trust in Him.  Several early church fathers often quoted from Baruch.  In chapter 3:36-37, it says that wisdom will come and live with people.  The early church fathers viewed this as a Messianic prophesy.
     So, what can we learn from Baruch.  First of all, I am impressed with Baruch's loyalty and faithfulness.  Jeremiah was extremely unpopular, yet Baruch never ceased to do what he was asked to do by Jeremiah.  He helped Jeremiah right up to the end.
     This type of loyalty makes me consider my loyalty to the Lord.  Jesus has called me to be His faithful follower and to do the things that He has asked me to do for Him.  I often wonder if I have failed to follow Jesus as I should.  It is my desire to serve Him and follow Him.
     One way that we can be loyal to the Lord is to do those things that He has commanded us to do in His word.  When I think of this, I always think about the Great Commission.  Jesus has called us all to be loyal and faithful to Him by telling others about His life changing message.
     Another way in which we can be loyal to the Lord is to do what He has specifically called us to do.  If the Lord Jesus has called you to a specific task for ministry, please do not hesitate to follow the Lord's leading.
     Another characteristic of Baruch that I admire is his boldness.  He went right among the leaders and people and read out the scroll dictated from Jeremiah.  Baruch had to have known that the leaders would be furious, but Baruch did it anyway.  He was willing to lay everything down for the sake of faithfulness to the Lord.
     We as followers of Jesus need to have a boldness in telling others about Him.  Often, we will face ridicule when we proclaim the saving message of the Lord Jesus.  Many will face persecution.  In spite of this, we must tell others about Jesus.  We must stand for the truth contained in God's Word.  In the loving spirit of Jesus we must proclaim Jesus' love to this generation.
     I hope that you will take the time this week to read more about Baruch in the book of Jeremiah.  His story is found in Jeremiah chapters 32, 36 and 45.  I also urge you to read the book of Baruch.  I think that you will find it interesting.
     Next week, we will continue with our current sermon series.  I will post the verses on Monday, and there will be a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Book Review -- "Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog"

     Before I start the review this week, I want to ask everyone to pray regarding the situation with hurricane Matthew.  Haiti has already experienced significant damage, and the hurricane will impact the Bahamas and parts of the United States.  Please pray that those who have been harmed by this storm will recover, and pray that this hurricane will weaken and divert its path so others won't be hurt.

     Now, on to the book review.  The book I am reviewing today is called "Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog" written by Jamie Ivey.  This was an interesting book about life in Provence, consternation concerning the building of a new home and the trials and tribulations of training a dog to sniff out truffles.
     For those of you who have read the books about Provence written by Peter Mayle, much of what you read in Ivey's book will be very familiar.  According to both authors, life moves at a slower pace in this part of the world.
     Much of the book is concerned with the authors' efforts to get a new home built on a nice piece of land that he has acquired.  On this piece of land are several oak trees, and where there are oak trees, there may also be truffles.
     While the author is going through what is almost a nightmare of delays in getting his home built, he decides to get a dog to sniff out the truffles.  He purchases a small dog who he names Snuffles.  The part I liked best about the book was hoping that this dog would eventually find a truffle.  One does begin to wonder.
      Another interesting aspect of the book  is the amount of detail about various aspects of life in Provence that the author includes.  I enjoyed reading about the different restaurants and places that the author visited.
     "Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog" is a well-written and easy to read book that dog lovers, food lovers and lovers of French culture will enjoy.

Verses For the Week -- Verses About Creation

Hebrews 3:4 -- "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."

Romans 11:36 -- "For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.  Amen."