Winter Memories Of My Friend Toby

     It has been so cold here the last few days that I can't even stay outside very long because I get asthma right away. It is supposed to be -25 wind chills this weekend with -10 actual temperature. That is really cold for my part of the world.
     This cold weather with the snow over the last week has brought to mind some of the wintertime memories I have of my friend Toby and the time we spent together.
     I remember one winter when it snowed and snowed. We got a lot of wind one night, and the drifts were so high that they completely covered up one side of the fence. During the night, we had a little freezing mist that hardened the drifts like rock. Toby had the best time walking up this drift and looking over the top of the fence. It was cold enough that he could do this for days. Then one afternoon, it got a little warmer. The snow became a little mushy. Toby started to run up the drift and it caved in on him. He totally disappeared. I ran over and started digging quickly and pulled him out of the drift. He was covered in snow and looked shocked. I got him in the house really quick and dried him off. He didn't climb up drifts after that.
     One winter, the temperatures were even colder than what I've already mentioned. Toby went out for about two minutes then came back in. When he came in he was just standing in one place and wouldn't move. I quickly called our veterinarian about what was happening. He said that since some of Toby's joints were arthritic, he may have frozen up. At the vet's suggestion, I bundled Toby up and placed him close to the heater. I gave him some anti-inflammatory pills, and he was fine a little while later. He had a coat that I'd made for him, but I went a bought him a big, red plaid coat. He looked so nice in that coat, and it kept him from getting too cold when he had to go outside and take care of business.
      When it wasn't super cold, I used to go out with Toby and we would play in the snow. He loved the snow. He liked for me to make snowballs and toss them so that he could eat them. We liked to take short hikes through the orchard when there was snow on the ground. We both felt at our best when it was about 40 degrees outside. The snow was still on the ground though fading fast.
     We lived in a really old house that was hard to keep warm in the winter. I still live there by myself now. Part of the house was built in the 1890s. They added some on in the early 1950s, and there was another room added in 1970. The oldest part of the house is like an icebox in the winter.
     When it was cold, I always made sure that Toby and me would be as warm as possible at night in my room. He didn't like to sleep in the bed. He liked to sleep right by me on the left side of the bed. I always made sure that he had a cover at night so he stayed warm enough. I also bought us a little heater to run in the room at night to stay warm. Both of us had a lot of trouble with sickness, so we had to look after ourselves.
     One icy day when it was snowing, Toby got really sick. I knew that he needed to go to the veterinarian. My folks didn''t want me to get out on the roads because it was so slick and it was snowing really hard and drifting.
     I thought that my Chevy S-10 would make it in 4-wheel drive if I took it slow. I was over 18 at the time, so I was going to do what I wanted to and what I thought was right in spite of them being mad at me.
     I bundled Toby up and we went over to the town about seven miles over where the vet was. I could only drive about 30 miles per hour. I was so glad I took him over there, because he had a flair up of his ulcerative colitis starting. We got Toby on some good medicine, and kept the flair up from becoming really bad. We inched our way back home, and all was well.
     Usually when it was cold, we would station ourselves by the stove. I would either read or listen to music.  Toby liked classical music the best. I liked jazz the best, but he would always go in the other room when I played jazz, so I know that he didn't like it. I'd put on some nice music by Ralph Vaughn Williams or Benjamin Britten or Rachmaninoff or another composer. We had some very nice and relaxing evenings.
     I have many memories of my time with Toby, but I'll just tell you about one more. One winter day, we were out driving around on a country road. A huge coyote came up on the road and just stood there. I stopped, and he starred right at us. We were just locked in a staring contest. Slowly, the big coyote walked down into the corn stubble field. Every two or three steps, he would look back and stare at us. We watched him for about 15 minutes. No other cars came by. For the next several nights when we were out on our evening walk or having an astronomy viewing session, we could hear the coyotes yelping off in the distance. I wondered if that was the big coyote we had seen. I had a piece about this published in The Snowy Egret nature magazine a few years ago.
     It's a good thing that Toby never saw a coyote out on our walks. He would have gone after the coyote. Toby had no fear of anything. There would have been a fight, and I'd have had to jump in and help him, so who knows what would have happened.
     I miss my friend Toby a lot today. I'm feeling really sad that we aren't together anymore. On Christmas Day I felt so bad I decided to go to the movies just so I didn't have to be in the house anymore.
     This weekend with it being so cold, I am worried about my car. Would you please pray that it starts OK and I don't have any problems. I'm going to put it in the garage, but the garage is not heated. I am going to put a little heater in there. My new job is starting on January 8, and I don't want to have any problems right now.
     I miss my dog. If he was still here, we would have gone to live somewhere else by now, and I know that my life would have been better.  I don't believe that I would have had to work doing these things that I don't like. Please pray for me. I really need your prayers right now.

Cat Book of the Year

     Today is the yearly selection for cat book of the year. This was not a difficult choice. As most who read this blog regularly know, the Joe Grey book series by Shirley Rousseau Murphy is my favorite books series. I first started reading this series when my Mom was in the hospital and rehab when she had her bad stroke. I started with the first book in the series, and I kept reading until I'd read all that had been published up to that point.
     "Cat Shining Bright" is the twentieth book in the Joe Grey series. For those that don't know, Joe Grey is a special type of cat that has the ability to speak. There are a few other cats that Joe finds such as Dulcie and Kit who are speaking cats as well. Joe Grey loves to solve mysteries, and each book in the series has a mystery that Joe and his human and cat friends alike need to solve.
     What I like about this series is the character development. The characters have grown and changed throughout the series. New characters are added, and they just add to the excitement of the series.
     In "Cat Shining Bright" kittens are born to Joe Grey and Dulcie. Everyone waits in anticipation to see if these will be speaking cats as well. While all this is occurring, Joe is busy working to solve a mystery.
     If you haven't read any of the series, I highly recommend that you begin with the first book and read through. You will have a lot of fun.
     I am hoping that there will be many good cat books to read in the year to come. Hopefully, there will be another Joe Grey mystery soon.

Verses For the Week

     I hope that everyone had a very nice Christmas. I would like to ask everyone to pray for those in the Philippines. There was a bad storm there, and there was quite a bit of damage. Please pray that they will receive the aid they need.

Isaiah 43:19 -- "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it! I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert."

Philippians 3:13b-14 -- " But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly calling in Christ Jesus."

Weekend Sermon -- Peace

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am very glad to be with you all today, and I hope that all of you are having a great holiday season. 
     This has been a very busy week for me. I've had a lot of writing work to do, and I am thankful to the Lord for it. I also went out this week with my brother and nephew for a family holiday dinner. We all had a nice time.
      I don't think that I will be doing much on Christmas Day itself. The holidays just aren't what they used to be since my Mom, Dad and Toby have gone to be with the Lord. I may take a drive around the lake if its not snowing.
     This holiday season, those who are homeless are really on my mind. The number of homeless in my country has increased this last year, and some of the larger cities in America have a really serious homeless problem. Please pray that people will be able to find a place out of the cold. We really as a nation need to do more to get people into affordable housing. Please try to do what you can to help those in need during this holiday season.
     Please continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Forty percent of the people are still without power. They need much more assistance.
     Let us all pray for those injured in Australia, and please pray for those injured in the train crash in the United States.
     Remember to continue to pray for peace in the war torn areas of this world. Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and Libya certainly need our prayers.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for Tanzania and Turkey. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus this week.
     Christmas is just a couple of days away as I write this. It is a wonderful time of year when we celebrate the fact that Jesus came to this earth to be with us in order to show us how much God loves us. Jesus came to show us how we are supposed to live in this world. He is our perfect example. He also came to be the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. He came to provide the way back to the Father's House.
     Jesus also came to restore peace to the entire universe. As a result of sin that had entered into this world. The entire universe was thrown into chaos. Nothing was the way that God had originally intended things to be. 
     Nature was thrown into turmoil. The Bible says that all of creation is groaning in travail waiting for the day when the final redemption will take place.
     When sin entered into the world, one of the consequences is that people turned on each other. Greed and selfishness caused people to be in contention with one another even within  families and among friends.
     War became the norm among humans. Nations and tribes constantly battled one another for dominance over resources.
     In to the midst of all of this turmoil, strife and warfare, Jesus came into this world to be the Prince of Peace. When the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds who were in the field with their flocks, the angels said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men."
     When Jesus came into this world on His first Advent on Christmas Day, He brought with Him the beginnings of peace. Jesus taught the way of peace. If people would follow Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, wars could cease right now. Sadly, most people, Christians included, have not followed the words of the Lord Jesus.
      Jesus provides a spiritual peace that everyone can know right now. If a person is willing to come to Jesus in repentance and faith and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, a peace that passes all understanding will come into that person's heart. Jesus will give a peace that only He can provide. This is a peace that let's us know that our sins are forgiven. It is a peace that lets us know that we have Jesus in our hearts, and He will never leave us or forsake us. It is a peace that assures us that the Lord Jesus has prepared a place for us in Heaven, so that when we die, we will be with Him forever and forever.
     Jesus will return to earth one day to complete the work of redemption of the universe. When Jesus returns in His Second Advent, peace will come to this entire planet. Nation will know longer rise against nation. People will beat their swords into ploughshares  and their spears into pruning hooks. Humanity will study war no more. Micah 4:4 says, "Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken."
     The entire natural order will be restored to the way things existed in Eden. Animals will not prey on one another anymore. The lion and the lamb will dwell peacefully together. Humans and wild animals won't fear each other anymore. All will be at peace.
     The striving among people will be at an end. Greed and selfishness will be no more. Jesus shall reign, and sin and its ramifications will be done away with. I hope that Jesus might return even this very day.
     I hope and pray that you have found the peace that Jesus came to bring. I hope that this Christmas season that you will turn to the Lord to receive His love and forgiveness if you have not already done so.
     I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I will post the verses on Tuesday this week. On Wednesday, I will post the cat book of the year. On Friday, I will post the sermon. It will be on a topic that has been on my mind recently. Then, the following week, we will resume and finish our series on the book of Malachi.  May God bless you all. Amen.

Dog Book of the Year

     It is that time of year when I announce my books of the year.  This week is the dog book of the year. Next week I will announce the cat book of the year, and the animal book of the year will be the week after that.
     The dog book of the year was a very difficult decision this year. I had two books that I was having difficulty choosing between. "Will's Red Coat" by Tom Ryan was a great book. I loved reading more about Atticus, and I loved the story of how Tom built a great relationship with Will and gave him a few more years of joy.
     "Will's Red Coat" is my runner-up this year. "Sirius: A Novel About the Little Dog That Almost Changed History" by Jonathan Crown is my dog book of the year winner. I really enjoyed this story. The novel is about a little wire-haired fox terrier whose name is originally Levi. He belongs to a a Jewish professor and his family living in Germany during the Nazi period. Levi is renamed Sirius, and he and his family escape Germany and come to the United States where Sirius becomes a star in the entertainment industry. I won't give away anymore of the plot. I hope that if you didn't read the book when I recommended it earlier this year, that you will read it and enjoy it now.
     I am already reading some good dog books to review for next year. Happy reading.

Christmas Joy

This is a reposting from three years ago. I thought that I would share it again.


     Today, I would like to tell you about a few of my cherished Christmas Eve and Christmas memories.
     The best Christmas memory I have from when I was a young boy didn't start out that well.  When I was young, I had extremely poor health.  Just before Christmas, I had been sick with a terrible bout of pneumonia.  The doctor's weren't even sure that I was going to make it to Christmas.
     That Christmas, the gift I wanted more than anything else was a Stretch Monster.  This was a type of action-figure that was filled with some type of solution that allowed it to stretch far out and then return to normal size.  They were very hard to find, and I kind of doubted that my folks would be able to get one.
     That year, my health improved just before Christmas Day.  Waiting for me under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning was a Stretch Monster.  I kept that thing for 25 years.  Eventually, it fell apart.
     My best Christmas memories in more recent years involved my friend Toby.  I remember one Christmas Eve that was very fun.  The two of us were together by ourselves because my parents had gone to a Christmas party with my Dad's children from his first marriage.
      For Christmas that year, I received a telescope that I'd wanted for a long time.  On Christmas Eve, I decided to assemble the telescope and go out for an observation session.  I'd loved astronomy for a long time, and I studied astronomy in college for a little while.
     As always, Toby had to be a part of whatever I was doing.  While I was trying to assemble the telescope and the mount, Toby kept crawling in and out of the boxes and pushing the packing materials all over the living room floor.
     I finally got the scope set up, and Toby and I went out to observe.  It was a clear and beautiful Christmas Eve night.  We stayed out for hours looking at the stars filled with awe and wonder at the creative power of the Lord.
     The last Christmas Eve that I spent with Toby was extra special.  Toby had been diagnosed with liver cancer the previous May.  He had surgery, but the oncologist had not expected him to live more than six weeks.  Toby was still going during Thanksgiving, but when December rolled around, he wasn't feeling well at all.
     I thought that the cancer was finally taking its toll, but Toby had a very bad lung infection.  It took about three full weeks of treatment, but by the grace of God, Toby pulled through.  Since he had been so sick, I chose to stay with him during Christmas Eve.
     I love listening to the BBC on radio, and they often have religious broadcasts on.  I tuned in on Christmas Eve because I knew that they were going to have a broadcast from a large cathedral in England.
     It was a beautiful service.  During the message, the dean of the cathedral spoke about remembering those who are important to you at Christmas time.  He invited everyone to lay their hand on someone they love and repeat a Christmas prayer of thankfulness.  I placed my hand on my friend Toby and thanked Jesus that Toby and I could spend another holiday season together.
     By the way, in spite of what the oncologist said, Toby lived for 13 months after his surgery.  It was one of the best years of my life.
     I hope that all of you who read this blog have some great Christmas memories.  I hope that this Christmas season is filled with peace and joy for you all.  Give God all the glory this Christmas for the gift of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses For the Week

Micah 5:2 -- "But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me, the one to be Ruler in Israel. Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."

Isaiah 9:6 -- "For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Weekend Sermon -- "What the Christmas Story Means To Me"

     Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon this week. I am glad to be able to post these messages, and I hope that you like reading them and that they help you to learn more about the Lord and His word.
     I want to thank the Lord this week for allowing me to get the job that I was discussing here on the blog last week. At this point, everything seems all clear for me to begin. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
     I also want to thank the Lord for providing me with quite a bit of writing work these past days. When I start the new job, I am going to shift focus and work on the book and get that finished off.
     In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those in California who are dealing with the terrible fires. Pray that these fires will be extinguished. Pray for the family and friends of the firefighter who perished. Pray for the safety of those fighting these blazes.
     Please continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are recovering from the hurricane. So much still needs to be done to help.
     Please pray about the problem of homelessness in the United States and in the United Kingdom. Pray that people will find help and shelter.
     Let us all continue to pray for peace. Pray for peace in Syria, Congo, South Sudan and Yemen. Wherever you know that there is conflict, pray for peace.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Ghana and Taiwan. Pray that many will hear the message of Jesus' love.
     Today, I will bring the first of two messages about the Christmas season. We will pick back up with our series in Malachi after the first of the year.
     Christmas at our house when I was young was a great time. One of my best memories of Christmas is of putting up the tree each year. Whenever, I got the Christmas tree out to set it up, that was my friend Toby's cue to go into action. He had to help with that tree. I would lay out the branches on the floor, and he would push them all over the living room. That was his way of helping.
     I've written about this more extensively on the blog before, but one Christmas Eve that Toby and I spent was extra special. He had made it through a time of sickness and I decided to stay with him on Christmas Eve instead of going over to my brother's house with my folks. During that evening, I listened to a sermon on the BBC from a large cathedral. The dean of the cathedral spoke about having someone you love near you on Christmas and being thankful to the Lord for them. I was truly thankful that Christmas for another holiday with my friend. The dean led everyone in a prayer of Christmas thanks that I will always remember.
     Christmas was a time to be with family and friends. On Christmas Eve, my Dad's older children and their kids would come over to our house or we would go to one of their houses. We would have a nice meal, and then we would open presents and have a wonderful evening.
     Those are just some of the good Christmas memories that I have of when we were all together as a family. Those were great times.
     While Christmas is about good times with friends and family, it is about so much more than that. Christmas has a deep spiritual significance.  I just want to share a little of what Christmas means to me in this respect.
     First of all, Christmas reveals to me the depths to which God would go to reveal His love for us. The Bible tells us plainly that God loved us even though we had sinned and turned away from Him. Immediately, when humanity turned away from Him, God set in motion His plan of redemption to bring the universe back into order.
     On Christmas Day over 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son into the world in order to bring about the redemption of the universe. The Lord Jesus was God come in human flesh. He was willing to humble Himself in this dramatic way out of His deep love for us. He wanted to show us the way that we should live. He was willing to bear our sins as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. God was willing to send His Son to us because of His great love for us. May His name be praised.
     Mary and Joseph reveal so much about the meaning of Christmas to me. God chose humble people who didn't have a lot of money to be the earthly parents of Jesus. Joseph was a carpenter. He was a man who worked with wood just like my Dad who worked in the lumberyard all of his life. God chose ordinary people to care for Jesus. To me, this demonstrates that God loves even those of modest means. He desires to share His love with everyone.
     On the night that Jesus was born into the world, the angels told the message of Jesus' birth to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. Shepherds were considered to be on the lowest socio-economic rung of society in that day. But that is who first received the message of the birth of the Christ child. This shows us all that God loves and cares about everyone. His message of love and forgiveness extends to all people everywhere.
     That includes the wealthy as well. The star was a sign in the heavens for the Magi to follow. They came bearing gifts to the one who was born as King. Even though they had great wealth, they were included in the scope of God's love. The Wise Men where willing to honor and bow down to the one who was the ultimate King of Kings.
     There's one other important message that stands out to me in the Christmas story. Jesus is the light of the world. Just as the star spread its light for the Wise Men on Christmas Day, Jesus who is the light of the world shines His light into the world's darkness. His light is there to drive darkness and despair from this world. His light is shining and seeking to bring all to Him. He welcomes into the light of His love all those who would call upon His name and accept Him as Savior and Lord.
     Christmas is about love, light, hope, joy, peace, forgiveness and so much more. I hope that during this Christmas season that you will meditate upon the meaning of Christmas and realize how much the Lord loves you. I hope that this love of the Lord will motivate you to love others and reach out and help the hurting and share Jesus' love with this world He came to save.
     Next week, I will post another Christmas themed message. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. On Wednesday, I will begin my annual dog, cat and animal book of the year awards. One each Wednesday. This Wednesday, I will announce the dog book of the year. May God bless you all. Amen.

Book Review -- Mozart's Starling

     The book that I am reviewing today is "Mozart's Starling" written by Lyanda Lynn Haupt.  I really enjoyed reading this book. It is the type of book I enjoy most because it introduces me to new things. 

     The composer Mozart bought a starling as a pet in 1784. This starling lived with Mozart and his family for three years. 

     The author wanted to learn more about the relationship that Mozart had with his bird Star, so she obtained a starling for herself. She raised this young bird from being a new hatchling into adulthood. The author named her bird Carmen. Much of the book details how the author interacted with Carmen and the way that Carmen was able to imitate words and phrases.

     I enjoyed this part of the book, but there was so much more in this work. As I said, the author wanted to know more about Mozart and Star, so she took a trip to Austria to visit the places associated with the composer. She visited the home where the composer lived with his family and Star. She also made the journey to the cemetery where Mozart is honored.  On her journey to discover more about Mozart and Star, Ms. Haupt provides interesting information about the musical and domestic life of Mozart.

     There is also abundant information about starlings in the book. I see them flying around, but I'd never really considered them until reading this book. The author provides wonderful information about the learning capacity of these birds. 

      Throughout the book, the reader is introduced to concepts regarding language, philosophy and other subjects.  All in all, I found this to be a very well-written and well-executed book. 

     As I've mentioned before here on the blog, many of the books that I read and enjoy I just happened to discover by browsing at the library. That is how I came across "Mozart's Starling".  And I'm glad I did. This is one of the top three books that I've read this year, and I highly recommend it to you. 

Verses For the Week

Isaiah 7:14 -- "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Isaiah 53:3 -- "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

Weekend Sermon -- Finding the Right Balance

   Welcome to this week's posting of the Weekend Sermon. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is having a very good day.
     This has been an exciting week for me. I accepted a job offer on Monday. I am thankful to the Lord for this opportunity. I am still praying that everything works out as it should. I had a job that I was supposed to start in October, but that feel through. I'm not getting too happy until I'm sure all is well on this new job. I want to thank you all for your prayers regarding this.
     In prayer this week, please pray for those in California who are facing the terrible fires. Many homes have been destroyed, and the fires are still being fueled by high winds. Pray that all will be safe.
     Pray for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are still without power. These people really should be getting more help. Please pray for them.
    Let us all pray for peace in the world. The entire Middle East needs our prayers this day. I heard on the radio that there are protests that have led to injuries and death. We need to continue to pray for peace in Yemen and South Sudan as well.
    For our prayer focus countries this week, let us focus our prayers on the nations of Singapore and Madagascar. Pray that many in these two nations will hear the message of Jesus' love.
   There is one other matter that I would like us all to be in prayer about. In the United States, a report was issued last week that the number of homeless people was on the rise last year. Pray that people will find homes and shelter. Also, try to do whatever you can to be part of the solution to this problem.
    I know that many communities are passing laws that are making life very hard on homeless people. Some places are arresting people who sleep outside or in their cars. It is not right to do this to people. Governments, churches and individuals need to come together and solve this problem.  It is a disgrace for wealthy nations to have problems with homelessness and poverty.
     Last week, I mentioned that we would continue with our series in Malachi this week. However, I felt that the Lord was leading me to post a sermon on a different topic.  We will resume our study in Malachi after the Advent season.
    Today, I would like to write a few words on the subject of finding the right balance in presenting the message of the Lord and in doing the work the Lord has called us to do. In my experience, it seems like the church goes to the extremes. When this occurs, the whole counsel of God is not proclaimed. In Acts 20:27, the Apostle Paul said that he always proclaimed the whole counsel of God.  I think that that is lacking in some ways, and we need to find the right balance.
     The first area where I think that we can get out of balance is in the area of the proper ministry of the church. The Lord has given us a dual mission as His followers. Unfortunately, it seems like some branches of the faith focus on one area while minimizing the other.
    Let me explain. When I was growing up in church, my family went to a very fundamentalist church. They made their emphasis the presentation of the Gospel. They believed that the sole purpose of the church was to win souls to Jesus. They had absolutely no interest in helping the poor or the oppressed. If anyone even brought up the subject, they were considered a heretic.
     On the other hand, one of my family members was a pastor in a denomination that placed tremendous emphasis on helping those in need and working to end systems of oppression. However, they did no evangelistic work. There was no emphasis on going into the world and preaching the message of repentance and forgiveness.
     In both of these examples, we see that the whole counsel of God was not being followed. The proper balance didn't exist. It is absolutely true that we have been called by Jesus to spread the Good News that He has died and risen again. We are to proclaim that people everywhere can come to Jesus and receive forgiveness and eternal life.
    Jesus also made it clear that we have an obligation to help those who are in need. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick. We are to minister to the least among us as if we are ministering unto Jesus Himself.
     The church needs to engage in both of these missions. This is part of finding the right balance.
    Now, sometimes we fall out of balance when we speak about the love of Jesus. Jesus was the man of love. He came to save us from our sins because of His great love for us. If we do not proclaim the message of Jesus' love, we aren't proclaiming the Gospel.
     The problem comes when we don't also tell people that God is holy, and one day He will judge the sins of this world. Love doesn't mean that we don't proclaim the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus. It is not unloving to tell others that Jesus is the only way to the Father. It is not unloving to proclaim the moral teachings of the Lord.
     We need to preach both the love of the Lord and the righteousness and holiness of the Lord. This is the proper balance that we find in the Bible.
     I also believe that we need to find the right balance so that we don't end up dividing among ourselves in the church and providing a bad testimony to the world. I believe that we can find the right balance and find harmony with one another.
     One of the big debates that has divided churches is the issue of music in the church. Many want to retain the old hymns and traditional worship. Other want to have contemporary songs and a more modern service. Many churches are so divided over this that its almost liking having two churches in one building. There's the traditional worship service people and the contemporary worship service people.
     Wouldn't it be nice if those in church could come together and find the right balance so that there was a nice mix of traditional and contemporary worship. The most important to question to ask about this isn't what we would like to have in worship.  The question we should ask is what would God like to hear?
     These are just a few areas were I've seen the church become out of balance in its message. We need to proclaim the whole message of the Lord. In this way, we will more effectively spread the message of the love of Jesus and help this world to be a better place for all.
     Next week, I will be posting a message in keeping with the Christmas season. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will have a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all. Amen.





   

Some Christmas Recommendations

For today's posting, I would like to recommend some books and music that I've enjoyed during past Christmas season's.

Books
"A Dog Named Christmas" by Greg Kincaid -- There is also a movie on DVD based on this book.

"The Cat Who Came For Christmas" By Cleveland Amory -- This is the first in a series of three that tells the story of Polar Bear the cat. All three books also include information about Cleveland Amory's life and his work on behalf of animals. All three in the series are good.

Music
"Nativitas: American Christmas Carols" by The Kansas City Chorale -- There are several beautiful songs on this CD.

"Christmas With Thomas Hampson"  -- Mr. Hampson is a superb baritone singer.

"Three Tenors Christmas" -- Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti. -- They were so great when they sang together. The first concert they did together was fantastic.

Verses For the Week

     Before I post the verses, I want to take a moment to thank the Lord for allowing me to get a job today. I interviewed last week, and I really liked the company. Today, they made an offer, and I accepted. This job has the hours I need to work on my writing projects and the blog yet still have enough to pay the bills. Thank you Lord. I want to thank all of you for your prayers for me in this matter.

Deuteronomy 18:18 -- "I will raise up a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I commend him."

Jeremiah 31:31 -- "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah."

Does Greed Have No Limit?

     When I began this blog almost seven years ago, I wanted to write posts about Jesus, the environment and animals. That is what I've done, and hope to continue to do that,  Lord willing. 
     I am very sad today. For many years I have worked with others who care about the environment to keep the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge free from oil exploration. This is a pristine wilderness, and it would be so nice to have one place in this country that is unspoiled and that isn't exploited for economic gain.
    Unfortunately, the tax bill that passed in the Senate last night contained a measure to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. This last place of unspoiled land will now have leases sold to oil companies to drill and explore. All of this was done to generate revenue to offset the loss of income to the Federal government as a result of the new tax cuts that will go mainly to corporations and wealthy individuals. This was done because of human greed pure and simple.
     Sadly, this isn't the only instance of how human greed is destroying the environment and animals. Just a few days ago, the current administration considered allowing hunters to bring to the United States parts of the elephants they shoot in Africa. This has gone back for "review", but I expect that it will be allowed.
     The only reason that people would shoot and kill these magnificent animals is for greed and selfishness. They want a "trophy" or ivory.
     Carl Safina in his book "Beyond Words" writes about how elephants have a complex social network. They communicate with one another and have emotions. They are deeply intelligent animals. But, so many humans want what they want, so they kill them to satisfy their own perverse pleasure.
     The devastation of planet earth and animals continues because of human greed. So many animals suffer. Books like Peter Wohlleben's "The Inner Life of Animals" relate how animals feel and think. However, so many can't be bothered with this since it might disrupt what they want.
     I ask myself almost everyday now when human greed and selfishness will end? What will it take for the majority of people to wake up and care?
    As you can tell, I am deeply disappointed today. But, I will keep working to bring attention to environmental problems. I'll keep trying to make a difference here on the blog and by advocacy for the causes I believe in.  There are some glimmers of good news. Mexico just designated 58,000 square miles of ocean as a marine reserve. Tiger numbers seem to be on the rise slightly. Every nation in the world except one is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement.
     Hopefully, enough people will eventually care so that we can turn the tide. It will require that people think less of their own interests, and that they will think of the interests of others and of this planet.

Weekend Sermon -- Malachi 2:10

     Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon. I am always glad to be able to post a new message here on the blog. I hope that everyone is having a good week.
     I want to thank everyone for their prayers on my behalf. My foot is doing a lot better. Also, I had an interview for a job today that I thought went well. I also have an interview on Monday. Please keep praying that all will go well in this area.
    In another area of prayer, please keep praying for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are still in the midst of recovering from the storm damage.  Many people are still without power.
    Please keep praying for those affected by the earthquake in Iran. Pray for all those who have experienced problems as a result of natural disasters.
    Let us all keep praying for peace. Syria, Iraq and Yemen definitely need our prayers. Pray for peace wherever you know that there is conflict.
    For our prayer focus countries this week, let's all pray for those who live in Mauritius and Bangladesh. Pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus and respond to that message.
     A few weeks ago, we began a series of messages on the book of Malachi. Today, I would like to pick up that series again after a break of a couple of weeks.
    We only have one verse that I want us to focus on today. This Lord has really used this verse to speak to me this week, and I want to share some of what this verse has to teach us.
     Malachi 2:10 states, "Have we all not one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?"
     First let us look at the situation Malachi was dealing directly with. When we read the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Malachi, we can see the situation that Israel was in when they returned from exile in Babylon.
     The Southern Kingdom of Judah had been taken into captivity by the Babylonians because of the people's sins. They were in captivity for 70 years. During that time, the Persians conquered the Babylonians, and the people of Israel came under Persian control.
     The Persians allowed the people of Israel to return to the land. The Temple was rebuilt as were the walls of the city in Jerusalem.
     When the people returned, they began to do things that Ezra, Nehemiah and the prophets were opposed to. Instead of helping each other out, the people were lending money to their brothers, and then they were charging exorbitant interest in violation of the Law of Moses. The men were also divorcing there wives in order to marry wives who were from other lands. This was also a violation of the Law of Moses.
     Malachi is calling the people to remember who they are. They all have one father. Abraham was the father of the nation. God had created every one of them. He was their Heavenly Father. Because they were all the people of God, they had no business dealing with each other in these evil ways. Instead, they should have been honoring the covenants that they had made with their wives, and no interest should have been charged.
     The people were so supposed to work together to be a light to the nations. They were to work to make the people of Israel strong again. They were to honor God and do His will.  Malachi was calling the people to care about the things of God and follow the laws that God had established for them.
     Now, I believe that there are two clear applications of this verse for us today. First of all, in the church of Jesus Christ, we are all one body. As Paul spoke about, the hand can't say to the foot I have no need of you or vice versa. Every member of the body of Christ needs the other in order to work effectively to promote and advance the kingdom of heaven.
    Unfortunately, Christians are so divided that it is often difficult to spread the message of Jesus' love. When people see Christians arguing and being divided against each other, it is a bad testimony. It causes people to not want to come to know Jesus.
     Jesus prayed that we might all be one even as He and the Father are one. The Bible also says that others will know that we are Christians by the love that we have for one another.
     As brothers and sisters in Christ, let us help one another and support one another. Let us deal with each other honestly and honorable. This will give a good testimony to others, and see others come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord
     There is broader implication for this verse as well. I believe that we can apply to the human race. God has created all of us on this planet. He loves every single person who is alive today. It grieves the heart of God when He sees people that He has created hating one another and making war against one another.
     We all have in common that we are created by God. We must put aside divisions and hatred and realize how much God loves us all. Then, we can work together to make the world a better place. This would please the Lord greatly.
     Next week, we will continue with our series in the book of Malachi. After that, we will have some Christmas theme messages. On Monday, I will post the verses, and there will be a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all. Amen.
   

Some Important Things to Think About

    Today, I want to post a few verses from the Bible that I believe are relevant to the current situation in my country. I am certain that they apply elsewhere. Please read these verses, and consider what they have to say.

Proverbs 14:31 -- " He who oppresses the poor reproaches his maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy."

I John 3:17 -- "Rich people who see a brother or sister in need yet close their hearts against them, cannot claim that they love God."

Jeremiah 22:3 -- "I, the Lord, command you to do what is just and right. Do not ill treat or oppress foreigners, orphans, or widows: and do not kill innocent people in this holy place."

Zechariah 7:10 -- "Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart against his brother."

Proverbs 31:8-9 -- "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Book Review -- "Hero: Rescue Mission"

     Today's book is "Hero: Rescue Mission" by Jennifer Li Shotz".  This is the third book in the "Hero" series.  Those of you who read the blog on a regular basis will know that I've read and reviewed the first two books in this series for younger readers.  Both of those were good books, and I liked this one as well.
    In this book, Ben and his retired police dog Hero are facing a truly difficult situation. Ben's Dad, who is a police officer, is missing. He was tracking some escaped convicts, and it is believed that Ben's Dad was captured by them.
    Ben and the members of the police force know that Hero is the best dog to locate Ben's Dad. Ben and Hero set about the task of finding Ben's missing Dad.
    As I said, I enjoyed this book.  The author keeps the action moving, and I like the characters. You do have to recognize when reading this book and the others in the series that the situations described wouldn't happen in real life. However, if you just read and get into the story, you will have a great time experiencing the adventure.
    This book is written for those between roughly the ages of 10 to 14 years old. I like all books about dogs, so I read them anyway. I believe that many adults would like this book as well as younger readers.

Verses For the Week

Psalm 51:17 -- "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise."

Romans 12:1 -- "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."

Weekend Sermon -- Mark 1:33-38 -- Jesus Came For Everyone

     Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I hope that everyone is doing well today.
     On Monday, my brother invited me to spend Thanksgiving with him.  I was thinking I was going to be spending Thanksgiving by myself, but he did invite me, and we had a very good time. We went to one restaurant, but they were so full, we went down the road to a buffet restaurant. It was really great.
     I just wanted to thank the Lord for giving me a very good week in writing. I thought that with the holiday, writing would be a little down, but I've had a lot to do. Please pray that writing will continue to go well, and pray that I will get a part-time job to provide some additional income.
     This past week, I hurt my leg while working on leaves in the yard. Please pray that that will get better. I always am thankful for your prayers.
     Please be in prayer for those who suffered through the attack in Egypt. Pray that the injured will recover. Please pray for an end to terrorism.
     Continue to pray for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as they attempt to recover from the hurricane. There are still so many people in great need.
     Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan need our prayers. Pray for peace in Yemen, Libya and South Sudan.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. Pray that many will hear the good news that Jesus loves them and wants them to come unto Him.
     We've been in a series of messages on the book of Malachi for the past couple of weeks. Last week, we had a Thanksgiving day message, and I planned on resuming our study in Malachi this week, However, I felt as if the Lord has given me a different message that He wants me to bring today.  Lord willing, we will resume with Malachi the next week.
     I've been stating in my messages on this blog over and over again that Jesus loves everyone. I will keep saying that as long as the Lord allows me the privilege of being able to post these messages. 
     One of my favorite passages of Scripture is in Matthew 11:28 which states, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  Jesus clearly invited everyone to come to Him in this verse.
     We clearly see that Jesus came to invite everyone to come unto Him in the way that He acted during His ministry here on earth. In Mark 1-33-38, we see one way that Jesus demonstrated that He came to invite everyone to come to Him.
     Jesus had been preaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. He then went to Peter's house where He found Peter's mother-in-law very ill. Jesus healed her of her sickness.  Then, Jesus noticed that a great crowd of people had gathered outside of Peter's house. The people had brought many people who were sick to Jesus so that Jesus could touch them and heal them. Jesus took the time to heal all the people and help them.
     The next morning, Jesus got very early to go into a solitary place to pray. Peter and some of the other disciples went out to look for Jesus. When they found Him, they wanted Jesus to come back to town but Jesus said, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for therefore came I forth."
     Jesus wanted to share His message of love and forgiveness to people everywhere.  And that is what He did.  Jesus went throughout the region teaching and healing people. He demonstrated His great love for everyone.
     Jesus didn't limit His love and mercy to just one group of people. He didn't go to the rich and powerful and forget about the poor and the oppressed. He didn't just go unto His own people and forget about others.
     Jesus was a friend to those who needed Him. He went to and included those that others despised and rejected. Even at His birth, the angels announced the good news to shepherds who were considered among the lowest of the low. Jesus wanted them around the manager. The message was also made known to wealthy, wise men from the east. All were welcome to come and see the king that was born in Bethlehem.
     When Jesus chose His disciples, He went and included people from all walks of life. Many of the disciples were fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector, and Simon was a member of  the Zealots.
     Jesus provided healing to all who were sick including the poor and those who were noblemen.  He healed the Roman soldier's servant and the lepers who were considered unclean and unworthy.
     Jesus went to minister to those who were despised by His people. He went into Samaria and spoke to a woman at the well and brought His message to the woman's village. Jesus also went to Gentile places and healed a man that was possessed by many evil spirits.
     When Jesus walked on this earth, He allowed women to listen to His teachings. He spoke to them, and treated them with courtesy and respect.
     When the disciples tried to keep people from bringing their children to see Jesus, He didn't like it. He told them to let the children come to Him. Jesus laid hands on them and blessed them.
     Jesus brought His message of love to those who the religious leaders of His day rejected. They despised Jesus as a friend of sinners. But Jesus said that He was like the shepherd who left the ninety-nine in the fold and went to find the sheep that had gone astray. When that lost sheep was found, He the Good Shepherd rejoiced as did all of the Heavens with Him.
     The ones that Jesus had disputes with were those who thought that they were superior to other people. Jesus was opposed to those who tried to oppress others, and He was opposed to those who tried to limit God's love.
     I know many people in this world who feel as if  no one loves them or cares about them. They may have been rejected by their family or their friends. The holidays can be an especially hard time for people.
     Sometimes, people can be made to feel very bad about themselves even when they get together with family and friends. They can be made to feel as if they are a disappointment to their family because of the type of job that they have, or because of some supposed failing that has occurred in their life.
     I just want everyone who reads this to know that Jesus loves you, and He cares about you. He didn't come to exclude anyone. First of all, no one is excluded from salvation. Just as Jesus invited everyone to come unto Him while He was here on earth, He invites everyone to come to Him now. Hebrews 13:8 says that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." He calls all people everywhere to come and receive His forgiveness. He died on the cross and rose again for people in every country, for people of all races and ethnic groups and for people of every socio-economic class.
    I like the verses in Revelation 7:9-10 that say, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'"
     People from all over the world will be in Heaven praising the name of the Lord for He has redeemed them and called them His own.
     I urge you today that if you have never called on Jesus for salvation and forgiveness that you will do so today. Jesus will receive whoever calls upon Him.
     Now, I just want to speak to those who feel as if no one cares about them. Jesus loves you. He doesn't love you any less if you don't have a great job or you don't have much money. He loves you because He created you. You belong to Him. You are of great value to the Lord. You may be a subsistence farmer in a Third World country. Jesus loves you just as much as the person who is the leader of a country. You are just as important to Jesus.
     During this holiday season, if you feel down, depressed or lonely, remember that Jesus loves you very much. He will never leave you or forsake you, and you are of great value to Him.
     Next week, I plan to resume our series in Malachi. I will post the verses on Monday. I plan to post a review on Wednesday. The sermon will go back to being posted on Friday next week.  May God bless you all. Amen.
   

Book Review -- "Lending A Paw"

     I want to begin today by wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I also want to remind everyone who reads the blog on a regular basis that the Weekend Sermon will not be posted until Saturday this week.

    The book that I am reviewing today is "Lending a Paw " written by Laurie Cass.  It is the first in a series of books about librarian Minnie Hamilton and her cat Eddie. Minnie is an assistant library director in a small town in Michigan. She has developed the idea of using a bookmobile to reach people in the outskirts of the county.
     One day, she encounters a stray cat who follows her home. She names the cat Eddie, and Eddie serves as a sounding board for Minnie to bounce ideas off of as she speaks to him about the mystery and events in her life.
     While out with the bookmobile, Eddie leads Minnie to a murder victim. It is the man who donated the money for the bookmobile.
     Throughout the remainder of the book, Minnie conducts her investigation in to who the culprit might be. We also gain insight in to other people in the town.
     This was a pretty good book. I do think that it could have been shorter, and it went on too long. I have a tendency to judge all cat mystery books by the Joe Grey books written by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Those are my favorites. Eddie is a nice cat and an interesting touch to the story, but he wasn't the center of the story like Joe Grey is. This book by Laurie Cass reminds me of the "Cat Who" series.
     Their are several other books in the series about Eddie and Minnie. I think that this first book was good enough to see what the next one in the series is like.

Keeping Cats Indoors

     In my neighborhood today, a cat was badly injured by a car.  When I see this happen, it makes me so sad.  I know that some people think that cats should just be allowed to roam where they wish, but this can lead to many dangers.  Cats that are allowed outdoors have a shorter lifespan than indoor only cats.  Indoor only cats are also much less susceptible to disease.
     I hope that those who have a cat will consider keeping them inside for their safety.  There are outdoor cat habitats that can be purchased that give cats a taste of the outdoors, yet they can't get into trouble by going out in the street. Also, many people have trained their cats to walk on a harness. That is a good way for the cat to get exercise and some fresh air.

Verses For the Week

     Psalm 9:1 -- "I will give thanks to you Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all your wondrous deeds."

     John 6:11 -- "Jesus took the bread in His hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and He did the same with the fish until everyone had plenty to eat."

Weekend Sermon -- Let Us Give Thanks

     Good day to everyone. Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. This is a day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
     I want to thank the Lord for a good week in writing. I also want to thank the Lord that the problem with payment that I was having has been resolved. Thank you for your prayers in this matter. I am still waiting to hear back regarding the part-time job I interviewed for. I am going to put out more applications. Please pray that writing will continue to be good, and pray that I will get the job that will be right for me. I am certain that the Lord will provide.
     Let us all continue to pray for the people in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. There are many people with great need in these areas. Please continue to pray that these folks will get the aid that they need.
     Outbreaks of disease continue to be a problem in both Yemen and South Sudan. Pray for peace in these countries, and pray that they will receive the aid and help that they need.
     Many nations around the world are experiencing war and fighting. Continue to pray for peace in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. Also, let us pray for refugees who are struggling around the world.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for Egypt and Albania. Pray that many will hear the message of Jesus' love and mercy.
     For the past couple of weeks, we have been studying the book of Malachi.  I had intended to continue with that today, but I realized that this is the last Weekend Sermon before the Thanksgiving holiday in my country. I wanted to bring a message about that topic before the holiday. Next week, we will pick back up with Malachi.  Because of the holiday, the Weekend Sermon will not be posted until Saturday next week.
     Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. It is a holiday that brings back many happy memories.  I think that the best Thanksgivings were when my friend Toby was still with me. The two of us loved to eat a lot. He enjoyed getting to eat some turkey, green beans and roast potatoes. I've never known a dog that loved green beans like he did.  We would eat until about ready to burst, and then we would watch the football games and take naps.
    For the past few years now, I've spent Thanksgiving with my brother and his family, but I don't think I will be doing that this year. Still, I will have a good time remembering the great Thanksgiving Days of the past. I will also be able to have a time to thank the Lord for all the good things that the Lord has brought into my life.
    On Thanksgiving, it is a great time to truly thank the Lord for the many blessings that He has bestowed upon us throughout the year. This is something that the Lord wants us to do.
     In the Gospel of Luke we read of Jesus' encounter with ten lepers. Jesus was traveling down the road when a group of ten lepers called to Jesus from a distance asking to be healed. Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests. As they were going, they were totally cleansed of leprosy. Nine of the men carried on down the road, but one man came back to Jesus and thanked Jesus for what He had done.  Jesus said that there were ten healed. He wondered where the other nine were. Why had they not come back to give thanks.
     We also read about thanksgiving many times in Paul's epistles. We are told in one passage to give thanks in all things.
     Many times throughout the year, we ask the Lord for certain things. Sometimes we ask on several occasions. Often, the Lord graciously hears and answers our prayers. We should always make sure to say thank you to the Lord for answers to prayer just as the man did who had been healed of leprosy.
     All of us who have come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, should thank Him every day for coming and dying on the cross to save us from our sin. We should thank Him for being with us and showing His great love for us.
     There are so many things that we have to be thankful to the Lord for. In Psalm 136, there is a litany of many things to be thankful for. I hope that you will take the time to read this Psalm this week. The one refrain that keeps recurring in the Psalm is that the Lord's love endures forever. The love of the Lord is the greatest thing in the universe. He shows His love to us everyday, and we should thank Him everyday for it.
     I have many things that I am thankful for. I am sure that you have many things that you are thankful for as well. I hope that if your country doesn't have a designated day of thanksgiving that you will still take one special day to thank the Lord for His goodness to you.
     I am thankful always that the Lord gave me my best friend Toby. I wouldn't be here today without him.
    I am thankful for the food, clothing, transportation and shelter that the Lord has provided me with this year.
    I am thankful that the Lord has allowed me to work as a writer.
    I am thankful for my family both those still on earth and those in Heaven with Jesus.
    I am thankful for the opportunity each week to post messages on the blog. I love being able to do this.
    I am thankful for all of you who take the time each week to read the blog, and I pray that each of you will be abundantly blessed in your lives.
    Tell the Lord this week what you are thankful for. Don't take anything for granted. Every good thing that we have is from the Lord.
     Next week, we will continue with our series in Malachi, and the sermon will be posted on Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday, and there will be a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all, Amen.

Book Review -- Solomon's Tale

    The book that I am reviewing today is a wonderful book about a cat who wants to help the girl that he grew up with. "Solomon's Tale" by Sheila Jeffries begins with Solomon the cat enjoying living in the world of spirit. He had lived with a girl named Ellen who loved music and who loved Solomon.
    Ellen as an adult, is having problems in her life. Solomon agrees to go back to earth and be reborn as a kitten so that he can find Ellen and help her to get the joy and music back in her life.
    In this story, Solomon faces many difficulties. There are times when he wishes that he'd never agreed to come back to this earth. However, in spite of it all, Solomon knows that he must help Ellen no matter the cost.
     Solomon's Tale is a well-written book that is appropriate for both younger readers and adults. I really enjoyed this story, and it is definitely in contention as one of my cat books of the year.

Some Thoughts on the Current State of Evangelicalism

     I will be writing two posts today. Normally on Wednesdays, I have a book review. I will have that post up today. However, there is so much going on in the world, I  have to comment on it. I am sure that some of the things that I will write in this post will offend some people. The last time I posted on one of the issues that I am going to write about, half of my readers quit reading the blog. So be it.
    I do not understand the thinking of many people who call themselves Evangelicals today. I saw a poll yesterday that stated that 40 percent of the Evangelicals in Alabama would vote for Roy Moore even if the allegations against him are true. That is so horrible that I can't even fathom it. How can people say something like that? Have we lost the ability to stand for what Jesus would do? This whole business disgusts me.
     I guess that I shouldn't be surprised because over 80 percent of Evangelicals voted for the current president in spite of the allegations against him and his behavior.
     Now, something else that distresses me. Why are Evangelical Christians not speaking out for some type of gun control. In this country we keep having report after report of gun violence. The answer I heard from one pastor was for people to have more guns. That is certainly not the answer.
     I grew up in fundamentalism. Those who read this blog on a regular basis know the story. While in that system, I saw women mistreated and their opinions held in contempt. Any discussion of helping the poor or caring about the environment was held in contempt. When I tried to get my church to help the homeless, I was told we don't do that because those people brought that on themselves. I left fundamentalism.
    Now, I see within Evangelicalism a right-wing political agenda that is so far removed from the teachings of Jesus and Bible that I can't even comprehend it. Where in the Bible does it say we are supposed to take things away from the poor and not care about the environment?
     I am meeting many people who don't want to have anything to do with Christianity at all because of the way that many Evangelical Christians are acting.
     I am conservative in theology. I believe in salvation by grace through faith. I believe in the divinity of Jesus and in His substitutionary atonement. I believe in the bodily resurrection and the second coming.
     I also believe that being a Christian means that you follow the example of Jesus and the path of Jesus. Whatever you do, you ask how Jesus might respond in the same situation. I can't believe that Jesus would be responding the way many of His followers are responding in my country.
    Because of the this, I am now just going to identify myself as a follower of Jesus. Evangelicalism in its current form in my country is not something I feel comfortable being identified with.

Verses For the Week

Please pray for those who are affected by the earthquake in Iran and Iraq.

Verses:

Lamentations 3:22-23 --

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is they faithfulness."

2 Timothy 2:13 --

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot deny Himself."

Hebrews 10:23 --

"Let us hold fast the confession on our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful."

Weekend Sermon -- Malachi 2:1-9

     Welcome to this posting of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that you have had a good week and that everything is going well today.
     I want to thank the Lord for allowing me to have a lot of writing work to do this week. I had an interview for a part-time job this week, and they are supposed to let me know if I got the job sometime early next week. Please pray that I will be able to get a part-time job soon.
     I would also request your prayers in another matter. When you work for yourself, sometimes getting paid by clients can be a hassle. Right now, I am having problems getting paid for some work that I did. Please pray that this will be resolved quickly.  Thank you.
     There are many things that we all need to be in prayer for this week. Please continue to pray for those who were injured in the shooting in Texas. This terrible crime has left me deeply upset. Please pray for those who lost loved ones.
     Continue to pray for those who were injured in the Las Vegas incident. Many are still in the hospital recovering from this.
     Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands still have a long way to go before things are back to normal. Let us all pray that these areas along with other areas that have been damaged by storms will get the aid that they need to get things back on track.
     I read an article the other day stating that the plague is bad in parts of Africa this year. Pray that this outbreak will end and those that are affected may recover quickly.
     Let us all continue to pray for peace in this troubled world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq and Ukraine.
     For our prayer focus countries, let us all pray for those in Morocco and Malaysia. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus.
     Today, we will continue with our series of messages from the book of Malachi. We finished chapter one last week, and this week we will focus on the first half of the second chapter.
     As we saw in chapter 1, the Lord is upset because the people of Israel were not showing Him the proper respect. The Lord is the King of all the Universe. He deserves the proper respect and honor due unto such a great king.
     In chapter 2, the Lord through Malachi is telling the priests and the religious leaders that they are not honoring Him and performing their duties as they are supposed to. Just like the people they served, the religious leaders were not respecting the Lord. They should not have been accepting the improper sacrifices that the people were bringing. They should have instructed the people as to what was the proper way that they should serve and honor the Lord.
     Also, the Lord was upset with the priests and the religious leaders because they were not teaching the ways of the Lord correctly. They were teaching people what was not true, and the people were being led astray by false doctrines.
     So, how does this apply to us today. Let me start by saying that the Bible has a lot to say about the way that spiritual leaders are supposed to behave. They are supposed to be shepherds of the flock that the Lord has entrusted them with. They are to do this in imitation of Jesus the Good Shepherd and the example that He provided in John 10.
     In the book of Ezekiel in particular, the Lord condemns those who are not performing the way that a good shepherd should. He calls them to do what they are supposed to do.
     The Bible says that those who are called to minister to others will be judged by a different standard. This is because they have been entrusted with people's souls.
     In our day, I see two ways in which religious leaders are not performing the duties of a shepherd as they should. First of all, some shepherds abuse those who they are put in charge of. This includes the physical abuse we saw among some Catholic priests and other clergy. This is not the only way that clergy can abuse the flock. Sometimes there is spiritual abuse.  People feel so beaten down and condemned that they don't want to go to church anymore. They may even give up on God entirely because they have been spiritually abused.
     I see people all the time who have had terrible experiences in the church. The clergy person that they trusted violated that trust in some way, and now they don't want to have anything to do with spiritual things.  This is a great problem, and I believe that all those who teach really need to be aware of how they treat others and that they treat others the way that Jesus would treat people.
    There is another aspect to how some religious leaders are acting like those in Malachi's day. They are teaching the wrong things. Many religious leaders in my country are so caught up in politics that that is all they ever talk about. Many others are teaching a type of prosperity teaching that has nothing to do with the Bible. Others have left the orthodox teachings of the Scriptures in the same ways as those leaders spoken about in the book of Jude.
     So, what can we do. We can make sure that we are studying the Word of the Lord and following Jesus in spite of what some religious leaders may be doing. Since we have the Holy Spirit within us, we can let Him lead us into truth. We can ask the Lord to illuminate our minds so that we understand the Word more fully. We can pray that we will be doers of the Word and not hearers only.
     We can spend time with Jesus every day. We can pray to Him and meditate on His words and on His presence within our heart.
     Next week, we will finish chapter 2 of Malachi. On Monday, I will post the verses, and on Wednesday there will be a book review.  May God bless you all. Amen.

Book Review -- "Bolt and Keel"

     I love dogs, and I am beginning to love cats just as much. This little book that I am reviewing today is about two cats whose lives are filled with adventure. "Bolt and Keel: The Wild Adventures of Two Rescued Cats" is written by Danielle Gumbley and Kayleen VanderRee. They were leading a group on a camping trip when they found Bolt and Keel abandoned. The animal shelter was closed when they tried to bring the kittens to safety, so they took them along on the cats' first adventure. Since then, these two cats have gone hiking along mountain trails, canoeing and kayaking.
     This is a short book, but there are some very nice pictures of the cats and their people. There are some great pictures of the natural world.
     I think it is great that these cats get to do so many exciting things. Seeing these cats and their adventures reminds me of the first time I saw a cat walk on a leash. I was watching a movie called "Harry and Tonto" starring Art Carney as Harry. Harry had a cat named Tonto who walked on a leash as they traveled around the country. When I first saw that, I thought that that was one of the coolest things I'd seen. I wanted a cat that walked on a leash. Well, that's nothing compared to the cats in this book.
     I know that people who like cats will enjoy this book. You can follow the further adventures of this pair on their Instagram page.

Verses For the Week

     Please be in prayer for those who were the victims of the terrible incident in Texas yesterday. Pray that those who are injured will recover. Pray that God will comfort those who mourn.

John 15:9 -- "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you, abide in My love."

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

Weekend Sermon -- Malachi 1:6-14

     Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon this week.  I hope that everyone has had a very good week and that you are all doing well.
     I am  thankful to the Lord that there has been quite a bit of writing to do this week. I am hopeful that that will continue. I had a couple of job interviews, but nothing has worked out so far on that front. Please continue to pray that the Lord will bring me the work that I need. I thank you all for your prayers on my behalf.
     In prayer this week, please pray for those in New York who were injured in the terrorist incident. Pray that they will recover quickly. Also, please continue to pray for those who were injured in the attack in Las Vegas.
     Let us all be in prayer for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are trying to recover from the hurricane damage.  Pray that they will get the aid that they need.
     Continue to be in prayer for peace in this world. Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen need our prayers especially at this time.
     For our prayer focus countries for the week, let's all pray for the nations of Mongolia and Djibouti. Pray that many in these two countries will hear about the love of Jesus.
     Last week, we began a new series of messages. We will be studying the book of Malachi over the next few weeks to see what the Lord would have us learn from this last book of the Old Testament.
     We saw last week that the people had questioned the fact that they were loved by the Lord. This was upsetting to the Lord because He had done so many things for the people. He had always been faithful to them even when they had not remained faithful to Him.
     Sometimes, when things happen in our lives that are bad, we can question the love of the Lord for us. We need to remember that the Lord Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross to save us from our sins.  He said that He would never leave us and that He would never forsake us. He has gone to prepare a place for us so that we can be with Him for all of eternity.
     Today, we turn our attention to the next section in Malachi chapter 1. Verse 6 begins by the Lord saying, "A son honors his father, and a servant fears his master. If then I am a father, where is the honor due to me?  And if I am a master, where is the reverence due to me?"  The Lord is once again upset that the people are not acting toward Him in the right way. They are showing honor and respect to other humans that are in a position of authority, but they have not shown the proper respect and honor that belongs to the Lord.
    Once again, the people deny that they have done what the Lord is accusing them of. They say, "How have we despised your name?"
     The Lord tells the people that they are despising His name when the offer animals for sacrifice that are blind, lame and sick. The Lord reminds them that they wouldn't present blind and sick animals to their human governor, so what makes them think that it is right to bring them as an offering to the sovereign king and Lord of the entire universe?
     Just a little background on all of this. In the book of Leviticus, the Lord had clearly instructed the people as to what they were supposed to do when offering a sacrifice on the altar.  They were to bring an animal that was the best of the flock. The animal was not to be blind, lame or sick. It was to be a lamb that was without spot or blemish.  This was to represent Jesus the Messiah who was the Lamb of God sent to take away the sins of the world. Jesus was without sin. He was perfect and therefore could be the one to take away our sin and guilt.
     When the people were offering what was not the best, they were greatly dishonoring the Lord. In essence what they were saying with their actions is that the Lord is just not that important. We will give Him what we can, and that will have to be good enough.
    In verse 13 the people even go so far as to say that it is a burden to serve the Lord correctly.  The Lord answers in verse 14 by saying, "For a great King am I, says the Lord of Hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations."
    It is quite clear that the people were just going through the motions of religious ritual in the most sloppy way they could. They had left behind their love for the Lord and honored men more than they honored the Lord of all creation.
     What does this passage of Scripture have to teach us today? I think that there are several applications for us.  First of all, I believe that some of the same attitude that the people in Malachi's day were expressing are true in the church today. What I am going to say some won't like, but I'm going to say it.
     It used to be when I was younger that when people went to church they had respect for the church as a special place where they were going to meet with God. Those going to church dressed nicely as a sign of respect for the Lord. When they went into the church sanctuary, there was a sense of reverence for the Lord.
     Now, things have changed greatly. The last Sunday when I went to church, people were wearing shorts and the most casual clothing that you would wear just lounging around the house. Everyone was talking loudly and laughing in the sanctuary even when the choir started to sing. During the service, many of the people were looking at their phones and checking their emails.  There was little sign that people felt that they were entering the presence of the Living God.
     I believe that we need to start showing a little more respect to the Lord when we go to church. I'm not saying you have to dress in a tuxedo or anything like that, but there should be a little more respect. We shouldn't have the attitude of one person I talked to who said, "It's just church, God doesn't care."
     I guess what bothers me the most is that if many people were going to meet with their boss or the governor or mayor, they would dress respectfully and act respectfully.
    I believe that this passage has another lesson for us today. It is about doing our best and giving our best to the Lord. Whatever we do for the Lord, we should do it with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength because we are doing it for Him. The Lord should never get our second best.
    The Lord should never be an afterthought in our lives. Our attitude shouldn't be that we will do something for the Lord after we take care of ourselves and everything else that we want to do.
     What the Lord says at the end of the chapter really strikes me. He is the King and Lord over all.  He is worthy of worship, honor, praise, glory and adoration. If He does not receive the praise and honor that are due to Him, the Lord will find others who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
     If we really and truly believe deep down in our hearts that Jesus is who He says that He is, then we need to act that way by putting Him first in every aspect of life. He shouldn't be just a part of our life. He is our life. He is our eternity.
    When we truly come to that realization, we will all serve the Lord Jesus with all that we have. We will give Him our best and we will follow Him and obey Him in all of our ways.
     I didn't write these things to offend anyone, but these are some things that have been on my heart for a long time.  There is something else that has been on my heart for a long time that doesn't have anything to do with this text, but it is relevant, so I want to discuss it for just a moment.
     Many times, I hear messages or read books where it seems as if Jesus is presented in a way where He is just someone who we can get something from.  For instance, if you want to go to Heaven when you die, come to know Jesus so you won't go to Hell.  If you want to be healed from sickness, or if you want prosperity, Jesus is the way.
     Sometimes, we don't pray until we need something, and then we go to Jesus and ask Him for things.
     Several months ago I had a dream about Jesus.  In this dream, I saw Jesus sitting down on a stone, and He looked sad. In the dream, I asked Him what was wrong. He said that He was upset because so many people only wanted to know Him for what they could get out of Him.  That was all of the dream.  After that I woke up, but I've thought about this for along time.  I've tried to analyze my life to see if I was being that way in my relationship with Jesus.
     It has made me realize this. The Lord is the sovereign Lord of all.  He is my Lord. He is worthy of all praise and honor just because of who He is.  He deserves my allegiance and obedience in life if He never does a thing for me.  He is worthy just because He is who He is.
      I hope that all of us will think about how great the Lord is.  There are some passages in the Bible that really display the majesty and power of the Lord.  I am going to list them, and I hope that you will be able to read them throughout this week.

Isaiah 6:1-13
Ezekiel 1 and 2
Daniel 7
Revelation 4 and 5
   
     Next week, we will continue with our series in the book of Malachi. I will post the verses on Monday, and there will be review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Book Recommendations

     This year is the 500 year anniversary of the Reformation. What always strikes me is how little many people know about the history of the Christian church.  Today, I am going to recommend four books to help those who haven't read or studied much about church history.
     A good general church history written for laypersons is "Church History in Plain Language" written by Bruce Shelley.  This is written in an easy to read and understand way.
     When I was in college, I took a course in church history. The book we used was, "A History of the Christian Church" by Williston Walker.  This is a very good book. It goes into more depth than the first book I mentioned.
     For those who might be interested in American church history, I would recommend "A Religious History of the American People" by Sydney Ahlstrom.  This was my text when I took American church history in college. 
     Another book about church history that I would recommend deals with the Church of the East. "The Lost History of Christianity" by Phillip Jenkins is an excellent account of a subject not much dealt with in most church history textbooks.

Verses For the Week

John 10:10 -- "The thief comes only to kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Matthew 7:12 -- "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets."

Weekend Sermon -- Malachi -- Introduction

     Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am so glad that you are able to stop by and read the sermon this week.  I hope that everyone is doing very well.
     This week has certainly had its ups and downs. The storminess in my area didn't amount to anything, and I am thankful to the Lord for that.  The part-time job situation is not going well at all at this point. I thought I had another opportunity, but it didn't work out either.  I would ask that you please pray that I am able to find the part-time job as soon as possible.  Everything would be alright on the financial front as well if there was a little more writing work. Writing is going well, so I can't really complain.  Please pray that these things will work out.  I pray that God's will will be done in the matter.
    Please continue to pray for those affected by the hurricanes.  I especially think of those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  Pray that they will receive the assistance that they need.  Also, continue to pray for those in Texas and Florida.
     Continue to pray for those in California affected by the fires.  Pray that all of the fires will be extinguished as soon as possible.
     Let us all pray for peace in this troubled world.  Syria, Iraq, South Sudan and Yemen certainly need our prayers.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for the nations of Burkina Faso and Saudi Arabia.  Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus.
     For most of the year, we were in a series of messages on the parables of Jesus. For the next few weeks, we will be in our new study as we go through the book of Malachi.  I will take time away from this series to do a message about Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Otherwise, we will focus on this important book and see what the Lord has to teach us.
     Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. It was probably written around 450 BC after the people had returned to Israel from their exile in Babylon.
     There is a debate concerning who wrote Malachi.  The name Malachi in Hebrew means "My messenger" or "the Lord's messenger."  Some Bible scholars think that the author wanted to remain anonymous, so he just called himself God's messenger.  Others believe that Malachi was the given name of the prophet who wrote the book.
     I believe that there was an actual man named Malachi who wrote this book.  If you've read any of the prophetic books, none of the prophets seem too fearful about letting people know who they are.  These were individuals who were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to speak a powerful message from the Lord when it was necessary.
      Malachi was a man who had a message from God.  He was unafraid to say some very hard things.  As we will see, Malachi doesn't pull any punches.  He let's people know that the Lord is not very happy with some of the things that they are doing.  However, he also gives the people a message of hope, that the Lord will make everything the way that it should be.
     Today, I want us to focus on Malachi chapter 1 verses 1-5.  Verse two states, "I have loved you, says the Lord; but you say, 'How have you loved us?'"
     After all that the Lord had done for the people of Israel , they still doubted and questioned the fact that they were loved by the Lord.
     In response, the Lord said that He loved Jacob, but hated Esau.  This doesn't mean that God had hatred for a person.  Hatred in this context means that the Lord preferred Jacob to Esau because the Lord chose Jacob to receive the blessing and to be the son through whom the promise made to Abraham continued. 
     The Lord doesn't hate any person as we think of hate.  The Lord loves everyone.  He wants all to come to repentance and spend eternity with Him in His eternal dwelling place.
     As we look at the people questioning the love of the Lord, it is really a slap in the face to the Lord.
The Lord chose the nation of Israel above all others to be the ones to keep the name of the True and Living God alive in the world.
     The Lord brought the people out of bondage in the land of Egypt.  He preserved them in the wilderness, and then He led them into a land that flowed with milk and honey.
     Even though they were a small nation, the Lord preserved them as long as they remained faithful to following in His ways.  Even when they rebelled, the Lord forgave them and restored them to the land of promise.
     Now, before we look down too much on the people in Malachi's day, we need to look at ourselves.  I know that many people often doubt the love that the Lord has for them.  I've done it myself when I've encountered problems and struggles in my life that I don't understand.  It's at these times that I have to look back at the many ways that the Lord has demonstrated His love for me.
     The Lord loved us so much that He sent His Son the Lord Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sins.  Out of love, He provided the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us and to be our comforter.
     I know that in my own life, the Lord has shown His love in many ways.  The Lord gave me two wonderful parents who showed me the importance of following the Lord Jesus in all that I set out to do.  The Lord gave me my friend Toby when I needed a friend.  The Lord Jesus has been with me in my darkest hours providing His support so that I could keep going and keep being what He wants me to be.
     Whenever you get down and think that God doesn't love you, stop and think about all of the ways that God has demonstrated His love to you in the past.
      Verse 5 of chapter 1 ends with the Lord stating that at a day in the future, everyone will declare that the Lord is great even beyond the land of Israel.
      That day is closer than it has ever been.  One day, Jesus will return to this earth in power and great glory.  Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  Jesus will rule and reign in righteousness, and His kingdom shall have no end.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus.
     I hope that you have experienced the love of the Lord Jesus in your life.  I hope that you have invited Him into your life to forgive you of your sins and to be your Savior and Lord.  If you haven't done so, I urge you to make Jesus the Lord of your life this very day.
     Next week, we will continue with our series of messages on the book of Malachi.  On Monday, I will post the verses, and there will be a review on Wednesday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.