I've written many poems over the last few years, and many of them have been published. I've written a few religious poems over the years, but I've never found a good place to send them into for publication. I want to get them out so people can read them, so I've decided to post some of my religious poems here on the blog every once in while over the next few weeks.
Coming Again
A day is coming, and it may be soon
when Christ will split the sky.
On a horse of white in triumph returning
followed closely by His chosen bride.
All eyes will see His great return
as He comes in righteousness to reign.
Every tongue shall confess for eternity
the glory of His most holy name.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Monday, January 30, 2017
Verse For the Week
Luke 18:27 -- "Jesus replied, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."
Friday, January 27, 2017
Weekend Sermon -- "The Parable of the Shrewd Manager"
I'm happy to be able to post the sermon this weekend. Thank you for reading the blog. I hope that all of you have had a very good week.
I've been working hard on writing this week. I was able to do quite a bit of work on my poetry this week, and that is my favorite part of writing. I was going through some of the poems I wrote several years ago, and I found some religious poems that I wrote. I'd completely forgotten about them. I will be posting some of these poems on the blog in the near future.
As you go to prayer this week, please pray for those that are still suffering as a result of the natural disasters that have hit many parts of the world. The people in Haiti are still trying to recover from the hurricane damage, and there are people in California that are still recovering from flooding.
Please continue to pray for peace in this troubled world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Israel and Ukraine.
For our prayer focus countries this week, I would like us all to pray for two countries in Europe that have very low rates of church attendance and many people who consider themselves to be atheists. Let us pray that many people in Estonia and the Czech Republic will respond to the message of Jesus.
For the last few weeks, we have been studying the parables of Jesus. Last week, we examined Jesus' parable about the guests at a banquet. It is an important parable teaching us about the importance of humility.
Today, I want to focus on a parable that I believe is the most difficult parable to understand. I've never spoken or written much about this particular parable because of its difficulty for me. In Luke chapter 16 we find what is known as the parable of the shrewd manager. Sometimes, this parable is called the parable of the unrighteous steward or the parable of the dishonest manager.
I've studied the meaning of this parable for years reading sermons and commentaries on this particular teaching of Jesus. There are many different interpretations as to what the meaning of this parable is.
What I want to do today is I want to first go over a couple of the most prominent interpretations of this parable. Then, I want to provide my view on what this parable is teaching.
First of all, what is the parable. Jesus said that there was a rich man who had a manager taking care of his business for him. The rich man discovered that the manager was dishonest in his dealings, and the manager realized that he was soon to be fired. The manager realized that he was not physically able to do manual labor, and he felt that he was too proud to be a beggar. So, the manager decided to act in such a way that others would be charitable to him once he was fired.
The manager found some of the people that owed money to the rich man. One man owed many barrels of oil and another man owed many bushels of wheat. The manager took a large percentage off their bill. When the rich man found out what the manager had done, he commended the manager for his shrewd action.
After telling this story Jesus said in Luke 16:8-9, "That's how it is! The people of this world look out for themselves better than people who belong to the light. My disciples, I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves. Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home." Jesus then went on to discuss the importance of being able to be trusted in the manner of using money. In verse 13 Jesus said, "You cannot be a slave to two masters. You will like one more than the other, or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve God and money."
So, what is Jesus saying here. The first major interpretation of this parable is that the steward was not really dishonest. The rich man had been charging his customers usury which was against Jewish law. By reducing the bill, the steward was just charging the actual amount. Since the rich man couldn't complain, he praised the manager for his actions. In this interpretation, Jesus is instructing His followers to not be naive in their dealings in this world. They should use money to make friends so that others will help them out when they need it. If we can't use money wisely, God will not give us spiritual responsibility.
There is another interpretation that I have come across that goes like this. What the manager was praised for was his quick action. Jesus wanted His disciples to be good decision makers and be wise enough in the ways of the world to make good decisions with their money.
Now, I am going to give you my interpretation of this parable. Some people probably won't like it, but I've thought about this teaching of Jesus for many years, and this is what I think He is saying.
I believe that when many people interpret this parable they neglect to read the verses that follow it that actually provide the interpretation. Verses 14-15 state, "The Pharisees really loved money. So when they heard what Jesus said, they made fun of Him, But Jesus told them, 'You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned.'"
Most people in this world are like the rich man and the steward. They are concerned with the pursuit of wealth and material possessions. The majority of their lives are consumed with finding ways to make more money have more things. Many people will do whatever it takes to make more money or advance their careers. Many in the business world do not care who they hurt or what damage they do to this planet as long as they make more money.
Jesus says in this parable that that is not how His followers are to behave. In this parable, and in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is quite clear in saying that you can't serve God and money. The Pharisees clearly understood what Jesus was getting at, and that is why they ridiculed Him. To them, wealth was of overriding importance. As Jesus would say, while wealth and world possessions were so important to them, they were worthless as far as God is concerned.
What is important to God is how one uses the money that one does have. The way that someone uses money is a reflection of whether or not that person is truly trying to follow the teachings of Jesus. In this parable, Jesus is teaching us that we are to use the money that we have to help others. and advance the principles of the kingdom of God. We aren't supposed to just keep making more and more so that we can have more and more. The Lord wants us to have enough to meet our needs, then He wants us to use our resources to help others and make this world a better place.
There are so many needs in this world. Homelessness is still a big problem here in the United States. Many people around the world don't have the food and medicine they need. Many people have not been reached with the Good News of the transforming love of Jesus Christ.
If we don't use the resources that God has given to us, we will not be entrusted with greater responsibility in the kingdom of God.
As believers in Jesus, money is not to be the center of our lives. In fact, truly following Jesus may cause us to have to forsake some careers and money making opportunities. A Christian who is in business needs to put Jesus and His values first regardless of the monetary cost. Think about the stocks you may own and the mutual funds you have. Many mutual funds hold stocks in corporations whose values are directly opposed to the values of Jesus. In truly following the Lord, a believer may have to bypass certain investments even though they may make a lot of money.
There are a lot of Christians in big corporations who are not paying their workers a decent wage. They are not following environmental standards, and they are not making the world a better place. These are not the values of Jesus. Many times, corporations value profits over people.
In this parable, Jesus is calling on His followers to value Him and His teachings more than money. Jesus is calling us to use money to make this world a better place and advance the kingdom. Having a lot of money and many possessions are not evidences of a life lived for Jesus. Jesus will make that even more clear in the parable He tells after this one, and that parable will be our focus next week.
If you are struggling with your loyalty to Jesus versus your loyalty to money and material things, I urge you to look to Jesus. Money, possessions, fame and power are temporal things that are passing away. Only what is done in keeping with the teachings of Jesus will last for all eternity.
If you are a Christian business person, I urge you to reflect upon the teachings of Jesus and then analyze your business practices and see if they are in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
If you aren't tithing, I urge you to at least give the tithe. If the Lord has enabled you to give more, I urge you to give to the Lord what He has placed on your heart.
Next week, we will continue with our study of the parables of Jesus. I will post the verse next Monday. I think that I will post a poem on Tuesday, and there will be a book review on Wednesday. Please invite others to read the blog. For some reason, when I have sermon series about Jesus, the readership goes down some. It is so important to learn about Jesus. May God bless you all. Amen.
I've been working hard on writing this week. I was able to do quite a bit of work on my poetry this week, and that is my favorite part of writing. I was going through some of the poems I wrote several years ago, and I found some religious poems that I wrote. I'd completely forgotten about them. I will be posting some of these poems on the blog in the near future.
As you go to prayer this week, please pray for those that are still suffering as a result of the natural disasters that have hit many parts of the world. The people in Haiti are still trying to recover from the hurricane damage, and there are people in California that are still recovering from flooding.
Please continue to pray for peace in this troubled world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, South Sudan, Israel and Ukraine.
For our prayer focus countries this week, I would like us all to pray for two countries in Europe that have very low rates of church attendance and many people who consider themselves to be atheists. Let us pray that many people in Estonia and the Czech Republic will respond to the message of Jesus.
For the last few weeks, we have been studying the parables of Jesus. Last week, we examined Jesus' parable about the guests at a banquet. It is an important parable teaching us about the importance of humility.
Today, I want to focus on a parable that I believe is the most difficult parable to understand. I've never spoken or written much about this particular parable because of its difficulty for me. In Luke chapter 16 we find what is known as the parable of the shrewd manager. Sometimes, this parable is called the parable of the unrighteous steward or the parable of the dishonest manager.
I've studied the meaning of this parable for years reading sermons and commentaries on this particular teaching of Jesus. There are many different interpretations as to what the meaning of this parable is.
What I want to do today is I want to first go over a couple of the most prominent interpretations of this parable. Then, I want to provide my view on what this parable is teaching.
First of all, what is the parable. Jesus said that there was a rich man who had a manager taking care of his business for him. The rich man discovered that the manager was dishonest in his dealings, and the manager realized that he was soon to be fired. The manager realized that he was not physically able to do manual labor, and he felt that he was too proud to be a beggar. So, the manager decided to act in such a way that others would be charitable to him once he was fired.
The manager found some of the people that owed money to the rich man. One man owed many barrels of oil and another man owed many bushels of wheat. The manager took a large percentage off their bill. When the rich man found out what the manager had done, he commended the manager for his shrewd action.
After telling this story Jesus said in Luke 16:8-9, "That's how it is! The people of this world look out for themselves better than people who belong to the light. My disciples, I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves. Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into your eternal home." Jesus then went on to discuss the importance of being able to be trusted in the manner of using money. In verse 13 Jesus said, "You cannot be a slave to two masters. You will like one more than the other, or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve God and money."
So, what is Jesus saying here. The first major interpretation of this parable is that the steward was not really dishonest. The rich man had been charging his customers usury which was against Jewish law. By reducing the bill, the steward was just charging the actual amount. Since the rich man couldn't complain, he praised the manager for his actions. In this interpretation, Jesus is instructing His followers to not be naive in their dealings in this world. They should use money to make friends so that others will help them out when they need it. If we can't use money wisely, God will not give us spiritual responsibility.
There is another interpretation that I have come across that goes like this. What the manager was praised for was his quick action. Jesus wanted His disciples to be good decision makers and be wise enough in the ways of the world to make good decisions with their money.
Now, I am going to give you my interpretation of this parable. Some people probably won't like it, but I've thought about this teaching of Jesus for many years, and this is what I think He is saying.
I believe that when many people interpret this parable they neglect to read the verses that follow it that actually provide the interpretation. Verses 14-15 state, "The Pharisees really loved money. So when they heard what Jesus said, they made fun of Him, But Jesus told them, 'You are always making yourselves look good, but God sees what is in your heart. The things that most people think are important are worthless as far as God is concerned.'"
Most people in this world are like the rich man and the steward. They are concerned with the pursuit of wealth and material possessions. The majority of their lives are consumed with finding ways to make more money have more things. Many people will do whatever it takes to make more money or advance their careers. Many in the business world do not care who they hurt or what damage they do to this planet as long as they make more money.
Jesus says in this parable that that is not how His followers are to behave. In this parable, and in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is quite clear in saying that you can't serve God and money. The Pharisees clearly understood what Jesus was getting at, and that is why they ridiculed Him. To them, wealth was of overriding importance. As Jesus would say, while wealth and world possessions were so important to them, they were worthless as far as God is concerned.
What is important to God is how one uses the money that one does have. The way that someone uses money is a reflection of whether or not that person is truly trying to follow the teachings of Jesus. In this parable, Jesus is teaching us that we are to use the money that we have to help others. and advance the principles of the kingdom of God. We aren't supposed to just keep making more and more so that we can have more and more. The Lord wants us to have enough to meet our needs, then He wants us to use our resources to help others and make this world a better place.
There are so many needs in this world. Homelessness is still a big problem here in the United States. Many people around the world don't have the food and medicine they need. Many people have not been reached with the Good News of the transforming love of Jesus Christ.
If we don't use the resources that God has given to us, we will not be entrusted with greater responsibility in the kingdom of God.
As believers in Jesus, money is not to be the center of our lives. In fact, truly following Jesus may cause us to have to forsake some careers and money making opportunities. A Christian who is in business needs to put Jesus and His values first regardless of the monetary cost. Think about the stocks you may own and the mutual funds you have. Many mutual funds hold stocks in corporations whose values are directly opposed to the values of Jesus. In truly following the Lord, a believer may have to bypass certain investments even though they may make a lot of money.
There are a lot of Christians in big corporations who are not paying their workers a decent wage. They are not following environmental standards, and they are not making the world a better place. These are not the values of Jesus. Many times, corporations value profits over people.
In this parable, Jesus is calling on His followers to value Him and His teachings more than money. Jesus is calling us to use money to make this world a better place and advance the kingdom. Having a lot of money and many possessions are not evidences of a life lived for Jesus. Jesus will make that even more clear in the parable He tells after this one, and that parable will be our focus next week.
If you are struggling with your loyalty to Jesus versus your loyalty to money and material things, I urge you to look to Jesus. Money, possessions, fame and power are temporal things that are passing away. Only what is done in keeping with the teachings of Jesus will last for all eternity.
If you are a Christian business person, I urge you to reflect upon the teachings of Jesus and then analyze your business practices and see if they are in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
If you aren't tithing, I urge you to at least give the tithe. If the Lord has enabled you to give more, I urge you to give to the Lord what He has placed on your heart.
Next week, we will continue with our study of the parables of Jesus. I will post the verse next Monday. I think that I will post a poem on Tuesday, and there will be a book review on Wednesday. Please invite others to read the blog. For some reason, when I have sermon series about Jesus, the readership goes down some. It is so important to learn about Jesus. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Book Review -- "Stalking Ground"
Last year, I reviewed the first book in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series written by Margaret Mizushima. That book introduced us to the characters of Officer Mattie Cobb and her police dog, Robo. I thought that this first book was good and that Robo was a good dog character.
I've just finished reading the second book in the series entitled, "Stalking Ground". While I enjoyed the first book, I didn't care for "Stalking Ground" all that much. I still enjoyed the character of Robo, but the entire mystery wasn't very good. I was able to figure out right away who the killer was. Also, the relationship between Mattie and veterinarian Cole Walker seems forced.
One other item that I didn't like in the book is that a police officer on Mattie's force commits an act of police brutality, and there are no real repercussions for that officer.
When the next book comes out in this series, I will probably read it to see if the series picks up any. However, I can't recommend this book to those who are just getting started with the series. The author is a good writer, and there is good flow to the story. The mystery element in the next book needs to be executed better so that the murderer is not so obvious.
I've just finished reading the second book in the series entitled, "Stalking Ground". While I enjoyed the first book, I didn't care for "Stalking Ground" all that much. I still enjoyed the character of Robo, but the entire mystery wasn't very good. I was able to figure out right away who the killer was. Also, the relationship between Mattie and veterinarian Cole Walker seems forced.
One other item that I didn't like in the book is that a police officer on Mattie's force commits an act of police brutality, and there are no real repercussions for that officer.
When the next book comes out in this series, I will probably read it to see if the series picks up any. However, I can't recommend this book to those who are just getting started with the series. The author is a good writer, and there is good flow to the story. The mystery element in the next book needs to be executed better so that the murderer is not so obvious.
Monday, January 23, 2017
Verses For the Week -- Verses About Our Hope in Christ
This weekend, I attended the funeral for one of the associate pastors at the church I attend. I just want to share a few verses that tell of the hope that we have as Christians that this life is not all there is. Those who are in Jesus Christ have hope for eternal life.
Philippians 1:21 -- " For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
I Thessalonians 4:13-14 -- "Brothers and Sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe the God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."
John 14:2 -- "In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you."
John 11:25 -- "I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
Hebrews 13:8 -- "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."
Philippians 1:21 -- " For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
I Thessalonians 4:13-14 -- "Brothers and Sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe the God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."
John 14:2 -- "In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you."
John 11:25 -- "I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."
Hebrews 13:8 -- "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."
Friday, January 20, 2017
Weekend Sermon -- Parables of Jesus -- Luke 14:7-14
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am glad to be able to be with you today, and I want to thank you for reading the blog.
This week I've been working hard on writing. I've sent in stories to publishers, and I've written poems and sent poems out to literary journals. I love working on poetry.
I really want to find a different job soon. I am so stressed out working where I am. Please pray that I can find a different job soon. Another thing that I would ask for your prayers about is getting my house sold. A few months ago, I tried to get my house sold, and I didn't have any success. I want to get out of that house. Please pray that it will happen this time. Thank you for your prayers.
Today here in the United States it is Inauguration Day. Whatever you think of the new President, the Bible calls on us to pray for our leaders. Let us all pray that our leaders will have wisdom to do what is right.
Also, let us pray for those who are suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray for those in Italy, Haiti, California and Nevada.
Please pray for peace in the world. Pray for Syria especially as that nation is still firmly in the grip of turmoil.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for the nations of Morocco and Malaysia. Pray that many in these two nations will come to know Jesus.
For the past couple of weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the parables of Jesus. Last week, we looked at the parable of the light under a basket. We are not to hide our light. We are to let our light shine into the darkness so that others will know about Jesus. We shine our light so that we can help make this world a better place.
In today's message, we will focus our attention on the parable that Jesus told in Luke 14:7-14. This is a powerful parable that teaches us lessons about humility and hospitality.
Jesus was often invited to banquets that were held by prominent people and religious leaders. One Sabbath day, Jesus was dining in the home of an important Pharisee. While dining, a man with dropsy came to be healed. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath much to the consternation of the religious leaders. Jesus told them that if their ox fell into a hole on the Sabbath, they would certainly go and pull the ox out. So, why should a man who was suffering not be healed on the Sabbath Day. The religious leaders didn't answer a word to Jesus.
While Jesus was at the dinner, He noticed that the guests were all trying to get the best places at the dinner table. The best places would have been those that were closest to the host. Jesus said that when invited to a dinner, instead of seeking the best place, one should take the worst place. If you take the best place right away, someone more esteemed by the host might arrive and then you might be asked to take a lower place. This would be embarrassing. However, if you take the lowest place, the host may ask you to come up to a better place which would allow you to have honor in the eyes of those at the dinner table.
I think that this example is so good, because I've had this same thing happen to me a couple of different times. Once, when I was at a dinner given for my Grandpa, my Grandpa asked me to come up and sit with him at the head of the table. On another occasion, when I was at a gathering for my friend, the family asked me to join them at the family table.
What this parable of Jesus is getting at isn't fundamentally about where you sit at a dinner. Jesus is making a point about the attitude of humility that His followers should have. We should follow the example of humility that was given to us by Jesus Himself.
Jesus was the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He came to this earth in human form and suffered in all manner just as we do. He took upon Himself the form of servant. He demonstrated the attitude of service that we should have when He washed the disciples feet in the Upper Room on the night before the crucifixion.
While Jesus was on this earth, He always sought to serve and not to be served. Jesus went about healing and delivering people. He didn't use His power for Himself. He used His power to make other people's lives better.
Jesus demonstrated deep humility when He went to the cross suffering the shame of death on a cross. Because of this, He was exalted, and He sits at the right hand of God the Father. One day He will return in power and great glory. Every knee will bow to Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
When we act in humility, we truly show that we are followers of Jesus. When we don't try to get glory for ourselves in this world, we show that Jesus is our Lord.
The mark of someone who is not a follower of Jesus is a heart that is lifted up in pride. Someone who always wants to be number one does not have the attitude demonstrated by the Lord Jesus.
Being humble means letting others receive the glory. It means not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, It means that we recognize the fact that without the help and the aid of the Lord Jesus we can do no good thing. It is only through His enablement that we can accomplish anything.
Jesus went on to make another point. He told that man who was the host of the banquet that when he held a banquet in the future, instead of just inviting prominent people, the host should invite the lame and the blind and the outcast. The prominent people can pay one back with an invitation to their parties. Those who are poor and sick can't. Those are the ones to invite, Jesus said. Jesus said that if you invite the least of these, you will be rewarded when He comes back to earth to establish His kingdom.
What Jesus is saying here is that we shouldn't have the attitude that we are giving to get something in return. If we have that attitude, we will not have a reward in the world to come. Many people give to others thinking or knowing that they will get something back. Some people even give to the work of the Lord hoping that they will get money back in return.
Jesus told us to give to those who cannot repay. What does this look like? It means helping the homeless have a place to stay and something good to eat. It means helping children who don't have much have a good Christmas or enough food and good clothes. It means helping those who life has passed by. They more than likely will never be able to do anything monetarily for you. However, Jesus sees and knows when out of the love in our hearts we seek to help others seeking nothing in return. That is the attitude that Jesus wants His followers to have.
That is the attitude Jesus had. We have nothing that we can offer to the Lord. We were dead in trespasses and sins. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. By His grace alone we have received the gift of His salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn it. He just asks us to accept His gracious gift of love and salvation.
Next week, we will continue with our series on the parables of Jesus. On Monday, I will post the verse of the week. Last year, I posted two verses each week with the hope that we would work to memorize the verses. I hope that many of you were successful in memorizing a lot of Scripture. On Wednesday, I will post a review of a dog book. May God bless you all. Amen.
This week I've been working hard on writing. I've sent in stories to publishers, and I've written poems and sent poems out to literary journals. I love working on poetry.
I really want to find a different job soon. I am so stressed out working where I am. Please pray that I can find a different job soon. Another thing that I would ask for your prayers about is getting my house sold. A few months ago, I tried to get my house sold, and I didn't have any success. I want to get out of that house. Please pray that it will happen this time. Thank you for your prayers.
Today here in the United States it is Inauguration Day. Whatever you think of the new President, the Bible calls on us to pray for our leaders. Let us all pray that our leaders will have wisdom to do what is right.
Also, let us pray for those who are suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray for those in Italy, Haiti, California and Nevada.
Please pray for peace in the world. Pray for Syria especially as that nation is still firmly in the grip of turmoil.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for the nations of Morocco and Malaysia. Pray that many in these two nations will come to know Jesus.
For the past couple of weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the parables of Jesus. Last week, we looked at the parable of the light under a basket. We are not to hide our light. We are to let our light shine into the darkness so that others will know about Jesus. We shine our light so that we can help make this world a better place.
In today's message, we will focus our attention on the parable that Jesus told in Luke 14:7-14. This is a powerful parable that teaches us lessons about humility and hospitality.
Jesus was often invited to banquets that were held by prominent people and religious leaders. One Sabbath day, Jesus was dining in the home of an important Pharisee. While dining, a man with dropsy came to be healed. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath much to the consternation of the religious leaders. Jesus told them that if their ox fell into a hole on the Sabbath, they would certainly go and pull the ox out. So, why should a man who was suffering not be healed on the Sabbath Day. The religious leaders didn't answer a word to Jesus.
While Jesus was at the dinner, He noticed that the guests were all trying to get the best places at the dinner table. The best places would have been those that were closest to the host. Jesus said that when invited to a dinner, instead of seeking the best place, one should take the worst place. If you take the best place right away, someone more esteemed by the host might arrive and then you might be asked to take a lower place. This would be embarrassing. However, if you take the lowest place, the host may ask you to come up to a better place which would allow you to have honor in the eyes of those at the dinner table.
I think that this example is so good, because I've had this same thing happen to me a couple of different times. Once, when I was at a dinner given for my Grandpa, my Grandpa asked me to come up and sit with him at the head of the table. On another occasion, when I was at a gathering for my friend, the family asked me to join them at the family table.
What this parable of Jesus is getting at isn't fundamentally about where you sit at a dinner. Jesus is making a point about the attitude of humility that His followers should have. We should follow the example of humility that was given to us by Jesus Himself.
Jesus was the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He came to this earth in human form and suffered in all manner just as we do. He took upon Himself the form of servant. He demonstrated the attitude of service that we should have when He washed the disciples feet in the Upper Room on the night before the crucifixion.
While Jesus was on this earth, He always sought to serve and not to be served. Jesus went about healing and delivering people. He didn't use His power for Himself. He used His power to make other people's lives better.
Jesus demonstrated deep humility when He went to the cross suffering the shame of death on a cross. Because of this, He was exalted, and He sits at the right hand of God the Father. One day He will return in power and great glory. Every knee will bow to Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
When we act in humility, we truly show that we are followers of Jesus. When we don't try to get glory for ourselves in this world, we show that Jesus is our Lord.
The mark of someone who is not a follower of Jesus is a heart that is lifted up in pride. Someone who always wants to be number one does not have the attitude demonstrated by the Lord Jesus.
Being humble means letting others receive the glory. It means not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, It means that we recognize the fact that without the help and the aid of the Lord Jesus we can do no good thing. It is only through His enablement that we can accomplish anything.
Jesus went on to make another point. He told that man who was the host of the banquet that when he held a banquet in the future, instead of just inviting prominent people, the host should invite the lame and the blind and the outcast. The prominent people can pay one back with an invitation to their parties. Those who are poor and sick can't. Those are the ones to invite, Jesus said. Jesus said that if you invite the least of these, you will be rewarded when He comes back to earth to establish His kingdom.
What Jesus is saying here is that we shouldn't have the attitude that we are giving to get something in return. If we have that attitude, we will not have a reward in the world to come. Many people give to others thinking or knowing that they will get something back. Some people even give to the work of the Lord hoping that they will get money back in return.
Jesus told us to give to those who cannot repay. What does this look like? It means helping the homeless have a place to stay and something good to eat. It means helping children who don't have much have a good Christmas or enough food and good clothes. It means helping those who life has passed by. They more than likely will never be able to do anything monetarily for you. However, Jesus sees and knows when out of the love in our hearts we seek to help others seeking nothing in return. That is the attitude that Jesus wants His followers to have.
That is the attitude Jesus had. We have nothing that we can offer to the Lord. We were dead in trespasses and sins. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. By His grace alone we have received the gift of His salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn it. He just asks us to accept His gracious gift of love and salvation.
Next week, we will continue with our series on the parables of Jesus. On Monday, I will post the verse of the week. Last year, I posted two verses each week with the hope that we would work to memorize the verses. I hope that many of you were successful in memorizing a lot of Scripture. On Wednesday, I will post a review of a dog book. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Book Review -- "Hero"
Today I am reviewing a book for younger readers. "Hero" by Jennifer Li Shotz, is a fast-paced adventure story that was a lot of fun to read. Hero was the best dog on the police force for many years. However, police dogs can't work forever, so when it is time to retire, Hero becomes the dog of his police handler's son named Ben. When Ben was younger, Hero had found and rescued Ben saving the boy's life.
Ben and Hero get a long great and are the best of friends. One day, when Ben and Hero are out at the baseball field practicing, Hero finds an abandoned puppy. Ben takes the dog home and names him Scout.
As the book progresses it becomes obvious that Scout was abused, and there is someone in town who wants to get Scout back. Ben, Hero and their friend will find themselves on the trail of a dog fighting ring as they try to rescue Scout.
"Hero" is an easy to read book that kids will enjoy. especially those who love animals. This book teaches the values of friendship and loyalty. I highly recommend this book.
A sequel to "Hero" is due to be published sometime later this year. If you enjoy reading "Hero", look for the second book coming out shortly. Also, the author of "Hero" wrote the book "Max". That book is associated with the movie "Max" that I recommended here on the blog a few weeks ago.
Ben and Hero get a long great and are the best of friends. One day, when Ben and Hero are out at the baseball field practicing, Hero finds an abandoned puppy. Ben takes the dog home and names him Scout.
As the book progresses it becomes obvious that Scout was abused, and there is someone in town who wants to get Scout back. Ben, Hero and their friend will find themselves on the trail of a dog fighting ring as they try to rescue Scout.
"Hero" is an easy to read book that kids will enjoy. especially those who love animals. This book teaches the values of friendship and loyalty. I highly recommend this book.
A sequel to "Hero" is due to be published sometime later this year. If you enjoy reading "Hero", look for the second book coming out shortly. Also, the author of "Hero" wrote the book "Max". That book is associated with the movie "Max" that I recommended here on the blog a few weeks ago.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Verse for the Week and an Update
Deuteronomy 10:18 -- "He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing."
Thank you for your prayers about the bad weather in my area. The ice storm that was predicted did not cause much problem where I live. I thank the Lord for that. However, just to the south and west of where I live, they did have some big problems. Please pray that these folks will get their power restored quickly. Also, please continue to pray for those affected by the storms in California and Nevada.
Thank you for your prayers about the bad weather in my area. The ice storm that was predicted did not cause much problem where I live. I thank the Lord for that. However, just to the south and west of where I live, they did have some big problems. Please pray that these folks will get their power restored quickly. Also, please continue to pray for those affected by the storms in California and Nevada.
Friday, January 13, 2017
Weekend Sermon -- Parables of Jesus-- Mark 4:21
Thank you for reading the sermon this week. I am glad to be able to post the sermon today. We are still expecting a bad ice storm in my area. Please pray that there is not a lot of problems from this. Pray that the amounts are not too high and that there aren't any power outages. I thank you for your prayers.
This week has been very hectic with all the preparations for the bad weather. We have a new supervisor at work, so I am still not sure how that is all going to work out.
In prayer this week, continue to pray for those affected by the bad storms in various parts of the United States. Also, continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, South Sudan and Iraq.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in Bangladesh and Albania. Pray that people will hear the good news about Jesus. Also, pray for Christians who are facing persecution around the world.
Last week, we began a new series of messages on the parables of Jesus. We began by examining what parables are and why Jesus used parables as one of His primary methods of communication.
Today, I want us to look at the parable of the lamp that Jesus spoke in Mark 4:21. Mark 4:21 states, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine."
This is a familiar verse of Scripture. But, this short parable has a light of meaning.
From our series in the Sermon on the Mount, we saw that Jesus described His followers as being the light of the world. We are to be the ones who spread the light into the dark places of this world to drive out the darkness. That's what Jesus did. He is the light of the world. He came to shine the light of His love into every place where darkness dwells. Now that Jesus has ascended into Heaven, those of us who are His followers have been given the task of being lights in a dark place. As we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are to let our light shine.
One of the most important ways that we let the light shine is to share the message of salvation with those who need to hear the message of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. When we obey the Great Commission and tell other people about the love of Jesus, we are letting our light shine for all the world to see.
Another way that we let our lights shine is by doing as much good as we can in this world in order to make this world a better place. There are many people who need our help in this world. Let all of us find some way to do something good and positive to help others and to help the planet. In this way we let our light shine for all to see.
Here is the problem. Many keep their light under a bushel, and no one can see the light. Many never share their faith in Jesus with others, and many never do anything to help anybody else or try to make this world a better place. Jesus said that this is not the way that things are supposed to be. No one would do this with a lamp in the physical world, and no one should do this with the light of Christ that is to shine in them and outside of them.
I hope that in this new year that you will take the time to share your faith with others. Let the light of the love of Jesus shine out of you and drive away the darkness. Find something that you can do to help others in need and make this world a better place.
Next week, we will continue with our parables of Jesus series. I am not sure what I will be posting during the week. It will depend on the weather. Thank you for your prayers. May God be with you . Amen.
This week has been very hectic with all the preparations for the bad weather. We have a new supervisor at work, so I am still not sure how that is all going to work out.
In prayer this week, continue to pray for those affected by the bad storms in various parts of the United States. Also, continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, South Sudan and Iraq.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in Bangladesh and Albania. Pray that people will hear the good news about Jesus. Also, pray for Christians who are facing persecution around the world.
Last week, we began a new series of messages on the parables of Jesus. We began by examining what parables are and why Jesus used parables as one of His primary methods of communication.
Today, I want us to look at the parable of the lamp that Jesus spoke in Mark 4:21. Mark 4:21 states, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine."
This is a familiar verse of Scripture. But, this short parable has a light of meaning.
From our series in the Sermon on the Mount, we saw that Jesus described His followers as being the light of the world. We are to be the ones who spread the light into the dark places of this world to drive out the darkness. That's what Jesus did. He is the light of the world. He came to shine the light of His love into every place where darkness dwells. Now that Jesus has ascended into Heaven, those of us who are His followers have been given the task of being lights in a dark place. As we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are to let our light shine.
One of the most important ways that we let the light shine is to share the message of salvation with those who need to hear the message of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus. When we obey the Great Commission and tell other people about the love of Jesus, we are letting our light shine for all the world to see.
Another way that we let our lights shine is by doing as much good as we can in this world in order to make this world a better place. There are many people who need our help in this world. Let all of us find some way to do something good and positive to help others and to help the planet. In this way we let our light shine for all to see.
Here is the problem. Many keep their light under a bushel, and no one can see the light. Many never share their faith in Jesus with others, and many never do anything to help anybody else or try to make this world a better place. Jesus said that this is not the way that things are supposed to be. No one would do this with a lamp in the physical world, and no one should do this with the light of Christ that is to shine in them and outside of them.
I hope that in this new year that you will take the time to share your faith with others. Let the light of the love of Jesus shine out of you and drive away the darkness. Find something that you can do to help others in need and make this world a better place.
Next week, we will continue with our parables of Jesus series. I am not sure what I will be posting during the week. It will depend on the weather. Thank you for your prayers. May God be with you . Amen.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Book Review and Update -- "The Promise"
Today we have another book with a great dog character. "The Promise" by Robert Crais is a well-written novel that combines all of the author's main characters in one book. Crais is known for his Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novels. Recently, he started writing about a police canine officer and his dog Maggie. "The Promise" has all of these characters working to solve a mystery and stop potential terrorism.
One of the aspects that I liked about the book was that some portions were written from the perspective of the police dog. She is treated as a real character in the book and not just a police tool. I also liked how the book really moved along at a good pace.
I have to admit that prior to this book I'd only read one other book with Elvis Cole as the main character. I also read "Suspect" where the canine Maggie is introduced. In spite of not having read the Cole and Pike novels much, I did not find that that hindered my enjoyment of this novel. It was easy to get into and get into the action of the plot.
I would recommend this book for those who like good mystery novels and those who like good dog characters in a book.
Update -- Starting sometime on Friday, we are supposed to have a major winter storm in my area. I still hope to be able to post the sermon on Friday, but that may not happen. If you don't see a sermon posted this week, you will know why. I would ask that you please pray that this ice storm does not materialize. Nobody needs this mess. Also, please be in prayer for the people in California and Nevada who are facing such bad weather.
One of the aspects that I liked about the book was that some portions were written from the perspective of the police dog. She is treated as a real character in the book and not just a police tool. I also liked how the book really moved along at a good pace.
I have to admit that prior to this book I'd only read one other book with Elvis Cole as the main character. I also read "Suspect" where the canine Maggie is introduced. In spite of not having read the Cole and Pike novels much, I did not find that that hindered my enjoyment of this novel. It was easy to get into and get into the action of the plot.
I would recommend this book for those who like good mystery novels and those who like good dog characters in a book.
Update -- Starting sometime on Friday, we are supposed to have a major winter storm in my area. I still hope to be able to post the sermon on Friday, but that may not happen. If you don't see a sermon posted this week, you will know why. I would ask that you please pray that this ice storm does not materialize. Nobody needs this mess. Also, please be in prayer for the people in California and Nevada who are facing such bad weather.
Monday, January 9, 2017
Friday, January 6, 2017
Weekend Sermon -- Parables Of Jesus -- Introduction
I want to wish everyone a happy new year. I hope that you are all doing well in these early days of 2017.
It has been very cold here where I live. For some reason, the cold weather makes me get tired much more easily. Hopefully, it will warm up at least a little soon.
Please continue to pray for peace in this world in this new year. There is a cease fire in Syria' from what I hear in the news. Let us pray that Syria will find peace in this new year. Also, let's continue to pray for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan and South Sudan. Wherever there is war, let us pray for peace.
Let us continue to pray for those who are recovering from natural disasters. I think especially of the people in Haiti who are trying to recover from the hurricane that hit their country last year.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray that the message of Jesus' love will reach the people of Cape Verde and Sri Lanka.
This week in the sermon, we will be starting a new series of messages on the parables of Jesus. It is my intention to go through and have a message on each of the parables that are found in the four Gospels. This is quite an undertaking, and it will occupy most of the sermons here on the blog in 2017. Every once in a while while we are in this parables of Jesus series, we will take a break, and I will post a sermon on a different topic. I believe that there is so much to learn from the study these parables.
There are two parables that we will not be studying. One is the sign of Jonah given by Jesus, and the other is the parable of the net. I have posted sermons on these two topics previously, and they have become the most widely read posts in this blog's history.
Today, I want to provide an introduction to the parables. What is a parable? Why did Jesus use parables? Of what do the parables consist?
First of all, what are parables? Parables are short stories that are often allegorical. They are used to teach a lesson or a spiritual truth. The word parable is from a Greek word that means to cast alongside. What that means is that parables often compare and contrast things. The person speaking a parable will often use an earthly example to illustrate a heavenly principle.
For instance, Jesus uses the image of a lost sheep to illustrate that we are sheep that have gone astray. He is the good shepherd who leaves the sheep in the fold and goes looking for the sheep that is lost.
Why did Jesus use parables to teach people? Matthew 13 gives us that most clear outline of why Jesus used parables. Jesus says in Matthew 13:11 that parables were used to relate the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven. They were used by Jesus to relate the values of God's kingdom and to relate spiritual truths.
Jesus used stories that contained characters and objects that people in his day would have readily understood and identified with. He used farming metaphors and shepherding examples that would have been familiar to His listeners. By doing this, Jesus was able to bring the teaching that He wanted to relate to their level of understanding.
However, Jesus would also make it clear that the meaning of the parables are not readily evident. The Bible often uses the phrase "he who has ears to hear let him hear". In other words, to truly understand the message of the parables, the hearer has to have a heart that truly wants to hear the message of the Lord. Then, the Holy Spirit will work in the life of a person, and that person will be able to understand the message that the parable contains. A person who is not led by the Holy Spirit will not be able to understand the message of the parables. This was by the design of God. Jesus says in Matthew 13:14 that His use of parables was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah when he said, "You will be ever hearing, but never understanding."
What this means is that it takes diligent spiritual study to understand all that a parable has to teach us. Not everything that a parable has to reveal is evident right on the surface. One thing that I enjoy about studying all of the Word of God is that no matter how many times you read it, you can always discover something that you didn't see before. That's the way it is with the parables that we will be studying over the course of the next few weeks.
As we will see, there are many different types of parables. Many of the parables are what Jesus calls parables about the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. Other parables are used to show the hypocrisy of those who were the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day. Some parables teach us about eternity while others teach us about the way of salvation. All of them are filled with important truths.
One thing that I find very interesting is that Jesus' speaking in parables is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Psalm 78:2 says, "I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter hidden things, things from of old." This is just another prophecy fulfilled by Jesus proving that He is the Messiah who was spoken of in the Old Testament. With that in mind, we can have great confidence in the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus was a master storyteller. His parables are some of the greatest stories ever told. Even those who are critics of Jesus will readily admit that Jesus' use of parables as teachings tools was extraordinary.
I am looking forward to relating to you what the Lord is showing me through these parables. I hope that you will join me in learning from these important words of Jesus.
Next week, Lord willing, we will resume our normal schedule here on the blog. I will post the verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon next weekend will continue our parables of Jesus study. May God bless you all. Amen.
It has been very cold here where I live. For some reason, the cold weather makes me get tired much more easily. Hopefully, it will warm up at least a little soon.
Please continue to pray for peace in this world in this new year. There is a cease fire in Syria' from what I hear in the news. Let us pray that Syria will find peace in this new year. Also, let's continue to pray for peace in Iraq, Afghanistan and South Sudan. Wherever there is war, let us pray for peace.
Let us continue to pray for those who are recovering from natural disasters. I think especially of the people in Haiti who are trying to recover from the hurricane that hit their country last year.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray that the message of Jesus' love will reach the people of Cape Verde and Sri Lanka.
This week in the sermon, we will be starting a new series of messages on the parables of Jesus. It is my intention to go through and have a message on each of the parables that are found in the four Gospels. This is quite an undertaking, and it will occupy most of the sermons here on the blog in 2017. Every once in a while while we are in this parables of Jesus series, we will take a break, and I will post a sermon on a different topic. I believe that there is so much to learn from the study these parables.
There are two parables that we will not be studying. One is the sign of Jonah given by Jesus, and the other is the parable of the net. I have posted sermons on these two topics previously, and they have become the most widely read posts in this blog's history.
Today, I want to provide an introduction to the parables. What is a parable? Why did Jesus use parables? Of what do the parables consist?
First of all, what are parables? Parables are short stories that are often allegorical. They are used to teach a lesson or a spiritual truth. The word parable is from a Greek word that means to cast alongside. What that means is that parables often compare and contrast things. The person speaking a parable will often use an earthly example to illustrate a heavenly principle.
For instance, Jesus uses the image of a lost sheep to illustrate that we are sheep that have gone astray. He is the good shepherd who leaves the sheep in the fold and goes looking for the sheep that is lost.
Why did Jesus use parables to teach people? Matthew 13 gives us that most clear outline of why Jesus used parables. Jesus says in Matthew 13:11 that parables were used to relate the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven. They were used by Jesus to relate the values of God's kingdom and to relate spiritual truths.
Jesus used stories that contained characters and objects that people in his day would have readily understood and identified with. He used farming metaphors and shepherding examples that would have been familiar to His listeners. By doing this, Jesus was able to bring the teaching that He wanted to relate to their level of understanding.
However, Jesus would also make it clear that the meaning of the parables are not readily evident. The Bible often uses the phrase "he who has ears to hear let him hear". In other words, to truly understand the message of the parables, the hearer has to have a heart that truly wants to hear the message of the Lord. Then, the Holy Spirit will work in the life of a person, and that person will be able to understand the message that the parable contains. A person who is not led by the Holy Spirit will not be able to understand the message of the parables. This was by the design of God. Jesus says in Matthew 13:14 that His use of parables was a fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah when he said, "You will be ever hearing, but never understanding."
What this means is that it takes diligent spiritual study to understand all that a parable has to teach us. Not everything that a parable has to reveal is evident right on the surface. One thing that I enjoy about studying all of the Word of God is that no matter how many times you read it, you can always discover something that you didn't see before. That's the way it is with the parables that we will be studying over the course of the next few weeks.
As we will see, there are many different types of parables. Many of the parables are what Jesus calls parables about the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. Other parables are used to show the hypocrisy of those who were the religious and political leaders of Jesus' day. Some parables teach us about eternity while others teach us about the way of salvation. All of them are filled with important truths.
One thing that I find very interesting is that Jesus' speaking in parables is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Psalm 78:2 says, "I will open my mouth with a parable, I will utter hidden things, things from of old." This is just another prophecy fulfilled by Jesus proving that He is the Messiah who was spoken of in the Old Testament. With that in mind, we can have great confidence in the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus was a master storyteller. His parables are some of the greatest stories ever told. Even those who are critics of Jesus will readily admit that Jesus' use of parables as teachings tools was extraordinary.
I am looking forward to relating to you what the Lord is showing me through these parables. I hope that you will join me in learning from these important words of Jesus.
Next week, Lord willing, we will resume our normal schedule here on the blog. I will post the verse on Monday and a review on Wednesday. The sermon next weekend will continue our parables of Jesus study. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Book Review -- "Sirius"
The book that I am reviewing today is a fantastic book that I really enjoyed reading. "Sirius" by Jonathan Crown tells the story of a fox terrier named Sirius and his adventures with his family.
When the novel begins, Sirius still has his original name of Levi. He lives with a Jewish family in Berlin whose head of household is a distinguished professor. When the Nazi's come to power, life becomes more and more difficult for Levi's family. They eventually rename Levi giving him the name Sirius to keep him safe from the Nazi's.
One night, the Nazi's come to Sirius' street to take the Jewish people away to the camps. Sirius is able to warn the family, and they make it to safety. With the aid of friends, they make their way to America.
In America, Sirius meets a number of movie stars, and he even becomes a major Hollywood actor himself. Things seem to be going well until the little dog ends up back in Germany. At this point, Sirius becomes part of the German Resistance to the Third Reich.
Sirius is a brilliant dog who can learn and do just about anything. No matter what situation he finds himself in, he tries to do his best and do what is right.
This book is well-written, and if you love dogs you can't help but love Sirius. The ending is well-done. I know that this is just the first dog book review of the year here on the blog, but it's going to be hard to beat "Sirius" as my dog book of the year.
When the novel begins, Sirius still has his original name of Levi. He lives with a Jewish family in Berlin whose head of household is a distinguished professor. When the Nazi's come to power, life becomes more and more difficult for Levi's family. They eventually rename Levi giving him the name Sirius to keep him safe from the Nazi's.
One night, the Nazi's come to Sirius' street to take the Jewish people away to the camps. Sirius is able to warn the family, and they make it to safety. With the aid of friends, they make their way to America.
In America, Sirius meets a number of movie stars, and he even becomes a major Hollywood actor himself. Things seem to be going well until the little dog ends up back in Germany. At this point, Sirius becomes part of the German Resistance to the Third Reich.
Sirius is a brilliant dog who can learn and do just about anything. No matter what situation he finds himself in, he tries to do his best and do what is right.
This book is well-written, and if you love dogs you can't help but love Sirius. The ending is well-done. I know that this is just the first dog book review of the year here on the blog, but it's going to be hard to beat "Sirius" as my dog book of the year.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Verse for the Week
John 10:11 -- " I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
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