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."
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
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.
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.
Monday, November 27, 2017
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."
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."
Saturday, November 25, 2017
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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.
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.
Monday, November 20, 2017
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."
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."
Friday, November 17, 2017
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
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.
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.
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.
Monday, November 13, 2017
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."
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."
Friday, November 10, 2017
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
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.
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.
Monday, November 6, 2017
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."
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."
Friday, November 3, 2017
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)