Welcome to a new edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the blog this week. I hope that everyone is having a very good week.
This week, I have been able to get quite a bit accomplished. The weather has been a little warmer, so I've been able to work outside some. Writing has been good this week, and I thank the Lord for that.
I've put out the word to a lot of people that I want to get my house sold. Please pray that the Lord's will will be done in this matter.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray for the people of Puerto Rico. They are still having trouble getting the electricity back on on that island.
Let us continue to pray for the recovery efforts in Papua New Guinea. Much still needs to be done to help the people there.
I follow a group in Britain that provides veterinary care to the pets of homeless people. One of the men that they help has had his dog stolen. This makes me sick that someone would steal a homeless man's dog. Please pray that the dog will be returned.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Pray for peace in Syria, South Sudan, Libya and Yemen.
Please pray that the nations and the people of this world will act in an environmentally responsible way. Pray that people would respect life on earth.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for the nations of Nepal and Albania. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
I am departing today from the series that we have been having messages on. Earth Day is this Sunday, and I wanted to bring a message about some of what the Bible has to say about the way that animals are to be treated. The Bible actually has a lot to say on the matter.
When I originally started this blog seven years ago, one thing that I wanted to do was to speak up about animal and environmental issues. These issues have been neglected in many parts of the Christian community.
When I was a boy and young man growing up in the Fundamentalist churches my parents went to, the churches were opposed to anything that had to do with the environmental movement or with animal rights. That is one of the reasons that those church leaders and I did not get along. I've loved and cared about animals all my life.
The Bible is quite clear that we are to treat animals with respect and we are not to mistreat them. We saw a couple of weeks ago in a sermon I posted here on the blog that all of the animals belong to Jesus. The Bible says that everything was made by Him and for Him. Everything belongs to Him.
Animals are not here for us to use for our own pleasure. They have feelings and their own lives that they want to live. We should respect that.
In Proverbs 12:10, the Bible says that, "A righteous man has regard for the life of his beasts." That means that if a person is in a right relationship with God, that person will take care of the animals that are in his care. That goes for pets and farm animals alike.
The way that farm animals are treated in my country is appalling. Factory farming treats animals like units of commerce. It is truly frightening to see animals treated in this fashion.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 25:4 that, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain." That would be cruel to not let the animal partake of its labors.
Deuteronomy 22:10 tells us that we should not plow with an ox and a donkey together. It is unequal. The donkey will become worn out and hurt.
In Exodus, we are instructed to return a lost animal to its owner even if the owner is an enemy. We are told to help an animal with a heavy load that is weighing it down if we come across that.
The Lord even instructed that animals should have a day of rest just as people do. In Exodus 23:12, the animals are to partake in the Sabbath rest of God.
The Lord has created all the animals on this earth. Originally, they were not to be eaten by humans. That was not allowed until after the flood in Noah's day. One day, people will no longer eat meat again. It won't be allowed.
When the Lord Jesus returns, all will be at peace. The wolf and lamb will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox we are told by the prophet Isaiah.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we are obligated to treat animals well. By His death, Jesus ended the sacrificial system so that no animals have to die in this way anymore.
Sadly, I don't think Christians are doing all that they can to help animals. I hope that that will change.
Right now, there are millions of dogs and cats that are killed each year because no one wants them anymore. What a shame. So many dogs and cats are abused, and that is not right. No one who believes in Jesus Christ should abandon their pets or be mean to them in any way.
Christians who are involved in agriculture should take care of their animals. They shouldn't be kept in overcrowded conditions, and they shouldn't be treated as an economic unit. Something that makes me very upset is when I hear people say that they harvested their livestock. This is a euphemism for taking them to the slaughterhouse. They weren't harvested, animals aren't like the wheat in the field.
Several years ago, I stopped eating pork and then I stopped eating beef. I've now given up eating all meat and fish. I've become a vegetarian, and I plan to remain one for the rest of my life. I am tired of living off of animals.
My thinking is that in paradise, I won't be eating animals, so why not just start living in this area like I am already in the kingdom of God.
As far as the treatment of wild animals goes, I believe that Christians should work diligently to preserve and protect wildlife species. There are thousands of animals that are on the verge of extinction because of the actions of human beings.
I hope that everyone who reads this message will recognize that animals are important. They have feelings and feel pain. We need to respect and take care of what the Lord has made.
I hope that you will take good care of all the animals that God has placed in your care. Make sure that they have shelter, good food and some attention.
Try to find some way that you can help animals. That might be through charitable contributions, through advocacy or through caring for an animal.
If you aren't a vegetarian, I would recommend that you give it try. The Bible doesn't say that it is a sin to eat meat at this time, but why not live the way now that you will in the kingdom? Try and cut out one type of meat and go from there. Maybe you could try just not eating meat one day a week and see how that goes?
Whatever you decide to do, take the welfare of animals and environment to heart. The Lord cares about what He has made, and so should we.
Next week, we will return to our series of messages on misinterpreted Bible passages. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday I will either post a review or a poem. May God bless you all. Amen.
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