I am sorry about posting the verses for the week so late in the week. I wanted to post them last night, but there were bad tornadoes in the area. I wanted to get home from work as quickly as possible, so I didn't stop at the library. There was a lot of damage in the area. Please pray for those whose homes were damaged. There were a few people who had some injuries. Please pray that they will recover.
Here are the verses:
Psalm 86:15 -- "But you, O Lord, are full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth."
Luke 6:36 -- "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- False Teaching Refuted Pt 1 -- Luke 20:27-40
Welcome to this week's Weekend Sermon. I am so glad that you have taken the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is doing well.
I still need your prayers this week. We have had a tremendous amount of rain. We are having flood warnings all around my area. There is more heavy rain expected tonight. Please pray that this rain will stop. I thank you for your prayers.
Let us all pray for those who were hit by the tornadoes in Missouri this week. Pray that the people will be able to recover.
Please pray for those in Mozambique who are still recovering from the storm damage. People in Zimbabwe and Malawi are still recovering as well.
Congo is still in the midst of an Ebola virus outbreak. Pray that those who are sick will recover and that the epidemic will swiftly come to an end.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world. Syria, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan all need our prayers for peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for the nations of Bangladesh and Mauritania. Pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus.
Today, we are beginning a new series of messages here on the blog. In the New Testament, there were many false ideas and beliefs that were part of the religious life of the times. Jesus had to deal with false teaching while He was on this earth. Paul, John and Peter had to address false teaching coming into the church as well.
In this series of messages, I want to discuss some of these incorrect beliefs and see how these teachings are relevant to us today.
The first message in our series will focus on Jesus' encounter with the Sadducees as recorded in the Luke 20. In Luke 20:27-40, the Sadducees come to Jesus asking a question about marriage in the resurrection. The first thing that we need to understand is that the Sadducees weren't really asking about marriage and the afterlife. They were actually mocking the people who did believe in the resurrection because they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
The Sadducees were one of two main religious parties in Israel at the time that Jesus was ministering on the earth. The group that we hear about the most is the Pharisees. They were strict adherents of the law of Moses.
The Sadducees were very different than the Pharisees. The Sadducees only believed in the validity of the first five books of the Old Testament. They did not believe in angels, demons or the devil. They did not believe in miracles, and they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Their's was an ethical religion. They believed that one served God, and one received a reward from God in this earthly lifetime.
In this encounter with Jesus, they were mocking Him. They brought up the Old Testament concept of levirate marriage. This was when a brother had children with his dead brother's wife in order to allow the dead brother to have an heir.
In the Sadducees' example, the woman ended up with seven husbands. They probably laughed when they asked Jesus whose wife she would be in the resurrection.
Jesus quickly dismissed their argument about marriage in the resurrection. Jesus said that in the world to come, there would be no marriage.
Jesus went on to refute their main false belief. Jesus pointed out that God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is in the present tense. Jesus said that God is the God of the living and not the dead.
When Paul was carrying out his ministry for the Lord, he had to deal with this issue of there being no resurrection as well. In I Corinthians 15, Paul said that some were teaching that there is no resurrection.
Jesus clearly stated that there is a resurrection of the dead. There is an afterlife. This life is not all that there is.
Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday in order to defeat the power of death and the grave. He has prepared a place in heaven for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
When Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead, He told those around the tomb of Lazarus that He is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Him though he be did, yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die.
I have staked my life on the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead and that He will raise up to eternal life all those who have called upon Him for salvation. I believe with all my heart that those who have died and trusted in Jesus are with Him right at this very moment.
The reason that I believe that is because I trust in the words of Jesus my Lord. Jesus made it quite clear that there is life after death. He rejected the false ideas of the Sadducees.
In our day and age, there are some who have an idea of religion that is all based on ethics. For them, serving God is about doing good in this life. They don't think about the world to come.
The way I see it, and I believe the Bible backs me up, is that this world is not what it should be. It is hard for those who follow the Lord in this life. But, we have the assurance that beyond this world with its hardship and grief, there is a new life that we will spend forever with the Lord Jesus.
I look forward with all of my heart to the day when I am with the Lord. I will be with Him forever, and I will be those who I have loved who have also placed their faith and trust in the risen Lord.
Next week, we will continue with the next message in our new series. I will post the message on Saturday once again next week, Lord willing. On Tuesday, I will post the verses. The library is closed for Memorial Day on Monday. I will try to post a review sometime in the middle of week. May God bless you all. Amen.
I still need your prayers this week. We have had a tremendous amount of rain. We are having flood warnings all around my area. There is more heavy rain expected tonight. Please pray that this rain will stop. I thank you for your prayers.
Let us all pray for those who were hit by the tornadoes in Missouri this week. Pray that the people will be able to recover.
Please pray for those in Mozambique who are still recovering from the storm damage. People in Zimbabwe and Malawi are still recovering as well.
Congo is still in the midst of an Ebola virus outbreak. Pray that those who are sick will recover and that the epidemic will swiftly come to an end.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world. Syria, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan all need our prayers for peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for the nations of Bangladesh and Mauritania. Pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus.
Today, we are beginning a new series of messages here on the blog. In the New Testament, there were many false ideas and beliefs that were part of the religious life of the times. Jesus had to deal with false teaching while He was on this earth. Paul, John and Peter had to address false teaching coming into the church as well.
In this series of messages, I want to discuss some of these incorrect beliefs and see how these teachings are relevant to us today.
The first message in our series will focus on Jesus' encounter with the Sadducees as recorded in the Luke 20. In Luke 20:27-40, the Sadducees come to Jesus asking a question about marriage in the resurrection. The first thing that we need to understand is that the Sadducees weren't really asking about marriage and the afterlife. They were actually mocking the people who did believe in the resurrection because they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.
The Sadducees were one of two main religious parties in Israel at the time that Jesus was ministering on the earth. The group that we hear about the most is the Pharisees. They were strict adherents of the law of Moses.
The Sadducees were very different than the Pharisees. The Sadducees only believed in the validity of the first five books of the Old Testament. They did not believe in angels, demons or the devil. They did not believe in miracles, and they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Their's was an ethical religion. They believed that one served God, and one received a reward from God in this earthly lifetime.
In this encounter with Jesus, they were mocking Him. They brought up the Old Testament concept of levirate marriage. This was when a brother had children with his dead brother's wife in order to allow the dead brother to have an heir.
In the Sadducees' example, the woman ended up with seven husbands. They probably laughed when they asked Jesus whose wife she would be in the resurrection.
Jesus quickly dismissed their argument about marriage in the resurrection. Jesus said that in the world to come, there would be no marriage.
Jesus went on to refute their main false belief. Jesus pointed out that God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is in the present tense. Jesus said that God is the God of the living and not the dead.
When Paul was carrying out his ministry for the Lord, he had to deal with this issue of there being no resurrection as well. In I Corinthians 15, Paul said that some were teaching that there is no resurrection.
Jesus clearly stated that there is a resurrection of the dead. There is an afterlife. This life is not all that there is.
Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday in order to defeat the power of death and the grave. He has prepared a place in heaven for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
When Jesus went to raise Lazarus from the dead, He told those around the tomb of Lazarus that He is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Him though he be did, yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die.
I have staked my life on the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead and that He will raise up to eternal life all those who have called upon Him for salvation. I believe with all my heart that those who have died and trusted in Jesus are with Him right at this very moment.
The reason that I believe that is because I trust in the words of Jesus my Lord. Jesus made it quite clear that there is life after death. He rejected the false ideas of the Sadducees.
In our day and age, there are some who have an idea of religion that is all based on ethics. For them, serving God is about doing good in this life. They don't think about the world to come.
The way I see it, and I believe the Bible backs me up, is that this world is not what it should be. It is hard for those who follow the Lord in this life. But, we have the assurance that beyond this world with its hardship and grief, there is a new life that we will spend forever with the Lord Jesus.
I look forward with all of my heart to the day when I am with the Lord. I will be with Him forever, and I will be those who I have loved who have also placed their faith and trust in the risen Lord.
Next week, we will continue with the next message in our new series. I will post the message on Saturday once again next week, Lord willing. On Tuesday, I will post the verses. The library is closed for Memorial Day on Monday. I will try to post a review sometime in the middle of week. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Prayer Request
We made it through the first round of storms without too much trouble. I thank you for your prayers. However, tonight, we are supposed the have more storms and flooding. Please pray that the storms will not be bad and that people will be safe. Thank you.
Book Review -- "Lessons From Lucy"
The book that I am reviewing today is "Lessons From Lucy" written by Dave Barry. Like all of us, Dave Barry found himself getting older. So was his dog Lucy. Unlike Lucy, Dave Barry wasn't enjoying his life and having as much fun as his dog. Dave decided to look at his dog's life and see why she was so happy. He then decided that he needed to make some changes.
In all, there are seven lessons in the book. The two sections that I enjoyed the most where the discussion on meeting new people and the section about having more fun in life.
This is a funny book that you will definitely enjoy reading. It's not a dog book so much as it is a reflection on how life changes and what to do to keep getting the most out of one's life. This book is certainly worth reading.
In all, there are seven lessons in the book. The two sections that I enjoyed the most where the discussion on meeting new people and the section about having more fun in life.
This is a funny book that you will definitely enjoy reading. It's not a dog book so much as it is a reflection on how life changes and what to do to keep getting the most out of one's life. This book is certainly worth reading.
Monday, May 20, 2019
Verses For The Week and Prayer Request
Before I post the verses for the week, I have a prayer request. Please pray that the rain in my area will not be as bad as is predicted. Pray that there will not be flooding.
Romans 5:5 -- "And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Psalm 147:11 -- "The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."
Romans 5:5 -- "And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Psalm 147:11 -- "The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love."
Saturday, May 18, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- Luke 9:57-62
Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone is doing well and that everyone is having a very good week.
Earlier in the week, I asked that people would pray that I would get the check that I was expecting from my job. I did receive the check, and I am thankful to the Lord. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
I would like to ask for your prayers in another matter. We are expecting very heavy rains and flooding in my area again this week. Please pray that the rains will not be as bad as predicted and that there will not be any severe weather. We do not need any more rain right now. Thank you for your prayers.
In other matters, please continue to pray for peace in the world. Right now, there seems to be growing tensions between the US and Iran. Please pray that there will peace in this situation. Also, continue to pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya.
Please pray for those who are recovering in New Zealand and in Sri Lanka.
Please be in prayer for those in Congo who are recovering from the Ebola outbreak. Also pray that those in Mozambique will get the aid that they need to recover from the two bad storms that they experienced.
For our prayer focus countries of the week, let us pray for Israel and Nepal. Pray that many will hear about the love of the Lord Jesus.
Today, I want us to focus on the words of Jesus when He encountered three different individuals who wanted to follow Him while He was here on earth.
The first person came to Jesus and said, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
The direct meaning of this encounter had to do with the way Jesus performed His ministry while He was here on earth. Jesus and His disciples traveled around from town to town preaching the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes, they would dine and stay at the houses of friends like Lazarus and Mary and Martha. At other times, they would have had to sleep out in the countryside as they traveled around. Jesus didn't have a set home. He was out doing that which He came to earth to do.
What would this statement of Jesus have to say to us today. I believe that if we are going to be followers of Jesus, we have to be willing to follow Him in whatever circumstances that service might take us. The Lord might call us to leave our comfort zone and serve Him in a place that is destitute and in great need. Wherever Jesus calls us to serve, we need to be ready to respond to the call even if means a life of poverty.
Jesus then had a second encounter. This time, Jesus asked someone to follow Him. This person replied, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus replied, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
In the context of the time, Jesus could not wait for anyone to follow Him at a later date. He had a limited time to be in His earthly ministry. Also, to serve the Lord Jesus meant to forsake all and follow Him. When Peter and James and John were called to follow Jesus, they left their nets behind and immediately followed the Lord.
In our day, I think that one application of this statement of Jesus is that our service to Him take precedence over other obligations. The most important thing for time and eternity is to spread the message of the love of Jesus. To follow the Lord is the greatest privilege in the world.
In the third encounter, a man said that he would follow the Lord, but he first wanted to go and say goodbye to his family. Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
These statements seem hard. Jesus didn't even want the man to say goodbye to his family. However, Jesus was making an important point. Following Jesus is hard. Sometimes, following Jesus will put us at odds with our friends and our family. In one verse, Jesus said that a person's enemies would be of their own household.
When a person decides to follow Jesus as Lord, it means putting Jesus first in all things. Serving Him is the number one priority no matter the cost. If we are distracted by other things, it will cause us to falter in our service for Him.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday again. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post another review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Earlier in the week, I asked that people would pray that I would get the check that I was expecting from my job. I did receive the check, and I am thankful to the Lord. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
I would like to ask for your prayers in another matter. We are expecting very heavy rains and flooding in my area again this week. Please pray that the rains will not be as bad as predicted and that there will not be any severe weather. We do not need any more rain right now. Thank you for your prayers.
In other matters, please continue to pray for peace in the world. Right now, there seems to be growing tensions between the US and Iran. Please pray that there will peace in this situation. Also, continue to pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya.
Please pray for those who are recovering in New Zealand and in Sri Lanka.
Please be in prayer for those in Congo who are recovering from the Ebola outbreak. Also pray that those in Mozambique will get the aid that they need to recover from the two bad storms that they experienced.
For our prayer focus countries of the week, let us pray for Israel and Nepal. Pray that many will hear about the love of the Lord Jesus.
Today, I want us to focus on the words of Jesus when He encountered three different individuals who wanted to follow Him while He was here on earth.
The first person came to Jesus and said, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
The direct meaning of this encounter had to do with the way Jesus performed His ministry while He was here on earth. Jesus and His disciples traveled around from town to town preaching the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. Sometimes, they would dine and stay at the houses of friends like Lazarus and Mary and Martha. At other times, they would have had to sleep out in the countryside as they traveled around. Jesus didn't have a set home. He was out doing that which He came to earth to do.
What would this statement of Jesus have to say to us today. I believe that if we are going to be followers of Jesus, we have to be willing to follow Him in whatever circumstances that service might take us. The Lord might call us to leave our comfort zone and serve Him in a place that is destitute and in great need. Wherever Jesus calls us to serve, we need to be ready to respond to the call even if means a life of poverty.
Jesus then had a second encounter. This time, Jesus asked someone to follow Him. This person replied, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus replied, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
In the context of the time, Jesus could not wait for anyone to follow Him at a later date. He had a limited time to be in His earthly ministry. Also, to serve the Lord Jesus meant to forsake all and follow Him. When Peter and James and John were called to follow Jesus, they left their nets behind and immediately followed the Lord.
In our day, I think that one application of this statement of Jesus is that our service to Him take precedence over other obligations. The most important thing for time and eternity is to spread the message of the love of Jesus. To follow the Lord is the greatest privilege in the world.
In the third encounter, a man said that he would follow the Lord, but he first wanted to go and say goodbye to his family. Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
These statements seem hard. Jesus didn't even want the man to say goodbye to his family. However, Jesus was making an important point. Following Jesus is hard. Sometimes, following Jesus will put us at odds with our friends and our family. In one verse, Jesus said that a person's enemies would be of their own household.
When a person decides to follow Jesus as Lord, it means putting Jesus first in all things. Serving Him is the number one priority no matter the cost. If we are distracted by other things, it will cause us to falter in our service for Him.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday again. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post another review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Book Review -- "Cat Chase The Moon"
The book that I am reviewing today is "Cat Chase the Moon" written by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. This book is part of the Joe Grey mystery series which is my favorite. I believe that there are currently 21 books in the series.
For those who don't know, Joe Grey is a member of a group of talking cats. Joe lives with his human, and his other cat friends are Dulcie, Kit and Pan. In the last book, Joe and Dulcie's kittens were born, and they have the power of speech as well.
In this current book, Joe's daughter Courtney is in danger. She is kidnapped, and the other cats have to find a way to help her. Also, Joe has to investigate a string of robberies in Molena Point as well as a murder.
As always, Joe Grey helps the police with their investigation phoning in anonymous tips when he has information. He is on top of each case.
While I enjoy the mystery element of each book, my favorite part of the books is the relationship between all of the characters both feline and human. All of the main characters get along well, and they are all like a family bound together by their knowledge of the special talking cats.
These are definitely fantasy books. The way to really enjoy the series is to just enter into the fantasy and believe that somewhere out there is a group of talking cats.
I recommend this current book in the Joe Grey series, and I recommend all the others as well. If you have never read a book in the series, I recommend that you go and start with book one and read all the way through.
For those who don't know, Joe Grey is a member of a group of talking cats. Joe lives with his human, and his other cat friends are Dulcie, Kit and Pan. In the last book, Joe and Dulcie's kittens were born, and they have the power of speech as well.
In this current book, Joe's daughter Courtney is in danger. She is kidnapped, and the other cats have to find a way to help her. Also, Joe has to investigate a string of robberies in Molena Point as well as a murder.
As always, Joe Grey helps the police with their investigation phoning in anonymous tips when he has information. He is on top of each case.
While I enjoy the mystery element of each book, my favorite part of the books is the relationship between all of the characters both feline and human. All of the main characters get along well, and they are all like a family bound together by their knowledge of the special talking cats.
These are definitely fantasy books. The way to really enjoy the series is to just enter into the fantasy and believe that somewhere out there is a group of talking cats.
I recommend this current book in the Joe Grey series, and I recommend all the others as well. If you have never read a book in the series, I recommend that you go and start with book one and read all the way through.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Prayer Request
I don't like posting a prayer request like this, but this week it is really important. I am having a lot of trouble at my new job. They have made many errors with my employee information already. We are supposed to get a paycheck this week. Please pray that everything goes right and I get my check. Thank you for your prayers.
Monday, May 13, 2019
Verses For The Week
Lamentations 3:22-23 -- "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness."
I Peter 5:7 -- " Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."
I Peter 5:7 -- " Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- Luke 13:23-27
Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for reading the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is having a good week.
This has been a hard week. I started my new job. It is going pretty well, but it isn't quite what I thought it would be. Right now, I am just praying that I get paid on time like I am supposed to. Please pray that all will go well. This week has also been hard because I miss my two friends. One of my friends had a birthday this week. He would have been 53, but he died when he was 49. We knew each other since I was seven years old. This week was also my friend Toby's birthday, and I've been missing him even more than usual lately.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray that those who were injured in Sri Lanka and New Zealand will continue to recover. Pray for an end to terrorism around the world.
Please pray for those in Mozambique who are recovering from the storm damage. Many still need a lot of aid and assistance.
We need to continue to pray for peace in many troubled areas in this world. Please pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nation of Morocco and India. Pray that many will come to know of the love and mercy of the Lord Jesus.
For today's message, I want to focus on a passage in the book of Luke chapter 13 verses 23-27. This passage begins when someone asks Jesus if only a few people will be saved. Jesus does not directly answer the question. He says, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
What does this statement by Jesus mean? What relevance does it have for us today?
First of all, Jesus was speaking in the direct context of the time in which He was on the earth. Later in the passage, Jesus says that people will say that they ate and drank in His presence. However, Jesus says that He will tell them that He doesn't know who they are.This is a direct reference to the religious leaders of Jesus day. They thought that they were on the right path, but Jesus knew that they were hypocrites. They had the appearance of godliness. But Jesus said that they were like whitewashed graves. They looked good on the outside, but on the inside, they were full of dead men's bones.
Jesus' statement about entering the narrow gate has broader implications than this. I believe that what Jesus is saying is that He is the narrow gate. In John 10:7, Jesus says that He is the door of the sheep. He is the way. In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
The Bible is quite clear that salvation is only possible through Jesus. Some will teach that everyone will be saved regardless of whether or not they have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. This simply is not the teaching of the Word of God.
Let me provide a few Bible passages as evidence of my point. First of all, let's look at the words of Jesus Himself. In John 3:36 Jesus says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life: whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." In John 8:24 Jesus says,
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." Lets look at one more. Jesus says in John 5:23 "... Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."
Now. let's see what some other passages of Scripture have to say. In Acts 4:12, the apostle Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Paul says in I Timothy 1:5, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
The words of Jesus and the words of the rest of Scripture are quite clear that Jesus is the only way of salvation. Only through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus can a person inherit eternal life.
Many people that I know believe that they can achieve reconciliation with God by means of good works. However, the Bible is clear on this as well. Being good does constitute entering the narrow gate. Ephesians 2:8-9 make it clear by stating, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."
I started posting sermons on the blog several years ago because I wanted people to know about the love and mercy of Jesus. I wanted to let people know that Jesus loves them and wants them to come to Him. Jesus is the only way of salvation, and I invite you to come to know Him today.
Next week, I will be posting the sermon on Saturday. I will post the verses of the week on Monday. I will post a cat book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
This has been a hard week. I started my new job. It is going pretty well, but it isn't quite what I thought it would be. Right now, I am just praying that I get paid on time like I am supposed to. Please pray that all will go well. This week has also been hard because I miss my two friends. One of my friends had a birthday this week. He would have been 53, but he died when he was 49. We knew each other since I was seven years old. This week was also my friend Toby's birthday, and I've been missing him even more than usual lately.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray that those who were injured in Sri Lanka and New Zealand will continue to recover. Pray for an end to terrorism around the world.
Please pray for those in Mozambique who are recovering from the storm damage. Many still need a lot of aid and assistance.
We need to continue to pray for peace in many troubled areas in this world. Please pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Libya.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nation of Morocco and India. Pray that many will come to know of the love and mercy of the Lord Jesus.
For today's message, I want to focus on a passage in the book of Luke chapter 13 verses 23-27. This passage begins when someone asks Jesus if only a few people will be saved. Jesus does not directly answer the question. He says, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."
What does this statement by Jesus mean? What relevance does it have for us today?
First of all, Jesus was speaking in the direct context of the time in which He was on the earth. Later in the passage, Jesus says that people will say that they ate and drank in His presence. However, Jesus says that He will tell them that He doesn't know who they are.This is a direct reference to the religious leaders of Jesus day. They thought that they were on the right path, but Jesus knew that they were hypocrites. They had the appearance of godliness. But Jesus said that they were like whitewashed graves. They looked good on the outside, but on the inside, they were full of dead men's bones.
Jesus' statement about entering the narrow gate has broader implications than this. I believe that what Jesus is saying is that He is the narrow gate. In John 10:7, Jesus says that He is the door of the sheep. He is the way. In John 14:6, Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
The Bible is quite clear that salvation is only possible through Jesus. Some will teach that everyone will be saved regardless of whether or not they have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. This simply is not the teaching of the Word of God.
Let me provide a few Bible passages as evidence of my point. First of all, let's look at the words of Jesus Himself. In John 3:36 Jesus says, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life: whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." In John 8:24 Jesus says,
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." Lets look at one more. Jesus says in John 5:23 "... Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."
Now. let's see what some other passages of Scripture have to say. In Acts 4:12, the apostle Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Paul says in I Timothy 1:5, "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
The words of Jesus and the words of the rest of Scripture are quite clear that Jesus is the only way of salvation. Only through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus can a person inherit eternal life.
Many people that I know believe that they can achieve reconciliation with God by means of good works. However, the Bible is clear on this as well. Being good does constitute entering the narrow gate. Ephesians 2:8-9 make it clear by stating, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."
I started posting sermons on the blog several years ago because I wanted people to know about the love and mercy of Jesus. I wanted to let people know that Jesus loves them and wants them to come to Him. Jesus is the only way of salvation, and I invite you to come to know Him today.
Next week, I will be posting the sermon on Saturday. I will post the verses of the week on Monday. I will post a cat book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
A Great Day -- Happy Birthday Toby
Today is my friend Toby's birthday. I miss him, and I hope that it won't be too long before we are together again. We had many wonderful times together, and we went on some nice trips. I posted my book about Toby here on the blog. I have always said that Toby was the dog that Jesus gave me to be my friend. Happy Birthday, Toby.
Monday, May 6, 2019
Verses For The Week
Isaiah 40:31 -- "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Philippians 1:6 -- "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Philippians 1:6 -- "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Prayer Request
Please pray that the heavy rains predicted in my area will not materialize this week. Flooding is a big concern. Please pray that all will go well in my new job. Thank you.
Friday, May 3, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- John 20:19-23
Thanks be to God, it is time for another Weekend Sermon. I am always thankful to have the opportunity to post these sermons. I hope that you all have had a good week.
This has been a hard week. The rains have been very heavy. I did get some water in my garage, but is wasn't as bad as it could have been. Thank you for your prayers. There is more rain expected today and next week, so please continue to pray that no more flooding will occur. Please also pray that all will go well at the job I am starting on Monday.
In other prayer matters, please continue to pray for those who were injured in the incidents in Sri Lanka and in New Zealand. Pray that those injured will recover quickly.
Continue to pray for the people in Mozambique who have had to deal with two bad storms. Pray that the people will receive the aid that they need.
Pray for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are still recovering from the hurricanes. Many still need a lot of assistance.
Pray that the Ebola virus outbreak in Congo will come to an end. There are many who are still sick.
Many places in the world need our prayers for peace. Please pray for peace in Libya, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nations of Senegal and Thailand. Pray that many will come to hear about the love of Jesus.
Today, I want us to focus on another of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. After Jesus arose from the tomb on Easter Sunday, He was on the earth for a period of forty days. During that time, He appeared to His disciples and others.
John chapter 20 verses 19-23 records one of the first post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. As this passage of Scripture begins, we find ten of the eleven remaining disciples together. They were hiding because they feared that the religious leaders would try to kill them just as they had killed Jesus. For some reason, Thomas was not with the others at this time.
Suddenly, Jesus appeared before the ten disciples and said, "Peace be with you." Jesus then showed them His hands and his side. His hands had been nailed to the cross and His side had been pierced with the spear. The disciples recognized that this was Jesus risen from the dead.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Jesus then breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Jesus went on to tell the disciples that if they would forgive someone's sins, the sins would be forgiven. If the disciples did not forgive them, they would not be forgiven."
Today, I would like to examine what we can learn and apply to our lives from this post-resurrection appearance of the Lord Jesus.
Twice during this appearance, Jesus gave the disciples a word of peace. The resurrected Lord Jesus can be the only source of real peace in our lives.
We live in a troubled world. There are natural disasters, and there are terrible evil acts that people commit against one another. Many of us are faced with financial hardships, burdens and problems of all sorts. It's hard to make it in life sometimes. Sometimes, it feels as if all of the problems will be overwhelming.
In the midst of all the problems that we face in this life, Jesus is our peace. We can know true peace, because we know that Jesus is alive. We do not have to fear what can happen to us in this life because we know that Jesus is the resurrection and life. If we have placed our faith and trust in Him, we can have the peace in our hearts that comes from knowing that Jesus will take us to be with Him in Heaven when we pass away. All will be well no matter what happens because Jesus will take care of us. He will let us live with Him forever in the place that He has prepared for those who love Him.
In this passage, Jesus sent out His disciples into the world just as He had been sent by the Father. Jesus came into this world in order to show us that God loves us and cares about us. We are to go into the world and proclaim that love of Jesus to the world.
There are many people in this world that don't realize how much Jesus loves them. They don't understand how special and important that they are to God. We must tell the world that God sent His Son out of love so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
All of us have been given the task of telling others that Jesus died and He is risen. We have the greatest message to tell, and we need to be about telling it.
Jesus also breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. We can only tell others about Jesus as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that allows us to be able to tell others that Jesus is alive and wants to save them from their sins.
Finally, Jesus talks to His disciples about forgiveness. Forgiveness was one of the most important messages that Jesus talked about while He was on earth. He said that if we don't forgive other people's sins, our sins would not be forgiven. In one passage in the Bible, Peter asks Jesus if he should forgive others up to seven times. Jesus said that Peter should not forgive just seven times. Peter was instructed to forgive seventy times seven times.
We know that the message of forgiveness was important to Jesus because of what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
We have been forgiven a great debt of sin through what Jesus had done for us. Therefore, we need to forgive those who have sinned against us.
Next week, the sermon will be posted on Saturday. I will post another message about the Lord Jesus. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
This has been a hard week. The rains have been very heavy. I did get some water in my garage, but is wasn't as bad as it could have been. Thank you for your prayers. There is more rain expected today and next week, so please continue to pray that no more flooding will occur. Please also pray that all will go well at the job I am starting on Monday.
In other prayer matters, please continue to pray for those who were injured in the incidents in Sri Lanka and in New Zealand. Pray that those injured will recover quickly.
Continue to pray for the people in Mozambique who have had to deal with two bad storms. Pray that the people will receive the aid that they need.
Pray for those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands who are still recovering from the hurricanes. Many still need a lot of assistance.
Pray that the Ebola virus outbreak in Congo will come to an end. There are many who are still sick.
Many places in the world need our prayers for peace. Please pray for peace in Libya, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nations of Senegal and Thailand. Pray that many will come to hear about the love of Jesus.
Today, I want us to focus on another of the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. After Jesus arose from the tomb on Easter Sunday, He was on the earth for a period of forty days. During that time, He appeared to His disciples and others.
John chapter 20 verses 19-23 records one of the first post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. As this passage of Scripture begins, we find ten of the eleven remaining disciples together. They were hiding because they feared that the religious leaders would try to kill them just as they had killed Jesus. For some reason, Thomas was not with the others at this time.
Suddenly, Jesus appeared before the ten disciples and said, "Peace be with you." Jesus then showed them His hands and his side. His hands had been nailed to the cross and His side had been pierced with the spear. The disciples recognized that this was Jesus risen from the dead.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Jesus then breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Jesus went on to tell the disciples that if they would forgive someone's sins, the sins would be forgiven. If the disciples did not forgive them, they would not be forgiven."
Today, I would like to examine what we can learn and apply to our lives from this post-resurrection appearance of the Lord Jesus.
Twice during this appearance, Jesus gave the disciples a word of peace. The resurrected Lord Jesus can be the only source of real peace in our lives.
We live in a troubled world. There are natural disasters, and there are terrible evil acts that people commit against one another. Many of us are faced with financial hardships, burdens and problems of all sorts. It's hard to make it in life sometimes. Sometimes, it feels as if all of the problems will be overwhelming.
In the midst of all the problems that we face in this life, Jesus is our peace. We can know true peace, because we know that Jesus is alive. We do not have to fear what can happen to us in this life because we know that Jesus is the resurrection and life. If we have placed our faith and trust in Him, we can have the peace in our hearts that comes from knowing that Jesus will take us to be with Him in Heaven when we pass away. All will be well no matter what happens because Jesus will take care of us. He will let us live with Him forever in the place that He has prepared for those who love Him.
In this passage, Jesus sent out His disciples into the world just as He had been sent by the Father. Jesus came into this world in order to show us that God loves us and cares about us. We are to go into the world and proclaim that love of Jesus to the world.
There are many people in this world that don't realize how much Jesus loves them. They don't understand how special and important that they are to God. We must tell the world that God sent His Son out of love so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
All of us have been given the task of telling others that Jesus died and He is risen. We have the greatest message to tell, and we need to be about telling it.
Jesus also breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. We can only tell others about Jesus as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that allows us to be able to tell others that Jesus is alive and wants to save them from their sins.
Finally, Jesus talks to His disciples about forgiveness. Forgiveness was one of the most important messages that Jesus talked about while He was on earth. He said that if we don't forgive other people's sins, our sins would not be forgiven. In one passage in the Bible, Peter asks Jesus if he should forgive others up to seven times. Jesus said that Peter should not forgive just seven times. Peter was instructed to forgive seventy times seven times.
We know that the message of forgiveness was important to Jesus because of what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
We have been forgiven a great debt of sin through what Jesus had done for us. Therefore, we need to forgive those who have sinned against us.
Next week, the sermon will be posted on Saturday. I will post another message about the Lord Jesus. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Book Review -- "Fabulous Finn"
For today's review, I would like to introduce you to a fantastic dog book. This week's book is "Fabulous Finn: The Brave Police Dog Who Came Back From The Brink" written by Dave Wardell.
This is the story about a great relationship between a man and his dog and how they came back from a horrible situation.
Dave Wardell is a police dog handler in Hertfordshire. One night, he and his police dog Finn were responding to a call. A suspect was fleeing on foot. Officer Wardell ordered the suspect to stop or he would send Finn after him. The suspect kept running, and Finn was sent. Finn got hold of the suspect, and the suspect stabbed Finn with a 10-inch knife. The suspect was about to stab Officer Wardell, but Finn got between the suspect and Officer Wardell saving his partner's life.
Finn was in a terrible state and had to be rushed to a veterinary clinic. He had a punctured lung and other damage.
The book goes into detail about how Finn and Officer Wardell worked together to come back. It tells of how a bond of love between a man and a dog can work wonders.
Because of what happened to Finn, Dave Wardell started working on what is known as Finn's Law. At the time Finn was stabbed, the law in the UK regarded a police dog as mere property, they were not protected adequately from situations like what occurred with Finn.
Dave Wardell and others have been working tireless to get protection for service animals under Finn's Law. The law has passed in England and Wales. I believe that they are still working on passage in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
I urge you to read this book. It is well-written. I enjoyed how the book wove in information about Dave's life into the overall story of Finn's recovery.
I am not sure if this book is available widely in the United States. I know that you can order it online. I was able to get the book through interlibrary loan.
This is the story about a great relationship between a man and his dog and how they came back from a horrible situation.
Dave Wardell is a police dog handler in Hertfordshire. One night, he and his police dog Finn were responding to a call. A suspect was fleeing on foot. Officer Wardell ordered the suspect to stop or he would send Finn after him. The suspect kept running, and Finn was sent. Finn got hold of the suspect, and the suspect stabbed Finn with a 10-inch knife. The suspect was about to stab Officer Wardell, but Finn got between the suspect and Officer Wardell saving his partner's life.
Finn was in a terrible state and had to be rushed to a veterinary clinic. He had a punctured lung and other damage.
The book goes into detail about how Finn and Officer Wardell worked together to come back. It tells of how a bond of love between a man and a dog can work wonders.
Because of what happened to Finn, Dave Wardell started working on what is known as Finn's Law. At the time Finn was stabbed, the law in the UK regarded a police dog as mere property, they were not protected adequately from situations like what occurred with Finn.
Dave Wardell and others have been working tireless to get protection for service animals under Finn's Law. The law has passed in England and Wales. I believe that they are still working on passage in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
I urge you to read this book. It is well-written. I enjoyed how the book wove in information about Dave's life into the overall story of Finn's recovery.
I am not sure if this book is available widely in the United States. I know that you can order it online. I was able to get the book through interlibrary loan.
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