Philippians 2:3 -- "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."
Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Luke 10:27 -- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 7:12 -- "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Ephesians 4:12 -- "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
Proverbs 12:10 -- "Good people take care of their animals, but wicked people are cruel to theirs."
Monday, December 30, 2019
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter 1:5-7
Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas, and I hope that everyone has a great 2020. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to present this message today.
Last week, we took one week out of our series on II Peter to discuss the events of the birth of Jesus and what they mean to us. Today, we will be concentrating once again on the Lord's message to us from II Peter.
In our last message from II Peter, we saw that we have been set free from this world and its lusts by the Lord Jesus. He has given us His great and precious promises, and He has allowed us to be partakers of His divine nature.
Because of the fact that we have been set free from sin through faith in Jesus Christ, Peter instructs us that there should be certain qualities in our lives that are growing as we progress in our Christian walk. In II Peter 1:5-7 it states, "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control-perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
In today's message, I want to look at these qualities mentioned by Peter, and see what they mean for our lives. We start with virtue. Another Bible version translates this word as goodness. After we have come to faith in Jesus Christ, we should act in such a way that we are doing what is right and morally excellent. We have been instructed how to behave in this world by the Lord Jesus Himself. As His followers, we are to read what He has told us to do, and then we are to demonstrate our faith and love by doing what we've been told.
We are to also be growing in our knowledge of the things of the Lord after we've come to know Him. I believe that one of the characteristics of someone who truly has a possession of faith is the desire to know more about the Bible and the teachings of the Lord Jesus. I am always distressed when I come across those who profess to be believers, but they are not interested in knowing more about what the Lord has taught us within His Word. Peter will tell us in chapter 3 of this epistle that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
After knowledge, Peter talks about self-control. Self-control is also listed by Paul as one of the fruits of the Spirit. When we have received the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to resist those things that would lead us into sin. We have the power to overcome those forces that would tempt us to engage in behaviors that are not pleasing to the Lord.
Perseverance. To me, this means moving ahead and believing in Jesus in spite of obstacles and hardships. The person who is steadfast in the faith keeps on trusting in Jesus even when hard times come. In His parable of the sower and seeds, Jesus talks about seed that fell on the soil and started to grow. However, when the weeds, which are the cares and troubles of this world, began to grow up, they withered and died. They did not persevere in the faith. They left the faith, and they stopped following the Lord.
Difficult times will come. We will not always understand why the Lord allows certain problems to come into our lives. We all will have moments when it can be hard to trust and believe. Those who are firmly rooted in the love of Jesus can persevere and keep trusting and believing in the goodness and grace of God.
We are then told by Peter that those who have come to faith in the Lord act in a godly manner. I interpret this as doing what Jesus did and doing what Jesus said. It is about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and letting His example be what we follow in all of our actions in this life.
Brotherly kindness is next on the list. Those who belong to Jesus are part of a family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to help one another and bear one another's burdens. We are to act the way that the early followers of Jesus did in the book of Acts. We must love our brothers and sisters in the faith.
The final quality on Peter's list is love. We are to love all. Jesus said that we are even to love our enemies. This is a hard thing to do. However, Jesus is the man of love. His love led Him to lay down His life for us. We imitate Him by acting in love to those who are in this world. Love demonstrates itself in helping others and helping to make this world a better place. Love demonstrates itself when we do what Jesus would do. We show love for others when we tell them about how much Jesus loves them and wants to have a relationship with them.
I think what it all comes down to is that if we have been redeemed by Jesus and accept Him as Lord, we should follow Him. Those who follow the teachings and the commandments of Jesus in this world demonstrate that they are no longer of this world, but they are citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom and they follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
I had a nice Christmas holiday. It was actually one of the nicest times I've had during the holidays for the last several years. I am hoping and praying for a good new year. I would ask that you pray about one matter. Even though it is wintertime, the area where I live has the possibility of severe storms today. Please pray that these storms won't be bad and that there won't be any flooding. Thank you.
In other matters, please pray for those in the Philippines who have been harmed by the storm there. Pray that they will receive the aid and assistance that they need.
Remember to pray for those in Samoa and Congo who are dealing with various types of sickness. Pray that these problems will end soon.
We need to remember to pray for those harmed by the volcano in New Zealand. Several were burned badly, and we must pray that they will be OK.
Remember to pray for peace, there was an attack in Somalia this week. That nation needs prayers for peace, and we need to pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Libya as well.
For our prayer focus countries this week. let us pray for those who live in China and in Senegal. Pray that many will hear the good news that Jesus loves them.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter, and I will post the message on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will not be posting anything midweek this week. The book reviews will resume the following week. May God bless you all. Amen.
Last week, we took one week out of our series on II Peter to discuss the events of the birth of Jesus and what they mean to us. Today, we will be concentrating once again on the Lord's message to us from II Peter.
In our last message from II Peter, we saw that we have been set free from this world and its lusts by the Lord Jesus. He has given us His great and precious promises, and He has allowed us to be partakers of His divine nature.
Because of the fact that we have been set free from sin through faith in Jesus Christ, Peter instructs us that there should be certain qualities in our lives that are growing as we progress in our Christian walk. In II Peter 1:5-7 it states, "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control-perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
In today's message, I want to look at these qualities mentioned by Peter, and see what they mean for our lives. We start with virtue. Another Bible version translates this word as goodness. After we have come to faith in Jesus Christ, we should act in such a way that we are doing what is right and morally excellent. We have been instructed how to behave in this world by the Lord Jesus Himself. As His followers, we are to read what He has told us to do, and then we are to demonstrate our faith and love by doing what we've been told.
We are to also be growing in our knowledge of the things of the Lord after we've come to know Him. I believe that one of the characteristics of someone who truly has a possession of faith is the desire to know more about the Bible and the teachings of the Lord Jesus. I am always distressed when I come across those who profess to be believers, but they are not interested in knowing more about what the Lord has taught us within His Word. Peter will tell us in chapter 3 of this epistle that we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
After knowledge, Peter talks about self-control. Self-control is also listed by Paul as one of the fruits of the Spirit. When we have received the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to resist those things that would lead us into sin. We have the power to overcome those forces that would tempt us to engage in behaviors that are not pleasing to the Lord.
Perseverance. To me, this means moving ahead and believing in Jesus in spite of obstacles and hardships. The person who is steadfast in the faith keeps on trusting in Jesus even when hard times come. In His parable of the sower and seeds, Jesus talks about seed that fell on the soil and started to grow. However, when the weeds, which are the cares and troubles of this world, began to grow up, they withered and died. They did not persevere in the faith. They left the faith, and they stopped following the Lord.
Difficult times will come. We will not always understand why the Lord allows certain problems to come into our lives. We all will have moments when it can be hard to trust and believe. Those who are firmly rooted in the love of Jesus can persevere and keep trusting and believing in the goodness and grace of God.
We are then told by Peter that those who have come to faith in the Lord act in a godly manner. I interpret this as doing what Jesus did and doing what Jesus said. It is about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and letting His example be what we follow in all of our actions in this life.
Brotherly kindness is next on the list. Those who belong to Jesus are part of a family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to help one another and bear one another's burdens. We are to act the way that the early followers of Jesus did in the book of Acts. We must love our brothers and sisters in the faith.
The final quality on Peter's list is love. We are to love all. Jesus said that we are even to love our enemies. This is a hard thing to do. However, Jesus is the man of love. His love led Him to lay down His life for us. We imitate Him by acting in love to those who are in this world. Love demonstrates itself in helping others and helping to make this world a better place. Love demonstrates itself when we do what Jesus would do. We show love for others when we tell them about how much Jesus loves them and wants to have a relationship with them.
I think what it all comes down to is that if we have been redeemed by Jesus and accept Him as Lord, we should follow Him. Those who follow the teachings and the commandments of Jesus in this world demonstrate that they are no longer of this world, but they are citizens of a Heavenly Kingdom and they follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
I had a nice Christmas holiday. It was actually one of the nicest times I've had during the holidays for the last several years. I am hoping and praying for a good new year. I would ask that you pray about one matter. Even though it is wintertime, the area where I live has the possibility of severe storms today. Please pray that these storms won't be bad and that there won't be any flooding. Thank you.
In other matters, please pray for those in the Philippines who have been harmed by the storm there. Pray that they will receive the aid and assistance that they need.
Remember to pray for those in Samoa and Congo who are dealing with various types of sickness. Pray that these problems will end soon.
We need to remember to pray for those harmed by the volcano in New Zealand. Several were burned badly, and we must pray that they will be OK.
Remember to pray for peace, there was an attack in Somalia this week. That nation needs prayers for peace, and we need to pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Libya as well.
For our prayer focus countries this week. let us pray for those who live in China and in Senegal. Pray that many will hear the good news that Jesus loves them.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter, and I will post the message on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will not be posting anything midweek this week. The book reviews will resume the following week. May God bless you all. Amen.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Animal Book Of The Year
Today I will present the Animal Book Of The Year Award. The clear winner among the animal books I read this year is "The Rise of Wolf 8" by Rick McIntyre. I reviewed this book not very long ago, so I won't go over what I already said. I will say this. I believe that this is one of the best animal books that I've read. The wolves presented in this book are described in detail. This is an educational and an exciting book to read. There are supposed to be two more books in this trilogy. I will definitely be reading them.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
A Few Christmas Memories
I just wanted to repost this piece I wrote a few years ago. Merry Christmas everyone.
The best Christmas memory I have from when I was a young boy didn't start out that well. When I was young, I had extremely poor health. Just before Christmas, I had been sick with a terrible bout of pneumonia. The doctor's weren't even sure that I was going to make it to Christmas.
That Christmas, the gift I wanted more than anything else was a Stretch Monster. This was a type of action-figure that was filled with some type of solution that allowed it to stretch far out and then return to normal size. They were very hard to find, and I kind of doubted that my folks would be able to get one.
That year, my health improved just before Christmas Day. Waiting for me under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning was a Stretch Monster. I kept that thing for 25 years. Eventually, it fell apart.
My best Christmas memories in more recent years involved my friend Toby. I remember one Christmas Eve that was very fun. The two of us were together by ourselves because my parents had gone to a Christmas party with my Dad's children from his first marriage.
For Christmas that year, I received a telescope that I'd wanted for a long time. On Christmas Eve, I decided to assemble the telescope and go out for an observation session. I'd loved astronomy for a long time, and I studied astronomy in college for a little while.
As always, Toby had to be a part of whatever I was doing. While I was trying to assemble the telescope and the mount, Toby kept crawling in and out of the boxes and pushing the packing materials all over the living room floor.
I finally got the scope set up, and Toby and I went out to observe. It was a clear and beautiful Christmas Eve night. We stayed out for hours looking at the stars filled with awe and wonder at the creative power of the Lord.
The last Christmas Eve that I spent with Toby was extra special. Toby had been diagnosed with liver cancer the previous May. He had surgery, but the oncologist had not expected him to live more than six weeks. Toby was still going during Thanksgiving, but when December rolled around, he wasn't feeling well at all.
I thought that the cancer was finally taking its toll, but Toby had a very bad lung infection. It took about three full weeks of treatment, but by the grace of God, Toby pulled through. Since he had been so sick, I chose to stay with him during Christmas Eve.
I love listening to the BBC on radio, and they often have religious broadcasts on. I tuned in on Christmas Eve because I knew that they were going to have a broadcast from a large cathedral in England.
It was a beautiful service. During the message, the dean of the cathedral spoke about remembering those who are important to you at Christmas time. He invited everyone to lay their hand on someone they love and repeat a Christmas prayer of thankfulness. I placed my hand on my friend Toby and thanked Jesus that Toby and I could spend another holiday season together.
By the way, in spite of what the oncologist said, Toby lived for 13 months after his surgery. It was one of the best years of my life.
I hope that all of you who read this blog have some great Christmas memories. I hope that this Christmas season is filled with peace and joy for you all. Give God all the glory this Christmas for the gift of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
The best Christmas memory I have from when I was a young boy didn't start out that well. When I was young, I had extremely poor health. Just before Christmas, I had been sick with a terrible bout of pneumonia. The doctor's weren't even sure that I was going to make it to Christmas.
That Christmas, the gift I wanted more than anything else was a Stretch Monster. This was a type of action-figure that was filled with some type of solution that allowed it to stretch far out and then return to normal size. They were very hard to find, and I kind of doubted that my folks would be able to get one.
That year, my health improved just before Christmas Day. Waiting for me under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning was a Stretch Monster. I kept that thing for 25 years. Eventually, it fell apart.
My best Christmas memories in more recent years involved my friend Toby. I remember one Christmas Eve that was very fun. The two of us were together by ourselves because my parents had gone to a Christmas party with my Dad's children from his first marriage.
For Christmas that year, I received a telescope that I'd wanted for a long time. On Christmas Eve, I decided to assemble the telescope and go out for an observation session. I'd loved astronomy for a long time, and I studied astronomy in college for a little while.
As always, Toby had to be a part of whatever I was doing. While I was trying to assemble the telescope and the mount, Toby kept crawling in and out of the boxes and pushing the packing materials all over the living room floor.
I finally got the scope set up, and Toby and I went out to observe. It was a clear and beautiful Christmas Eve night. We stayed out for hours looking at the stars filled with awe and wonder at the creative power of the Lord.
The last Christmas Eve that I spent with Toby was extra special. Toby had been diagnosed with liver cancer the previous May. He had surgery, but the oncologist had not expected him to live more than six weeks. Toby was still going during Thanksgiving, but when December rolled around, he wasn't feeling well at all.
I thought that the cancer was finally taking its toll, but Toby had a very bad lung infection. It took about three full weeks of treatment, but by the grace of God, Toby pulled through. Since he had been so sick, I chose to stay with him during Christmas Eve.
I love listening to the BBC on radio, and they often have religious broadcasts on. I tuned in on Christmas Eve because I knew that they were going to have a broadcast from a large cathedral in England.
It was a beautiful service. During the message, the dean of the cathedral spoke about remembering those who are important to you at Christmas time. He invited everyone to lay their hand on someone they love and repeat a Christmas prayer of thankfulness. I placed my hand on my friend Toby and thanked Jesus that Toby and I could spend another holiday season together.
By the way, in spite of what the oncologist said, Toby lived for 13 months after his surgery. It was one of the best years of my life.
I hope that all of you who read this blog have some great Christmas memories. I hope that this Christmas season is filled with peace and joy for you all. Give God all the glory this Christmas for the gift of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, December 23, 2019
Verses For The Week
John 1:1 -- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14 -- "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Philippians 2:7 -- "He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
John 1:14 -- "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Philippians 2:7 -- "He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- The Spirit Of Christmas
Welcome to this Christmas edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone has been having a wonderful holiday season. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post this message.
For the last couple of weeks, we've been in a series of messages about II Peter. We will continue with that series once again next week. This week, I wanted to bring a message about the Christmas season and the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Over the last few weeks, I've been thinking about the idea of the spirit of Christmas. What are some of the themes of Christmas, and how can we carry these themes and ideas with us throughout the entire year.
I have decided that three of the most important things that we can think about during the holiday season are the ideas of love, joy and peace. To me, this signifies what Christmas is all about.
Let's start with peace. When the angels came to the shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, they brought the message of peace on earth. One of the titles of the Messiah given to us in Isaiah 9:6 is the Prince of Peace.
Jesus came to this earth to bring peace into the troubled hearts of people. Those who place their trust in Jesus can know the peace that passes all understanding. Jesus told us that He was leaving us with His peace.
Jesus also brings peace to the earth in another way. However, so many of those in this world don't accept Jesus' gift of peace. There is so much war in this world that it is sickening. Jesus came to show the way to peace. He told us how to live in peace with one another by following His clear teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. If those of us who name Jesus as Lord would truly follow His teachings and commandments, it would go so far in helping this world know what peace is.
Another part of the spirit of Christmas is joy. The angels brought good news that was to bring great joy to all people. Joy comes to us because God is with us. Jesus is God who has come to us. We don't have to be alone. The Lord has come to be with and to guide us. We can be joyful knowing the He will never leave us, and He will never ever forsake us.
Let us keep the joy of Christmas going all year long. Let us find ways to bring happiness and joy to others. Let us keep the joy of the Lord in our lives by realizing that He is with us always.
Finally, the spirit of Christmas is about love. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world and sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Love is what truly brought Jesus to this earth on Christmas Day. Because He loved us, Jesus came to bring us life and to bring us hope. Through His example, we know how to live in this world. Through His death, He brought atonement and forgiveness of sins. Through His resurrection, Jesus defeated death. When He comes again, Jesus will restore all things and bring justice.
Let us keep the spirit of love alive all year. Let the love of the Lord Jesus fill your heart, and then spread the love of the Lord Jesus to everyone.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas this year. May God bless you all. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
This has been one of the best weeks I've had in my writing, and I am very thankful to the Lord for providing a lot of work. I've been feeling pretty well, and I thank the Lord for this.
In prayer this week, please pray for Australia. The fires in that country are terrible. There is a great need for rain. Please pray that these fires will be extinguished, and pray for rain. Pray that the fire fighters will be safe.
Please continue to pray for those in the Bahamas who need assistance due to the hurricane. Pray for those in the Philippines who need help after the storms as well.
Continue to pray that the measles outbreak in Samoa will end. Pray that the Ebola outbreak will end in Congo.
Pray for peace. Pray that peace will come to Syria, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in North Korea and Mauritius. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will return to our study of II Peter, and I will post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will post the Animal Book Of The Year selection on Thursday. Have a Merry Christmas. May God bless you all. Amen.
For the last couple of weeks, we've been in a series of messages about II Peter. We will continue with that series once again next week. This week, I wanted to bring a message about the Christmas season and the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Over the last few weeks, I've been thinking about the idea of the spirit of Christmas. What are some of the themes of Christmas, and how can we carry these themes and ideas with us throughout the entire year.
I have decided that three of the most important things that we can think about during the holiday season are the ideas of love, joy and peace. To me, this signifies what Christmas is all about.
Let's start with peace. When the angels came to the shepherds and announced the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, they brought the message of peace on earth. One of the titles of the Messiah given to us in Isaiah 9:6 is the Prince of Peace.
Jesus came to this earth to bring peace into the troubled hearts of people. Those who place their trust in Jesus can know the peace that passes all understanding. Jesus told us that He was leaving us with His peace.
Jesus also brings peace to the earth in another way. However, so many of those in this world don't accept Jesus' gift of peace. There is so much war in this world that it is sickening. Jesus came to show the way to peace. He told us how to live in peace with one another by following His clear teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. If those of us who name Jesus as Lord would truly follow His teachings and commandments, it would go so far in helping this world know what peace is.
Another part of the spirit of Christmas is joy. The angels brought good news that was to bring great joy to all people. Joy comes to us because God is with us. Jesus is God who has come to us. We don't have to be alone. The Lord has come to be with and to guide us. We can be joyful knowing the He will never leave us, and He will never ever forsake us.
Let us keep the joy of Christmas going all year long. Let us find ways to bring happiness and joy to others. Let us keep the joy of the Lord in our lives by realizing that He is with us always.
Finally, the spirit of Christmas is about love. John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world and sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Love is what truly brought Jesus to this earth on Christmas Day. Because He loved us, Jesus came to bring us life and to bring us hope. Through His example, we know how to live in this world. Through His death, He brought atonement and forgiveness of sins. Through His resurrection, Jesus defeated death. When He comes again, Jesus will restore all things and bring justice.
Let us keep the spirit of love alive all year. Let the love of the Lord Jesus fill your heart, and then spread the love of the Lord Jesus to everyone.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas this year. May God bless you all. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
This has been one of the best weeks I've had in my writing, and I am very thankful to the Lord for providing a lot of work. I've been feeling pretty well, and I thank the Lord for this.
In prayer this week, please pray for Australia. The fires in that country are terrible. There is a great need for rain. Please pray that these fires will be extinguished, and pray for rain. Pray that the fire fighters will be safe.
Please continue to pray for those in the Bahamas who need assistance due to the hurricane. Pray for those in the Philippines who need help after the storms as well.
Continue to pray that the measles outbreak in Samoa will end. Pray that the Ebola outbreak will end in Congo.
Pray for peace. Pray that peace will come to Syria, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in North Korea and Mauritius. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will return to our study of II Peter, and I will post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will post the Animal Book Of The Year selection on Thursday. Have a Merry Christmas. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Cat Book Of The Year
Last week, the Dog Book Of The Year was revealed. This week, I will reveal my pick for the best cat book. For 2019, my Cat Book Of The Year Award goes to "Cat Chase The Moon" by Shirley Rousseau Murphy. If you've read the blog over the years, it should come as no surprise that this would be the winner. I love the Joe Grey mystery series. There are now over 20 novels in the series, and I certainly hope that there will be more.
In this book, the kittens are a part of the mystery right along with Joe, Dulcie, Kit and Pan. All of the main human characters are back, and there is a great mystery to solve.
If you've not read any of the Joe Grey books, I encourage you to start at the beginning and read all of them. You won't be disappointed.
In this book, the kittens are a part of the mystery right along with Joe, Dulcie, Kit and Pan. All of the main human characters are back, and there is a great mystery to solve.
If you've not read any of the Joe Grey books, I encourage you to start at the beginning and read all of them. You won't be disappointed.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Verses For The Week
I was able to get out to the library today. We had a bad winter storm where I live. The roads are still not very good. Here are the verses.
Psalm 73:26 -- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
II Thessalonians 3:3 -- "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."
Psalm 73:26 -- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
II Thessalonians 3:3 -- "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter 1:2-4
Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon. I am grateful to the Lord for the opportunity to post this message. I hope that all of you are having a good week and a good holiday season so far.
Today, we will continue with our study in the book of II Peter. Next week, I will post a message about Christmas. We will then get back to our current study.
There are four phrases in our passage today that I would like us to examine. The first one is found in verse three and states, "His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness."
The first thing that strikes me about this is that all that we have comes from the hand of the Lord. Every blessing that we've been given comes from Him. He has given what pertains to life. To me that means that the Lord has provided for our needs such as food, clothing. companionship etc. We should thank the Lord for the good things that He has brought into our lives.
The second part of this phrase says that we've been given what pertains to godliness. The Lord has provided us with what we need to live for Him in this world. He has provided us with salvation. The Lord Jesus came and lived a holy life as our perfect example. He died on the cross to save us from our sins. He rose from the dead conquering death. He will come again in power and great glory.
The Lord has also provided us with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live a holy life. The Spirit convicts us of sin, and the Spirit draws us closer to the Lord Jesus.
We have been given the Word of the Lord in the Bible. In the pages of Scripture we have the words of Jesus to guide the actions of our lives.
We have what we need from the hand of the Lord for our physical and spiritual lives.
Verse 4 of our passage tells that we have been given great and precious promises. I've been thinking about what some of these promises are. First of all, the Lord Jesus promised that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them out. He also told us that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that wherever He is, that is where we will be too. Jesus also told us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. These are just a very few of the great and precious promises that we have been given by the Lord Jesus. We know that we can trust in His promises because Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This is the second time that Peter has used the word precious to describe the things of the Lord. How precious are the things of the Lord in our lives? This is something else that I've been thinking about. There should be nothing in our lives that means more to us than our relationship with the Lord. It is amazing that the God of all the universe loves us and cares about us. We should value our relationship with the Lord as the greatest thing in all the world.
Verse 4 goes on to tell us that we have been made partakers of the divine nature. I don't think that Peter is saying that we are going to become God in some kind of way. What he is saying is that because of what Jesus has done, we have been delivered from sin. As the Bible says, we have become a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have received the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
When we are in Christ, we grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord each and every day as we are led by the Spirit. We become more and more like the Lord Jesus. We put on the mind of Christ and act the way that He did in the world. He lives His life in and through us.
The final phrase that I want to focus on today is the phrase that states that we have escaped the corruption of the world. This world and its systems are corrupt and sinful. When we look at all of the truly evil things that are in this world, we know what corruption is. Through Jesus Christ, we have escaped the evil of this world because this world is no longer our home. We are looking for a heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. We are no longer part of the value system of greed and lust that is this world. We follow the path of love and righteousness set forth by our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
This was a very good week in writing, and I want to the thank the Lord for His blessings. I would ask that you pray for me in a couple of matters. I've not been feeling well all week. Please pray that I will get to feeling better. Also, there is supposed to be a bad winter storm coming. Please pray that it won't get too bad. Thank you.
Please pray for those who were hurt when the volcano exploded in New Zealand. Some are burned very badly. Pray that they will recover quickly.
Pray that the terrible fires in Australia and in the Amazon will be extinguished. Pray for those working to contain these blazes.
Let us continue to pray for those suffering as a result of the measles outbreak in Samoa. Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
Remember to pray for peace. Pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Libya. Wherever you know of strife and conflict, pray for peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the United Arab Emirates and those in Algeria. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, I will post a message about Christmas for the weekend sermon. I will post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will try to post the verses. If the library is not available because of weather, the verses will be delayed. I will post the Cat Book Of the Year on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Today, we will continue with our study in the book of II Peter. Next week, I will post a message about Christmas. We will then get back to our current study.
There are four phrases in our passage today that I would like us to examine. The first one is found in verse three and states, "His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness."
The first thing that strikes me about this is that all that we have comes from the hand of the Lord. Every blessing that we've been given comes from Him. He has given what pertains to life. To me that means that the Lord has provided for our needs such as food, clothing. companionship etc. We should thank the Lord for the good things that He has brought into our lives.
The second part of this phrase says that we've been given what pertains to godliness. The Lord has provided us with what we need to live for Him in this world. He has provided us with salvation. The Lord Jesus came and lived a holy life as our perfect example. He died on the cross to save us from our sins. He rose from the dead conquering death. He will come again in power and great glory.
The Lord has also provided us with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live a holy life. The Spirit convicts us of sin, and the Spirit draws us closer to the Lord Jesus.
We have been given the Word of the Lord in the Bible. In the pages of Scripture we have the words of Jesus to guide the actions of our lives.
We have what we need from the hand of the Lord for our physical and spiritual lives.
Verse 4 of our passage tells that we have been given great and precious promises. I've been thinking about what some of these promises are. First of all, the Lord Jesus promised that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them out. He also told us that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that wherever He is, that is where we will be too. Jesus also told us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. These are just a very few of the great and precious promises that we have been given by the Lord Jesus. We know that we can trust in His promises because Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
This is the second time that Peter has used the word precious to describe the things of the Lord. How precious are the things of the Lord in our lives? This is something else that I've been thinking about. There should be nothing in our lives that means more to us than our relationship with the Lord. It is amazing that the God of all the universe loves us and cares about us. We should value our relationship with the Lord as the greatest thing in all the world.
Verse 4 goes on to tell us that we have been made partakers of the divine nature. I don't think that Peter is saying that we are going to become God in some kind of way. What he is saying is that because of what Jesus has done, we have been delivered from sin. As the Bible says, we have become a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have received the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
When we are in Christ, we grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord each and every day as we are led by the Spirit. We become more and more like the Lord Jesus. We put on the mind of Christ and act the way that He did in the world. He lives His life in and through us.
The final phrase that I want to focus on today is the phrase that states that we have escaped the corruption of the world. This world and its systems are corrupt and sinful. When we look at all of the truly evil things that are in this world, we know what corruption is. Through Jesus Christ, we have escaped the evil of this world because this world is no longer our home. We are looking for a heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. We are no longer part of the value system of greed and lust that is this world. We follow the path of love and righteousness set forth by our Lord Jesus. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
This was a very good week in writing, and I want to the thank the Lord for His blessings. I would ask that you pray for me in a couple of matters. I've not been feeling well all week. Please pray that I will get to feeling better. Also, there is supposed to be a bad winter storm coming. Please pray that it won't get too bad. Thank you.
Please pray for those who were hurt when the volcano exploded in New Zealand. Some are burned very badly. Pray that they will recover quickly.
Pray that the terrible fires in Australia and in the Amazon will be extinguished. Pray for those working to contain these blazes.
Let us continue to pray for those suffering as a result of the measles outbreak in Samoa. Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
Remember to pray for peace. Pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Libya. Wherever you know of strife and conflict, pray for peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the United Arab Emirates and those in Algeria. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, I will post a message about Christmas for the weekend sermon. I will post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will try to post the verses. If the library is not available because of weather, the verses will be delayed. I will post the Cat Book Of the Year on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Dog Book Of The Year
It's that time of year again. Each year about this time, I like to announce the winners of the dog, cat and animal book of the year. Each week, I try to do a book review. I know that this year I didn't do as many reviews as I usually do. At the end of the year the winners are chosen from among the books I reviewed during that year. This week, we will have the dog book of the year award. Next week we will reveal the cat book of the year, and the following week we will have the animal book of the year.
This year, my dog book of the year award goes to "Fabulous Finn" by Dave Wardell. Dave Wardell was a policeman working in England. Finn was his police dog. One night, they were after a suspect. The main pulled a knife and stabbed Finn. Finn kept after the man, and he saved Dave from being injured.
This is a great book that tells about Finn's recovery, but it also tells us about the effort made by Dave Wardell and others to change the laws regarding the penalties that criminals receive when they harm a police or service dog.
I highly recommend "Fabulous Finn". It is the best dog book I read this year.
This year, my dog book of the year award goes to "Fabulous Finn" by Dave Wardell. Dave Wardell was a policeman working in England. Finn was his police dog. One night, they were after a suspect. The main pulled a knife and stabbed Finn. Finn kept after the man, and he saved Dave from being injured.
This is a great book that tells about Finn's recovery, but it also tells us about the effort made by Dave Wardell and others to change the laws regarding the penalties that criminals receive when they harm a police or service dog.
I highly recommend "Fabulous Finn". It is the best dog book I read this year.
Monday, December 9, 2019
Verses For The Week
John 12:48 -- "He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him, the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day."
I Thessalonians 4:16 -- "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
I Thessalonians 4:16 -- "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter -- Introduction
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. As always, I am thankful that the Lord has provided me with the opportunity to post the message this week. I hope and pray that everyone is having a good week.
Today, we are starting a new series of messages on the book of II Peter. If you've been reading the blog for a time, you will remember that we went through the book of I Peter a few years ago. My plan is to study II Peter for the next couple of weeks. I will then post a couple of messages for the Christmas season, and then we will resume our study of II Peter. In this first message of the series, I want to give a little background into the book of II Peter, and then we will see what the first verse has to teach us.
There is some debate about who actually wrote II Peter. Some believe that the Apostle Peter was not the author. In order to support this theory, scholars will point to the fact that there are major stylist ic differences between I and II Peter. They will also point to the fact that the author of II Peter refers to the writings and teachings of the Apostle Paul in chapter 3 verse 15. They believe that Peter would not have had the opportunity to have read the letters of Paul, and would not be familiar with their content. Some scholars point out that II Peter and Jude are very similar. In fact much of chapter 2 of II Peter is identical with portions of Jude. Jude is controversial because it makes use of extra Biblical sources such as the Book of Enoch and The Assumption of Moses. The scholars who doubt the authorship and canonicity of Jude also doubt the authorship and canonicity of II Peter.
Another group believes that the Apostle Peter is most certainly the author of II Peter. This is my belief. The author identifies himself as the apostle. Furthermore, as we will see, the author states that he was with Jesus during the event of the Transfiguration. This is recorded in II Peter 1:16-18. We know that Peter, James and John went with Jesus up on the mountain. They saw Moses and Elijah visit with Jesus, and they heard the words spoken to Jesus by the Father.
Now, when was this epistle written. It appears from I Peter 1:14 that the epistle was written shortly before Peter was put to death. He references in the verse that he is about to put aside the tent of his body. Church tradition holds that Peter was crucified during the reign of Nero.
We have seen who wrote II Peter and approximately when it was written, but what is the epistle about? There are several important themes in II Peter, and we will find out about them more in depth as we study the book. The first chapter of II Peter deals with making sure of one's salvation. It also tells us about the importance of the word of the Lord. In the second chapter, Peter deals with false teachers and false teachings in the church. The final chapter speaks about the fact that Jesus is coming soon. Peter encourages believers to look for the coming of the Lord and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.
Now that we know a little bit about what II Peter is all about, I want us to look at the first verse of the book. II Peter 1:1 states, "Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."
This first verse relates to us how Peter thought of himself. He regarded himself as first and foremost the servant of Jesus Christ. From the day that Jesus called Peter to become a fisher of men on the Sea of Galilee, Peter followed Jesus. He proclaimed the word of the Lord boldly on the Day of Pentecost, and he would preach the words of Jesus faithfully to both Jew and Gentile. Our lives are to be devoted to following the words and the teachings of the Lord Jesus. If we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, we are to be His true servants. Servants do what the master asks without question.
Peter states that he is writing to those who had the same precious faith that he had. This is an important phrase, "precious faith". Our faith and trust in Jesus is the most precious thing that we have in all of the universe. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Nothing on this earth can compare to knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord. As Jesus told us in one of His teachings, it is like a treasure hidden in a field. A man goes and sells all he has so that he can buy the field with the great treasure. It is like a pearl of great price. Jesus would also say, "What does it profit a man if should gain the whole world but lose his own soul."
Our salvation is precious. The Lord of glory came down as a human. He suffered and lived among us to show us the way. He bore our sins. He did all of this for us that we might be redeemed and have an eternal relationship with Him.
Peter states that we have been saved by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and turn to the Lord Jesus, He takes away our sins. They are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. In place of our sin, we receive his righteousness. As it states in II Corinthians 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Finally, in this first verse, Peter acknowledges that Jesus is both God and Savior. Jesus is the divine Son of God and God the Son. He is the only one who can save us from our sins. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
This was a very good week in my writing work, and I would like to thank the Lord for this. I would ask that you please pray that I will feel better. I've been a little under the weather this week.
In prayer this week, please be in prayer regarding the measles outbreak around the world. Samoa and Congo are having real problems with this. Pray that those who are sick will recover soon. Also please pray for an end to the Ebola problem in Congo.
The Philippines had a typhoon hit that country earlier this week. Pray that those who need aid will receive the aid that they need. Pray for those in the Bahamas who still have so many needs.
Continue to pray for an end to the terrible fires in Australia. Also, pray for an end to the fires in the Amazon and California.
Pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and Ukraine need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Indonesia and Mongolia. Pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, we will begin our annual reveal of the best dog, cat and animal books of the year. May God bless you all. Amen.
Today, we are starting a new series of messages on the book of II Peter. If you've been reading the blog for a time, you will remember that we went through the book of I Peter a few years ago. My plan is to study II Peter for the next couple of weeks. I will then post a couple of messages for the Christmas season, and then we will resume our study of II Peter. In this first message of the series, I want to give a little background into the book of II Peter, and then we will see what the first verse has to teach us.
There is some debate about who actually wrote II Peter. Some believe that the Apostle Peter was not the author. In order to support this theory, scholars will point to the fact that there are major stylist ic differences between I and II Peter. They will also point to the fact that the author of II Peter refers to the writings and teachings of the Apostle Paul in chapter 3 verse 15. They believe that Peter would not have had the opportunity to have read the letters of Paul, and would not be familiar with their content. Some scholars point out that II Peter and Jude are very similar. In fact much of chapter 2 of II Peter is identical with portions of Jude. Jude is controversial because it makes use of extra Biblical sources such as the Book of Enoch and The Assumption of Moses. The scholars who doubt the authorship and canonicity of Jude also doubt the authorship and canonicity of II Peter.
Another group believes that the Apostle Peter is most certainly the author of II Peter. This is my belief. The author identifies himself as the apostle. Furthermore, as we will see, the author states that he was with Jesus during the event of the Transfiguration. This is recorded in II Peter 1:16-18. We know that Peter, James and John went with Jesus up on the mountain. They saw Moses and Elijah visit with Jesus, and they heard the words spoken to Jesus by the Father.
Now, when was this epistle written. It appears from I Peter 1:14 that the epistle was written shortly before Peter was put to death. He references in the verse that he is about to put aside the tent of his body. Church tradition holds that Peter was crucified during the reign of Nero.
We have seen who wrote II Peter and approximately when it was written, but what is the epistle about? There are several important themes in II Peter, and we will find out about them more in depth as we study the book. The first chapter of II Peter deals with making sure of one's salvation. It also tells us about the importance of the word of the Lord. In the second chapter, Peter deals with false teachers and false teachings in the church. The final chapter speaks about the fact that Jesus is coming soon. Peter encourages believers to look for the coming of the Lord and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.
Now that we know a little bit about what II Peter is all about, I want us to look at the first verse of the book. II Peter 1:1 states, "Simon Peter, a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."
This first verse relates to us how Peter thought of himself. He regarded himself as first and foremost the servant of Jesus Christ. From the day that Jesus called Peter to become a fisher of men on the Sea of Galilee, Peter followed Jesus. He proclaimed the word of the Lord boldly on the Day of Pentecost, and he would preach the words of Jesus faithfully to both Jew and Gentile. Our lives are to be devoted to following the words and the teachings of the Lord Jesus. If we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, we are to be His true servants. Servants do what the master asks without question.
Peter states that he is writing to those who had the same precious faith that he had. This is an important phrase, "precious faith". Our faith and trust in Jesus is the most precious thing that we have in all of the universe. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Nothing on this earth can compare to knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord. As Jesus told us in one of His teachings, it is like a treasure hidden in a field. A man goes and sells all he has so that he can buy the field with the great treasure. It is like a pearl of great price. Jesus would also say, "What does it profit a man if should gain the whole world but lose his own soul."
Our salvation is precious. The Lord of glory came down as a human. He suffered and lived among us to show us the way. He bore our sins. He did all of this for us that we might be redeemed and have an eternal relationship with Him.
Peter states that we have been saved by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When we confess our sins and turn to the Lord Jesus, He takes away our sins. They are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. In place of our sin, we receive his righteousness. As it states in II Corinthians 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Finally, in this first verse, Peter acknowledges that Jesus is both God and Savior. Jesus is the divine Son of God and God the Son. He is the only one who can save us from our sins. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
This was a very good week in my writing work, and I would like to thank the Lord for this. I would ask that you please pray that I will feel better. I've been a little under the weather this week.
In prayer this week, please be in prayer regarding the measles outbreak around the world. Samoa and Congo are having real problems with this. Pray that those who are sick will recover soon. Also please pray for an end to the Ebola problem in Congo.
The Philippines had a typhoon hit that country earlier this week. Pray that those who need aid will receive the aid that they need. Pray for those in the Bahamas who still have so many needs.
Continue to pray for an end to the terrible fires in Australia. Also, pray for an end to the fires in the Amazon and California.
Pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and Ukraine need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Indonesia and Mongolia. Pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, we will begin our annual reveal of the best dog, cat and animal books of the year. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Book Review -- "The Little Book Of Bob"
The book that I would like to review today is "The Little Book of Bob" by James Bowen. Those who read the blog on a regular basis will know that I've reviewed several of the books about James and Bob including, "A Streetcat Named Bob", "The World According to Bob", and "A Gift From Bob". I've recommended all of them, and I recommend this new book as well.
For those of you who don't know the story, James was trying to beat his addiction to drugs. He'd been homeless off and on for years, but he was living in subsidized housing. In order to make a living, he was playing his guitar on the streets.
One night, James found an injured cat. Bob entered James' life, and he was an important reason that James was able to get off drugs and start improving his life.
In this new book, James tells a few of the lessons that he's learned about life from Bob in the years that they've now been together. There are small sections throughout the book that give a life lesson learned from Bob such as "Don't let a bad yesterday spoil a good today" and "We all need something to believe in".
This is a small book, but it is worth reading. I hope that James and Bob keep going strong together for many years to come.
For those of you who don't know the story, James was trying to beat his addiction to drugs. He'd been homeless off and on for years, but he was living in subsidized housing. In order to make a living, he was playing his guitar on the streets.
One night, James found an injured cat. Bob entered James' life, and he was an important reason that James was able to get off drugs and start improving his life.
In this new book, James tells a few of the lessons that he's learned about life from Bob in the years that they've now been together. There are small sections throughout the book that give a life lesson learned from Bob such as "Don't let a bad yesterday spoil a good today" and "We all need something to believe in".
This is a small book, but it is worth reading. I hope that James and Bob keep going strong together for many years to come.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Verses For The Week
Proverbs 17:17 -- " A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for times of adversity."
Galatians 6:2 -- " Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."
John 15:12 -- "Greater love has no one than this; to lay down one's life for one's friends."
Galatians 6:2 -- " Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ."
John 15:12 -- "Greater love has no one than this; to lay down one's life for one's friends."
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