Welcome to this week's Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is doing well. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to post this message.
Last week, we finished our series of messages on II Peter. Starting next week, I am going to start a new series of messages based on the first section of the book of Daniel. This week, I want to discuss something different. It is something that I felt that I wanted to post a message about this week.
In Revelation 21:4 we read, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." This verse really spoke to me this week as February is a very hard month for me.
Every year for the last few years I've felt bad when February rolls around. This month holds a lot of bad times for me. It was in February when my Dad had a bad stroke and passed away two weeks later just before his birthday. This is the month when one of my best friends died four years ago. My Dad's birthday and my parent's anniversary are in February, and when these dates come, I miss them very much.
The world we live in is not in accord with the way that things are supposed to be. The Lord didn't originally design the world to be filled with death, pain, sorrow and disease. Sin entered the world due to the rebellion of people, and with it, those things that are against God came into the world.
When I read Revelation 21:4, I am reminded of the fact that things will not always be the way that they are right now in this world. Jesus is coming again.
Sometime in the future, there will come a day when all sorrow, pain and death will cease. That will come about because Jesus will restore all things to the way that they were before sin and evil entered into the world.
One day, the old order of things will pass away. I love this phrase. When Jesus comes again and restores all things, the ways of this world will be done away with. The earth will operate based on the principles of the Lord Jesus. He will bring about peace, love, joy, justice and goodness upon the earth. And these things will have no end.
I don't know if you have times throughout the year when you feel especially down because of what has transpired in your life. If you do, I hope that you will take hold of the promise of this verse, that things will not always be like they are right now. There is a new day coming. It will be free from all that is wrong and painful. I know that day is coming, because I believe in the Lord Jesus. He said that He would come again and make everything new. I believe that with everything that is within me.
The Bible tells us that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us so that we can be with Him forever. Those who are in Christ when they pass from this life will go to be with Jesus immediately. When Jesus comes to establish His kingdom on this earth, those who are with Him in Heaven will come with Him upon His return.
One of the reasons that there will be no more crying and sorrow when we are with Jesus is that we will be with those who we love for all of eternity. I know that I will see my family members again. They all trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Even though many of us face sorrows and hard times on earth now, we can still turn to the Lord Jesus and allow His presence to see us through the difficult times in life. He said that He would never leave us, and He said that He would never forsake us. This past week, I have felt that the Lord is with me seeing me through the difficult days.
With Jesus is our lives, all is well and all will be well. One day, all will once again be right with the world. This order of things will pass away. All things will be new. Jesus Christ shall reign. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
The first thing that I want to mention in our prayer requests this week is the coronavirus outbreak. Many countries in the world have a lot of cases of this virus. In my country, the United States, there aren't too many cases right now. We need to all pray that this virus will stop spreading. Pray that those who are sick will recover.
I want to thank the Lord for allowing the money from writing that I was needing to come through. I also told the Lord when He healed me of vitiligo several years ago that I would make sure to tell people what He did for me. I haven't done that for awhile, and I just wanted to say thank you to the Lord for that again.
In other matters, I believe that we should all thank the Lord that the fires aren't so bad in Australia right now. We also need to thank the Lord that there was a peace agreement signed in Afghanistan and in Congo.
Let us keep praying for peace in the troubled areas of the world. Syria definitely needs our prayers. Pray of the Syrian refugees as well. Pray for peace in Libya and Yemen.
Please pray that the people in Puerto Rico will get the help that they need to recover from the storm and earthquake damage.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Jordan and Sudan. Pray that many will come to know of the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will be starting our series on Daniel. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday, I hope to post a review. The sermon will be posted on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Poem
This is a poem I wrote based on one of Jesus' teachings in the Sermon On The Mount.
Nonresistance
A slap on the check by the meaty hand of a drunken soldier
taking out his frustration on those he views as dung:
Turn to him the other.
Burdened by his ill gotten gain and weighed down on wobbly
knees the nobleman forces you on pain of death to pack his load
down muddy roads: Go the extra mile.
Robbers lying in wait under the blanket of darkness leap at you
the chosen prey and take a cloak woven from finest threads;
Your shirt will match it.
The enemy long emptying venom and hate against you and
your countrymen for generations: Extend love.
Nonresistance
A slap on the check by the meaty hand of a drunken soldier
taking out his frustration on those he views as dung:
Turn to him the other.
Burdened by his ill gotten gain and weighed down on wobbly
knees the nobleman forces you on pain of death to pack his load
down muddy roads: Go the extra mile.
Robbers lying in wait under the blanket of darkness leap at you
the chosen prey and take a cloak woven from finest threads;
Your shirt will match it.
The enemy long emptying venom and hate against you and
your countrymen for generations: Extend love.
Monday, February 24, 2020
Verses For The Week
Isaiah 11:9 -- "For they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
I Corinthians 2:9 -- "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
Revelation 21:4 -- "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
I Corinthians 2:9 -- "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
Revelation 21:4 -- "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Saturday, February 22, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter -- Conclusion
Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. I am thankful to the Lord for allowing me to post the sermon this week. I thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope everyone is doing well.
For several weeks now, we've been studying the book of II Peter. I've enjoyed going through this book and seeing what the Lord has to say to us. Today is the final message in the II Peter series.
I would like to begin today by looking at II Peter 3:15 which states, "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation." In this verse, Peter is once again reminding his readers that one of the reasons that the Lord has delayed His coming is that He is not willing that any should perish. By delaying His coming, the Lord is providing an opportunity for those that do not acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior to turn around, repent and believe the Gospel. The Lord Jesus is filled with love for this world. He wants people to turn to Him, and whoever comes to Him, He will not cast them out.
In verse 15 and 16, Peter tells us something about the apostle Paul. Let's first look into what Peter says, and then we will look into the debate and controversy surrounding these verses. The end of verse 15 and 16 state, "Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
First of all, Peter acknowledges that Paul is his brother in the faith. They didn't always see eye to eye about everything, but Peter acknowledges that Paul believes in the Lord Jesus and writes about the salvation that is available to all who believe the message of the Lord Jesus. Peter equates the writings of Paul with the rest of Scripture. It seems to me that what Peter is saying is that the writings of the Apostle Paul are on the same level as the writings of the other apostles. What Paul is saying is wisdom given to Him by the Lord.
Now, Peter will tell us that some things that Paul discusses are complicated, and false teachers try to use the things that Paul teaches in order to distort the truth of God's word. I've been thinking this week about what Peter might actually be referring to here. I've thought of two different things. First of all, Paul believed that we are saved by grace. When we sin, Paul says God's grace abounds. Some false teachers distorted this teaching and tried to say that we should sin in order that grace might abound more and more. Paul would have none of that false teaching. He said God forbid.
Some people also distorted Paul's teachings about law and grace. There is no place in his writings where Paul says that we as followers of Jesus are not to obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus just because we are saved by grace and not by works. On the contrary, in Titus 2:7 Paul tells Titus to be an example by doing good works. Paul tells us to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and put away the works of the flesh. Some of the false teachers that Peter refers to might have been trying to use Paul's teaching for their own purposes. However, they were distorting Paul's teachings.
So, what it the controversy about this passage. This passage is used by many who claim that II Peter could not have been written by the Apostle Peter. They make the case that the canon of the Bible did not begin to coalesce until many years after Peter's death. Therefore, by referring to Paul's writings as Scripture, that demonstrates that the writer was writing at a time when the canon was being put together.
As I said previously, I don't put too much stock in this idea. I think that from the internal evidence of II Peter that Peter wrote this epistle. My belief is that Peter understood that in some way he was being inspired by God to write his epistles. He believed that this same Spirit of inspiration was at work in Paul.
In verse 17, Peter once again warns his readers not to be led astray by false teachers and by those who scoff at the Second Coming of Jesus. Since Peter has provided them with a warning, they know what to look out for.
Now we come to the final verse of II Peter that says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen." Growth is key in the Christian life. We are not to be stagnant. We are to move on in our relationship with the Lord.
I believe that from time to time we should make an assessment of our progress in growing in the Lord. We need to ask ourselves if we are avoiding sin more and more. Are we obeying the commandments and teachings of Jesus like we should? Are we spending time in prayer? Are we taking time to study the Word? Are we obeying the Great Commission? Are we trying to do good in the world and help others? We need to see if we are growing in our devotion to the Lord and His work. We don't want to stay the same, and we don't want to fall back.
Peter ends by giving the glory to Jesus. The glory belongs to Him for all things from this time forth and forevermore. Amen.
Prayer Request And Other Matters
This has been a very good week in writing, and I thank the Lord for the work that He has provided. I want to thank the Lord for allowing the money that I'd earned in writing to come in this week. I really needed it to get some bills paid. Thank you, Lord. I ask that you would pray that the money I need for next week will come in as well. Also, please pray that the rain called for in my area this week will not cause flooding. Thank you.
In other prayer matters, the situation with the coronavirus is troubling. Please pray that this virus will not spread anymore than it already has. Pray for those who are sick that they might recover. Pray for those suffering from the flu that they will get well quickly, and continue to pray for those in Congo who are dealing with Ebola.
I am thankful that the fires are definitely coming under control in Australia. Please pray that all will be well. Puerto Rico still needs our prayers that aid will come to help with the earthquake damage.
We need to thank the Lord that there has been some progress towards peace in Afghanistan this week. Pray that peace might come to that country. Let us continue to pray for peace in Libya, Yemen and Syria.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in India and Turkmenistan. Pray that many will hear the good news of the love of Jesus.
Next week, I will be beginning a new series of messages. I will post the sermon on Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post a poem on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
For several weeks now, we've been studying the book of II Peter. I've enjoyed going through this book and seeing what the Lord has to say to us. Today is the final message in the II Peter series.
I would like to begin today by looking at II Peter 3:15 which states, "Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation." In this verse, Peter is once again reminding his readers that one of the reasons that the Lord has delayed His coming is that He is not willing that any should perish. By delaying His coming, the Lord is providing an opportunity for those that do not acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior to turn around, repent and believe the Gospel. The Lord Jesus is filled with love for this world. He wants people to turn to Him, and whoever comes to Him, He will not cast them out.
In verse 15 and 16, Peter tells us something about the apostle Paul. Let's first look into what Peter says, and then we will look into the debate and controversy surrounding these verses. The end of verse 15 and 16 state, "Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
First of all, Peter acknowledges that Paul is his brother in the faith. They didn't always see eye to eye about everything, but Peter acknowledges that Paul believes in the Lord Jesus and writes about the salvation that is available to all who believe the message of the Lord Jesus. Peter equates the writings of Paul with the rest of Scripture. It seems to me that what Peter is saying is that the writings of the Apostle Paul are on the same level as the writings of the other apostles. What Paul is saying is wisdom given to Him by the Lord.
Now, Peter will tell us that some things that Paul discusses are complicated, and false teachers try to use the things that Paul teaches in order to distort the truth of God's word. I've been thinking this week about what Peter might actually be referring to here. I've thought of two different things. First of all, Paul believed that we are saved by grace. When we sin, Paul says God's grace abounds. Some false teachers distorted this teaching and tried to say that we should sin in order that grace might abound more and more. Paul would have none of that false teaching. He said God forbid.
Some people also distorted Paul's teachings about law and grace. There is no place in his writings where Paul says that we as followers of Jesus are not to obey the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus just because we are saved by grace and not by works. On the contrary, in Titus 2:7 Paul tells Titus to be an example by doing good works. Paul tells us to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and put away the works of the flesh. Some of the false teachers that Peter refers to might have been trying to use Paul's teaching for their own purposes. However, they were distorting Paul's teachings.
So, what it the controversy about this passage. This passage is used by many who claim that II Peter could not have been written by the Apostle Peter. They make the case that the canon of the Bible did not begin to coalesce until many years after Peter's death. Therefore, by referring to Paul's writings as Scripture, that demonstrates that the writer was writing at a time when the canon was being put together.
As I said previously, I don't put too much stock in this idea. I think that from the internal evidence of II Peter that Peter wrote this epistle. My belief is that Peter understood that in some way he was being inspired by God to write his epistles. He believed that this same Spirit of inspiration was at work in Paul.
In verse 17, Peter once again warns his readers not to be led astray by false teachers and by those who scoff at the Second Coming of Jesus. Since Peter has provided them with a warning, they know what to look out for.
Now we come to the final verse of II Peter that says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen." Growth is key in the Christian life. We are not to be stagnant. We are to move on in our relationship with the Lord.
I believe that from time to time we should make an assessment of our progress in growing in the Lord. We need to ask ourselves if we are avoiding sin more and more. Are we obeying the commandments and teachings of Jesus like we should? Are we spending time in prayer? Are we taking time to study the Word? Are we obeying the Great Commission? Are we trying to do good in the world and help others? We need to see if we are growing in our devotion to the Lord and His work. We don't want to stay the same, and we don't want to fall back.
Peter ends by giving the glory to Jesus. The glory belongs to Him for all things from this time forth and forevermore. Amen.
Prayer Request And Other Matters
This has been a very good week in writing, and I thank the Lord for the work that He has provided. I want to thank the Lord for allowing the money that I'd earned in writing to come in this week. I really needed it to get some bills paid. Thank you, Lord. I ask that you would pray that the money I need for next week will come in as well. Also, please pray that the rain called for in my area this week will not cause flooding. Thank you.
In other prayer matters, the situation with the coronavirus is troubling. Please pray that this virus will not spread anymore than it already has. Pray for those who are sick that they might recover. Pray for those suffering from the flu that they will get well quickly, and continue to pray for those in Congo who are dealing with Ebola.
I am thankful that the fires are definitely coming under control in Australia. Please pray that all will be well. Puerto Rico still needs our prayers that aid will come to help with the earthquake damage.
We need to thank the Lord that there has been some progress towards peace in Afghanistan this week. Pray that peace might come to that country. Let us continue to pray for peace in Libya, Yemen and Syria.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in India and Turkmenistan. Pray that many will hear the good news of the love of Jesus.
Next week, I will be beginning a new series of messages. I will post the sermon on Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post a poem on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Book Review
The book that I am reviewing today is a little different than the books I usually review here on the blog. The book for today is entitled, "How To Teach Philosophy To Your Dog: Exploring The Big Questions In Life" written by Anthony McGowan.
This book is not a book about dogs. It is an introduction to philosophy that uses the device of the author walking with and talking to his dog Monty in order to introduce and explain a number of different philosophical ideas.
Each chapter is set up as a walk that the author and his dog are taking in places near the author's home in London. On these walks, Anthony McGowan and Monty discuss ethics, theories of knowledge, ontology, the meaning of life and other topics. As the book progresses, you find that the author has provided a detailed and fun presentation of the major areas of philosophy.
If you have ever wanted to learn something about philosophy but you didn't know where to start, this would be a great book for you. I think that this would be an interesting book to use in an intro to philosophy course.
I've always enjoyed studying philosophy, and I minored in the subject in college. If I could go back in time, I would have studied it more and become a philosophy professor.
I highly recommend "How To Teach Your Dog Philosophy". The book has an inventive premise, and it provides a lot of information in a clear manner. The author is a writer of children and young adult books, and this book is well-written.
This book is not a book about dogs. It is an introduction to philosophy that uses the device of the author walking with and talking to his dog Monty in order to introduce and explain a number of different philosophical ideas.
Each chapter is set up as a walk that the author and his dog are taking in places near the author's home in London. On these walks, Anthony McGowan and Monty discuss ethics, theories of knowledge, ontology, the meaning of life and other topics. As the book progresses, you find that the author has provided a detailed and fun presentation of the major areas of philosophy.
If you have ever wanted to learn something about philosophy but you didn't know where to start, this would be a great book for you. I think that this would be an interesting book to use in an intro to philosophy course.
I've always enjoyed studying philosophy, and I minored in the subject in college. If I could go back in time, I would have studied it more and become a philosophy professor.
I highly recommend "How To Teach Your Dog Philosophy". The book has an inventive premise, and it provides a lot of information in a clear manner. The author is a writer of children and young adult books, and this book is well-written.
Monday, February 17, 2020
Verses For The Week
Psalm 121:2 -- "My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."
James 1:5 -- "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
I Peter 5:7 -- "Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
James 1:5 -- "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
I Peter 5:7 -- "Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you."
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter 3:11-14
Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the message this week. It is my hope that everyone is having a very good week.
For the past several weeks, we've been in a series of messages on the book of II Peter. We only have two more messages in the series, and then we will be moving on to other things.
In last week's message, we saw that the Lord will come again in power and great glory. The Bible unequivocally teaches the literal Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
No one knows the day or the hour when Jesus will return. Until He does, we are to do what we can to make this world the type of place that is good for the generations that will come after us. We need to help others, and help to make this world a little better than the way that we found it.
In today's message, I want to look at more about what Peter has to say about how we should live in light of the fact that Jesus could return at any moment. We see in verse 11 that Peter states that we should be living godly and holy lives.
All throughout the Gospels, Jesus explains to His followers the way that they should be living in the world. Jesus gave His followers the command that they should love one another even as He had loved them. In another passage of Scripture, Jesus tells us that we are to love God and love our neighbor. On these two commandments stand all the Law and the Prophets.
If we live a life that is filled with love for God and love for others, we cannot help but fulfill the requirements that Jesus set down for His followers. If we are loving God and loving our neighbor, we will be living the kind of lives that will not cause us to be ashamed at Jesus' coming.
I am afraid that when Jesus comes, many will be engaging in activities that are opposed to the word of the Lord and the teachings of Jesus. I believe that from what I observe, many are not living in such a way that they are actively trying to share the love of Jesus with the world.
I know that there is more that I can do for the Lord in this world, and I hope to incorporate more of the work of the Lord into my life. If I am alive when the Lord Jesus comes, I want to be able to rejoice in His appearance and not feel ashamed because when He returns I was doing something wrong or not doing something good that I could be doing. The same thing is true if I should die and go to meet the Lord today. I want to have lived in such a way that I will hear the Lord say "Well done;" I don't want to hear the Lord say to me that I lived a life that was wasted or that wasn't what it should have been for Him.
Peter states in verse 14 that we should, "make every effort to be spotless, blameless and at peace with Him." When I read this verse, the first thing that comes to my mind is confession of sins. When I do something that I know is wrong, I try to ask forgiveness right away. I don't want there to be something hindering a right relationship between me and the Lord Jesus. The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, the Lord will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
That phrase about being at peace with Him also makes me think of something else. There are Christians that have something in their heart against the Lord. They love the Lord, but they are upset with the Lord about things that have happened. They blame the Lord at times for letting bad things happen to them in this life.
Maybe I'm just preaching to myself on this, but I know that there are times when bad things happen and I get upset and think that the Lord should not have allowed that to happen. I often think about this with my Mom. If you've read the blog for awhile, you know that my Mom had a bad stroke about 15 years ago. It left her in a terrible state mentally. My Dad and I had to take care of her for five years before she passed away.
My Mom was a committed Christian. She taught Sunday school and children's church for many years. She worked in the vacation Bible school, she led the youth choir and she worked in evangelism ministry. When I saw my Mom reduced to what she was after her stroke, it really upset me. I wondered how God could let something so terrible happen to someone who tried so hard to do things for the Kingdom of Heaven.
For quite a while, the Lord and I were not at peace about this. However, I felt the Lord's presence with me through the hard times of taking care of my Mom. He never left me, and He has helped me through. I came to the place where I just had to say to the Lord that I don't understand, but I still trust and believe in you. I feel the peace of the Lord in my heart. I want to be in the position that I feel the Lord's peace in my heart should He return this very moment.
Now, I want to go back and focus on verse 13 which states, "We are looking forward to a new heaven, and a new earth, where righteousness dwells." As followers of Jesus, the world the way it is now is not truly are home. We are looking for a city whose builder and maker is the Lord.
The way that the world is today, I feel like a stranger here. There is so much violence, hatred and exploitation of the poor. This can't be the way that things are supposed to be. While I try to do what I can to help make things better, I know that this world will not be what it should be until Jesus comes.
Those who worship the Lord can't really feel comfortable in this world's system. We live in the anticipation of a world where Jesus reigns.
I know that the message this week has been a little rambling. I apologize. I have a lot on my mind right now. This Monday will mark 10 years since my Dad passed away. It is really making me sad. I know that my family is with the Lord Jesus. I do miss them all. I know that when Jesus comes, or when I pass away, I will see them again. Without Jesus, I'd never make it in this world. I hope that He comes back soon. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
This week we've had the coldest temperatures of the year where I live, and we've had a snow storm. Thankfully, I've been able to get around OK. Monday, I have to go back to the doctor and see if she will allow me to go back to work at my part time job. My foot is getting better, and I thank the Lord for that. I want to thank the Lord for so much writing work lately.
In prayer this week, please pray concerning the coronavirus. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray that this virus will stop spreading. Continue to pray for those dealing with the flu and for those in Congo dealing with the Ebola virus.
Thankfully, many of the fires in Australia are under control. There is still some work to be done, so keep praying. Pray for those in Puerto Rico who still need assistance.
Pray for peace. Syria is in great need of prayer. Pray for Yemen, Afghanistan and Libya as well.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Thailand and Egypt. Pray that many will hear about how much Jesus loves them.
Next week, we will finish up our series of messages on II Peter. I will post the verses for the week on Monday, and I will have a review of a dog book on Wednesday. May the Lord bless you all. Amen
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
DVD Recommendation
Today, I want to recommend a DVD that I watched this week. This is an older movie from back in the early 1980s called "The Scarlet and The Black". This movie stars Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer and Sir John Gielgud. You can be pretty sure that a movie with three great actors will be good, and this movie was really good.
This movie is based on a true story about Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. He worked in the Vatican during the time of World War II. The movie details the ways that he helped Allied soldiers escape from the hands of the Germans. He also used his position to help Jewish people in the city of Rome. The Gestapo official who was in charge of Rome did everything he could to stop Monsignor O'Flaherty and his work.
I hope that you will take the time to watch this good movie. It tells about how a Christian who is committed to doing what is right can make an incredible difference. If you watch the movie, make sure to read the information right after the ending.
This movie is based on a true story about Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. He worked in the Vatican during the time of World War II. The movie details the ways that he helped Allied soldiers escape from the hands of the Germans. He also used his position to help Jewish people in the city of Rome. The Gestapo official who was in charge of Rome did everything he could to stop Monsignor O'Flaherty and his work.
I hope that you will take the time to watch this good movie. It tells about how a Christian who is committed to doing what is right can make an incredible difference. If you watch the movie, make sure to read the information right after the ending.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Verses For The Week
Hebrews 4:16 -- "Let's us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Psalm 103:8 -- "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."
Revelation 22:21 -- "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen"
Psalm 103:8 -- "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."
Revelation 22:21 -- "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen"
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter 3:1-10
Thanks be to God for the opportunity to post the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the blog this week. I hope that you are all doing very well.
Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been in a series studying what the Lord has to say to us from the the book of II Peter. Last week, we examined the issues of eternal security, falling from grace and apostasy. Today, are focus is going to shift.
Starting in chapter 3, Peter is shifting his focus to the return of the Lord Jesus. We focused on this section of Scripture this summer when I went through the series on false teachings. I am not going to go really in depth on this section in the same way that I did in that message. However, I do want to point out a way in which this passage of Scripture is misused.
Let us just review the issue that Peter is addressing. Peter knew that there were people who were scoffing and mocking at the church because Jesus had not yet returned. We hear the same thing today. People want to deny the Second Coming of Jesus. The Bible is quite clear, and Peter in this passage makes it clear that the Lord Jesus will return one day in power and great glory. As Peter stated in the book of Acts, Jesus will come again and restore all things to the way that they existed before the fall of humanity as recorded in the book of Genesis.
One reason that Peter gives for the Lord delaying His coming is that the Lord is merciful. The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
There will come a day when the Lord will come. That will be a great and glorious day. On that day, all wars and strife will cease. Nation will not rise against nation. People will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Justice will roll across the world as the waters cover the see. Righteousness will reign, and evil will be defeated. What a great day that will be.
Unfortunately, this passage of Scripture is being misused by some. In this passage, Peter speaks about how heavens and the earth will be destroyed and renovated by fire. Many take this verse very literally believing that everything that exists now will be done away with. I have heard a number of ministers and Christians use these verses as a justification for not doing anything to help the environment. The statements I've heard go something like this. Well, the world is going to burn up anyway, so we don't need to save the planet. This is not the type of attitude that we are called to as Christians.
The first people in the Bible were given the task of taking care of the world that the Lord had made. It is still our duty to take care of God's creation. The Lord has appointed us as stewards of this earth. Those who follow Jesus should be the ones at the forefront of battling climate change and species extinction. We should be working to make this world a better place for the generations that will follow us. Why? In addition to being commanded to do this by God, we have absolutely no idea when the Lord will return. You often hear people predict when Jesus will return, but I guarantee you that they have no idea. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour when He will return.
It may be today when Jesus comes back, or He may not return for another 2,000 years. We are to live our lives as if He could come back right now. More on that next week. However, we are also to follow the commands of the Lord and live in the way that He has called us so that those who come after us will have the type of world that is right and as good as it can be.
The Bible says that a righteous person leaves his children an inheritance. We aren't leaving the next generations a good inheritance if a great extinction of animals, birds and insects takes place. We aren't leaving a good inheritance if we leave a world with rising sea levels and rising temperatures.
Here is what I am saying. Don't use the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as some excuse to not take action to help the environment and animals. We must take action to do good and make this world the best that it can be.
The world will never be all that it should be until Jesus returns. But that doesn't mean that we can't work to combat injustice, poverty and threats to the global environment. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
In prayer this week, I have a prayer request. I was injured at my part-time job this week. My foot is really hurting. Please pray that my foot improves. I am also concerned that they won't want me to come back to work, so I am asking that you pray that I will get more writing jobs. I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a good amount of writing work lately.
In other matters, I want us to thank the Lord for allowing Australia to get some much needed rain. Some of the fires have now been extinguished. Let us continue to pray that all of the fires will be brought under control.
Please pray for the people of Puerto Rico. They still need aid to help them recover from the earthquakes.
Continue to pray about the coronavirus situation. Pray that those who are sick will recover. Pray that the virus will stop spreading. Continue to pray about the Ebola situation in the Congo.
Right now, Syria really needs our prayers for peace. On Twitter, I follow an animal sanctuary in Syria. They are worried right now because of bombings and fighting in the area. Please pray that these people will be safe, and pray that Syria will finally have peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Benin and Tajikistan. Pray that many will hear about the love and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter. I plan to post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I hope to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been in a series studying what the Lord has to say to us from the the book of II Peter. Last week, we examined the issues of eternal security, falling from grace and apostasy. Today, are focus is going to shift.
Starting in chapter 3, Peter is shifting his focus to the return of the Lord Jesus. We focused on this section of Scripture this summer when I went through the series on false teachings. I am not going to go really in depth on this section in the same way that I did in that message. However, I do want to point out a way in which this passage of Scripture is misused.
Let us just review the issue that Peter is addressing. Peter knew that there were people who were scoffing and mocking at the church because Jesus had not yet returned. We hear the same thing today. People want to deny the Second Coming of Jesus. The Bible is quite clear, and Peter in this passage makes it clear that the Lord Jesus will return one day in power and great glory. As Peter stated in the book of Acts, Jesus will come again and restore all things to the way that they existed before the fall of humanity as recorded in the book of Genesis.
One reason that Peter gives for the Lord delaying His coming is that the Lord is merciful. The Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
There will come a day when the Lord will come. That will be a great and glorious day. On that day, all wars and strife will cease. Nation will not rise against nation. People will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Justice will roll across the world as the waters cover the see. Righteousness will reign, and evil will be defeated. What a great day that will be.
Unfortunately, this passage of Scripture is being misused by some. In this passage, Peter speaks about how heavens and the earth will be destroyed and renovated by fire. Many take this verse very literally believing that everything that exists now will be done away with. I have heard a number of ministers and Christians use these verses as a justification for not doing anything to help the environment. The statements I've heard go something like this. Well, the world is going to burn up anyway, so we don't need to save the planet. This is not the type of attitude that we are called to as Christians.
The first people in the Bible were given the task of taking care of the world that the Lord had made. It is still our duty to take care of God's creation. The Lord has appointed us as stewards of this earth. Those who follow Jesus should be the ones at the forefront of battling climate change and species extinction. We should be working to make this world a better place for the generations that will follow us. Why? In addition to being commanded to do this by God, we have absolutely no idea when the Lord will return. You often hear people predict when Jesus will return, but I guarantee you that they have no idea. Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour when He will return.
It may be today when Jesus comes back, or He may not return for another 2,000 years. We are to live our lives as if He could come back right now. More on that next week. However, we are also to follow the commands of the Lord and live in the way that He has called us so that those who come after us will have the type of world that is right and as good as it can be.
The Bible says that a righteous person leaves his children an inheritance. We aren't leaving the next generations a good inheritance if a great extinction of animals, birds and insects takes place. We aren't leaving a good inheritance if we leave a world with rising sea levels and rising temperatures.
Here is what I am saying. Don't use the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as some excuse to not take action to help the environment and animals. We must take action to do good and make this world the best that it can be.
The world will never be all that it should be until Jesus returns. But that doesn't mean that we can't work to combat injustice, poverty and threats to the global environment. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
In prayer this week, I have a prayer request. I was injured at my part-time job this week. My foot is really hurting. Please pray that my foot improves. I am also concerned that they won't want me to come back to work, so I am asking that you pray that I will get more writing jobs. I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a good amount of writing work lately.
In other matters, I want us to thank the Lord for allowing Australia to get some much needed rain. Some of the fires have now been extinguished. Let us continue to pray that all of the fires will be brought under control.
Please pray for the people of Puerto Rico. They still need aid to help them recover from the earthquakes.
Continue to pray about the coronavirus situation. Pray that those who are sick will recover. Pray that the virus will stop spreading. Continue to pray about the Ebola situation in the Congo.
Right now, Syria really needs our prayers for peace. On Twitter, I follow an animal sanctuary in Syria. They are worried right now because of bombings and fighting in the area. Please pray that these people will be safe, and pray that Syria will finally have peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Benin and Tajikistan. Pray that many will hear about the love and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our series in II Peter. I plan to post the sermon on Saturday. On Monday, I will post the verses. I hope to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Book Review
The book that I am reviewing today is "Denali: A Man, A Dog and the Friendship of a Lifetime" written by Ben Moon. I have been looking forward to reading this book for quite some time. Last year, Ben Moon produced a short film about Denali. I think "Denali" was the title of the film. The film was excellent, and it really demonstrated the great friendship between Ben and his dog Denali.
This book provides a lot more detail about what is mentioned in the film. Ben and Denali spent a great deal of time together traveling around and enjoying rock climbing and hiking. Ben was starting out in his photography career, and Denali was his partner on the adventure.
When he was in his late 20's, Ben was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his battle with cancer, Denali provided friendship, and he helped to give Ben the will to get better.
A while later, Denali would get sick, and Ben would support his friend. These two had a great friendship, and Ben Moon does a terrific job of sharing the times that he spent with this friend.
I hope that you will take the time to read this book. It is a book about what it means to be a true friend.
This book provides a lot more detail about what is mentioned in the film. Ben and Denali spent a great deal of time together traveling around and enjoying rock climbing and hiking. Ben was starting out in his photography career, and Denali was his partner on the adventure.
When he was in his late 20's, Ben was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his battle with cancer, Denali provided friendship, and he helped to give Ben the will to get better.
A while later, Denali would get sick, and Ben would support his friend. These two had a great friendship, and Ben Moon does a terrific job of sharing the times that he spent with this friend.
I hope that you will take the time to read this book. It is a book about what it means to be a true friend.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Verses For The Week
Before I post the verses, I would like to make a prayer request. I have to go in early in the morning for my part-time job tomorrow. The weather people are calling for freezing rain. Please pray that there is no freezing rain. Snow doesn't bother me, but freezing rain is really not fun to try to drive in, and it can be really dangerous. Thank you for your prayers.
Please keep praying for those who are sick with the coronavirus. Pray that this sickness will stop spreading.
Verses:
Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Hebrews 13:16 -- "Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
John 15:12 -- "My command is this: Love each other, as I have loved you."
Please keep praying for those who are sick with the coronavirus. Pray that this sickness will stop spreading.
Verses:
Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Hebrews 13:16 -- "Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
John 15:12 -- "My command is this: Love each other, as I have loved you."
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- II Peter 2:20-22
I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the Weekend Sermon, and I would like to thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is doing very well.
Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been studying what the Lord has to teach us from the epistle of II Peter. For the last couple of weeks, we have been looking into what Peter has been telling us about false teachers and the false teachings that they promote.
Today, we will be finishing up chapter 2 examining what is a controversial passage of Scripture. In verse 20 Peter tells us referring to the false teachers, " If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning."
In this context, Peter is saying that the false teachers know the truth about the Lord Jesus. They know that Jesus is Savior and Lord and how He can deliver people from the sinfulness that is part of this world's system. However, they have made the choice to turn their backs on what is true and right. They have decided to promote that which will satisfy their own lusts and desires. The false teachers would have been better off never having known the truth because now they have no excuse. They are guilty of having despised the Lord Jesus.
In verse 22, Peter says that the false teachers are like dogs returning to their vomit and like pigs returning to the mud hole after a bath. This is very strong language. It is quite obvious that Peter doesn't think too highly of false teachers.
Now, here is where the controversy comes in. This passage of Scripture we are studying today is often used by those who don't believe in eternal security to show that a person can be saved and then lose their salvation. I've actually heard many sermons on this topic that have utilized these verses as proof texts.
Before we get into the eternal security issue, we have to ask whether or not these false teachers were really true Christians to being with. For the answer to this question, we need to look at James and John. James makes it clear in his letter that faith without works is dead. As far as James is concerned, if a person's works don't match their profession of faith, they don't really have a true possession of faith. In other words, James is saying that if people act the way that Peter describes the false teachers acting, then the false teachers weren't really believers to begin with.
Now, let's see what John tells us. In I John 2:18-19, John is speaking about antichrists who have gone out into the world. According to John, these are those who deny the true teaching of who Jesus is and what He did. They are false teachers. John says, "They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us."
With these two statements in mind, it is my interpretation that the false teachers were not really true believers in Jesus. They knew what was right, but they didn't let the truth of Jesus possess their hearts. For them, Jesus was not Lord.
Now, this does not settle the question about losing one's salvation and eternal security. I'll share my beliefs with you. You are certainly free to disagree. There are good Christians on both sides of the issue.
I believe that you are eternally secure as long as you want to be. Here's what I mean. When I was about 18, my parents started to go to a church that believed in losing one's salvation. This particular church believed that if you committed a willful sin, then you had lost your salvation. You needed to go down to the altar and repent and invite Jesus back into your life.
I don't see in the Bible where you can sin yourself out of salvation. I believe that if a person is sinning all the time, that person probably doesn't really know Jesus. That is what John says throughout I John. I believe that is what James is saying when he speaks about faith without works is dead.
I do believe that you can make a decision that you don't want to follow Jesus anymore. In the parable of the sower and the seeds, Jesus spoke about seed that fell on rocky soil. The seed came up, but it withered quickly. My understanding of this is that these represent people who truly come to faith in Jesus. However, they make the determination that following Jesus is too hard. They decide it isn't what they thought that it would be.
In this same parable, Jesus says that some seed started to come up, but it was choked out by the weeds. This represents those who deny Jesus when faced with persecution or those who decide that they don't want to follow Jesus anymore.
I've personally known two people who were believers who decided to stop following Jesus. One man left the faith due to something that happened to one of his children. He had a daughter who was killed. It caused him to despise God, and he stopped believing in the Lord. He never wanted to have anything to do with God again.
Another person that I know believed in the Lord and became active in the church. A few years later, he started reading some things that started to make him doubt the validity of Christianity. He eventually decided that he didn't want to follow Jesus anymore, and now he claims to be an atheist.
My understanding is that being a Christian means coming to faith in Jesus Christ by grace through faith. We are then supposed to follow Jesus as the Lord of our lives. If we don't want to do that, we turn our back on the Lord and go our own way. Jesus spoke about people who put their hand on the plow and then look back.
So let me clarify what I think the Bible teaches. If we are trying to follow Jesus and commit a sin, we aren't lost and have to be "re-saved". We can ask forgiveness, and the Lord will forgive. However, if a person makes a decision to no longer follow Jesus, that person has left the faith. Jesus doesn't force anyone to follow Him and believe in Him.
I hope what I've written here today makes some kind of sense. I don't think the passage in II Peter is really about a Christian losing his or her salvation. I do think that a person can apostatize. I hope that all of us will stay as close to Jesus as possible. I hope that all of us are acknowledging Jesus as Lord every day. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
This has been a very stressful week. Thank the Lord for helping me. I am hoping that the coming week is more normal.
In prayer this week, please remember to pray in regard to the coronavirus outbreak. Pray that this illness will stop spreading. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray that scientists will be able to quickly discover a vaccine. Don't forget that the people in Congo are still dealing with Ebola, and they need our prayers too.
Please pray for those in Australia dealing with the fires. Pray that the fires will be brought under control soon.
Puerto Rico needs our prayers. Earthquakes have caused a lot of damage, and we need to pray that people there will get the assistance that they need.
Continue to pray for peace in the world. Pray for Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Congo and Libya.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Sierra Leone and Oman. Pray that many will hear about the love and grave of Jesus.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday. We will be starting II Peter 3. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will try to post a review on Wednesday or Thursday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Over the course of the last several weeks, we have been studying what the Lord has to teach us from the epistle of II Peter. For the last couple of weeks, we have been looking into what Peter has been telling us about false teachers and the false teachings that they promote.
Today, we will be finishing up chapter 2 examining what is a controversial passage of Scripture. In verse 20 Peter tells us referring to the false teachers, " If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning."
In this context, Peter is saying that the false teachers know the truth about the Lord Jesus. They know that Jesus is Savior and Lord and how He can deliver people from the sinfulness that is part of this world's system. However, they have made the choice to turn their backs on what is true and right. They have decided to promote that which will satisfy their own lusts and desires. The false teachers would have been better off never having known the truth because now they have no excuse. They are guilty of having despised the Lord Jesus.
In verse 22, Peter says that the false teachers are like dogs returning to their vomit and like pigs returning to the mud hole after a bath. This is very strong language. It is quite obvious that Peter doesn't think too highly of false teachers.
Now, here is where the controversy comes in. This passage of Scripture we are studying today is often used by those who don't believe in eternal security to show that a person can be saved and then lose their salvation. I've actually heard many sermons on this topic that have utilized these verses as proof texts.
Before we get into the eternal security issue, we have to ask whether or not these false teachers were really true Christians to being with. For the answer to this question, we need to look at James and John. James makes it clear in his letter that faith without works is dead. As far as James is concerned, if a person's works don't match their profession of faith, they don't really have a true possession of faith. In other words, James is saying that if people act the way that Peter describes the false teachers acting, then the false teachers weren't really believers to begin with.
Now, let's see what John tells us. In I John 2:18-19, John is speaking about antichrists who have gone out into the world. According to John, these are those who deny the true teaching of who Jesus is and what He did. They are false teachers. John says, "They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us."
With these two statements in mind, it is my interpretation that the false teachers were not really true believers in Jesus. They knew what was right, but they didn't let the truth of Jesus possess their hearts. For them, Jesus was not Lord.
Now, this does not settle the question about losing one's salvation and eternal security. I'll share my beliefs with you. You are certainly free to disagree. There are good Christians on both sides of the issue.
I believe that you are eternally secure as long as you want to be. Here's what I mean. When I was about 18, my parents started to go to a church that believed in losing one's salvation. This particular church believed that if you committed a willful sin, then you had lost your salvation. You needed to go down to the altar and repent and invite Jesus back into your life.
I don't see in the Bible where you can sin yourself out of salvation. I believe that if a person is sinning all the time, that person probably doesn't really know Jesus. That is what John says throughout I John. I believe that is what James is saying when he speaks about faith without works is dead.
I do believe that you can make a decision that you don't want to follow Jesus anymore. In the parable of the sower and the seeds, Jesus spoke about seed that fell on rocky soil. The seed came up, but it withered quickly. My understanding of this is that these represent people who truly come to faith in Jesus. However, they make the determination that following Jesus is too hard. They decide it isn't what they thought that it would be.
In this same parable, Jesus says that some seed started to come up, but it was choked out by the weeds. This represents those who deny Jesus when faced with persecution or those who decide that they don't want to follow Jesus anymore.
I've personally known two people who were believers who decided to stop following Jesus. One man left the faith due to something that happened to one of his children. He had a daughter who was killed. It caused him to despise God, and he stopped believing in the Lord. He never wanted to have anything to do with God again.
Another person that I know believed in the Lord and became active in the church. A few years later, he started reading some things that started to make him doubt the validity of Christianity. He eventually decided that he didn't want to follow Jesus anymore, and now he claims to be an atheist.
My understanding is that being a Christian means coming to faith in Jesus Christ by grace through faith. We are then supposed to follow Jesus as the Lord of our lives. If we don't want to do that, we turn our back on the Lord and go our own way. Jesus spoke about people who put their hand on the plow and then look back.
So let me clarify what I think the Bible teaches. If we are trying to follow Jesus and commit a sin, we aren't lost and have to be "re-saved". We can ask forgiveness, and the Lord will forgive. However, if a person makes a decision to no longer follow Jesus, that person has left the faith. Jesus doesn't force anyone to follow Him and believe in Him.
I hope what I've written here today makes some kind of sense. I don't think the passage in II Peter is really about a Christian losing his or her salvation. I do think that a person can apostatize. I hope that all of us will stay as close to Jesus as possible. I hope that all of us are acknowledging Jesus as Lord every day. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters
This has been a very stressful week. Thank the Lord for helping me. I am hoping that the coming week is more normal.
In prayer this week, please remember to pray in regard to the coronavirus outbreak. Pray that this illness will stop spreading. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray that scientists will be able to quickly discover a vaccine. Don't forget that the people in Congo are still dealing with Ebola, and they need our prayers too.
Please pray for those in Australia dealing with the fires. Pray that the fires will be brought under control soon.
Puerto Rico needs our prayers. Earthquakes have caused a lot of damage, and we need to pray that people there will get the assistance that they need.
Continue to pray for peace in the world. Pray for Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Congo and Libya.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Sierra Leone and Oman. Pray that many will hear about the love and grave of Jesus.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday. We will be starting II Peter 3. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will try to post a review on Wednesday or Thursday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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