Thanks for taking time to read the sermon today. We've had a lot of rain where I live over the last two days. I am thankful to the Lord that there was no flooding at my house. Thank you for your prayers.
For the last couple of months,we have had the privilege of studying about the life and ministry of the prophet Daniel. Today, we will conclude our Daniel study. In this last study, there are two things that I want to focus on .
In Daniel chapter 12, we see that God told Daniel to seal up the book that Daniel had written. A lot had been revealed to Daniel, but not everything. He would go to his grave, but God told him that he would rise at the end of the world. In fact, the Lord revealed to Daniel that at the end of the age, those who are the Lord's will be resurrected to eternal life, while those who have rejected the Lord will have a resurrection of judgment. Jesus tells us this same thing in His teachings . He tells us that one day, He will return to this Earth. He will send His angels to the four corners of the earth to separate the righteous from the wicked. Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus will be with Him forever. Those who have rejected Christ's free gift of salvation will be apart from Jesus throughout all eternity.
As believers in Jesus, we can look forward to the coming of our Lord. It will be the occasion when all things are restored to the state before sin entered into the universe. Peace will reign across the universe. There will be no more war, pain, sickness suffering or death for people or for animals.
The other thing that I want to focus on is that God asked Daniel to have faith in Him in regard to the future. This doesn't just apply to our ultimate end . None of us knows what is going to happen to us in the next minute or tomorrow. We do know the one who knows the future if we are in Christ. He goes before us directing us along the path that we are to go. We can trust in His graciousness and goodness to supply our needs and lead us on the path that is the best for our spiritual improvement. We must have faith to believe that He who began a good work in us will be able to complete it.
I've had a lot of fun posting these messages on Daniel. He is truly an example of faithfulness to God in the midst of trying and difficult circumstances. He is an example of putting the Lord first, no matter the consequences or what others think. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
Let us continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Cases continue to increase. Everyone needs to wear masks and practice social distancing. Let's pray that those who are sick will recover quickly.
Pray for peace. Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and Yemen continue to experience difficulties.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us focus our prayers on the United Arab Emirates and Mali.
Starting on Friday of next week, we will spend the next month doing something very different here on the blog. I have finished a devotional book called "Thirty Days Thirty Psalms." I am going to post one devotional each day for 30 days in a row starting next Friday. We will not have a regular blog schedule during that period. Hopefully, we will learn a lot from these Psalms. It was fun writing this work, and I look forward to posting over this 30 day period. May God bless you all. Amen.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Various Items On Wednesday
There is going to be several different items on the blog today. First, I would ask that you pray that storms predicted for this week in my area will not cause flooding. Thank you.
Over the last few weeks, I have been watching the original Star Trek movies again. I wanted to see which ones I liked the best after not watching any of them for a couple of years now.
My favorites in order are:
1. Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan. I think that this movie is William Shatner's best performance as Kirk.
2. Star Trek IV The Journey Home. An all around good story with an important environmental message.
3. Star Trek V The Final Frontier. Many don't like this one, but I think it does a great job of raising some interesting philosophical and theological questions.
4. Star Trek III The Search For Spock. I liked this more at one time. After watching it again, I found it boring.
5. Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country. Not that bad, but not that good.
6. Star Trek The Motion Picture. Only for die hard fans.
Now to rate the Star Trek series.
1. Star Trek the original series. My grandpa and I loved to watch this when I was a boy.
2. Deep Space Nine. I enjoyed the overall story line and the cast of characters.
3. Star Trek Discovery. I thought the first season was better than the second, but I think Pike is a great captain, and I am looking forward to that new series.
4. The Next Generation. Really good after the first two seasons. Patrick Stewart as Picard was excellent. The superior captain of the whole franchise.
5. Star Trek Voyager. I felt this was poorly acted.
6. Star Trek Enterprise. I didn't like this one at all.
I haven't watched Picard yet.
Finally, a poem I had published in a journal called Writer's Cramp in 1998.
Hyenas
With laughing toothy grins,
they prance along the plain.
Giggling, they glide
through blades turned to straw
in a parched land lacking rain.
Spotted hides of black and gold
provide the perfect cover.
But frivolity gives them away.
Over the last few weeks, I have been watching the original Star Trek movies again. I wanted to see which ones I liked the best after not watching any of them for a couple of years now.
My favorites in order are:
1. Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan. I think that this movie is William Shatner's best performance as Kirk.
2. Star Trek IV The Journey Home. An all around good story with an important environmental message.
3. Star Trek V The Final Frontier. Many don't like this one, but I think it does a great job of raising some interesting philosophical and theological questions.
4. Star Trek III The Search For Spock. I liked this more at one time. After watching it again, I found it boring.
5. Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country. Not that bad, but not that good.
6. Star Trek The Motion Picture. Only for die hard fans.
Now to rate the Star Trek series.
1. Star Trek the original series. My grandpa and I loved to watch this when I was a boy.
2. Deep Space Nine. I enjoyed the overall story line and the cast of characters.
3. Star Trek Discovery. I thought the first season was better than the second, but I think Pike is a great captain, and I am looking forward to that new series.
4. The Next Generation. Really good after the first two seasons. Patrick Stewart as Picard was excellent. The superior captain of the whole franchise.
5. Star Trek Voyager. I felt this was poorly acted.
6. Star Trek Enterprise. I didn't like this one at all.
I haven't watched Picard yet.
Finally, a poem I had published in a journal called Writer's Cramp in 1998.
Hyenas
With laughing toothy grins,
they prance along the plain.
Giggling, they glide
through blades turned to straw
in a parched land lacking rain.
Spotted hides of black and gold
provide the perfect cover.
But frivolity gives them away.
Monday, July 27, 2020
Verses For The Week
Matthew 28:19-20 -- "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Sunday, July 26, 2020
Some Thoughts On Sunday
I don't usually post on Sundays, but there are a couple of things on my mind. Before I get to that, I have a prayer request. Please pray that the storms predicted for my area tonight and tomorrow will not be bad and cause flooding. Thank you.
Now, I want to mention two things that are concerning me. First of all, there is the coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases in my area is growing. Why? People will not wear masks, they will not wear masks properly, and they will not even try to practice social distancing.
I had to go to the grocery store and get gas for the car today. Only the clerk at the station had a mask on, and she had her nose sticking out of the mask. There were a group of older motorcyclists in some type of bike club who came in just as I was leaving the station. All of them went inside without masks. At the grocery store, you have to have a mask on to get in. After coming in, some put their masks down around their chins. Employees had their noses outside of the mask .
Please wear a mask properly to stop the spread of the virus. Think about the health and lives of others.
Now, lack of social distancing is contributing to coronavirus spread. Over the Fourth of July weekend, there were several large house parties in my area. No masks, no distancing. Now cases and hospitalizations are growing. People need to put the gatherings and parties on hold for awhile.
We all need to work together to combat this pandemic.
One more item about the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the most anti mask people that I see on Twitter state in their profile that they are Christians. I remind them of Paul's admonition to think of the interests of others and not just your own interests.
I would like to address the issue of the ongoing protests in the United States. Citizens of this country absolutely have the right to peacefully protest. There should not be violence. What is alarming me now is the excessive use of force by law enforcement. This has to stop. Unidentified people dressed in camouflage don't need to he gassing people out on the streets. We need to have an end to the violence and seek constructive solutions to the problems in this country. As Christians, we must always stand for non-violence and justice, and we must stand against racism.
I will post the verses tommorow. God bless you.
Now, I want to mention two things that are concerning me. First of all, there is the coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases in my area is growing. Why? People will not wear masks, they will not wear masks properly, and they will not even try to practice social distancing.
I had to go to the grocery store and get gas for the car today. Only the clerk at the station had a mask on, and she had her nose sticking out of the mask. There were a group of older motorcyclists in some type of bike club who came in just as I was leaving the station. All of them went inside without masks. At the grocery store, you have to have a mask on to get in. After coming in, some put their masks down around their chins. Employees had their noses outside of the mask .
Please wear a mask properly to stop the spread of the virus. Think about the health and lives of others.
Now, lack of social distancing is contributing to coronavirus spread. Over the Fourth of July weekend, there were several large house parties in my area. No masks, no distancing. Now cases and hospitalizations are growing. People need to put the gatherings and parties on hold for awhile.
We all need to work together to combat this pandemic.
One more item about the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the most anti mask people that I see on Twitter state in their profile that they are Christians. I remind them of Paul's admonition to think of the interests of others and not just your own interests.
I would like to address the issue of the ongoing protests in the United States. Citizens of this country absolutely have the right to peacefully protest. There should not be violence. What is alarming me now is the excessive use of force by law enforcement. This has to stop. Unidentified people dressed in camouflage don't need to he gassing people out on the streets. We need to have an end to the violence and seek constructive solutions to the problems in this country. As Christians, we must always stand for non-violence and justice, and we must stand against racism.
I will post the verses tommorow. God bless you.
Friday, July 24, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- Daniel Part 9
It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone is safe and well and having a great week. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to post this message.
After this week, we will have one more message in the book of Daniel. After that, we will be having a series like we haven't had here on the blog before. I am looking forward to it.
One of the issues that has perplexed philosophers and theologians for centuries is the problem of evil. We know that there are terrible things that happen in this world. No one gets out of this life without some pain and heartache. Here is the problem. If God is all good and all powerful, why doesn't He stop evil things from occurring. If He can't, philosophers will say that this shows that God is not all powerful. If He chooses not to, philosophers will argue that this demonstrates that God is not all good.
I believe that free will and sin certainly enter into the explanation of why there is evil in the world. I don't believe that free will and sin provide an all encompassing answer to the dilemma.
We aren't going to solve the problem of evil in this short message. Volumes and volumes have been written on the subject. I do believe that Daniel 10 does provide us with some insight as to why there is so much evil and hurt in this world.
We have seen that Daniel was a man of prayer. After praying over a matter, Daniel had not received an answer from the Lord for several days. Then, weeks later, Daniel received an angelic visitation. The angel told Daniel that his prayer was heard immediately. In fact, God dispatched the angel right away with a message for Daniel.
There was a problem. A demonic spirit fought against the angel for 21 days preventing him from reaching Daniel. The angel said that he was only able to break free when, Michael the archangel came to his aid.
I believe based on this passage that one reason that there is evil in this world is that the spiritual forces of evil are trying to do everything they can to harm that that which is good. The battle between the forces of light and darkness continues to rage. And the battle will continue until that day when death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire and destroyed forever.
Right now in this world with everything bad that is happening, it seems like evil is taking the day. However, Daniel, Revelation and the teachings of Jesus let us know that good will ultimately triumph over evil.
I believe that all of us who follow the way of Jesus have a role to play in overcoming evil. We need to do as much good as we can in this world in order to help people and animals. We have the obligation as followers of Jesus to overcome evil with good. One way that starts is by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. We also help to overcome evil when we look to Jesus and do what He would do if He was here on Earth today.
Let's us all work to overcome evil with good knowing that the Lord is the Victor over every force that sets itself against God and the things of God. Amen
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
I am thankful that we did not get any bad storms this week. I do have one thing that I would like you to pray about. I am having trouble with a couple of my teeth. Please pray that this will go away. Thank you.
Coronavirus cases and fatalaties continue to climb in the United States. Pray for an end to this pandemic all over the world. Pray that people will wear masks and practice social distancing. Pray that leaders will heed the advice of doctors and scientists. Pray that the sick will recover.
Continue to pray for peace. Syria, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan continue to need prayer.
For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for those who live in Kazakhstan and Chad. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, Lord willing, we will wrap up our series in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I hope to post a review. May God bless you all. Amen.
After this week, we will have one more message in the book of Daniel. After that, we will be having a series like we haven't had here on the blog before. I am looking forward to it.
One of the issues that has perplexed philosophers and theologians for centuries is the problem of evil. We know that there are terrible things that happen in this world. No one gets out of this life without some pain and heartache. Here is the problem. If God is all good and all powerful, why doesn't He stop evil things from occurring. If He can't, philosophers will say that this shows that God is not all powerful. If He chooses not to, philosophers will argue that this demonstrates that God is not all good.
I believe that free will and sin certainly enter into the explanation of why there is evil in the world. I don't believe that free will and sin provide an all encompassing answer to the dilemma.
We aren't going to solve the problem of evil in this short message. Volumes and volumes have been written on the subject. I do believe that Daniel 10 does provide us with some insight as to why there is so much evil and hurt in this world.
We have seen that Daniel was a man of prayer. After praying over a matter, Daniel had not received an answer from the Lord for several days. Then, weeks later, Daniel received an angelic visitation. The angel told Daniel that his prayer was heard immediately. In fact, God dispatched the angel right away with a message for Daniel.
There was a problem. A demonic spirit fought against the angel for 21 days preventing him from reaching Daniel. The angel said that he was only able to break free when, Michael the archangel came to his aid.
I believe based on this passage that one reason that there is evil in this world is that the spiritual forces of evil are trying to do everything they can to harm that that which is good. The battle between the forces of light and darkness continues to rage. And the battle will continue until that day when death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire and destroyed forever.
Right now in this world with everything bad that is happening, it seems like evil is taking the day. However, Daniel, Revelation and the teachings of Jesus let us know that good will ultimately triumph over evil.
I believe that all of us who follow the way of Jesus have a role to play in overcoming evil. We need to do as much good as we can in this world in order to help people and animals. We have the obligation as followers of Jesus to overcome evil with good. One way that starts is by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. We also help to overcome evil when we look to Jesus and do what He would do if He was here on Earth today.
Let's us all work to overcome evil with good knowing that the Lord is the Victor over every force that sets itself against God and the things of God. Amen
Prayer Requests And Other Matters
I am thankful that we did not get any bad storms this week. I do have one thing that I would like you to pray about. I am having trouble with a couple of my teeth. Please pray that this will go away. Thank you.
Coronavirus cases and fatalaties continue to climb in the United States. Pray for an end to this pandemic all over the world. Pray that people will wear masks and practice social distancing. Pray that leaders will heed the advice of doctors and scientists. Pray that the sick will recover.
Continue to pray for peace. Syria, Yemen, Libya and Afghanistan continue to need prayer.
For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for those who live in Kazakhstan and Chad. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, Lord willing, we will wrap up our series in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I hope to post a review. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Poem
Next week, I hope to return to reviews. This week I am posting a poem I wrote that was published in a literary journal called Carpe Laureate Diem. The poem was published in 1998.
Icy Road
Glazed, yet clear.
The forgotten byway
is fridgidly engulfed.
No speeding tread
crosses upon it
to make a path bare.
Alone it stretches,
depressed and forelorn.
It awaits the springtime thaw.
Icy Road
Glazed, yet clear.
The forgotten byway
is fridgidly engulfed.
No speeding tread
crosses upon it
to make a path bare.
Alone it stretches,
depressed and forelorn.
It awaits the springtime thaw.
Monday, July 20, 2020
Verses For The Week And Prayer Request
First of all, I would ask that you please pray that the storms forecast for my area tonight and tomorrow will not be bad or cause flooding. Thank you.
Verses:
Mark 11:25 -- "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
I John 1:9 -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Verses:
Mark 11:25 -- "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
I John 1:9 -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Friday, July 17, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- Daniel -- Part 8
Today is a new day to accomplish the will of the Lord. Thank you for taking a moment to read this sermon. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to post it.
Today, we are once again studying what we can learn from the life of the prophet Daniel. For this particular message, I want us to focus on the overall life of Daniel. What are some of his characteristics that should be part of our lives.
One of the things that I have noticed in our study of Daniel is that Daniel was a person who didn't let negative cicumstances get him down. Daniel was taken from a life of privilege and made a servant in the Babylonian court. In later life he was forgotten by the king's successor until remembered in an hour of need. Daniel tried to do his best in his land of captivity, and he still ended up in a den of lions. Through all of these setbacks and negative occurrences, Daniel always tried to do his best to serve the Lord. That is an inspiration to me to live for Jesus even in trying and challenging circumstances.
Another characteristics I see in Daniel is a desire to do what is right no matter the cost. Even as a young man, Daniel would not eat the king's unclean food. As an old man, he would rather face the lions than stop communicating with the Lord in prayer. Daniel is an example to all of us to keep serving Jesus when others look down upon us for our faith. He is an example of courage in adversity. He shows us that do what the Lord commands is the most important thing in life. Following Jesus isn't usually popular. The Bible tells us that those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. In spite of that, we must do what is right and honor God.
One final point that I want to bring out is that Daniel was a man of prayer. We know that it was Daniel's custom to pray every day. When faced with interpreting the king's dreams or visions given to him by God, Daniel sought the Lord's guidance. Sometimes, the answer came right away. As we will see next week, sometimes he had to wait for the answer. Prayer is a privilege. It is our opportunity to communicate with the God of all creation. If you haven't been making prayer a regular part of your life, start by praying the Lord's Prayer every day. The more you pray, the easier it becomes. Soon, you will be following the admonition of the apostle Paul to pray without ceasing.
There will be two more messages in our series in Daniel. I've just completed a book I've been working on on Psalms. In the weeks to come, I will be presenting that material here on the blog. More on that later. In the meantime, let us continue to learn from God's servant Daniel. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters.
This week at work has been difficult. Please pray that I will have the strength to keep going. Also, please pray that I will have the financial resources that I need for some things I need to pay at the end of the month.
The coronavirus pandemic continues. It is very bad in the US. Please pray that this pandemic will end. Pray that people in my country will start thinking about others and start wearing masks. We should all thank God that some countries such as New Zealand are not seeing new coronavirus cases right now. Pray that all who are sick will recover.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Libya and Mongolia. Pray that many will experience the love of Jesus.
Remember to keep praying for peace. Let us focus on Syria and Yemen this week.
Next week, we will continue in Daniel. The verses will be posted on Monday, and I will try to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Today, we are once again studying what we can learn from the life of the prophet Daniel. For this particular message, I want us to focus on the overall life of Daniel. What are some of his characteristics that should be part of our lives.
One of the things that I have noticed in our study of Daniel is that Daniel was a person who didn't let negative cicumstances get him down. Daniel was taken from a life of privilege and made a servant in the Babylonian court. In later life he was forgotten by the king's successor until remembered in an hour of need. Daniel tried to do his best in his land of captivity, and he still ended up in a den of lions. Through all of these setbacks and negative occurrences, Daniel always tried to do his best to serve the Lord. That is an inspiration to me to live for Jesus even in trying and challenging circumstances.
Another characteristics I see in Daniel is a desire to do what is right no matter the cost. Even as a young man, Daniel would not eat the king's unclean food. As an old man, he would rather face the lions than stop communicating with the Lord in prayer. Daniel is an example to all of us to keep serving Jesus when others look down upon us for our faith. He is an example of courage in adversity. He shows us that do what the Lord commands is the most important thing in life. Following Jesus isn't usually popular. The Bible tells us that those who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. In spite of that, we must do what is right and honor God.
One final point that I want to bring out is that Daniel was a man of prayer. We know that it was Daniel's custom to pray every day. When faced with interpreting the king's dreams or visions given to him by God, Daniel sought the Lord's guidance. Sometimes, the answer came right away. As we will see next week, sometimes he had to wait for the answer. Prayer is a privilege. It is our opportunity to communicate with the God of all creation. If you haven't been making prayer a regular part of your life, start by praying the Lord's Prayer every day. The more you pray, the easier it becomes. Soon, you will be following the admonition of the apostle Paul to pray without ceasing.
There will be two more messages in our series in Daniel. I've just completed a book I've been working on on Psalms. In the weeks to come, I will be presenting that material here on the blog. More on that later. In the meantime, let us continue to learn from God's servant Daniel. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters.
This week at work has been difficult. Please pray that I will have the strength to keep going. Also, please pray that I will have the financial resources that I need for some things I need to pay at the end of the month.
The coronavirus pandemic continues. It is very bad in the US. Please pray that this pandemic will end. Pray that people in my country will start thinking about others and start wearing masks. We should all thank God that some countries such as New Zealand are not seeing new coronavirus cases right now. Pray that all who are sick will recover.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Libya and Mongolia. Pray that many will experience the love of Jesus.
Remember to keep praying for peace. Let us focus on Syria and Yemen this week.
Next week, we will continue in Daniel. The verses will be posted on Monday, and I will try to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Poem
This is a poem I wrote a few years ago.
The Hunt
The spring --
Blur of spots.
Crashing,
Rustling,
Thrashing the grass.
Stunned stare --
Prey gallops free.
The Hunt
The spring --
Blur of spots.
Crashing,
Rustling,
Thrashing the grass.
Stunned stare --
Prey gallops free.
Monday, July 13, 2020
Verses For The Week
Luke 11:33 -- "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead, he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light."
John 8:12 -- "... I am the light of the world. He who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
I John 1:5 -- "... God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all."
Matthew 5:14 -- " You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden."
John 8:12 -- "... I am the light of the world. He who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
I John 1:5 -- "... God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all."
Matthew 5:14 -- " You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden."
Friday, July 10, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- Daniel -- Part 7
Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is healthy and happy.
As you may know, we've been engaged in a series on the life of Daniel for a few weeks now. One of the interesting aspects of this book is the prophetic nature of the book. I have not really emphasized this aspect of Daniel in our study as there are many different interpretations as to what Daniel's dreams and visions mean in reference to future events. One thing that Daniel was allowed to witness is quite clear, and I would like to focus on that today.
In Daniel chapter 7, we read that Daniel was allowed to see the throne room of Heaven. He beheld the Ancient of Days(God) on this throne. Daniel then saw one like a son of man approaching the throne of God. This son of man was given authority and power to rule over all people and nations. This son of man was worshipped by all. He was given an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom will never pass away or be destroyed.
This vision of Daniel refers directly to what will happen when Jesus Christ comes again. All power will be given to Him. The Bible tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In the Gospels, Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man. Many think that Jesus is referring to Himself as a human being. Some translations of the Bible in an attempt to be gender neutral sometimes interpret Son of Man as the human one. However, this makes Jesus referring to Himself as the Son of Man lose its significance. By referring to Himself as the Son of Man, Jesus is identifying Himself as the one in Daniel's vision. Jesus is stating that He is the one who will receive from the Ancient of Days the right to rule and reign on this Earth forever. Jesus is saying that He is the one who will be worshipped by all. Jesus is ascerting His divinity, humanity and messiahship.
Daniel goes on in chapter 7 to state that the saints of the Most High will posses the kingdom. Those who have placed their faith and trust in the Son of Man will be part of His everlasting kingdom when He comes again in power and great glory.
Daniel 7 is a fantastic account of what will take place. Jesus is the glorious one. He will come again and make all things new. You can he part of His everlasting kingdom if you ask Jesus to forgive your sins, and if you accept Him as the Lord of your life. I hope that you will consider doing that today. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters.
I would ask your prayers about the storms expected in my area tonight and tomorrow. Pray that the storms will not cause damage and flooding.
Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus. Pray that the sick will get well. Pray that God will bless those who work with the sick and suffering.
Pray for peace in Syria and Yemen. Those two countries really need our prayers right now.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Madagascar and Singapore. Pray that many will come to faith in Christ.
Next week, we will continue in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all
As you may know, we've been engaged in a series on the life of Daniel for a few weeks now. One of the interesting aspects of this book is the prophetic nature of the book. I have not really emphasized this aspect of Daniel in our study as there are many different interpretations as to what Daniel's dreams and visions mean in reference to future events. One thing that Daniel was allowed to witness is quite clear, and I would like to focus on that today.
In Daniel chapter 7, we read that Daniel was allowed to see the throne room of Heaven. He beheld the Ancient of Days(God) on this throne. Daniel then saw one like a son of man approaching the throne of God. This son of man was given authority and power to rule over all people and nations. This son of man was worshipped by all. He was given an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom will never pass away or be destroyed.
This vision of Daniel refers directly to what will happen when Jesus Christ comes again. All power will be given to Him. The Bible tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In the Gospels, Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man. Many think that Jesus is referring to Himself as a human being. Some translations of the Bible in an attempt to be gender neutral sometimes interpret Son of Man as the human one. However, this makes Jesus referring to Himself as the Son of Man lose its significance. By referring to Himself as the Son of Man, Jesus is identifying Himself as the one in Daniel's vision. Jesus is stating that He is the one who will receive from the Ancient of Days the right to rule and reign on this Earth forever. Jesus is saying that He is the one who will be worshipped by all. Jesus is ascerting His divinity, humanity and messiahship.
Daniel goes on in chapter 7 to state that the saints of the Most High will posses the kingdom. Those who have placed their faith and trust in the Son of Man will be part of His everlasting kingdom when He comes again in power and great glory.
Daniel 7 is a fantastic account of what will take place. Jesus is the glorious one. He will come again and make all things new. You can he part of His everlasting kingdom if you ask Jesus to forgive your sins, and if you accept Him as the Lord of your life. I hope that you will consider doing that today. Amen.
Prayer Requests and Other Matters.
I would ask your prayers about the storms expected in my area tonight and tomorrow. Pray that the storms will not cause damage and flooding.
Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus. Pray that the sick will get well. Pray that God will bless those who work with the sick and suffering.
Pray for peace in Syria and Yemen. Those two countries really need our prayers right now.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Madagascar and Singapore. Pray that many will come to faith in Christ.
Next week, we will continue in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Book Review
- The book that I am reviewing today was a lot of fun to read. This week, I would like to recommend "The First Pet History Of The World" written by David Comfort. In this book, the author goes from the beginnings of recorded history up to the present giving an account of what dogs,cats and other creatures were doing. In this work, we are introduced to dogs who performed acts of military heroism and cats who served as muses for famous writers. The author provides information about more well-known animals, and we get to learn about the deeds of lesser known pets. All of the information is presented in a humourous and fun manner. If you would like to read a book that takes your mind off of all the troubles in the world right now, this is the book for you.
Monday, July 6, 2020
Verses For The Week
Matthew 24:35-37 -- "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man."
Friday, July 3, 2020
Weekend Sermon -- Daniel -- Part 6
I am sorry that the sermon is somewhat delayed today, we we're having a bad storm. I wanted to wait until the storm passed before I got on my phone. Thank God, the storms caused no damage. I hope you are all safe and well.
Today, we continue with our series on the life and ministry of the prophet Daniel. Last week, we saw that Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall. The message accurately foretold the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persian Empire.
The Persian king recognized that Daniel was a knowledgeable and capable person. He promoted Daniel to a high position in the governmental administration. This didn't go over well with the Persians in the service of the king. They wanted to find a way to get rid of Daniel so that they could rise to higher positions of power.
They came to the conclusion that they had to get at Daniel at the point of his faith in God. They knew that nothing was more important to Daniel than serving his God.
The opponents of Daniel convinced the king to sign an edict that no one could pray to anyone except the king.
Of course, Daniel paid no attention to this edict. He publicly prayed three times each day as was his regular custom.
Daniel was arrested and thrown into the lion's den. The king regretted what had been done, and he hoped for Daniel's safety.
The next day, the king found Daniel safe and sound. Daniel was removed from the lion's, and the king tossed Daniel's opponents to the lion's.
This is a story that many are familiar with, but what can we learn from it for our lives today?
First of all, we find in the story that Daniel practiced and lived his faith in such a way that people knew that God and the things of God were important to him. He had a good testimony.
As followers of the Lord Jesus, we should reflect the Lord Jesus Christ and His way and values. When people see us living our lives in the public square, they should be readily able to tell that we are trying to live in imitation of Christ.
We can also learn from this story that it is better to obey God than human authorities. If earthly rulers attempt to make us go against the Lord, we must remain faithful to Jesus . The value system of a true Christian will always be at odds with this world . Our allegiance is not to a country or a political leader. Our allegiance is to Jesus.
Even though Daniel faced the lion's den, he was committed to following God no matter the cost.
Things turned out well for Daniel. He was delivered. In this life, many have faced a martyr's death for the testimony of Jesus. They too were delivered. Like Stephen, they saw the face of the Lord. Would that we would have the courage to stand for Jesus and His ways when faced with tribulation. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters.
In prayer this week, let us remember to keep praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Thank God, some countries aren't having much trouble now. My country, the USA, is having a mess. Leadership is sorely lacking. Please pray that those in my country will take this pandemic seriously and work together so that the virus' effects can be mitigated.
This is Independence Day weekend in my country. Please pray that people and their property won't be damaged by fireworks.
We must continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in China and Tanzania. Pray that many will learn more about Jesus.
Next week, we will continue our study in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I will post a book review. May God bless you all. Amen.
Today, we continue with our series on the life and ministry of the prophet Daniel. Last week, we saw that Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall. The message accurately foretold the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persian Empire.
The Persian king recognized that Daniel was a knowledgeable and capable person. He promoted Daniel to a high position in the governmental administration. This didn't go over well with the Persians in the service of the king. They wanted to find a way to get rid of Daniel so that they could rise to higher positions of power.
They came to the conclusion that they had to get at Daniel at the point of his faith in God. They knew that nothing was more important to Daniel than serving his God.
The opponents of Daniel convinced the king to sign an edict that no one could pray to anyone except the king.
Of course, Daniel paid no attention to this edict. He publicly prayed three times each day as was his regular custom.
Daniel was arrested and thrown into the lion's den. The king regretted what had been done, and he hoped for Daniel's safety.
The next day, the king found Daniel safe and sound. Daniel was removed from the lion's, and the king tossed Daniel's opponents to the lion's.
This is a story that many are familiar with, but what can we learn from it for our lives today?
First of all, we find in the story that Daniel practiced and lived his faith in such a way that people knew that God and the things of God were important to him. He had a good testimony.
As followers of the Lord Jesus, we should reflect the Lord Jesus Christ and His way and values. When people see us living our lives in the public square, they should be readily able to tell that we are trying to live in imitation of Christ.
We can also learn from this story that it is better to obey God than human authorities. If earthly rulers attempt to make us go against the Lord, we must remain faithful to Jesus . The value system of a true Christian will always be at odds with this world . Our allegiance is not to a country or a political leader. Our allegiance is to Jesus.
Even though Daniel faced the lion's den, he was committed to following God no matter the cost.
Things turned out well for Daniel. He was delivered. In this life, many have faced a martyr's death for the testimony of Jesus. They too were delivered. Like Stephen, they saw the face of the Lord. Would that we would have the courage to stand for Jesus and His ways when faced with tribulation. Amen.
Prayer Requests And Other Matters.
In prayer this week, let us remember to keep praying for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Thank God, some countries aren't having much trouble now. My country, the USA, is having a mess. Leadership is sorely lacking. Please pray that those in my country will take this pandemic seriously and work together so that the virus' effects can be mitigated.
This is Independence Day weekend in my country. Please pray that people and their property won't be damaged by fireworks.
We must continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in China and Tanzania. Pray that many will learn more about Jesus.
Next week, we will continue our study in Daniel. I will post the verses on Monday. On Wednesday, I will post a book review. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Book Review -- No Ordinary Dog
A few years back, an elite SEAL Team unit went on a successful mission to eliminate Osama Bin Laden. On that mission was a soldier named Will Chesney and a dog named Cairo. "No Ordinary Dog" tells the story of Cairo's time in the military, and what he did in his retirement. The book also goes into detail about how Will Chesney trained to be a SEAL and what led him to become a military dog handler.
What I liked best about the book was the detail. Mr. Chesney provides a great amount of information about what is required to become a SEAL Team member. I especially enjoyed reading the information about how military dogs are selected and the elements that go into their training. There is also good historical information in the book about the Bin Laden raid.
I would recommend this book to those who are interested in military dogs and the bond that these dogs and handlers form. If it bothers you to read about dogs in dangerous situations, this is not not the book for you.
What I liked best about the book was the detail. Mr. Chesney provides a great amount of information about what is required to become a SEAL Team member. I especially enjoyed reading the information about how military dogs are selected and the elements that go into their training. There is also good historical information in the book about the Bin Laden raid.
I would recommend this book to those who are interested in military dogs and the bond that these dogs and handlers form. If it bothers you to read about dogs in dangerous situations, this is not not the book for you.
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