Weekend Sermon -- My Hope For The New Year

         Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is healthy and enjoying a happy holiday season. 

     For the last message of this year, I want to write briefly about what some of my hopes are for the year that will soon be upon us. First of all, I definitely hope that 2022 brings an end to the coronavirus pandemic. There have been many who have been infected, and thousands have died as a result of this pandemic. I hope that people all over the world will be able to get the vaccine and the boosters needed. I pray that coronavirus will cease to be a major problem in 2022. 

     Another thing that I am hoping for in 2022 is that those who are Christians will take more time to practice important spiritual disciplines. I am definitely including myself in this. I challenge all of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord to spend more time with Him in prayer each day. If you are not praying once daily, I encourage you to begin a prayer practice. If you are praying daily, I hope that you will consider praying twice a day. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. This means that we are ready to bring our needs and the needs of others to the Lord at any moment. We are praying throughout the day. 

     I also hope that we will give thanks to the Lord more in 2022. Often, we ask things of the Lord, and then when He blesses us, we don't say thank you. Let each of us make a concerted effort to give thanks to the Lord for all that He has done.

    Reading and studying the Bible is another important spiritual discipline that I hope we will do more of in 2022. I hope that you are reading the Bible at least once a day. I know that I want to spend more time with in depth study of the Word of God in 2022. 

    I hope that all of us who follow Jesus as Lord will make the commitment in 2022 to work as hard as we can to tell others about the love of Jesus. Jesus told all of us to go into the world and make disciples. In 2022, let each of us strive to tell our friends, neighbors and family members what Jesus has done for us, and what He can do in their lives if they will call upon His name. 

     My great hope for the year to come is that Jesus will return in power and great glory. He may come before 2022 even roles around. The world is filled with violence and evil. I long for Jesus to come and restore all things. He promised that He would come and establish His kingdom that will have no end. I hope that 2022 will not go too far without Jesus coming. I'm not trying to set a date or make a prediction. I am just saying that I hope that Jesus will come soon. 

     Finally, I hope that in this next year that the Lord will give me the messages that I need to post here on the blog. I hope that you will continue to read the messages, and that they will be meaningful to you. Thank you for joining me on the blog this year. We went through the book of James, and we spent 31 days in the book of Proverbs, among other things. I hope that we will learn a lot more about the Lord and His Word in 2022. Happy New Year. Amen

Prayer Requests

     I have something that I would like you to pray about. My area is supposed to have a major winter storm this Friday night into Saturday. Please pray that it won't be bad. Please pray that there won't be much if any freezing rain. Thank you. 

     Please continue to pray for those suffering from the effects of natural disasters in this world. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need. 

     Let us all pray for peace in this world. Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia and Yemen really need our prayers. 

     For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for those in the nations of Albania and Azerbaijan. Pray that many will come to know about the love of Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review midweek. I hope to post more reviews this year. On Friday, I will post the message. We will begin a new series starting next week. May God bless you all. 

Animal Book Of The Year

      If you've followed the blog for awhile, you know that most years I review a lot of dog, cat and animal books. I then give a yearly award to the best book in each category. This year, I didn't do many reviews, so there will be just one award. My Animal Book Of The Year Award goes to "The Speckled Beauty" written by Rick Bragg. It is a great book about a dog and the people who care about him. It is a story about how a dog helps a man and a man helps a dog. Rick Bragg is a great writer. The book is well worth your time. 

Verses For The Week

 II Corinthians 5:17 -- "Therefore if anyone is Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here."

Micah 7:7 -- "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me. "

Weekend Sermon -- Why Christmas?

     Welcome to this week's sermon. I hope that you are all safe and well and enjoying the Christmas season. I am doing fairly well, and I am looking forward to a day of rest on December 25. I thank the Lord for the opportunity that the Lord has given me to post this message. 

     Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. There are lights, presents, and many of us have the chance to get together for times of fun with our friends and family. During this time, our main focus should be on the reason for the season, and that is the birth of Jesus Christ. 

     We know that Jesus was born on Christmas Day to the Virgin Mary. But why did Jesus have to come to this earth in the first place? 

     When God first created the universe, everything was perfect and everything was good. After God had created everything else, He created man in His own image. He placed the man and the woman in the Garden of Eden, and He gave them but one commandment. This was to test to see if they would be obedient to Him and serve Him. God told them that they could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. 

     One day, the serpent tempted Eve to eat from the fruit of this tree. She told the serpent that if they ate from the tree they would die. But the serpent told her that she wouldn't die. The serpent told her she would be like God. Eve disobeyed God, and she ate of the fruit. She then gave some of the fruit to Adam, and he freely ate of the fruit disobeying God as well. This is when sin entered into the world and spoiled what God had made. 

     God punished Adam and Eve and cast them out of the Garden. From that day, they began the process of ageing leading to death. Adam's sin nature was then passed on to all of his descendants. We see this in Romans 5:12 that tells us that sin entered into the world through one man, and death then passed upon all people because everyone has sinned and rebelled against God. 

      One thing that we need to know. God did not cast out Adam and Eve and leave them with no hope for eternity. In Genesis 3:15, we have the first proclamation of the Gospel. This verse says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heal."

      This is the first of the prophecies that told people that a redeemer was coming. God would make a way of redemption so that they were not left in the hands of the evil one. 

     In order to fulfill His attributes of justice, mercy and love, God had to provide a way for the redemption of the universe. He did this by sending Jesus to be the Second Adam. Jesus would be the one who succeeded in every point where Adam failed. Jesus was born among us. He lived a life without sin so that He could be the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. 

     Romans 3:23-26 sums up what I've been saying. This passage states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed, for the demonstration I say of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

     We also turn to John 3:16 to tell us why Jesus came on Christmas Day. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but will have everlasting life."

     Jesus came to us on Christmas in order to bring about the restoration of all things. He came to show us how to live a life that is pleasing to God. He came to die as the atoning sacrifice for our sins so that we might be forgiven and live eternally with the Lord. Jesus came to rise from the grave to conquer the consequences of sin. He is now making intercession for us as our great High Priest until that day when He comes again to restore what existed in the universe before sin entered into it. 

     Jesus was born into the world to save the universe. He came to save you and me from our sins. If you will turn to Him for forgiveness and accept Him as Savior and Lord, He will forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life with Him forever. He will never leave you, nor will He forsake you. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

I am still not feeling the best. Please pray that I will recover from this lingering illness. Thank you. 

Coronavirus is bad all over the world right now. Pray that it will go away. Pray that the sick will recover. 

Continue to pray for peace in the world. Let us continue to focus our prayers on Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia. 

Please pray for those who are suffering as a result of storms. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need. 

For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Comoros and Maldives. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

Next week, I will have a sermon for the new year. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post a review midweek. May God bless you all.  

Christmas Eve With Toby And The BBC

      My friend Toby had many health problems throughout the course of his life. He was like me in that regard. When he was 12, Toby was diagnosed with cancer of the liver, and I didn't think that the two of us were going to be with each other in this world for much longer. I prayed and asked the Lord to help him, and Toby kept going long after the veterinarians said that he would. Six months later when Christmas time rolled around, Toby wasn't doing well, and I once again felt that this was the end. 

     Even though I was expecting the worse, Toby started to make a recovery, and when Christmas Eve came, I knew that he was once again out of the woods. That Christmas Eve, I decided to stay at home with my friend and not go to a party. I didn't know how many more days we would have together, and I wanted us to spend time together as much as possible. 

     That Christmas Eve, the two of us had a nice meal and we listened to some of our favorite music. We both liked classical and jazz. Toby didn't like Jazz that was too avant garde or free form. 

     As the evening wore on, I decided to break out my shortwave radio and see if we could find a Christmas Eve service on the BBC. We were in luck. There was a service being broadcast from one of the large cathedrals. The dean of the cathedral was about to begin his message. His message was about caring about those who God has brought into your life. It was about thanking God for the good things that you had in your life. He told us to remember God's good gifts to us during the Christmas season. 

     At the end of the message, the minister asked us to place our hands on someone we loved and pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God for them. Without me calling him, Toby came right over to where I was and sat down right next to me. I placed my hands on him, and I thanked the Lord that the two of us were together for another Christmas season. 

     No matter how hard I try, I can't remember the cathedral or the name of the minister who brought that message that night. I will never forget that it was a special message at a special time when I needed to hear it the most. 

     

Movie Review -- The Truffle Hunters

        In this post, I would like to review a movie I watched recently called "The Truffle Hunters".  You might be wondering why I am reviewing a movie with this title since my reviews are usually only on dog, cat, animal and theology books and films. Well, this documentary is about men who have a passion for hunting truffles, and it is about the dogs who help them. 

      "The Truffle Hunters" is set in the Italian Alps region. It follows various truffle hunters and a couple of truffle buyers. The men featured in this documentary are all older, but they have a lot of energy. They have a great love for the dogs who make their truffle hunting possible. In one scene, you will see a man who takes a bath with his favorite dog. This is a very humorous scene. One man has a wife who desperately wants him to stop going out with his dog at night to hunt truffles, but the man goes out anyway. The local priest even says a blessing for the man and his dog. In another scene, the priest tells him that since he is such a great truffle hunter, God will let him hunt truffles in the world to come. 

     The part of the documentary that I enjoyed the most was when the focus was on a truffle hunter who had a dog named Birba. He really loved this dog. He knew that he was getting older, and he told Birba that he was going to find a woman to marry so that when he died Birba would be taken care of. Later in the film, he tells Birba that he doesn't need a woman, he has Birba. He has birthday parties for Birba and lets her eat out of her own bowl on top of the kitchen table. 

     I highly recommend this movie. It is interesting on two levels. The information about truffle hunting is great, but the friendship displayed between man and dog is what I enjoyed the most. 

    There is one thing I need to let some of you know. There is a part of the film were one man uses several profanities. If that would bother you, skip over that part. Otherwise, watch this film and enjoy it. It is one of the best man and dog friendship films I've ever watched. 

A Christmas With The Stars

      This week here on the blog, I am going to post a few different things during the week. Today, I want to tell you about one of my favorite Christmas memories with my friend Toby. 

     I have had a great love for astronomy for many years. When I was in college, one of my very favorite classes was the astronomy class the I had the good fortune to take. The course had a great professor, and he made the class both fun and informative. One of the activities that we did during the course of the class was observing sessions. The professor set up three or four large telescopes on the roof of the science building, and we were able to see the moons of Jupiter, sunspots, nearby galaxies, and close up views of the moon. 

     I wanted to have a reflecting telescope for many years, and one year, my Mom bought me a Newtonian reflector for Christmas. I still have that telescope all these years later. The telescope had to be assembled, and my friend Toby was always a willing assembly partner. Whether it came to setting up the Christmas tree or setting up my new computer in my office when I started writing, Toby was always there. 

     After Toby finished pushing around the pieces with his nose and sitting on the directions, I was able to finish setting up the telescope. It was time to take the telescope outside and view the stars in the heavens. My folks were going to a Christmas Eve party, so it was just me and Toby out underneath the clear night sky. 

     Even though it was a smaller telescope, I was able to see a lot with it. As I was out there with Toby looking at the stars, the thought came to me of how small the two of us were among the vastness of the universe. Even though the universe is so vast, and God is so powerful that He created all things by the world of His power, He stills cared about a man living in the middle of nowhere in Kansas along with the small dog that was the man's best and truest friend. 

     That night, with my friend by my side, I thanked the Lord that He loved me and cared about me. I thanked Him that in the vastness of the world, He allowed Toby and myself to find each other and become friends. I still thank God and praise Him for His power. I thank Him for all the wonderful things that He has done. 

     This Christmas season, remember to thank God for caring about us enough to send His Son to be with us so that we might be with Him in His eternal Kingdom that is to come. 

Verses For The Week

Some Messianic Prophecies

Hosea 11:1 -- "When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my Son."

Isaiah 11:10 -- "In that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious."

Zechariah 9:9 -- "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Isaiah 22:22 -- "I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David, what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts, no one can open."

Weekend Sermon -- The Incarnation And Peace

     This has been a very difficult week in my part of the world. We had an extreme wind storm that caused many people to lose power. I was without power for a day, but thank the Lord, the power has been restored. Please pray for those who still need to get their power back on. There is a lot of wind damage through out the Midwest and Upper Midwest.  I am sorry that I haven't been able to do reviews for a little while, but I hope to remedy that this week, Lord willing. 

     Today, I would like to focus on the theme of how the birth of Jesus brings peace into the world. One of the titles that Isaiah gave to the coming Messiah is the Prince of Peace. How did the birth of Jesus bring peace to this troubled world? 

     There are three points that I want to focus on. First of all, the birth of Jesus allowed Him to enter into this world in order to fulfill His mission of redemption. Jesus came to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He came to bring a restoration of all that existed before sin entered into this world. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life as our perfect example. He then bore our sins in His body on the cross that we might be redeemed from our sins. He rose bodily from the grave conquering death and hell. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of this. 

     Those who call on Jesus and believe in Him trusting Him as Savior and Lord will have the peace in their hearts that only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can bring. Jesus brings peace to those who are troubled by sin and by guilt. Those who are in Christ have the peace of knowing that He is with us no matter what we are going through at any time. 

     Jesus coming into this world brings about peace in another way in this temporal world. But this relies on people following His commandments and teachings. If people would follow the teachings of Jesus, peace could come to the world now. Jesus taught us to love one another. He told us to do to others as we would have done to us. He taught the way of non-violence, and He taught us not to retaliate. He told us to love and enemies. If we would all practice the Golden Rule that Jesus set forth, there could and would be peace in our interpersonal relationships and in the relationships between nations. However, people do not want to follow the teachings of Jesus. As Isaiah said, all we like sheep have gone astray. We have all turned to our own way. The way of peace does exist through the example of Jesus. We can have peace if we keep our eyes fixed on Him. 

     The ultimate peace of Jesus will be obtained when He returns in power and great glory at His Second Advent. At His first coming, Jesus was born in the manager. He was born in humility. When He comes the second time, He will descend from heaven with a shout, and the trumpet of the archangel will blow. Jesus will defeat the forces of evil, and He will rule and reign in righteousness. He will establish a kingdom of peace and justice that will have no end. The Bible says that every person will sit under their own vine, and no won shall make them afraid. All will be well throughout the entire created order. 

     As we can see, Jesus is truly the Prince of Peace. As we focus on the birth of Jesus, remember that His way brings peace. Let us follow Him on His way, and let us look forward to His reign of peace that is to come. If you have never trusted Jesus as the Lord of your life, you can let His peace fill your heart today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray for those who experienced damage due to the wind storm. Pray that people will get their power back on quickly. 

     Please pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Things don't always look good, but Jesus told us to keep praying and to not lose heart. Pray that the sick would recover.

     Pray for those in Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee who are still dealing with the tornado outbreak aftermath. Pray that they will get that assistance that they need. 

    Continue to pray for peace in the trouble areas of this world. Let us focus our prayers this week on the nations of Ethiopia, Yemen and Libya. Pray for peace in any troubled area that you know about. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in the nations of Algeria and Sri Lanka. Pray that many will come to know about the love of Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. I will do my best to have a review midweek. I will post the sermon next Friday or Saturday, and we will wrap up our Advent focus. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week And A Couple Of Prayer Requests

 I have two prayer requests. Please pray in regard to my health. I am not feeling well again. I really need to get over this. Also, the weather forecasters are predicting very high winds for my area on Wednesday. Please pray that the winds won't be too intense, and that there will not be damage. Thank you. 

Here are the verses:

Romans 1:6 -- "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew then to the Gentile."

John 13:35 -- "By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another."

Weekend Sermon -- The Light Has Come

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon today. I have been having a difficult time getting over this sickness that I've had for the past weeks. I've been tested twice for Covid, and I am negative. I am grateful for that. I feel better for a couple of days, then I feel bad for a couple of days. Please pray that I can shake this off and get back to normal. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to post this message today. 

     Today, we begin our messages for the Advent season. Today, I want us to focus our attention on John 1:5. This verse states, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. That is from the NIV. I like the way the New Living Translation put it, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."

    What is this light that is being referred to. The light that has come into the world is the Lord Jesus. This verse is part of a larger passage that tells us about Jesus coming into the world. We know that Jesus is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. John 1 refers to Him as the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The divine Second Person of the Trinity became a human being. He was born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas Day to bring the light of salvation and the light of God's love into this world that was gripped with the darkness of sin and despair. 

     During this Christmas season, we see a lot of lights. People have lights shining on the Christmas tree, and many homes have beautiful Christmas lights decorating the exterior. These lights are a reminder that the light of Jesus has come into the world to drive out the darkness. 

     The light of Jesus lets people know that they can be forgiven of their sins. If a person will turn to Jesus in repentance and faith, Jesus will forgive that person of their sins. That person will have a relationship with Jesus, and Jesus will save them both for now and for eternity. They will not walk in darkness again. 

     The light that Jesus brings is the light of love and salvation, but it is also the light of hope. Because Jesus has brought His light into this world, this world can never be the same again. All things are becoming new. Jesus came into the world and showed us how that we can live a life that is pleasing to God. He showed us that if we follow His teachings and commandments, that the world can be the kind of place that the Lord intended it to be. 

     The forces of hate, sin and evil still try to wage a war against the light. However, the darkness can never extinguish the light and the life of Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose bodily from the grave on Easter morning, the forces of darkness were once and for all defeated. They still try to war against the light right now. However, the ultimate final victory will come when Jesus returns at His Second Advent. 

     Those of us who are followers of the Lord Jesus must help to show forth His light in this world. We need to shine the light in the darkness. That means that we need to let people know that a Savior has come. Jesus brings salvation, love and forgiveness that is available to whosoever will come unto Him. Those of us who know Jesus must shine forth the light of His teachings so that we can do all that we can to make this world a better and a more peaceful place until the day that Jesus comes and every ounce of darkness is removed from the entire universe forever. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I will get all the way better from my illness. Thank you. 

     Let us all pray for those who are being persecuted in China. 

     Last night, there were many tornadoes in the US. Several people were killed, and many have been left homeless. Pray for those who grieve. Pray that any who might be trapped in the debris will be rescued. Pray that the injured will recover, and pray that people will get the aid that they need. 

     Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus. Pray that those who are sick will recover. 

     Pray for peace on earth. Let us focus our prayers this week on praying for peace in Yemen, Ethiopia and Syria.

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Uzbekistan and Gambia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

    Next week, we will continue with our Advent messages. I will post the message on Friday or Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday. Lord willing, I will post a review midweek. May God bless you all. I hope that everyone is doing well, and I pray for you every day. 

     

Update

      I just wanted to let you know that the sermon is going to be posted on Saturday this week instead of Friday. Thank you. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 100:2 -- "Worship the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs."

John 15:11 -- "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Psalm 107:1 -- "Give thanks to the Lord. for He is good, His love endures forever."

Weekend Sermon -- John 3:16 and Philippians 2:6-8

      I want to say that I am thankful to the Lord that I have the opportunity to post the message this week. For the past several days, I've been ill. I thought that I might have Covid-19, but I tested negative. I've been on prednisone and antibiotics for several days, and I think that I am finally turning the corner with this illness. Thank you for your prayers in the this matter. 

     If you remember, we were in a brief series looking at some of the passages of Scripture that have had a major impact on my life. I have one more sermon that I would like to share regarding this, and then we will concentrate on Advent for the remainder of the year. After that, I have another sermon series planned. 

     John 3:16 is one of the more familiar verses in the Bible. It states, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

     This verse tells me how much God loves me. God is a holy God and a just God. For that reason, He had to punish sin. However, even though He is holy and just, He is also filled with love for all that He has made. This includes human beings and all that God has created throughout the entire universe. 

     God wanted to make sure that this world was brought back to the way that it was when He first created it. The universe was created good and free from sin and disorder. When people rebelled against God, sin entered into the universe. God intends to bring everything back to the Edenic state. He chose to bring about this restoration and bring redemption to humanity by sending His Son into the world to redeem this world from sin. 

     Jesus existed from all eternity as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. John chapter 1 tells us that He was the Logos of God or the Word of God. The Word became flesh and dwelled among. He is the only begotten of the Father. 

     Philippians chapter 2 lets us know that Jesus humbled Himself and emptied Himself. He left His home in Heaven and took upon Himself humanity. He became the divine God-Man. He was born as a baby on Christmas Day. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life. Because He did not sin, He was able to be the spotless Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world. Jesus lived His life to show us how we are supposed to live in this world. 

     Jesus then became obedient unto death. He went to the cross where He bore our sins in His body. Those who place their faith and trust in what Jesus did for them on the cross will have eternal life. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved the Bible says. 

      Because Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself and humble Himself on the cross, God the Father has highly exalted Him. One day, Jesus will return to this earth in power and great glory. He will rule and reign in righteous. Everything in all of the created order throughout the universe will be returned to the Edenic state, and this will result in the consummation of the salvific process. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

      The Lord Jesus wants you to come to Him so that you might be redeemed and live with Him forever in the new world that He is going to usher in. You can come to Jesus today. He will forgive you of your sins, and He will dwell within your heart forever. 

     These verses for today mean so much to me. I know that I am greatly loved by the Lord. I know that I have eternal life in Christ. I look forward to the day when Jesus comes and all is made new. That gives me hope even in the darkest times. You can have that hope, too. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray that I will make a full recovery from the illness that I've been dealing with. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the many troubled areas of the world. Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Libya and Afghanistan all need our prayers for peace. 

     The coronavirus pandemic is still going, and now we have a new variant to be concerned about. Please pray for an end to the pandemic. Pray that vaccines will be made available to all, and pray that new treatments will become available. Pray that those who are sick will recover. 

     During this Christmas season, pray that people will not lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday. Pray that people will remember that Christmas is about the coming of the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those living in the nations of  Mongolia and Turkey. Pray that many will come to faith in Jesus Christ. 

     Next week, we will have a sermon for the Advent season. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

      Thanks be to God, I am feeling a lot better. I was able to get back to work. 

Here are the verses:

Jeremiah 17:14 -- "Heal me O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise."

Philippians 4:19 -- "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."

Update

     I wanted to let you know that I have been very ill the last week. I will not be posting a sermon today. I am starting to feel a little better, and I will post the verses on Monday and a new sermon next Friday.

Weekend Sermon -- I John 3:17

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone has had a good week so far. 

     I John is one of the books of the Bible that I've read over and over again. One of the important messages of the book is that God loves us, so we also should love others. Those who love God will manifest their love for God in love for the world and love for those and those things that God loves. The book of I John tells us about forgiveness and light coming into a dark place. 

     There is one verse in this book that I want us to focus our attention on in today's message. I John 3:17 tells us that, "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" 

     There are two points that I want to make about our verse for today. First of all, the Bible is very clear in letting us know that true faith in Jesus Christ manifests itself in doing what is right and pleasing to the Lord. We just finished a study in the book of James not to long ago. If you remember, James was adamant on the point that faith without works is dead. It is not good enough to just say I believe. James says that some say they have faith. James says that we show that we have faith by our works, or by our good deeds. That does not mean that we are redeemed by good works or by keeping the law or by adding anything to what Jesus Christ has done for us by His grace. 

    If a person has a true transformation in their life brought about by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, that person becomes a new creation in Christ. All of the old things have passed away. All has become new. We are to cast off the unfruitful works of darkness, sin and the fruits of the flesh. Instead, we are to walk in the light, and we are to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. We are to bear good fruit for the Lord as we abide in the vine which is Jesus our Lord. 

     Being a Christian does not mean going forward and reciting a prayer. Being a Christians means accepting Jesus as the Lord of one's life. A true possession of faith is demonstrated by following the commandments and the teachings of the Lord Jesus. 

    The new commandment that Jesus has given to His followers is that we are to love another as Jesus has loved us. Part of loving someone means that we provide them assistance in their time of need. We don't pass by and leave someone in their misery when it is in our power to help. Remember Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan. 

     Now to the second point that I want to bring up. As followers of Jesus, we need to show our love for Him and for this world by helping those who are in need. Many of those in my country have the means to help others who are need. I believe that if Christians would show their love for others and help those in need, we could alleviate much of the poverty and the suffering that we find in this world today. 

     In the United States, we are approaching the Thanksgiving Day holiday. If you are thankful for what God has blessed you with, and if the love of God is truly in your heart, don't turn away from those who have need. There are many hungry, homeless and in poverty. Jesus has called us to serve the least among us. During this holiday time, let us as we are able show our thanks and love for the Lord by reaching out in love to our brothers and sisters and helping them in their time of need. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     This week, let us continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. There are still many cases in the US. I now that Germany and the UK are having many cases as well. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Pray for those in British Columbia dealing with the flooding. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the world. Syria, Afghanistan, Chad, Ethiopia and Yemen really need our prayers. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in the nations of Albania and India. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next Friday, I will post another message on a passage that has meant a lot to me. On Monday, I will post the verses. There will not be a midweek post this week. May God bless you all. Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US. 

Poem

Here is a poem that I've composed recently.

The Plains grind down slowly

A little dust leaves with the gusts

Fissures form within parched soil

Revealing dragons of a world gone by

Verses For The Week

 I Peter 3:11 -- "They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it."

Matthew 5:9 -- "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God."

Weekend Sermon -- Micah 4:4

      Welcome to this week's Weekend Sermon. I am glad that you have taken the time to read the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is doing very well. 

     Today, I would like us to focus our attention on another verse that has had a lot of meaning for me. Micah 4:4 states, "Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken."

     This verse is part of a larger context that tells us what is going to happen when the Lord Jesus comes in power and great glory at His Second Coming. He is going to physically return to this earth someday just as He promised to do. Many things will occur when Jesus comes back. As we learn from this passage in Micah, the world will finally have peace everywhere. Just before the verse for today's message, we read that nation will no longer rise against nation. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. There will be complete peace. 

     Peace in this world is something that I long for. If you have followed the blog for awhile, you know that each week I try to list some of the countries around the world that need prayers for peace. There are several countries where we have been praying for peace to come for quite some time. We have to be persistent in prayer as the Lord taught us, however, it does becoming discouraging when wars and violence continue and the innocent children are the ones who suffer the most. 

     I do take comfort in the fact that Jesus will come, and wars will be no more. He is the Almighty God, and whatever He says will be the rule. He will rule over all, and His rule will not be questioned until the final rebellion of Satan that will be immediately crushed. 

     The verse for today speaks about an individual type of peace that goes beyond the peace that comes when nations are no longer at war with one another. Our verse for today lets us know that when Jesus reigns, we will not have to fear what others with bad intentions might do to us. We will not have to fear violence and crime. We won't have to be afraid that something bad is going to happen to us or to those that we love. This is something that I am really looking forward to. 

     As someone who has had problems with anxiety and depression, part of what that brings for me is fear about what might happen. What bad thing is going to happen next that is going to bring about chaos and hardship in my life? It seems that there is just one thing after another, and sometimes it gets overwhelming and hard to deal with. I do take great comfort in the fact that Jesus is with me in all of the hard times in this life. I take even more comfort in knowing that all will be well when Jesus comes and makes all things new. I won't have to worry about anything. Jesus will be in complete control. It will be on earth as it is in heaven. Nothing will ever be able to harm us or trouble us again. That is the decree of the Lord, and He is the Almighty King of all the universe. May His name be praised. 

     Those who have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus are the ones who will be with Jesus on this world when He establishes His Kingdom. You can be part of that great world which is to come by turning to Jesus in repentance and faith. You can accept Jesus as the Lord of your life, and you will rule and reign with Him when He returns at His Second Coming. I urge you to turn to Jesus today. 

     If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, take comfort in the great news that Jesus is coming again. He will make everything the way it was before sin entered into this world. We will be part of that. All will be well. Amen. 

Prayer Request

     I would like to thank the Lord for keeping me safe during the bad storms that we had in my area the other night. I do have something that I would ask you to pray about. I have to take my car to the shop on Monday. I am worried about how I am going to be able to pay for the repairs. Please pray that all will go well. 

     Please continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. I heard this morning on the radio that cases in the US are rising again. I also heard that Germany is having a lot of problems with new cases. Please pray that all who are sick will recover. 

     Continue to pray that the nations of the world will work together to find a solution to the problem of global climate change. 

     Let us pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Pray for peace in Ethiopia, Chad, Libya, Syria and Yemen. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Laos and Myanmar. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post a message about another meaningful verse. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to post something midweek. May God bless you all. 

Poem

 Gray Days

The overcast sky

spreads out

across the darkened world.

A cumbersome quilt

pressing against the sleeper.

Pervading shades of gray

mute even the splendor

of blazing maples

whose orange and red

cannot penetrate the gloom.

The foreboding sky

mingles with the  melancholy

of a depressed heart

lacking the light

that comes on a cloudless day.

Verses For The Week

 I Peter 1:3 -- "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

I Corinthians 15:22 -- "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

Weekend Sermon -- Romans 8:1 and 8:38-39

      It is time for us to get back to the weekly sermons. I had an enjoyable time doing the 31 Days in Proverbs series. I hope that you learned something from it. I hope that you have all been doing well and are in good health. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post this message. 

     For the next four weeks, I am going to present messages based on verses or passages in the Bible that have had a great deal of meaning to me in my life. There are actually three verses that I want us to focus on today. First of all Romans 8:1 tells us that, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." 

     The Bible is quite clear that all have sinned. We see this from both the Old and the New Testament. We stood condemned before God because our sin separated us from a holy God. We were part of the kingdom of darkness. The Bible actually says that in our lost state that we were enemies of God. 

     The Lord did not leave us in our sin. He is a God of justice, but He is also a God of mercy and love. He provided a way that we could be redeemed from sin and have a relationship with Him.  God sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. He lived a perfect and sinless life. He succeeded where Adam failed. 

     The Bible says that Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross. It also tells us that He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. When we call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and faith, Jesus takes away our sin. In place of our sin, He imputes to us His righteousness.

     If we trust in what Jesus has done for us, we have moved from darkness to light. We have become God's friends instead of His enemies. As Romans 8:1 lets us know, we are no longer condemned. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. This is great news, and it is cause for us to always rejoice in the Lord. 

    Now, our two other verses let us know that we cannot be separated from the love of God. Romans 8:38-39 state, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, neither anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

     These are amazing verses. God loves His children so much that nothing can separate from Him. While we live, we are loved by God. When we die, we will go to be with Jesus in the place that He has prepared for us. There are no spiritual forces that have the power to remove us from the love of God. In fact there is absolutely nothing that can separate from the love God in Christ Jesus. Nothing. We are loved by God with an amazing love that should make us want to praise Him at all times. 

     I am thankful to the Lord for His great love. I am redeemed not because of what I have done, but because of what Jesus has done for me. You can know the great love of the Lord in your life. Trust in the Lord Jesus. Accept Him and His forgiveness. You too will know that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

     Prayer Requests

     I have been doing well for the past several weeks, and I want to thank the Lord for that. Please continue to pray that I will feel alright.

    Please continue to pray that the coronavirus pandemic will end. Things are improving here in the US, but I just heard on the radio this morning that Russia, Germany and other nations, are seeing an increase in cases. Let us pray that those who are sick will quickly recover. 

     Pray for peace in this world. Yemen and Ethiopia really need our prayers right now. Pray for peace. 

     Pray in regard to the climate problems that our world is facing. Pray that the leaders of this world will find a way to help the planet. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Eritrea and Guinea. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the sermon on Friday. We will focus on another meaningful verse. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Book Recommendation

      As many of you know, I've worked as a poet for a long time. I've posted some of my poems here on the blog in the past, and I intend to do so in the future. Reading poetry helps me to get in the mood to write poetry. I frequently read poetry books, and I am always on the lookout for poets the really inspire me. 

     I've recently been reading a poetry book entitled, "The Moon Before Morning'' by W.S Merwin. The poems in this book are excellent, and I believe that you would enjoy reading them. Merwin has many collections in publication, and he is among the most honored poets. 

Verses For The Week And An Update

      31 Days In Proverbs is over. We will return to normal here on the blog. Today, I will post the verses for the week. I hope to have a midweek post. On Friday, the Weekend Sermon will resume. 

Verses

Isaiah 26:3 -- "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

I Corinthians 16:14 -- "Let all that you do be done in love."

31 Days In Proverbs -- Last Day -- Recap

     This is the final day of our study in the book of Proverbs. Instead of looking at an additional Proverb, I just want to recap what I think are some of the main points that we've studied. 

1. True wisdom comes from God and begins with acknowledging and following God.

2. Our lives will stay on course if we follow the path the God has set out for us. 

3. God cares about the poor and the oppressed, and He wants us to help them and promote justice in this world. 

4. Riches will not last. There are more important things for time and eternity than money. 

5. God wants us to treat everyone fairly. We should not show partiality. 

6. We need to listen more and speak less. 

7. It is important to control our temper.

8. We need to stay away from the wrong crowd.

9. True friends are vital, and Jesus is the ultimate friend.

10. God cares about all of His creation.

    These are just a few of the main points that we've seen in our Proverbs study. We really only scratched the surface of Proverbs. I encourage you to read more in this book and study what it has to say. 

     Starting November 1, we resume the normal blog schedule. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. I will try to post something midweek. The sermon will be posted on Friday. May God bless you all, and thank you for reading the 31 Days in Proverbs posts. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 30

      You can say that Proverbs 26:17 was the Proverb that started it all for me. I'll tell you why, but first let us find out what this Proverb says. It tells us, "Like someone who takes a passing do by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another."

     When I first read this Proverb, I thought that it was funny. Why would someone unless they were mean grab a dogs ears and pull them? Especially a strange dog. Most dogs I know would bite someone who did something like this.  That's the point. If we involve ourselves in two other people's dispute, they both might end up turning on us. Sometimes it's best to let people handle their own problems unless the Holy Spirit directs us otherwise or if someone is in danger. 

     I said this Proverb started it all because a meditation on this passage of Scripture was the first piece of religious writing that I has accepted for publication that obtained a wide readership. That has been almost 25 years ago. I thank the Lord for the opportunities that He has given me to use my writing to bring honor and glory to His name. 

31 Days in Proverbs -- Day 29

      Our Proverb on this day has a somewhat similar theme to what we discussed yesterday. In Proverbs 20:22 we find the words, "Do not say I'll pay you back for this wrong! Wait for the Lord, and He will avenge you." Paul tells us much the same thing in Romans 12:19 that states, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord."

     When someone does something really wrong and hurtful to us, the natural and worldly response is to want to get back at that person. We want to repay evil for evil. They hurt us, so we want to hurt them. However, this is not the teaching of Scripture. 

     I believe that what Jesus wants us to do is to try and forgive others even when they do evil and mean things to us. On the day of judgment, Jesus will administer justice for the wrongs that were done by others in this world. Those who have done evil and aren't sorry for it will certainly be dealt with by the Lord. Our job is to keep trying to live at peace with all people as for as it is possible for us to do so. 

      I know that this is a hard Proverb to follow. The only way that we will be able to do it is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us in the way that we are to go. We have to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and His example while He was ministering here on Earth. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 28

      I know from first hand experience that it is all to easy to get angry quickly and say something that you regret. After the incident is over, you wish that you would have stopped to think before speaking words that ended up being hurtful to another person. Our Proverb for the day gives us a warning. In Proverbs 14:29 we read, "Whoever is patient has great understanding, but the one who is quick-tempered displays folly. 

     This is just one of several Proverbs that warn us to be slow to speak. We don't want to fly off the handle even when someone makes us angry. Getting angry and responding in anger can lead to a whole host of negative consequences. 

     Some people make it a practice to count to ten before speaking when they know that they are very upset. Others will take a deep breath in and out before speaking. This allows the person to think about their response before just responding in anger with the first thing that pops into their mind. 

     If you encounter someone who is really upsetting you, it is best to walk way instead of getting involved in a conflict. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 27

       Some people have been blessed with a nice family, and they just don't know when they are well off. Proverbs 11:29 says, "He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind." This means that if you do something that brings problems to your household and your family, you will end up with a mess. 

     I have know men who have had a nice wife and children along with a decent place to live. They can't be content with that. They have an affair, and their whole family is torn apart. Some men are abusive to their wife and children causing pain and heartache for all. Others get involved in addictive behaviors that cause turmoil and disturb the peace of the home. 

     If you have a nice family, don't do something to jeopardize that. You will harm your children for years to come. Ultimately, you will harm yourself because the repercussions of a broken family can last a lifetime. 

     

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 26

      Friendship is something that is very important to me. I have to say that I haven't had very many true friends in my life. By true friends, I mean the type of friend that sticks with you in the good times and in the bad times. A true friend is a friend that will not turn on you or lie to you. When it comes right down to it, I've had several friends, but I've only had two true friends in my life. One was my friend Toby, and the other is the ultimate friend the Lord Jesus. 

     Proverbs 17:17 gives us the message that, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." A friend loves at all times means that a true friend will want to be with you and help you out even when things aren't fun and rosy.  A lot of friends are like the friends that the young man had in the parable that Jesus told of the Prodigal Son. While the Prodigal Son had a lot of money, there were friends who wanted to be around him. When the money ran out, they were nowhere to be found. They were friends when the weather of life was good. When the storms came, they were gone. 

     I think that there have been two really hurtful times in my life when those who I though were my friends let me down. Once, a friend of mine didn't keep his word about a deal that we had made about a car. On another occasion, someone who I thought was my friend didn't want to have any more to do with me after I started attending a different church. 

     Many of the experiences in my life led me to be really close to my friend Toby. He never turned on me, and he wanted to be with me and help me in the good times and in the bad. I believe that Jesus allowed him to come into my life to help me with my depression and to help heal the wounds in my heart caused by fundamentalist religion.

     Our ultimate friend is always the Lord Jesus. He will never leave us, and He will never forsake us. He loved us so much that He gave His life to save us from our sins. He wants us to be with Him forever, so He has made a home for us in Heaven with Him so that we will be with Him always. 

     If you have a true friend in your life, treasure that person. Do everything that you can do to be a true friend. We all must remember the words of Jesus to do unto others as we would have done to us. 

     

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 25

      Our Proverb today let's us know that even though things may seem sunny and joyful, that's not always how things ultimately turn out. Proverbs 14:13 says, "Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief."

     There are two ways that I look at this Proverb. One. Even though people may seem outwardly happy to us, inside they may be filled with depression. We have to look beyond the outward appearance and see if someone is hurting. We must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit leading us to minister to others.

     The other way I look at this Proverb is that things don't always go the way we planned. When our dreams fail, we can call upon the Lord Jesus to be with us and to help see us through our troubles.

31 Days in Proverbs -- Day 24

      The Bible is very clear that we as followers of Jesus are not to show partiality or favoritism. Proverbs 28:21 states, "To show partiality is not good." James 2:1-8 teaches us that it is a sin to show partiality in the church between one believer and another. 

     In the Proverbs context, I believe that the author is referring to showing partiality in matters of the law. One should rule based on the law consistently not favoring one person or one type of person over another.  In the James context, we are not to favor the richer Christian over one who is poorer. 

    In the broader context, this Proverb is teaching us that we are not to practice discrimination against others. I've said on this blog many times that there is no place for any type of racism among those who claim to be followers of Jesus. All of us are one in Jesus. Christians should not practice any from of ethnic or socio-economic discrimination. We should love everyone just as Jesus loves everyone. The Bible tells us in the book of Revelation that people from every race, every ethnic group and every language group will be worshipping Jesus in Heaven. Let us recognize that now. May it be on earth as it is in Heaven. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 23

      These are the words of Proverbs 27:19, "As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart." There are a number of passages in the Scriptures that are similar to this. In Matthew 15, Jesus tells us that out of the heart of man there emerges many different evil things. James tells us that you will know if someone has a true possession of faith by the works that they do. 

     Throughout the course of our lives, we will have the chance to do many different things. When we look back on our lives, we can soon see what was the priority in our lives. What fruit did our life produce? Was it the fruit of the Spirit? Did we love God and our neighbor? Where we kind? Did we do unto others as we would have done to us? As we live, our lives will be a reflection of what is truly in our hearts. 

     Jesus told us that those who follow Him should live lives that don't concentrate on laying up treasures on earth. Instead, He tells us to lay up treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

     This Proverb, and the words of Jesus, should encourage us to make sure that our lives are a reflection of Jesus to others. When people see us, let them see that Jesus is in our heart. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 22

      Proverbs 27:1 and James 4:13-16 tell us a truth that we really need to understand. Proverbs 27:1 says, "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. "  In James it tells us that life is like a mist that soon vanishes. We should not say we will do this or that in the future. We should always say if the Lord wills we will do this or that. 

     What these two passages are teaching us is that life is short, and you don't really know what it going to happen throughout this day. We have even less certainty about the days to come. On the first point. It seems like we have a lot of years to accomplish the things that we want to get done, However, the years seem to just fly by. Before long, you are older, and you haven't done half of the things that you set out to do. Don't put off to tomorrow the things that you believe God is calling you to do today. 

    No one knows what will happen in the very next second. You may be talking to someone one minute, and 20 minutes later you will get a call telling you they are dead. This is like what happened with my Dad. He had a massive stroke at the veterinary clinic picking up his dog just minutes after I spoke with him. He died a short time later. 

    Now is the time to tell people how much they mean to you. Now is the day of salvation. Don't put off coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 21

      It always shocks me when prominent Christians are found to be doing something that is immoral or illegal. It's not that they committed a sin. We all miss the mark from time to time. What shocks me is that they proclaim the greatness of God, and then they have acted as if they don't really believe in the God that they proclaim. Why do I say this? Let's consider our Proverb for today. Proverbs 15:3 states, "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere keeping watch on the wicked and the good." This verse teaches what is known in theology as the omniscience and omnipresence of the Lord. This means that God is everywhere and knows everything. 

     People that commit thought out and planned out sins have to at some basic level not believe that God sees everything and knows what is in their heart. God sees when people are doing what is wrong, and He sees when people are doing what is good. People that are doing what is wrong are not getting away with anything ultimately even though no person finds out about what they did in this life. God sees. Because God sees, He will ultimately bring about justice. It should be a great motivator to us all to live lives of holiness when we realize that God sees and knows all. 

     Now, on the other hand, God sees the great good that many people are doing that is completely unheralded. One theologian I've read has said that there are many saints who are known only to God. God sees the good things that we do that we don't do for our own glory. When we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ one day, we will be rewarded for the things that we have done in this life for the Lord Jesus. 

     Let us all live our lives knowing that God is watching. We want Him to see us doing what is good and not what is wrong. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 20

      Having a good friend in life is of utmost importance. It's been said that no man is an island, and that is very true. There will come times in your life when you need someone to help you out with something difficult that you are going through. When the hard times come, you don't want to have an unreliable or fair weather friend. Proverbs 18:24 says it this way, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother."

     One of my very good friends passed away about five years ago now. He died of the flu. He was someone that I could rely on when I needed him. If I had car trouble and needed someone to pick me up, he would be there. If I needed someone to talk to, I could call him up. 

     The Lord gave me my good and eternal friend Toby to help me at one of the lowest points in my life. He always wanted to be with me, and we had many great years together going through college and Bible college. He was with me when I started my writing career. The two of us traveled around to many places in the Midwest and West. I know that we will be together again someday. 

     I believe that the friend that sticks closer than a brother mentioned in this Proverb is the Lord Jesus. He will never leave us, and He will never forsake us. No matter what comes at us in this life, He will always be there to help us and give us His peace even in the midst of the storm. 

     I hope that you will trust in Jesus and His friendship. I also hope that you will find friends in this life that will help you when you need help. Also, please be a trustworthy friend to others. There is no more heartbreaking happening than when someone who you thought was your friend turns away when you need them the most. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 19

      There are times in this life when I really get depressed. I've had an especially hard day, and I just feel horrible about everything. At times like these, I find that it helps me to feel better if I watch something funny on TV or watch a funny movie. Something that I see on Twitter that makes me really laugh helps to get me out of my down mood and have a better evening. 

     Our Proverb for the today tells us something about this. Proverbs 17:22 states, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Having something in life that brings cheerfulness and joy to our lives makes the days seem to go by just a little bit better. 

     Here is some advice. Find something in life that makes you happy. Something that you can turn to when you are feeling down. One of those things for me is corgis. As many of you know, I had a corgi named Toby who was the best friend that I ever had. When I feel down, I go online and visit corgi sites and see what crazy things the corgis are up to. It always brightens my day. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 18

      I believe that are Proverb for today is very timely. Proverbs 11:7 reads, "Hope placed in mortals dies with them, all the promise of their power comes to nothing." 

     There are many people today who put their hopes and trust in a person. Many in my country are fixated on one particular man who they think is the answer to all of the problems in this country. In other nations, people hold on to faith in other political leaders thinking that they will lead them to better times. 

     Others in this world trust in people to help them through this life. They believe that if they follow the right teacher or listen to the right person their problems will be solved. 

     Our Proverb for today tells it just like it is. You cannot place your hopes on mortals. No matter how powerful a person is, that person doesn't have all power, and they usually don't have as much power as they think they have. When a so-called powerful person dies, they can't help anyone. The promise of their power has come to nothing. It is wrong to put our faith and trust in a person. Human beings will let you down. 

     As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to place our hope and trust in Him. He is the powerful creator and sustainer of the universe. He is the resurrection and life. Our hope for the present and for eternity is to be placed in the Lord and in Him alone. Don't trust in humans. Trust in the Lord God who is the Maker of Heaven and Earth. 

31 Days in Proverbs -- Day 17

      The Proverb that we will focus on today is one I've posted an entire sermon on before. However, it is my favorite of the Proverbs, so I will write about it again. 

     Proverbs 12:10 states, "A righteous person has regard for the life of his animal, but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel." The Bible makes it very clear that a person that is following the Lord will respect animals especially those that are within their care. 

     As believers in Jesus, we should be those who take the best care possible of the pets and animals that are a part of our lives. We should treat them with kindness, and we should obtain the best veterinary care that we can for them when they are sick. 

     Christians also have a responsibility to take care of this earth that God has made and the creatures that He has made to populate the planet. Believers should be environmentally aware and advocate for the conservation and preservation of animals and wild places. We should be at the forefront of helping to reduce the impacts of global climate change. 

     If a person is cruel to animals, especially pets, that person can in no way be considered a righteous person. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 16

      Jesus was once asked what was the greatest of all commandments. He said that the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. He said that there there was another second commandment that was also very important. He told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Our Proverb today gives us instruction along this line. Proverbs 11:12 states, "One who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but a person of understanding keeps silent. "

     We should most certainly follow the instruction of Jesus and love our neighbor. We should seek what is best for others and try to do as much good as we can for those whom we know. We have the word from the Lord that tells us to do unto others as we would have done to us. 

     I think that this Proverb is going a little beyond that. If a person has a disagreement with his neighbor, it can lead to a lot of problems. If you have a poor relationship with those who live in close proximity to you, it can make for a stressful life. Sometimes, a neighbor may do something that is a little annoying. However, it is often the best course to remain silent if possible in order not to get trouble started. 

     There is another consideration that this Proverb brings to my mind. If you have a good relationship with your neighbors, they can often help you out a lot when you need help. One of my neighbors is especially nice and he will mow my lawn when it gets really hot and humid because he knows that that kind of weather affects my asthma. Thankfully, in my area, we have a lot of neighbors that really try to help each other out. It is important to keep positive relationships with others when it is within our power to do so. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 15

      Many people in this world try to do what is good and to help other people. We see the good things that people do, and we are impressed with their generosity and their kindness. However, all that we can see and really know about a person are their outward actions. No human being can really know what is deep down in the heart of another person no matter how close two people are. 

      Proverbs 16:2 tells us, "All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord." This Proverb is telling us that each person believes that they are doing what is right. However, the Lord when He judges each person according to their deeds will know what the true motive of each action was. The Lord sees the heart of each person, and He is the one that can judge the thoughts and the intents of each person's heart. He will know if we have acted with pure motives or with impure motives. The Bible says that the Lord will reward each person when He comes according to what that person has done. If a person has done something with an impure motive, even if it is something that is outwardly good, the Lord will know the true state of the person's heart. 

     The Bible says that all judgment has been given to Jesus Christ the Son. According to John 2:25, Jesus knows what is in each person. That means that He does not judge by outward appearances. He looks at the heart. 

      Because we cannot see into a person's heart is the reason that Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are not to judge others. We do not have the means by which to make a right or complete judgment. Only Jesus can look at the heart of person and judge their intents and motivations. 

     Each of us most strive to follow Jesus and act out of pure motives. We should do good in this world and follow the Lord out of a heart filled with love for the Lord and for our neighbor. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 14

      There is a lot of evil in this world. Some evil deeds that are committed jump right out at us. I live in the United States, and this country has a tremendous amount of mass shootings. I can't think of much that is more evil that someone going in to a school, church or store and killing a group of innocent people. You want the perpetrator of such crimes to be punished. Any crime against a child is horrendous. Those who do these crimes need to be brought to justice. 

      There are many other evil things in this world. It is evil that children die from hunger and treatable diseases. It is evil that the poor are exploited by the rich. Racism is a pernicious evil. 

     Many of the perpetrators of evil deeds seem to go through life and nothing ever happens to them. They are never called to account for their crimes. Proverbs 11:2 lets us know that it will not always be that way. This verse tells us, "Evil people will surely be punished, but the children of the godly will go free."

     There will come a day of judgment. No evildoer will go unpunished. The Lord is keeping a record of those who have done evil on this earth. He will make sure that righteous justice is administered to all those who have harmed others during this life. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 13

      Yesterday, we began looking at Proverbs 6:16-19. This passage gives a list of some behaviors that God despises. Today, we will look at some of the other behaviors on that list. 

     A heart that devises wicked plans is not pleasing to the Lord. To devise a wicked plan requires that someone think long and hard about doing what is wrong. There are many opportunities along the way to do what is right, yet the person devising the plan chooses multiple times to do what it opposed to the will and ways of the Lord. 

     Feet that run rapidly to evil are displeasing to the Lord. This is even worse in some ways that devising a wicked plan. Those who run rapidly to evil don't think about it, they just go out and do what is wrong without a thought. As believers, we must immerse ourselves in the Scriptures so that we will know what we are to do, and we will know the right path to follow that is pleasing to the Lord. 

     The final one I want to focus on is one who spreads strife among brothers. In the Psalms, it tells us that it is good and pleasant for brothers to dwell together in unity. Brothers in the flesh, brothers in faith and brothers in spirt are to be united and are to help one another. When someone sows division, it creates ripples of hurt that may never heal in a lifetime. The Lord wants us to be those who help to repair and restore broken relationships in His name. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 12

       For the next two days in our series, we will focus on Proverbs 6:16-19. This is a very sobering passage of Scripture as it lists some things that the passage says that God hates. That is a strong word. If God is against these particular behaviors to the extent that it says that God hates them, it is important that we look at what these behaviors and attitudes are. 

     First of all, this passage speaks of haughty eyes. In my understanding, this refers to an attitude where a person is thinking that he or she is better than another person. It could also refer to pride that enters into a person's heart making that person believe that he or she is superior to others or does not need to depend on God for anything. Many places in the Proverbs warn against developing a prideful attitude. We need to always remember the phrase, "There but for the grace of God go I." We are nothing on our own. Every good thing comes from the hand of the Creator. When we think that we are better than others who God has created, we are doing something that God hates. 

     We also see in this passage that God does not look favorably on a lying tongue. We as followers of the Lord are called upon to be those who speak the truth. Jesus is the truth, and the devil is the father of lies. We must follow the way of truth and reject falsehood. 

     Hands that shed innocent blood are something that God despises. When I see this the first thing that comes to mind are the innocent children who are killed in wars. So much suffering comes upon children because of the senseless violence in this world. We as followers of Jesus need to seek the ways of peace in order to protect the innocent so that they might have a fulfilling life. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 11

     The words that we speak to ourselves and to others are very important. The Bible has a lot to say about the power of the tongue and the words that we speak. Two Proverbs we will focus our attention on today tell us about this. First of all, Proverbs 10:19 states, "When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable. But one who restrains his lips is wise." Proverbs 18:2 lets us know that, "The tongue has the power of life and death..."

     Let us look at the first Proverb for a moment. This one deals with speaking a lot of things. It lets us know that those who just keep talking and talking will get into a lot of trouble because they will eventually end up saying the wrong thing to the wrong person, or they will say the wrong thing at the wrong time. This Proverb instructs us to watch what we say. We don't have to speak an opinion about everything and everybody. Guarding our tongue can keep us out of a lot of trouble, and it can keep people from getting their feelings hurt or becoming angry with us. We all need to become wiser about saying the right things in the right way at the right time. 

    The second Proverb is about hurting or helping with what we say. On this blog on other occasions, I've written about speaking words that heal and not words that hurt. Hurtful things that are said to or about us can have a negative effect that can last for decades. 

     When we recently went through our series on the book of James, we saw that James devoted a large section of his letter to controlling the tongue. As those who follow the Lord Jesus, we need to speak words of love, encouragement and hope. 

     As in all things, we need to look to Jesus when we think about what to say. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to let our yes be yes and our no be no. That means that we must always be truthful in what we say. We must always be loving like Jesus and remember the words of Jesus that we do to others as we would have done to us. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 10

     At this point, we are about one-third of the way through the Proverbs that we are going to study. I hope that this series has been of some benefit to you up to this point. 

     Today, we focus on Proverbs 11:1 that states, "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight." This Proverb teaches us about being honest and fair in business, and it teaches us about not taking advantage of the poor and trying to oppress others who don't have much.

     In the day that Proverbs was written, and in our day too, merchants used weights and balances in order to measure out grain and other produce that they were selling in the marketplace. It was expected that a merchant would fairly measure out the amount of the product that you wanted. However, there are unscrupulous  people who want to make a little more  money at the expense of another person. They would use false measures in order to provide less product than what was being paid for. 

     Of course, we know as believers in Jesus that He would not want us to cheat in our business dealings in any way. A Christian business person should be the most honest and forthright business person that there is anywhere. His or her reputation for honesty should be above reproach. 

     This Proverb is also about making sure that the poor are not taken advantage of. A false balance is an abomination because it causes harm to those who can't afford to be oppressed or taken advantage of. A poor person might just barely have enough money to pay for food and the bare necessities of life. If someone is trying to take advantage, it can cause real harm to a poor person and that person's family. 

     The Lord cares about what happens to the poor. He wants us to help the poor and the oppressed. He wants us to work to bring about justice and end systems of oppression in this world. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 9

      Our Proverb for this day tells us that, "Ill-gotten gains do not benefit, but righteousness rescues from death."  Proverbs 10:2 deals with how we obtain wealth, but I believe that it is telling us something much more than this. 

     First of all, this Proverb makes it clear that we are to get wealth or earn money through righteous means. We are not to engage in business practices that are unethical. We are not to be engaged in a type of business that would be displeasing to the Lord or that would lead anyone astray from the Lord. A Christian involved in any type of business dealing, or as an employee at a job, should always be completely honest and trustworthy. 

     I believe that this Proverb is also teaching that there are a lot more important things in this life than the accumulation of wealth and possessions. I am reminded of the teachings of Jesus. He told us that we should lay up treasures in Heaven and not lay up treasures on earth. He also asked what profit there would be should someone gain the whole world and yet lose one's soul. 

     Jesus' story about the rich man and Lazarus also comes to my mind when I think about this Proverb. The rich man had a lot of money, but he didn't live in a righteous manner. He neglected the poor man at his gate. When the rich man died, he found an eternity of torment. On the other hand, Lazarus didn't have any of this world's goods. He was homeless and sick. However, he lived for and loved God. When he died, he was carried to Abraham's Bosom which I believe is a term for Heaven. 

     Let us concentrate our efforts in this life on seeking those things that are of eternal value. As we do work to make ends meet, let us do so in an upright and honorable fashion. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 8

      One of the things that we know for certain about the Lord Jesus is that He taught the way of non-violence. It was one of His key teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. He taught us that if someone strikes us on one cheek, we should turn the other cheek. He taught us to seek the way of peace. When one of the disciples struck someone with a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told him to put away the sword. Jesus said that whoever will take up the sword will die by the sword. 

     The non-violent teachings of Jesus have been an inspiration to many who have taken up non-violent resistance to injustice around the world. The teachings of Jesus helped to inspire the non-violence of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. 

      What does all of this have to do with Proverbs? Proverbs 3:31 tells us, "Do not envy a man of violence, and do not choose any of his ways." The King James Version translates this "Envy thou not the oppressor."

     Violence begets violence, and it becomes a never ending cycle. War and death just keep perpetuating themselves. As followers of Jesus, we are to seek the ways of peace and justice in order to break the cycle of violence and bring about an end to oppression. 

     I am sad to say that I see many Christians who do seem to be attracted to the ways of violence. This happens through an attraction to guns, violent entertainment and through warfare. As believers in Jesus, let us seek to emulate the way of the Savior who sought to bring peace and goodness to people's lives and to this world. He went about doing good and helping people. The Scriptures teach us to think on what is lovely, good and pure. The Bible tells us to seek peace and pursue it. 

     Let each of us seek to follow the example of Jesus and those who followed Him in the way of non-violence. Let us seek to bring change through non-violent means to this world that we might end violence and oppression and bring hope and healing to the world. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 7

      Proverbs 3:27 -- "Do not withhold good from whom it is due, when it is in your power to act."

     The Proverb that we are focusing on today is one that really speaks to me. It is a proverbial statement, but it is also a command. If we have the power to do what is good, we should do it. There really is no excuse. 

     There are two different ways at least to think about good for whom it is due. One way to look at this is to think about those who are in need. There are people that are hungry, need clothing and those who need shelter as well as medical care. If we have the resources to help, we need to do that. 

     There is another way to think about the phrase. There are people who have done good things in this world. They have acted nobly in the pursuit of what is right and in what will make this world a better place. These individuals should be recognized for the good that they have done in our world. It always distresses me that sports figures and Hollywood stars get so many accolades while great scientists who have discovered cures that have saved millions of lives are barely known by the general public. 

     In this series, I've tried when I can to tie these Proverbs into the New Testament. In I John 3:17 we read, "If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?" James tells us in James 1 that part of practicing pure religion is to visit the widows and orphans in their affliction." Both of these passages tell the Christian that it is his or her duty to help those who are in need. If we have the power to act, then we must act in the name of Jesus. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 6

      Proverbs 3:9 tells us, "Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce." Let us see how we can apply this Proverb to our lives.

     In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were commanded by the Lord to give a tithe of what they earned. If this was in the form of crops or produce, they were to give a tenth of the first portion of what they brought in. Before they used their money or goods for anything else, they were to give the first portion of their increase to the Lord.

     I really don't believe that tithing is commanded in the New Testament. However, we are called to be givers and to honor the Lord with our wealth just as this Proverb teaches us. In many cases, that will involve giving much more than a tenth. 

     There are some people who have vast amounts of money. They have more money than they could possible spend on themselves in their entire life. People like this need to honor God by using large amounts of their wealth to help others and to make this world a better place. Of course, there are others who could only give a very little because they just have enough to get by in this world. 

     We are each to purpose in our own hearts what it is that the Lord would have us to give in order to bring honor and glory to Him. The Holy Spirit will deal with each individual believer in the area of giving. When we do give unto the Lord, we should do so with joy and not begrudgingly. The Bible says that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. 

     Where should we give of our resources so that we can honor God? Churches need funds to carry on their local  ministries. Missionaries need funds to carry the Gospel around the world. There are many charitable organizations that help people by providing food and medical care as well as educational opportunities. There are also many organizations that need help protecting the environment and the animals that God has made. 

     Let us all ask God what He would have us do, and then let us do it joyfully as unto the Lord. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 5

      Our Proverb for day five in our series has some important New Testament connections as well. Proverbs 3:3 states, "Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Some Bible translations translate kindness as love in this verse, so let us speak about them together. 

     The writer of Proverbs believes that love and kindness are so important in our lives, that we should bind them to us. He means that they must become an essential quality in all that we do. They should be so much a part of us that we don't even stop to think about being loving and kind, it's just part of who we are and what we do. 

     Jesus told us that we are to do unto others as we would have done to us. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Ephesians 4:32, Paul tells us to be kind to one another. It is so important that those who follow the Lord Jesus be kind, compassionate and loving people. Those who we encounter in this life are watching our behavior. If we claim that we belong to Jesus and then act in ways that are not kind and not loving, that will turn people away from coming to know the Lord Jesus. 

     The only way that we can become more kind and more loving is to keep our eyes on Jesus. He was the epitome of love and kindness in action. If we study what Jesus did while He was here on this Earth, we will know how to act in a kind and loving manner in all of our relationships. We must live and act as Jesus did and as He would want us to. 

     

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 4

      We are now on day 4 of our Proverbs series. Today, I want us to focus on Proverbs 3:5-6 which states, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

     First of all, what does it  mean to trust in the Lord with all of one's heart? I believe that it means that we trust in the Lord with all that is within us. We trust in the Lord to help us in every area of our lives. If we need help with our finances, we trust that the Lord will provide for us what we need. If we need help with our relationships, we ask the Lord to sustain our friendships and help us to love one another and be good to one another. If we need help when we are facing health concerns, we trust that the Lord will heal us, be with us and see us through. When we face the end of our days, we trust in the promise of the Lord that He has prepared a place for us so that we can be with Him forever. 

     This Proverb also tells us not to lean on our understanding. There is a way that seems right to us, but that is not always the way that we should go. If we trust in our own human reasoning, we can go down the wrong path and be led into sin. For this reason, we seek the guidance of the Lord in the Bible and through prayer. That is how we will know how to proceed through this life and make the correct decisions about our present and our future. 

     We are also to always submit to the will of the Lord. When we know what it is that He wants us to do, we need to act on that. We trust that He knows what is best for us. He will always lead us to what is good and not to what will cause harm to us. Our paths will run smooth and straight for time and for eternity when we place all of our trust in the Lord and cast our cares on Him. We must keep our eyes always fixed upon the Lord Jesus. 

31 Days In Proverbs -- Day 3

      As I've been going through these Proverbs and working to find the ones that I want to discuss here on the blog in our series, I've found verses in the New Testament coming readily to my mind that reiterate what the Proverb is teaching. That is definitely the case with the Proverb that I want to focus on today. 

     Proverbs 1:10 states, "My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give into them." This Proverb has me thinking about a couple of different things. First of all, we are not to give into temptations. One thing that you can be sure of if you are trying to follow the Lord Jesus is that there will be times of temptations. I Peter tells us that the devil goes out just like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. We can resist the devil, and he will flee from us according to the book of James. James also tells us that it isn't just the devil that brings temptation. We are tempted when we are drawn away from the truth by our own lustful desires. We can resist temptation. All of those who have Jesus in their hearts have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to keep them from falling into sin. Also, I Corinthians 10:13 tells us that with every temptation, God will make sure that there is a way for us to escape from temptation. 

     Thinking more specifically about our Proverb for today, we are often led into doing what it wrong by those with whom we associate. I Corinthians 15:33 tells us that, "Bad company corrupts good character." This if so true. I've seen it happen many times especially with young people in college. They will start socializing with those who don't share their Christian values. Little by little, the Christian young person is drawn away from the things of God. II Corinthians 6:14 says that we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. This isn't just a verse about marriage. We need to guard the company that we keep so that we aren't drawn off the path that leads to life. We need to keep company with those who will encourage in what is right and in what is honoring to Jesus.