Weekend Sermon -- The Attributes of God -- Part One

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. My health is improving little by little. I am thankful to the Lord for allowing me to post this message. 

     Today, as we approach a new year, I am beginning what will be a rather extensive series of messages focusing our attention on the attributes of God. We will look at what qualities and characteristics make up the God of the Bible. I believe that this is of vital importance, because we need to know who the God that we worship is. There are a lot of people who worship a God of their own invention, but their God is not the God that is presented to us in the Scripture and fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. 

     Our first message in the series will focus on the fact that the Bible presents God as one God in three persons. This is most often referred to as the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. I know that there has been much debate over the course of Church history in the East and in the West regarding how the Trinity is defined. Let me say this. No one will ever be able to fully understand the doctrine of the Trinity. It is a holy mystery. We have to accept a lot of the doctrine of the Trinity on faith believing what the Bible does reveal to us about it. 

     First of all the Bible is clear that there is one God. Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us, "Hear O Israel the Lord is One." We serve and worship one God not three gods or many gods as those in some religions do. We also see in Scripture the doctrine that there are three persons in the Godhead. John chapter 1 tells us clearly, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." The Word was made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. This shows us the Father and the Son. Galatians 4 tells us that in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is God's Son and the final and ultimate Word of God to this world. Colossians 1:16 lets us know that all things were created by Jesus, through Jesus and for Jesus. 

     One of the passages in the Bible that most clearly demonstrates the doctrine of the Trinity occurs in the events surrounding the baptism of Jesus. Jesus went down into the water with John. When Jesus came up out of the water, a voice from Heaven said, "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." At that same moment, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Jesus. In this event we have the voice of the Father, the Son being baptized and the Holy Spirit coming down as a dove upon Jesus all revealed. 

     Jesus taught the doctrine of the Trinity when He gave us the Great Commission. Jesus told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I believe that there could not be anything clearer.

     There are some who try to deny the doctrine of the Trinity. This is known as the unitarian position.  Most, not all, unitarians deny the divinity of Jesus Christ. Some unitarians believe in what is called the Jesus only doctrine. Unitarianism is not supported by the Bible. I believe that the few verses that I've shared with you today clearly demonstrate that God has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     My health is improving little by little each day. I thank the Lord for that, and I thank you for your prayers. 

     Let us remember to pray for those in the US affected by the terrible winter storms. Pray that people can recover and get any aid that they need in order to recover. 

     Please continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Ukraine, Syria and Yemen really need our prayers. 

     Pray for an end to the drought in Somalia. 

     Pray that the sickness outbreak in the US and other parts of the world will end. We are dealing with flu, coronavirus and RSV in the US. Other places in the world are dealing with coronavirus, cholera and ebola. Pray that the sick will recover and that these sicknesses will come to an end. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray that those who live in the nations of Bhutan and Algeria will hear about the love of Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue with our new sermon series. I will post the verses on Tuesday, and I will try to post a review midweek. May God bless you all. 

     

Verses For The Week

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

John 13:34-35 -- "I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you must also love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love one another."

Weekend Sermon -- The Light Of Christmas

      Thank you for reading the sermon this week. I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I am still not feeling my best, so please continue to pray that I will be able to make a full recovery. I thank you for your prayers. 

     Today, we will be having what I call a combination Christmas and New Year sermon rolled into one. We often hear the Christmas story read from Matthew and Luke during this time of the year. However, the birth of Jesus into this world is told in another more theological way in the Gospel of John. In John 1 verses 1-5 we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not made anything that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

     When Jesus came into this world on Christmas, He came as the light of the world. The world was trapped in the darkness of sin and despair. However, Jesus came to bring the light of His love and forgiveness to all those who would believe in Him and put their trust in Him as Savior and Lord. 

     Since Jesus has come into this world, the power of the light of His Word has shined into the darkness and exposed the darkness for what it truly is. The light of Christ is shining so that evil is being driven from this world, and will be driven out of this world ultimately when Jesus returns in power and great glory at His Second Coming which I believe could occur at any moment. 

     During the Christmas season, we think about the light of Jesus Christ. The season is about spreading the values of peace, love, joy and salvation. I would like to urge everyone in the year that is to come to keep shining the light. Jesus has called all of us who follow Him to tell others about Him. He has given us the mission of shining the light of His love and forgiveness into the darkness of this world. 

     As we go into the new year, let each of us work for the Lord to make sure that we are telling others about the love of Jesus and the salvation from sin that He offers to anyone who is willing to come to Him. Also, let us shine the light of Jesus into this world by working to make this world a better place for the honor and glory of the Lord. There are many needs in this world. There is a lot of hurt and a lot of pain. But the darkness that is in this world cannot overcome the light of Jesus Christ. His light conquers all, and we can be a part of shining the light of Jesus into the dark places of this world. 

     Christmas is about the coming of the light of love and the light of Christ into this world. Let each of us share His light during the Christmas season and throughout the year that is ahead. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Much of the United States in the grip of some really cold and nasty weather. Please pray that the temperatures will go up quickly and that people will be safe in this cold weather. 

     Please continue to pray for an end to the disease outbreaks in the world. In many parts of the world, the flu and coronavirus are really bad right now. Many countries are having problems dealing with cholera, and ebola is problem in some places. Pray that the sick will recover, and that these diseases can come to an end. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the world during this holiday season. Let us focus our prayers intently on peace in Ukraine. 

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

     Pray for Somalia. There is a bad drought there right now. Pray that people will get the aid that they need. 

     Next week, we will begin a new sermon series for the new year. I will post the verses on Tuesday this week, and I hope to post something midweek. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 146:8 -- "The Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, The Lord loves the righteous."

Malachi 4:2 -- "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall."

Prayer Requests

     Please pray in regard to my health. I am not doing so well today. Also, we are supposed to have some really bad winter weather in my area this week. Please pray that it will not be as bad as predicted. Thank you. 

Weekend Sermon -- What Is It All About?

      Well, I am back posting. Here is what has been happening. I've been deathly ill with pneumonia for the past two weeks. I have been off work, and I almost died. I am feeling better now, and I will get back to posting and trying to get back in the swing of things. Please pray that I will continue to recover. Also, please pray concerning the weather in my area. It is supposed to get really cold. I am not real strong right now, and I am not going to be able to take too much, so pray that I can keep going. I am not afraid to die. I know that Jesus awaits beyond this life. However, I don't want to have a lot of pain. With that said, please pray. I will try to improve, and I will start posting again as the Lord gives me the ability. 

     For today's message, I want to discuss what it is all about. What is this Advent season all about? Why do we even have a Christmas season?

     The reason for Christmas begins with the fact that humanity chose to rebel against the Lord. When God created people, He said that they could eat from any of the trees in the Garden of Eden except for one. Of course, our forbears decided that they would not follow God and His ways. Instead, they decided to turn from the ways and commandments of the Lord and do what they wanted to do and how they wanted to do it when they wanted to do it. 

     God had to bring judgment upon the human race. Sin had to be punished. One man brought sin into the world, and as a result, death passed upon all people. Death physically and eternal separation from God are the consequences of sin. 

     However, God is not just a just and holy God who is required to punish sin. He is loving, caring and merciful. He decided to provide a way that people could be forgiven of their sins and come back into a right relationship with Him. God told humans clear back in Genesis 3:15 that the woman would give birth to a Messiah who would save people from their sins. 

     John 3:16 tells us about God's plan. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but would have everlasting life."

      We have Christmas Day because Jesus is the Messiah who was promised to come into the world to save people from their sin. Jesus came to live a holy and sinless life. This allowed Him to be the spotless Lamb of God who could take away the sins of the world. Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross so that whoever will place their faith and trust in Him might be forgiven and restored to fellowship with the Father. Jesus rose bodily from the grave in order to defeat the consequences of sin. Because He lives, we shall live also. 

     Christmas is about love, forgiveness, mercy and hope. Christmas is about new life in Christ. Christmas is your opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord. Christmas is about the love of Jesus. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray in regard to my health. Thank you.

     Pray for peace during this holiday season. Especially remember Ukraine, Syria and Yemen. 

     Pray for those recovering from natural disasters

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

     Next week, I will try to get back to posting on the regular schedule. I will post a sermon about Advent. May God bless you all. 

Weekend Sermon -- Nehemiah -- Conclusion

      Thank you for reading the sermon today. I hope that you are all doing very well. I have been feeling a little bit better. 

      For the past few weeks, we've been studying what we can learn from the life of Nehemiah. He felt the need to serve the Lord by rebuilding the walls of the city of Jerusalem. He governed the people in the way of right, and he was particularly focused on making sure the the needs of the poor were taken care of. He worked to bring about justice for those who were oppressed. 

     Today, we will conclude our study of Nehemiah. I want us to focus on Nehemiah's devotion to following the commandments of the Lord. One of the things that was especially important to Nehemiah was that the people honor the Sabbath. He gave strict instructions that no work or commerce was to be conducted on the Sabbath day. When the people started to work and do business on the Sabbath, this angered Nehemiah. He reminded them that not following the commandments of the Lord was what got them into a mess in the first place. 

    Nehemiah always strived to do the right thing in accordance with the law of the Lord. He wanted to make sure that the festivals found in the Torah were honored and conducted in the right way. He made sure the the priests and Levites did their duty and were treated in a proper manner by the people. 

     I think that we have a lot to learn from Nehemiah. Just as he was dedicated to following the commandments given by the Lord, we need to make sure that we are following all that has been revealed to us by the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. 

     Jesus came to this world to be the full revelation to us of what God is like. He is the one that we are to follow and listen to. We need to make it our business to learn what the Lord Jesus taught and how He lived His life as an example for us in this world. 

     The Bible tells us who are followers of Jesus that we are to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. That means that we are to be diligent to follow Him and to follow His way. We need to be zealous in following the Lord just as Nehemiah was. Jesus expects each of us to diligently seek to serve Him and do what He taught us to do to the best of our ability as we our empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

     In Nehemiah's day, there were a lot of temptations and things to lead one off of the path of righteousness just as there are in our day an age. It is always easy for people to follow the crowd and do what everyone else is doing. We are called to move in the opposite way of this world. We are called to follow Jesus. We know what the way and teachings of Jesus are from the Gospels. Let us all make sure to read and study the words of our Lord. 

     Nehemiah asked the Lord to remember that he was trying to do what was right. The Lord does remember and rewards those who strive to serve Him and do what He has called us to do. Amen. 

Prayer Requests. 

     My health is doing some better. Please keep praying that I will continue to improve. My job seems to be going better as well. I am still looking for just the right job, but I haven't quite found it yet. 

     Please pray about the weather situation in my area. We are supposed to have very strong winds. Please pray that these winds don't cause any damage. 

     Continue to pray for those who have been hurt by natural disasters around the world. People in Pakistan and areas hit by hurricanes still need our prayers. 

     There are many areas in this world suffering from disease outbreaks. Ebola is a problem in parts of Africa. Coronavirus is still a worldwide problem. There are cholera outbreaks in several countries. Let us pray that these diseases will go away and that those who are sick will recover quickly. 

     Keep praying for peace around the world. Let us focus our prayers intently on Ukraine this week. 

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

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

A Good Wildlife Film

      I have been watching the World Cup matches on a service called Tubi. While on the site, I noticed a documentary film called "The Tigers of Scotland". I was intrigued by the title. This was a great wildlife film about the Scottish wildcat and the efforts being taken to preserve this cat from becoming extinct in the wild. There was a great deal of information in this film, and the scenery and shots of the wildcats were very well done. I highly recommend this film. 

Verses For The Week

 Romans 12:21 -- "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Psalm 34:14 -- "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

A Couple of Prayer Requests

      I have a couple of prayer requests. First, my uncle is very sick. Please pray for his recovery. Also, things are going very poorly at my job. I have one opportunity right now to get a different job. Please pray that this will all work out in accordance with the Lord's will. Finally, there is a forecast for heavy rain in my area tonight. Please pray that it won't be too bad and cause flooding. Thank you. 

Weekend Sermon -- Nehemiah -- Part 4

       Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that all of my US readers have had a good Thanksgiving Day. 

     Over the course of the last several weeks, we've been studying what we can learn from the life of Nehemiah. He started out as the cupbearer to the Persian emperor. When Nehemiah heard about the sad state of the city of Jerusalem, he asked the emperor for permission to go back and rebuild the walls of the city. Nehemiah returned, and he encouraged the people to rebuild. Immediately, he faced opposition while trying to do the will of the Lord. However, with the help of the Lord, Nehemiah was able to accomplish his task. 

     Today, I want us to focus on what type of leader Nehemiah was. Not only was he in Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, he was appointed the governor of the area. Those who were poorer and were in debt came to him and told him that there were being burdened down by interest and taxes. They weren't able to pay and were losing there homes and property. 

     The Bible says that Nehemiah became very angry when he heard this. He ordered that no interest should be charged on loans. The Torah forbids the charging of interest. He also told the rich people to give the land and property back to the poor. They agreed that they would do that. Nehemiah cared about those who were the least among the people. He made sure that there needs were taken care of. 

     Another thing that Nehemiah did is that even though he was entitled to a large sum of money and food as governor, he didn't take it because he did not want the poor people to be burdened. This is another mark of a great leader. 

    What can we learn from how Nehemiah acted to those who were poor? Just as Nehemiah cared for those who were poor and oppressed, we should too. Jesus said that when we have done it unto the least of those among us, we have done it unto Him. When we help those who are in need, those who need food, clothing and housing, we are doing what Jesus wants us to do. 

     We need to take an example for our leaders from Nehemiah. The type of leader that God wants is someone who cares about the poor and the oppressed in the land. We should speak out against oppression, and seek policies that will end oppression and help the poor. Nehemiah demonstrated what a Godly leader is like. He or she cares about justice and wants to help people. He or she makes sure that the rich do not get more and more at the expense of those who are poor. 

     As followers of Jesus, let us do what we are able to do to help those who are less fortunate than we are. Let us work for justice and seek an end to oppression. Let us all do the work of the Lord in this world to help to make this world a better place. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am feeling a little better, and I want to thank the Lord for this. Please keep praying. Thank you. 

     Pray that all will be safe during the World Cup.

     Pray for those recovering from natural disasters. Indonesia is recovering from an earthquake, and there are people in the US and elsewhere recovering from storms. Remember the people of Pakistan as they are recovering from the flooding. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the world. Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and other nations at war need our prayers. 

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

     Next week, we will finish up our series on Nehemiah. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

     

Thanksgiving

      Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in my country the US. For today's post, I just want to share a few of the things that I am thankful for. I am thankful first and foremost for the fact that Jesus is my Savior and Lord. I am thankful that He is always with me. I am also thankful for the ministry that He has allowed me to have through writing and through this blog. 

     I am thankful that Toby was my friend for all of those years. I know that we will be together again one day. 

     I am thankful for my food, home, car and clothes. 

     I also want to express my thanks to all of you who read the blog and the sermons each week. 

Verses For The Week

 I Chronicles 16:34 -- "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever."

II Corinthians 9:15 -- "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift."

Weekend Sermon -- Nehemiah -- Part 3

      Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that you have all had a very good week, and I would like to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post this message. 

     We have been studying what we can learn from the life of Nehemiah for the past couple of weeks now. We have seen that God put it in Nehemiah's heart to go and rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah set out to do what the Lord placed in his heart. He asked the Persian ruler for permission to go and rebuild, and permission was granted. 

     Today, we learn that Nehemiah set out for Jerusalem with the provisions provided to him by the emperor. He looked around at the dismal state of the city, and he encouraged the people to all participate in rebuilding the city. 

     The people of the city responded to Nehemiah's call to rebuild, and they began the task. They started with the gates of the city with the priests participating in the rebuilding process right along with everyone else. 

     It wasn't long before trouble arose. Sanballat and Tobiah did not like the fact that the people were rebuilding the walls of the city. They did everything that they could in order to discourage the people and to prevent the work on the rebuilding to continue. At one point, half of the people had to work on the walls while the other half stood guard in protection from those who would try to attack and stop the rebuilding. 

     There is one important point that I want us to focus on today. Whenever someone tries to do something for the Lord, that person can expect to have opposition. Nehemiah was doing what God called him to do. However, those who were opposed to the will and way of the Lord tried as they might to put a stop to what he was trying to do. 

     In your life, you will find that if you decide to go full out for the Lord and try to follow Him to the best of your ability, you will face opposition. If you try to do something that the Lord has laid on your heart by way of ministry, you can expect obstacles. The forces of the evil one do not want the message of salvation to reach others. Evil does not want any good to take place in this world. 

     The opposition that we will face can take many different forms. Often, it will take the form of criticism and derision from others. When I was in college, I decided that I wanted to live for the Lord more fully. I didn't want to go along with everyone else was doing. I had a lot of people who made fun of me and called me names. Thank God, He gave me the strength to persevere in doing my best for Him. 

     When I wanted to minister more, there were obstacles. Road blocks were thrown in my way to try to keep me from the ministry that God had called me to. However, the Lord led me to minister through the blog and through writing. I've also been able to do evangelism work. It isn't always easy to serve the Lord. 

     I know that there are many others who face a lot more persecution and obstacles in their efforts to serve Jesus and do His will in this world. Some even face death for the cause and mission of Jesus. Others face the loss of a job or the loss of family relationships. 

    Jesus said that this is what will happen to those who attempt to live for Him and to do His will. He said that those who follow Him will be persecuted. He said that if they hated Him, they will hate His followers. 

    So, what is our response. We can follow the example of Nehemiah. He kept on going. He didn't let anything stand in the way of his mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Those of us who follow Jesus are empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand for Jesus and to live for Him in this world. If we are willing to do what the Lord has told us to do, He will give us the strength to accomplish the task that is set before us. 

    If the Lord is calling you to serve Him, expect opposition. But know that the Lord is always with giving you the strength to carry on. He will never leave you , and He will never forsake you. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     You've probably noticed that I've not been posting midweek much. I am having a multitude of health problems right now. I am barely able to keep working at my job. I am having a lot of pain. Please keep praying for me. I do appreciate it. 

     The World Cup starts this week. Please pray that all will be safe at that event. 

     Pray for those suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray that the Buffalo area won't have too many problems with all of the snow they are supposed to get. 

     There are many diseases and sicknesses plaguing the world right now. Cholera is a problem in many nations. We are still dealing with Covid. There is an outbreak of respiratory disease here in the US. Pray that these diseases will dissipate. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Pray for peace in this world. Ukraine, Syria and Yemen really need our prayers. 

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

     Next week, we will continue in our Nehemiah series. I will post the verses on Monday. Hopefully, I will be able to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 40:11 -- "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arms He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes."

Isaiah 42:3 -- "A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish, He will faithfully bring forth justice."

Weekend Sermon -- Nehemiah -- Part 2

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I hope and pray that you are all doing well. 

     Last week, we began a new series of messages on Nehemiah. We saw that the people of Israel had been taken captive by the Babylonians. The Babylonians were subsequently conquered by the Persians. Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the emperor. Nehemiah heard that the people who remained in Jerusalem were in a bad way. The city's walls were destroyed as was the Temple. They needed help. 

     What I want to point out in today's message is that Nehemiah was a man of prayer, and he was a man of action. First of all, when Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem and its people, he prayed to God about the situation. Nehemiah acknowledged that the people were in a bad way as a result of their sinfulness. God had allowed the nation to go into captivity because they had rejected Him and had turned to idols. Nehemiah had remained faithful to the Lord, and so had others such as Daniel. There were those in Persia and in Jerusalem who had turned back to the ways of the Lord during their time in captivity. Nehemiah asked the Lord to remember His people in their time of distress. 

     When faced with a problem, the first thing that Nehemiah did was turn to the Lord. That is what we need to do. I read a sign in front of church once that said prayer is not a last resort. That is so true. Instead of trying to solve and deal with our problems in our own strength and through our own ability before we call on the Lord, the first thing we should do is bring our troubles, cares and concerns to the Lord and ask Him for His assistance. The Lord is the one who has the power to come to our aid and help us in each and every situation. 

     There is something else that I want us to see today about Nehemiah. He acted. He prayed, but he also sought to be part of the solution. He didn't pray, Lord the people there in Jerusalem are in a mess, send them some help. No. Nehemiah asked the Lord to help him to be part of the solution to the problem. He asked the Lord to enable him to find favor with the emperor so that he could go back and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem for the honor and glory of the Lord. 

     I think that there are at least two ways that this lesson from Nehemiah applies to us. We as believers in Jesus all know others who are not followers of the Lord. It is up to us to share the Gospel with them. It is up to us to share the good news of Jesus with this world. We can't just pray and ask the Lord to bring someone to salvation. We have to be the one to share the good news with them. We can't just pray that people around the world will hear about Jesus. We have to act in such a way so that the message of the love of Jesus will reach around the world. 

     There are also a lot of needs in this world. A lot of people are hungry, lonely and hurting in so many ways. We should pray that their needs will be met. However, we also need to be part of the solution to the problems in this world in the name of Jesus. We can all doing something to help meet the needs of others. 

     The other day here on the blog, I suggested that those who are able donate food to help those who aren't getting enough to eat. That is just one way that we can help. 

     Each one of us who follows Jesus needs to find a way to spread the message of Jesus in this world. We need to find a way to help others and to help make this world a better place. 

     After he prayed. Nehemiah was filled with courage and went to see the emperor. Nehemiah requested that he be allowed to go and rebuild the walls of the city. The emperor granted his request, and Nehemiah was also given the means to rebuild the walls. He now had to go and complete the task. 

     Let us learn from Nehemiah. Let us pray about all things and ask God to help us. Let us be the solution to the problems in this world. Let us spread the message of Jesus' love. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I really am not feeling well. I am having multiple health problems. Please keep praying that I will get to feeling better. 

     Pray for an end to the diseases that are plaguing the world right now. Pray that those who are sick will recover. 

     Continue to pray for those effected by natural disasters around the world. Pray that they will get the aid that they need. Please try to help as you are able. 

     Pray that Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, Syria and other places where there is war will have peace. 

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

     There are a couple of things that we need to give thanks to the Lord for. The warring parties in Ethiopia have signed a cease fire agreement. Also, I heard that one of the nations I pray for each day, Maldives, now has someone there that is sharing the message of Jesus with people. 

     Next week, we will continue in Nehemiah. I will post the verses on Monday. I hope to feel better and post something midweek. May God bless you all. 

Prayer Request

      There are some bad storms predicted for my area this week. Please pray that these don't materialize. Also, pray that those in Florida will be safe from the hurricane. I would also ask that you pray about my job. Things there are going very poorly. 

Verses For The Week

 Matthew 16:24 -- "The Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

John 10:27 -- "My sheep know my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

Weekend Sermon -- Nehemiah -- Part One

      Thanks for reading the sermon this week. I wasn't able to post again midweek as I am still not in very good health. Please keep praying for me. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post this message. 

     Last week, we concluded our series of messages on I Thessalonians. I want to switch gears and go over to the Old Testament now.  For the next few weeks until it is time for the Christmas messages, I want to focus on Nehemiah. This isn't going to be a chapter by chapter study. I want us to explore who Nehemiah was, and what we can learn from his life and from what the people of Israel were doing at this time. 

     To begin, we need to get a little background on the situation. Because the people would not repent of their sins, the Lord brought the people of Judah into captivity by the Babylonians. Many of the people were taken to Babylon, but there were some left in Jerusalem and elsewhere. The city of Jerusalem was devastated, and the Temple was destroyed. 

      After a period of several years, the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians. They allowed the Israelites to return to their land. The Persians are ruling over the area of Babylon as well as Israel when the events in the book of Nehemiah begin. 

      The Bible tells us that Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the Persian emperor. This was a very important position. He had to make sure that the emperor's chalice was not poisoned, and he had to present a good appearance at the court. 

      One day, some Jewish people who had been to Jerusalem met with Nehemiah. He wanted to know what was happening back in the holy city. They told him of the city's poor state and the terrible conditions there. This news caused Nehemiah to have a great deal of distress. He mourned, fasted and prayed. 

      The first thing that I believe that we can learn from Nehemiah is that even though he was in a foreign land of exile, he continued to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was a man who had remained faithful to God, and he cared about the things of God. 

      Many of us who are believers in Jesus Christ find ourselves in situations where we are surrounded by a culture that rejects the Lord and the values the Lord has given to us. Often, it would be easier to just go along with the crowd and with the values of the culture in which we find ourselves. However, that is not what we are to do. Like Nehemiah, we are called to be faithful to the Lord in whatever situation we find ourselves in . We must realize that even if we have to stand alone, we must stand up and live for Jesus. He is always with us. He will never leave us. He will give us the power to live for Him even in the most difficult circumstances. You may be the only Christian in your family, school, community or place of work. I urge you to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus even though others are going a different way, and they may even oppose or persecute you. The Lord Jesus will reward those who are faithful to Him and to His teachings. 

     The second thing that I would like to point out is that Nehemiah was distressed when he discovered that what was important to the Lord was in a bad state. He was distressed at the state of Jerusalem. 

     As those who follow Jesus, it should grieve our hearts when the things of the Lord are not honored. Right now, it should cause us who live in the the Western world to feel sad and distressed about the fact that so many people are falling away from the faith. Many people don't want to know about Jesus anymore. Even those who are going to some churches have turned from the true path and the true teachings of Jesus Christ. 

     Next week, we will look at Nehemiah's important prayer. And we will see that his prayer led him to action. Amen. 

     Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I will have an improvement in my health. Also, please pray that the bad weather that is predicted for my area will not materialize. 

     There is something that we need to give thanks to the Lord for. I heard on the radio news today that the warring parties in Ethiopia have agreed to a ceasefire. That is a definite answer to prayer. Let us keep praying for peace in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Libya. 

     Pray that the various diseases that are plaquing this world will cease. Pray that the sick will recover, and pray that people who need help and treatment will be able to access the care that they need. 

     Keep praying for those affected by the storms. Those in west Africa, Pakistan, Florida, Central America and Puerto Rico need our prayers. 

     Pray that the high inflation in many nations will be brought under control. These high prices are really hurting a lot of poorer people and the elderly. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our Nehemiah study. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to post midweek. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 James 1:12 -- "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."

Romans 12:21 -- "Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."

A Picture Of Me With My Friend Toby

 This is a picture of me and Toby. It is one of the few pictures I have of the two of us together. I was usually taking pictures of him. This time, I got my mom to take a picture of us. I still have that old antique clock. This picture is from several years ago when I was a lot younger than I am now. 

My Old Friend Toby

 This is my old friend Toby. I like to post my favorite picture of him on the blog from time to time especially on days when I am missing him more than usual. 

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians -- Conclusion

     Thank you for reading the sermon today. I hope and pray that you all are doing well both spiritually and physically. 

     Well, we have reached the end of our sermon series on the book of I Thessalonians. As we wrap things up with today's message, there are two points that Paul makes that I want us to focus our attention on. First of all, let us look at chapter 5 verse 23 that states, "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

     This verse tells us that God is the God of peace. We live in a world that has wars and conflicts going on all over. If you read the blog regularly, you know that we have a list of nations that we pray for so that peace might come. God does not want there to be wars and fighting in this world. We as His people are called to seek peace and pursue it. Jesus said that those who make peace are blessed. 

     If you hear a pastor, teacher or religious leader condoning wars or speaking in an overly militaristic manner, that is not someone who is correctly representing the God of peace and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. The Christian is not to focus on militaristic things and violence. We should be focused on doing what we can to bring hope and healing to the nations. 

     This is one thing that is certain, when Jesus returns to earth to establish His kingdom, war will be no more. The nations will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not rise against nation. They will study war no more. 

     Paul goes on to speak about sanctification and living lives that are blameless until the coming of the Lord. To be sanctified means to be set apart to a holy service. That is what we are called to be. God has sanctified us by His grace to do His will and His work in this world. We are called to live holy lives that are pleasing to the Lord, and we are to live lives that are an example to others so that they might know the True and Living God. 

     I believe that we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord every day. We are to become more and more like Jesus as we continue to follow Him. We lay aside our sins, and focus on following the example of Jesus. We ask what would Jesus do in each and every situation in which we find ourselves. We should be sinning less and less all of the time as we grow in our relationship with the Lord. 

     Some do not believe that we can reach a state where we are not sinning in this life. I don't agree with that position. If we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, I believe that by God's grace, we can reach a state where we are sinning very little or not at all. It takes much work and discipline and a willingness to follow Jesus wherever He leads us. 

     I know that I have not arrived at a place where I am not sinning, but I am striving to be more like Jesus. It is my desire to do what pleases Him and to follow Him to the best of my ability. 

     Paul closes out this letter to the Thessalonians by asking that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with them. We are nothing without the grace of the Lord Jesus. We are what we are not through any good works that we have done. We are only anything because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. We only have what we have because of His grace, mercy and blessing. Amen

Prayer Requests

     I am really having a lot of health issues right now. I have very bad arthritis in my spine. I am also having a lot of stomach problems. Please pray that I can get to feeling better. Thank you. 

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

     Please pray about the election in Brazil this week. There is much at stake in this election from an environmental standpoint. Pray that whatever side loses the election will honor the will of the people. 

     Pray for the leaders of the world that they will be able to help their people deal with the burdens of the high inflation. 

     Pray for an end to coronavirus and the other diseases that are affecting so many around the world. 

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

     Next week, we will be starting a new series of messages. This will lead us to Advent. I have two series of messages planned for the new year. On Monday I will post the verses. I will try to post something midweek if I am feeling up to it. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Romans 8:10 -- "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

Galatians 5:14 - "For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one commandment, 'love your neighbor as yourself'".

Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 5:19-22

      Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. I hope that you have all had a very good week. I have been feeling better, and I thank the Lord for this.

     Last week, we looked at a few of the more familiar verses in the book of I Thessalonians. In today's message, I want to focus on four verses beginning with 5:19 that says, "Do not quench the Spirit." This is a short verse with a lot of meaning in it. 

     One of the ways that I believe that we can quench the Spirit is by not listening to the direction that the Holy Spirit gives to us. When the Spirit instructs us to do a certain thing, we have the choice to obey or to disobey. If we do not listen to the leading of the Spirit, we are quenching the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

     We also quench the Spirit when we do not heed the Spirit's warning about what is sinful. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin. When we ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction and warnings, we will only fall deeper into sin and farther and farther away from the Lord. 

     One other way that we can quench the Spirit that I would like to point out is that we do not follow the moving of the Holy Spirit in our worship services. We can have everything so programmed and choreographed that we are not open to the Spirit taking us in another direction. 

     Finally, there is a way for unbelievers to quench the Holy Spirit. When the word is given to those who are without Jesus in their hearts, the Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of his or her need for a Savior. By resisting the conviction of the Spirit, the Spirit is being quenched. 

     Verses 20 and 21 tells us not to hold prophecies in contempt but to test them. Whenever someone gives a word in a service, we as believers have to test everything by the revealed will of God found in the Bible. If anything that someone preaches, predicts or teaches does not line up with the Bible, it should be rejected. God will not contradict His word. 

     On another note, if someone utters a predictive prophecy that does not come true, according to the Scripture, that person is not to be listened to again. A lot of people in my country said that God told them that a certain person would be elected president. That didn't happen. 

     We now come to verses 21b and 22 that state, "Hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil." We need to cultivate as much good as we can in our lives. We need to focus on what is pure, good, lovely and wholesome. We need to focus on being good and doing good. The Bible tells us not to have any association with the unfruitful works of darkness. We are even called upon to avoid the appearance of evil. If we are doing as much good as we can in this world, we won't have time for evil to enter into our thoughts and actions. 

     In all we do, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. He will lead us into what is good and what is right. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am feeling a lot better. Keep praying that I will continue to improve. I thank you for your prayers. 

     Please continue to pray for those nations that have experienced damage from storms. Pray that they will get the help that they need to recover. 

     Pray for Haiti. That country is having a lot of trouble right now. 

     Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. 

     Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, Ethiopia and Syria all need our prayers for peace. 

     I would ask that you pray concerning the economic problems that are facing many nations and people. There are a lot of people worried about how they are going to heat their homes this winter due to the high inflation. Pray that God will give wisdom to the leaders of the world during this difficult time. 

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

      Next week, we will finish our series in I Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Two Tiger Poems

 Tigers race

up steps of desperation.

In the vining temple,

a  roar 

calls on all that is holy.

Tigers playing tag

on the Himalayan hills

romp under departing blue

waiting for the hunt

beneath a giant moon. 

Verses For The Week

 I Peter 4:8 -- "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."

Colossians 3:12-13 -- "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 5:16-18

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. I am glad that a few more people are reading the messages again, and I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post these messages. 

     Last week, we learned about some of the expectations that Paul had for those who were waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus. We are to be people of love who live at peace with one another. We are to encourage one another, and we are to forgive one another. 

     Today, we look at three of the more familiar verses in the book of I Thessalonians. Let us look at each one of these verses individually. First of all verses 16 states, "Rejoice always." In some ways, this may seem like a hard thing to do. When bad things happen to us, we can find it hard to be in a spirit of rejoicing. However, as believers in the Lord Jesus, we always have something to rejoice about. No matter what type of circumstances we find ourselves in, we can rejoice in the fact that our sins are forgiven. We can rejoice in the fact that we are filled with the Spirit. We can rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ is in our hearts. We can feel His love for us, and we can have a relationship with Him. We can always rejoice knowing that we have eternal life. No matter what happens to us in this life, when this life is over, we will be with Jesus forever in the place that He has prepared for us. 

     In verse 17, Paul tells us to "pray continually." I don't think that Paul is saying that we are to spend 24 hours a day in prayer. I think that he is saying a couple of things here. First of all, we need to keep praying. We shouldn't let a day go by without coming to the Lord in prayer at least once. We can praise Him for who He is and for what He has done. We can bring our needs and the needs of others to Him. We can ask that He intervene in situations in the world. We can pray for peace. 

     Another point I believe that Paul is making is that we should always be in a prayerful mindset. What I mean by this is that we should be people who pray throughout the day. When we see a need, we bring it immediately before the throne of grace. We pray for our needs throughout the day. We pray for our family members and friends when we know that they need help or are going through some type of difficult circumstance. Prayer is a major factor in our lives. We need to be always praying for we know that the Lord does hear and answer prayer. 

     Finally, we come to verse 18 that tells us, "Give thanks in all circumstances." I'm glad that the NIV translates it this way. Some versions translate this verse as in all things give thanks which often leads to confusion. Paul is not telling us to be thankful that bad things have come into our lives. We don't have to thank God that we just had our house blown away by a storm or that we are sick. What we do need to realize is that even in these hard times, we have things that we can be thankful for as those who know Jesus as Savior and Lord. 

     At all times and in all circumstances, we can be thankful that we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We can be thankful for the fact that we know Jesus as our friend. We can express thanks that God has given us His word in the Bible. Even in the hard times, most of us can find a lot of other things to be thankful for. 

    I know that even when I face hard times, I can be thankful that Jesus gave me the best friend I could ever have on this earth. He gave me my friend Toby. I can be thankful that I had believing parents who introduced me to the Lord Jesus Christ and provided me with a Christian education. I am thankful that I can read and listen to music. 

     We need to be thankful to the Lord for the good things that He has brought into our lives. We also need to thank the Lord when we receive an answer to prayer. Many of us ask the Lord for things, but then we forget to say thank you. I am working on doing better at this. 

     Let us be people who rejoice and give thanks. Let us be people of prayer knowing that the Lord hears us and wants to help us in all things. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I have been feeling just a little bit better this week. Keep praying that I will feel better and better. Thank you. 

     Keep praying for peace in Ukraine. We also need to pray for peace in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Ethiopia. 

     Please pray for the people of Pakistan. I just can't get my head around how bad the flooding was there. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need. Also, pray for those in Florida, Puerto Rico, Canada, Nicaragua and other places in Central America that have been affected by the bad storms. 

     We need to keep praying for an end to coronavirus. Also, I am thankful that I heard that monkeypox is on the decline here in the US. However, other nations are still having problems. Let us keep praying for an end to this disease. Pray that the sick will recover. 

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

     Next week, we will continue in I Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

    

Book Review -- Tiger Brother

      The book that I am reviewing today is a children's book entitled "Tiger Brother" written and illustrated by Jian Li. The book begins when a boy's father brings home what he believes to be a kitten. However, it soon becomes apparent that he has brought home a tiger cub for his son. The boy and the tiger become very close. They are just like brothers. 

     While the tiger is harmless, the people in the town are scared of the tiger. The tiger decides to go into the forest. He tells the boy that he will return if the boy ever needs him as long as he calls out wearing his tiger hat. 

     Will the boy need the tiger? Will the tiger come? You will have to read the book to find out. 

     I enjoyed this book. The illustrations are very well done. 

Verses For The Week And A Suggestion

      Before I post the verses, I have something that I would like to suggest. There are a lot of people going through hard times around the world due to high inflation. There are people that need help just getting enough groceries. For those who have the financial means, I would like to ask that those who read the blog would consider purchasing one or two items for their local food pantry this week. If we all will do a little, it will help a lot. 

I John 4:8 -- "Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."

I Peter 4:8 -- "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 5:12-15

       Thanks for taking the time to read the sermon. I want to apologize for not having a book review at midweek. I have not been feeling well again. Hopefully, I will be able to do that this week. I want to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post this message. 

     Last week, we studied Paul's teaching about how we are to live in light of the fact that Jesus could return at any moment. Paul tells us just what Jesus told us. We are to live in such a way that we will not be ashamed at the coming of the Lord. We should be doing what Jesus wants us to do in this world, and following Him in all that we do. 

     In today's message, I want to focus on some of the additional instructions that Paul gives to those in Thessalonica as he is bringing his letter to them to a close.  Paul starts out by telling the believers to respect and honor those who work among them. This is referring to those who are serving the church as teachers, pastors, elders, deacons, etc. Those who are taking care of the spiritual needs of the people are trying to serve the Lord and fulfill the calling that has been placed upon their lives. One way that we honor those who serve the Lord among us is by making sure that they have enough to take care of themselves in this world and that their needs are met. It is also helpful and encouraging not to be always criticizing the leaders of the church. However, if a leader is teaching something that is wrong or is abusing people in the church, that is something that absolutely must be dealt with. 

     Paul goes on to tell the believers to live at peace with each other. This is important for those both inside and outside of the church. Unfortunately, there is often a lot of division and rancor among Christians. In my experience, I've seen churches divide over the silliest things such as what color to paint the inside of the Sunday school rooms. 

      When we live in peace with one another, it allows the church to minister effectively. Contention causes a hinderance to the church being able to help others. When those in the outside world see people in the church fighting with one another, it is a big turn off. It is one of the things that most causes people to not want to have anything to do with going to church. 

     Paul goes on to say that we are to encourage the disheartened. The way I see this is that those in the church should help those who are going through really hard times. Life can really be hard sometimes even if you are a Christian. We need other believers to help us in these hard times with encouraging words and deeds. 

     We are called by Paul to help the weak. There are many in and out of the church that have needs that we must help meet. With the high inflation around the world, there is a lot of need to help those with high heating and energy bills. Food pantries are essential right now. The church has before it a great mission to help those who are suffering in body, soul and spirit. As we are able. let us all help those who are hurting financially, emotionally and spiritually in these difficult days. 

     Another admonition from Paul is that no one should pay back wrong for wrong. This is something that is often hard to do. When we are hurt, we want to get even. However, the Lord Jesus told us that when people wrong us, we are to forgive. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of forgiveness when He asked the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. 

     Paul finishes out our section for today by encouraging all of us to do good for everyone. That is so important. Jesus went about doing what was good and helping others. He is our example. Let us help others, work for the good, and be an example to others of how Jesus can change lives. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray that I will get better. I am still not feeling the best. I thank you for your prayers. I am also really missing my friend Toby, so please pray that I will not be so depressed. 

     Please pray for those harmed by the hurricanes. Parts of Florida are a real mess. Puerto Rico and Canada also had a lot of damage. Pray that people will receive the help and the aid that they need at this time. 

     Pray for those who mourn in Thailand. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the world. Ukraine, Syria, Libya and Yemen are just a few of the nations that need our prayers for peace. 

     Let us pray that the people of Jackson, Mississippi will get their water situation fixed. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let's pray for those who live in the nations of Tunisia and Indonesia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue in I Thessalonians. I think that there will be about two more messages from this book. On Monday, I will post the verses. I hope to have a review midweek. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Hebrews 6:10 -- "God in not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them."

Hebrews 13:16 -- "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

Matthew 5:42 -- "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from one who wants to borrow from you."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 5:1-11

      Thank you for reading the message this week. I am feeling quite a bit better. I thank you for your prayers. 

     Last week, we began looking at a passage from I Thessalonians that is well-known and controversial. It is one of the main passages used by those who believe that the rapture and the Second Coming are two separate events separated by a seven year tribulation period. According to what we read in this text, and in other places in the Bible, this idea can't really be supported by the Scriptures. It appears plain that this passage and the teachings of Jesus, point out that those who believe in the Lord will meet Him in the air and return with Him when He comes in His Second Advent to rule and reign upon this earth. This happens at the same time. 

     In our section today, Paul tells us something very similar to what Jesus taught in such passages as Luke 12:35-59.  The return of Jesus Christ will come about suddenly. No one knows the day or the hour when the Lord will come again. It will come at a time when many least expect it to occur. 

     Over the course of Christian history, there have been attempts to predict or set a date for the coming of the Lord Jesus. All of these dates have come and gone, and Jesus has not returned. It is wrong to try and set a date for the coming of the Lord. No one knows. If someone says that they can tell you when Jesus will come, that person is someone who is not teaching what it right. They are not listening to what Jesus Himself had to say about the matter. 

     Jesus, and Paul in this passage, make it clear that we as believers are to live in such a manner that we are ready should Jesus appear at any moment. This has a couple of implications. First of all, since Jesus could come at any time, we need to be telling others about salvation through Jesus. We need to be about doing the things that Jesus did in this world. We are to be ambassadors for Christ in this world until the time that we die or the Lord comes again. 

     We must also be living our lives in such a way that we will not be ashamed should the Lord come suddenly. We would not want to be involved in some type of sinful behavior at the moment the Lord Jesus comes again. I can't think of anything more terrible. This means that we are to live lives of holiness that are pleasing to the Lord. We are to be doing right and not wrong. 

     One of the things that Paul says in this passage is that we are to be living lives of love. That is what is so important. We need to be loving God with all that we have within us, and we need to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus said that if we did this, we would be fulfilling all that is in the both the Law and the Prophets. I might add, that Jesus told us to do unto others as we would have done unto us. This is what we need to be doing so that Jesus will pleased with us should He come even today. 

      Many people scoff at the idea that Jesus is coming again. Peter spoke about this. The Bible says that one reason that Jesus has not yet returned is that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. The Lord in His mercy is waiting for people to have the opportunity to come to Him and realize His great love for them and for all the world. 

      Jesus will come again. That will be a great and glorious day. When He returns, Jesus will rule and reign in righteousness. There will be peace throughout the universe. There will be no more war, death nor disease. All of creation that is groaning in travail waiting for the day of redemption will be set free in new life. Everything will be returned to the Edenic state that existed before sin entered into this world. I hope that you are ready for that day. Amen. 

     Prayer Requests

     As I mentioned, I am feeling better. Please pray that I will continue to improve. 

     Florida has had a lot of damage as a result of the hurricane. Please pray that the people will receive the aid that they need. Also pray for those who are dealing with hurricane damage in Puerto Rico and Canada. Japan experienced a bad storm as well. 

     Continue to pray for an end to the wildfires in the western US.

     We need to keep praying for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Let us focus intently on praying for peace in Ukraine this week. 

     Many areas of the world are currently facing a great deal of financial hardship. Pray that people will get the help needed. 

     Pray for an end to the coronavirus. 

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

     Next week, we will continue studying I Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Book Review -- Together

      Recently, I had the privilege to look at and read a book called "Together" by Luke Adam Hawker. This book has fantastic illustrations, and an important text that tells us that even in when hard times come, we can make it through. No storm, whatever it may be, lasts forever. 

      I hope that you will get a copy of this book and read it. Pay attention to the well-done drawings. One way that this book spoke to me, and I'm not sure the author intended it this way, was how the man and the dog made it through together. This reminded me of my friend Toby. When the two of us were together, I felt that we could make it through anything. Since he's been gone, times have seemed harder. As I've mentioned before, if he were still around, life as it is now would be a lot different. 

     This book shows us that together as a community, we can make it through. We can help each other in many different ways as we deal with difficulties. 

Verses For The Week

 I John 4:18 -- "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

II Timothy 1:7 -- "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 4:13-18

     I want to thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post the sermon this week. I have been feeling better some days and about the same other days. However, I believe that I am getting better as the days pass. Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. 

     We have been studying the book of I Thessalonians for awhile now. Last time, we saw that Paul encouraged the believers to have love for one another. He encouraged them to grow in love. We also saw that we are to try as much as we can to be at peace with others so that we might be a good witness for the Lord Jesus in this world. 

     In our passage today, Paul starts out on a different topic. Apparently, there must have been some in the church who were wondering what was going to happen to those who had died before the coming of the Lord. Paul and the Apostles taught that Jesus could return at any moment. They expected Jesus to return soon. So, the people had legitimate questions about what would happen to those who had died. 

     Paul wanted to reassure the believers. He wanted to make sure that they knew that those who had died in Christ were just not dead and gone. When Jesus comes again to this earth, the dead in Christ will arise and meet the Lord in the air. Those still alive at the coming of the Lord will also meet the Lord in the air. 

     As we discuss this passage, let's start out by addressing the issue of what happens to a person who knows the Lord when that person dies. When a person dies, that person's soul goes immediately to be with the Lord Jesus. We know this from other passages in Scripture. For instance, Jesus told the thief on the cross that today, he would be with Jesus in paradise. When Jesus gave the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, these two men went immediately to their eternal destinies. The rich man went to Hell, and Lazarus went to Heaven. 

     Paul talks about what happens to the believer after death in other epistles. In I Corinthians 5:8, Paul tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. In Philippians 1:23, Paul is debating whether he should stay on earth or go to be with the Lord. He desired to go to be with Christ. 

     The Bible is very clear that people's souls do not sleep in the grave until Jesus returns. So, what is Paul saying? When Jesus returns, one of the things that will happen is that all those who have believed in Jesus will receive a glorified body like the glorified body of Jesus. One place in Scripture where this is spoken of is Philippians 3:21. We receive a glorified body at this time, because when Jesus returns to this earth, we will come with Him, and the Bible says that we will rule and reign with Christ on this earth. 

     Some people look at this passage as a text to support the belief in the rapture. I believe that this is talking about the rapture, but not in the way that many popular prophecy teachers teach. I believe that it is clear from the teaching of Jesus Himself, that He will come again. When He returns, He will judge the world at that time and set up His Kingdom that will have no end. 

     At the beginning of the Second Coming of Christ, the trumpet will sound. All of those who have ever believed in Jesus as Lord will be caught up and gathered behind the Lord as He comes back to earth. We will accompany Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That is a great day that I am looking forward to. 

     We will be forever with the Lord. Those have believed in Jesus need not fear death. Wherever Jesus is, that is where we will be too. We can encourage one another in these dark days with the knowledge that Jesus is coming, and He will make all things new. 

     The world is getting worse and worse. That is what the Bible said would happen. Often, things look bleak. However, Jesus Christ has overcome the world. He is coming. Place your trust in Him. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray that I will get to feeling better. I still have a ways to go before I am back to normal. Thank you. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the world. Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Ethiopia all need our prayers. Wherever you know there is war, pray for peace. 

     Please pray for those in Puerto Rico who experienced another hurricane. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need.  Also, pray for others in the path of this same storm system. 

     I know that Japan was hit by a bad storm. Pray for the people in Japan. 

     Continue to pray that the needs of the people of Pakistan will be met. I can't believe how terrible the floods where there. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our current sermon series. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to have a midweek post. May God bless you all. 

Book Review -- Lucky Boy

       The book I am reviewing today is entitled "LuckyBoy". It is written and illustrated by Susan Boase. This is a children's book that tells the story of dog who starts out being stuck in the backyard and being paid little attention by his owners. 

       As the story progresses, the dog decides to do a little backyard exploring. He finds a small hole under the fence and digs until he is able to make it to the other side. On the other side of the fence was a lonely man who had recently lost his wife. He was thrilled to find the little dog in his yard. 

      I won't give away any more of the story. I will say this is a great story on a couple of different levels. It points out that a dog shouldn't just be placed in the backyard and forgotten about. A dog should be part of the family. When the right dog and the right person do find each other, true magic happens. 

      I highly recommend this book. It was fun to read, and the illustrations are all very well done. 

Verses For The Week

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

Romans 8:11 -- "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 4:9-12

      I am glad to be able to post the sermon this week. I've not had a very good week. As I told you previously, I have been sick. I actually had Covid. I recovered from that, but then I came down with a bad lung infection. I'm on a lot of medicine, but I am doing some better. I want to thank everyone for reading the blog and the sermon this week. 

     In last week's message, we saw that it is the Lord's desire that we be sanctified. That means that we are completely set apart from this world so that we might serve the Lord to the fullest extent possible. We are to work as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to remove the sinful behaviors from our lives. We are to look to Jesus as our guide in all things. We follow Him as Lord, and we do the things that He did and what He commanded us to do. 

     In our sermon today, we see that Paul speaks about the believers in Thessalonica growing in their love for one another. Paul tells them in verse 9 that they have been taught by God to love one another. This is the new commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples. He told them in John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." Jesus taught us to love the Lord with all of our soul, might and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we follow Jesus' commandment's of love, we will not have to worry about doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong. When we love God and love others, we have fulfilled the Law and the prophets according to the Lord Jesus. 

     Paul commended the church in Thessalonica because they did have love for one another as well as all of those who were a part of the family of God. Just as we saw in the previous verses, Paul does not want the people to be content where they are. He urges them to grow in love. They are to love more and more. 

     This is all part of becoming more and more like Jesus as we grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Jesus was the man of love. He loved us and gave Himself for us. When we love others in a sacrificial way as Jesus did, we become more like Him. This allows us to have a greater impact in our ministry for the Lord in this world. 

    I believe that one of the best ways to love others is to remember the words of Jesus. He told us to do unto others as we would have done unto us. If we treat others in this way, we will act out of love and help others. When we seek to serve others instead of ourselves, we are demonstrating the love of Jesus in this world. 

     Now, Paul goes on to tell the people that they are to lead quiet lives, mind their own business and work with their hands. We should all try to live at peace with everyone. We should seek the ways of peace, but we must also as followers of Jesus seek the ways of justice. This sometimes requires us to confront the powers of oppression in a loving and Christ-like manner. 

     We are to mind our own business. This to me means that we are not to be involved in an unwanted way in other people's affairs. If we are asked to help others, then of course we should, but we shouldn't try to run everyone's life for them.

     Work with your own hands I don't believe implies that Christians have to do some sort of manual labor. I believe that this statement is part of Paul's overall directive to avoid unnecessary controversy and to tend to one's own affairs as far as possible. 

     Acting in love for one another and living lives that are pleasing to the Lord are important so that we can be an influence on others. When others see that we are living for Jesus, it will cause them to want to know more about the Lord we serve and worship. Let us all strive to love one another and live for Jesus in this world. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that my health will improve. Thank you. 

     As I am sure you are aware, Queen Elizabeth II died this week. Pray for the people of the UK and for her family at this time. 

     Pray for an end to coronavirus and other terrible diseases and sicknesses around the world. 

     Please continue to pray for peace in troubled areas of the world. Pray for Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia and Congo. Pray for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those living in the nations of Burkina Faso and Turkey. Pray that many will come to know of the love of the Lord Jesus.  

     Next week, we will continue in our current study. I will post the verses on Monday. If I feel up to it, I will post something midweek. May God bless you all. 

     

Verses For The Week

 I'm sorry to be posting the verses late. I've been dealing with health issues again.

James 1:5 -- "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Matthew 7:24 -- "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 4:1-8

      I want to thank the Lord for another opportunity to post the sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the message. I hope that all of you are doing very well. 

     Last week, we finished up with chapter three in our study of I Thessalonians. In today's message, we will begin studying what the Lord has to teach us in the first section of chapter four of I Thessalonians. 

     In the first verse of chapter four, the Apostle Paul reminds that people that when he was with them, he instructed them in the way that they should live in order that they might have lives that were pleasing to the Lord. Paul was encouraged by the fact that the members of the church in Thessalonica were following his teachings and they were living for the Lord Jesus. However, Paul wanted them to take the next step so to speak. He wanted them to keep progressing in their walk with the Lord. He wanted them to do more and more for the Lord. 

     Verse three is an important verse. It states, "It is God's will that you should be sanctified," What does all this mean?

     The Christian life is a process. When a person comes to trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, that person is starting a journey. We aren't all that we should be the moment that we accept the Lord. We begin a process of growth. We begin to become more and more like Jesus each and every day. 

     As we progress in the Christian life, the ultimate goal is to live a life of holiness that is pleasing to God and to become more and more like Jesus. This involves removing from our lives those behaviors and attitudes that are displeasing to God. We lay aside our sin. On the other hand, becoming more like Jesus doesn't just mean not doing certain things, it means doing the things that Jesus did while He was here on this earth. 

     In our passage today, Paul focuses on sexual ethics. There is a certain pattern of behavior that is expected in this regard according to the Scripture. The Bible is quite clear that believers are not to engage in sexual activity outside of the bonds of marriage. However, there is much more to living one's life for Jesus than this one area of moral behavior. 

     We are to be sanctified. That means that we are to be set apart to the Lord. We are to live for Him, and He is to live His life in and through us. Day by day, we grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. 

     It should be our goal that the longer we are followers of Jesus, the less our lives are beset by sin. In the church that I was raised in, there was a belief that one sinned every day, and we had God's grace that forgave us. I don't think that this is the right teaching according to the Bible. If we do sin, the Lord does forgive us. However, our attitude should be not to be sinning all the time. I believe, and I believe that this is the teaching of Scripture, that as we grow in the Lord, we sin less and less. We won't ever be perfect this side of Heaven. But it should be our goal as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives free from sin. 

     The best way that I know to live a life that is free from sin is to first of all immerse yourself in the Word of God. Read and study the Bible thoroughly especially the four Gospels. Also, be in prayer every day. Spend time with the Lord Jesus. It is also vitally important to go about one's life doing good. If we spend our time doing the right things that please the Lord and make this world a better place, we won't have time to succumb to the sin that can so easily beset us. 

     The Christian life is a journey. It is a journey of growth in the Lord. As we are on this journey, we must keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus. If we follow His example, we will not go wrong. Amen

Prayer Request

     I am having a lot of trouble with my back and hip joints. Please pray that I will get to feeling better. Please pray for my uncle who is dealing with cancer and another family member who is having trouble with her legs. Thank you.

     Please pray for the royal family and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth as they are grieving the loss of Queen Elizabeth II. She did a great job as a leader, and she will be greatly missed. Pray for King Charles III during this time. 

     Pray for those in Pakistan dealing with the terrible flooding. Pray that the people will get the aid that they need. 

     Continue to pray for peace in this world. Remember to pray for Ukraine, Syria, Libya and Yemen. 

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

     Next week, we will continue our study in I Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review midweek. This week, I wasn't feeling up to it. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Colossians 3:23 -- "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men."

Matthew 11:28 -- "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

John 6:27 -- "Do not labor for the food that perishes. but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal."

Weekend Sermon -- I Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13

      Thank you for taking time to read this week's sermon. I hope that you are all doing well and are in good health. I am feeling a little bit better each day, and I thank the Lord for that. 

     Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been studying what the Lord has to teach us from Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians. Last week, we looked at most of chapter 2. Today, we will finish chapter 2 and all of chapter 3.

     As we saw, Paul left Thessalonica and carried on with his missionary journeys. However, he never forgot those in the churches that he founded. He was always concerned with the fact that they remain strong in the faith and progressing in their relationship with the Lord. 

    Paul had the desire to go and visit the church in Thessalonica again, but he was not able to make the return journey himself. He wanted to make sure that the people were doing well, so he finally decided to send Timothy, his associate, to the church in order to find out how the people were doing and to send word back to him. 

    Paul was encouraged to hear back from Timothy that the people were doing well. They were following the way of Jesus even in the midst of persecution. They had not fallen into false doctrine, and the church was strong. 

     I would like to focus on a couple of statements that Paul makes toward the end of chapter 3. In verse 11 he states, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you."

     Love is what the Christian faith is all about. As Paul says in I Corinthians 13, without love, we have nothing. Paul wanted their love for the Lord to increase day by day. We grow in our love for the Lord when we spend time with the Lord in prayer. We grow in our love for the Lord when we see His power working in us and through us. 

     Paul wanted the people's love to increase for each other. One of the way's that the Bible says that others will know that our faith is true is that they will see that we have great love for one another. When those in the body of Christ love one another and help one another, people are attracted to that kind of faith. On the other hand, when they see people in the church bickering, dividing and acting hateful towards one another, it turns people away from wanting to follow the Lord Jesus. 

     We are also to love those who are in this world. We show our love in two ways. First of all, we show our love for the world by going into all the world and preaching the Gospel to every creature as we have been commanded by the Lord, We also show our love by helping people and trying to help to make this world a better place. There are a lot of people in this world who need our help. Let us find a way to act in love to those who are hurting. 

     At the end of the chapter, Paul urges the believers to live holy and blameless lives right up to when the Lord Jesus returns to this earth. That is just what Jesus has told us to do. We do not want to be living in such a way that we would be ashamed when the Lord returns. We don't want to have shame when the Lord comes, we want to rejoice because the King has returned in power and great glory. 

     Let us love the Lord, one another and those in this world that God has made. Let us live in such a way that the Lord will be please with what we have done when we stand in His presence one day. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray that I will keep feeling better. Thank you. 

     Pray for the people of Pakistan experiencing flooding, and pray for those having problems because of flooding in Mississippi. 

     Continue to pray for peace in the troubles areas of this world. Pray for peace in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Libya and Ethiopia. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our current study. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to have a midweek posting. May God bless you all. 

Excerpt From My Book About Toby

      I wrote a book about my friend Toby several years ago. I posted it here chapter by chapter a few years back. Here is an excerpt from the book. 

Chapter 3

     Toby always was a really playful dog.  He was always looking for and ready to have a good time.  That quality made us quite compatible.
     As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I first bonded with Toby through a game of fetch with some old kite string.  Fetch became an important part of our play time, but we did graduate to better items than kite string.
     The first toy I bought Toby was a small, green alligator.  When I unwrapped the package and gave the gator a sharp squeak, I captured Toby's undivided attention.  His ears stood up more than usual, and he starred intently at this small noisemaker.
     I took the gator and flung it as far as possible across the living room.  Toby dashed after it, pounced on it, and set down to have a good long chew.  He never would return a thrown object back to me.  I would come over to get the gator, and a tug of war ensued.  As always, Toby acquiesced.  With that, our modified game of fetch resumed.  We could play like this for hours.  Finally, both of us would end up breathless from to much gator chasing.
     Toby liked to play with his gator at all times.  He'd squeak it, chew it and fetch it.  Whenever I said, "It's gator time" he knew instantly what that meant.
    I bought Toby several other chew toys over the years.  He had a rubber tennis shoe, a squeaky carrot and some other toys.  Toby never liked these toys as much as his well worn gator.  We played with that old swamp dweller until it finally fell apart.  Sadly, I could never find another gator exactly like it again.
     After gator died, Toby got into the habit of tearing his toys apart, so I didn't leave them out for him all of the time.   One time, I bought him a little rubber beef steak to play with.  The minute I gave it to him he ripped it apart and tried to eat it.  I guess he thought that it was the real thing.
     Besides playing gator, Toby and I engaged in other fun activities like racing.  It was one of our favorite things to do in Toby's younger days.  Out in the backyard, my uncle had an old bathtub that we used as the starting point of our races.  My Mom acted as the referee and official race starter.  Toby and I would stand in anticipation waiting for the signal to cruise to the finish line marked by the rose trellises at the end of the yard.  I always had to hold Toby back as he always tried to gain the advantage.
     When Mom said, "go", we were off and running as fast as possible.  Neither of us wanted to let the other win.  Unfortunately for me, Toby won the majority of these races.  For a little dog, he was lightning fast.  I never would have thought such stubby legs could move so fast.
     Toby had a unique running style.  He didn't move his front and back legs in synchrony as most dogs.  Instead, Toby threw both of this front legs out, and then pushed himself along with both back legs.    It was sort of a bouncing and pouncing motion that looked awkward, but it produced a great deal of speed.
     Toby didn't just race me though.  He liked to race through the house as motorcycles sped down the street in front of the house.
    At one time, before they were outlawed, three-wheeled motorcycles were  popular where I live.  The kids would ride fast and loud down the streets and alleys of my community.  These motorcycles drove Toby crazy.  He tried to chase these roaring vehicles down even though he was safe inside the house.
     My house was a long, ranch house that allowed a dog to make a straight shot from end to end without hindrance.  When Toby heard the motorcycles coming, he would start barking, jump to his feet and dash from one end of the house to the other.  In one great leap, he would jump on the chair by the big picture window and bark and growl at this hated nemesis.
     Thankfully, this all ended when the motorcycles were banned.  Toby was relieved that this was all over, and so was I.
     While Toby grew to feeble to play fetch much or race, one game we played right until the end was the most fun of all.  Toby possessed a great sense of smell, and his tracking ability could put a bloodhound to shame.
    The way we tested Toby's tracking was by playing hide and seek indoors and outdoors.  My Mom would distract Toby while I went and hid somewhere.  After I was thoroughly hidden, Mom would say to Toby," Go find Garry", and Toby would be off in search of me.
     Toby always found me.  After a brief glance to see if I was in view, Toby put his nose to the ground and started sniffing out my scent.  From my secure vantage point, I would watch him following my exact track right up to my carefully chosen hiding place.  When he found me, he would jump up and down with excitement.  I really believe that with a little training, Toby could have won some prizes in the AKC tracking competitions.
     Toby loved to play, and I loved to play with him.  We were always trying to think up new ways to have fun.  Toby grew too old to play some of our games, but even when he reached his teens, he was very active and ready to go.
    Don't let anyone tell you that older dogs have no energy or can't learn.  Toby proved that even when they have grown old, dogs still want to play and have a good time.  Give an older dog a chance, and he will become your best friend.