Galatians 6:2 -- "Carry each other's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ."
Matthew 5:42 -- "Give to those who ask, and don't refuse those who wish to borrow from you."
Philippians 2:4 -- "Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others."
Proverbs 22:9 -- "Happy are generous people, because they give some of their food to the poor."
The big news in the United States this week is that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. For those who may not know, that is the ruling in the United States back in 1973 that made abortion legal in all 50 states. Before that ruling, each state was allowed to make its own policy on the issue.
I have been involved in pro-life causes for many years. I am definitely in agreement with the court's decision on this case. There is more that we need to do. We have to not just make rulings. There has to be a change in the hearts of those who would consider having an abortion. We must also have what I like to call a consistent pro-life ethic. We must support those policies that help women support their children. We need child-care, medical care and other benefits to be available. We can't just be pro-life until birth. We have to keep supporting what is necessary for everyone to have a good life.
The other news of the week was that the Congress was preparing to pass some modest gun control legislation. I think that that is a good thing. It will help some, but it certainly isn't a solution to the problem. I believe that the support for more mental health programs is one of the main benefits from this current legislation. I would still like to see the assault weapons ban reinstituted, and I would like to see some stricter background check requirements. Changing people's hearts to follow the way of Jesus will be key in ending so much that is wrong in this country.
It is once again time for another Weekend Sermon. I thank the Lord for continuing to give me the opportunity to post these messages each week.
For the past several weeks, we have been studying the life of the prophet Elijah. We are seeing what we can learn from what the Bible tells us about this great man.
In last week's message, we saw that after a period of about three years, the Lord was preparing to end the drought that had beset the nation of Israel. The Lord told Elijah to go find King Ahab and tell him the news.
Ahab encountered Elijah, and then Ahab addressed Elijah as the troubler of Israel. Ahab could not see that it was his idolatry that had brought the hard times on his people. He blamed Elijah instead of looking at his own ways and calling on the Lord in repentance.
Elijah proposed a contest of sorts between the priests of Baal and God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Each side was to get an ox. The priests would call upon their god to answer by fire, and Elijah would call on his God to answer by fire. Whichever one answered by fire, would prove to be the true God.
Elijah called upon the people to make a decision. They had to follow one Lord or the other. They could not try to serve both.
Elijah allowed the priests of Baal to go first. They prepared their sacrifice and called out to Baal. They called for hours until noontime. Nothing happened. Elijah taunted the priests telling them to call out louder since Baal might be on a journey or asleep. The priests began to cut themselves and cry out all the more. But there was no response. Finally, Elijah had seen enough.
He prepared his altar with 12 stones in representation of the twelve tribes of Israel. He then asked that water be powered over the sacrifice and the altar three times. Finally, Elijah prayed. He asked the Lord to let the people know that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the True and Living God. God answered immediately with fire from Heaven. The offering was consumed, and all of the water was consumed as well. The Lord demonstrated that He was the True God.
Elijah then went to see if the Lord would send rain. He sent his servant seven times to look for a sign of rain. On the seventh time, the servant saw a small cloud. Elijah knew the rain was coming. He informed Ahab who set out to Jezreel in his chariot. Elijah was filled with the Spirit, and he outran Ahab's chariot back to Jezreel.
This is quite a story. It is one of my favorites in the Old Testament. So, what can we learn from this encounter between Elijah and the priests of the false god?
The first thing I notice is that we must not be like Ahab. We can't blame God for our problems when we are going against the things that we have been taught in the Bible. If we are doing the opposite of what Jesus teaches, we can't blame Him when things don't go right in our lives. If we are doing wrong, we need to repent and turn to the way of the Lord. That is when His blessings will be upon us.
The second thing that I want to point out is that we can't try to serve two masters. Many of the people in Israel were trying to serve Baal and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That wasn't going to work. There is only one God, and He will not share His glory with another. I am also reminded of what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. He said no one can serve two masters. We cannot serve God and money as money is the false god of our world today. We have to make the decision to serve Jesus as Lord and do what He wants us to do and follow in the path where He leads us.
Third, this passage shows the mighty power of God. He didn't have to be begged into answering the prayer of Elijah. The Lord immediately sent fire from Heaven. He is a great and mighty God. He is awesome in power and majesty. May His name be praised.
Finally, I want to point out something important. Elijah told the priests to cry out louder because Baal might be asleep. I tell you this. Our God never slumbers or sleeps. He is always by our side watching over us. He is always ready to listen to us and to come to our aid when we call upon His name. In all things may the name of the Lord be praised. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I would ask that you please continue to pray that I would get to feeling better. Thank you.
Continue to pray that inflation will get under control. Many people are having a hard time making ends meet.
Let us remember to keep praying for peace in Ukraine. Keep praying for peace in Yemen, Congo and Syria.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in Bhutan and Algeria. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to post something midweek. May God bless you all.
I am currently reading a book called "An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us." The author is Ed Yong who is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who works for the Atlantic.
This book tells about how humans can only perceive a small amount of what is around them. The animals that we share this planet with have different ways that they perceive the world providing a different experience of what the world is.
I've only read the first few chapters, but I must say that the book is very well-written and researched with numerous examples from the natural world. This is an awe-inspiring book that I would recommend to you. I hope you get a copy and will be amazed at all that this world contains. I hope it will cause you to realize the importance of the other creatures that share this planet
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."
Matthew 14:14 -- "When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick."
Thank you for reading the sermon today. I hope that you are all doing well and having a good week.
We are making good progress in our study on what we can learn from the life of the prophet Elijah. In today's passage, we meet another man who the Lord had placed in a strategic yet unexpected location in order to accomplish His will.
After a period of years, the Lord decided that it was time for Elijah to meet up with King Ahab. The Lord was going to finally cause it to rain once again in Israel. However, something was going to happen before that event. Elijah set out to find Ahab just as Ahab and his palace administrator named Obadiah were setting out on a mission. They were searching the land for some green grass in order to feed the horses so that they would not die. After three years of drought, there wouldn't have been much vegetation or drinking water. Ahab went to search one way, and he sent Obadiah in the opposite direction.
We learn something interesting about this man Obadiah. He was a servant of the Lord. He had not fallen into idolatry and worshipped the false gods of Ahab and Jezebel. In fact, Obadiah took action to help those who followed the Lord. When Jezebel tried to kill those who were faithful to the True and Living God, Obadiah hid one hundred prophets in two caves. He made sure they had the food and water that they needed to survive.
As Obadiah was searching the land, he encountered the prophet Elijah. Elijah told Obadiah to get Ahab because it was time for their meeting appointed by the Lord. There was a problem. Obadiah was afraid to go and tell Ahab where Elijah was. He feared that Elijah might leave, and then Ahab would be furious with Obadiah. Obadiah told Elijah that Ahab wanted to kill Elijah in the worst way. He was even talking to dignitaries in the surrounding nations trying to find where Elijah was.
Elijah assured Obadiah that he would remain right where he was. Obadiah went and brought Ahab back to Elijah. Ahab saw Elijah, and he called him the troubler of Israel. Ahab could not see that it was his sin and idolatry that was the true cause of the problems that Israel was facing.
So, what can we learn from our passage today. There are two things that I would like us to focus on. First of all, this passage reminds me that God has everything worked out. He had Obadiah placed in a position where he could do a lot of good. Ahab and Jezebel were trying to eliminate the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from the scene. However, Obadiah a believer in God was right there. Right under their very noses, he was assisting those who remained faithful to the Lord even in the most difficult of circumstances. There are many people even today who are living in conditions where they are persecuted for their faith. The Lord is watching over those who are faithful to Him. It may even be that right in the midst of the persecutors, the Lord has someone in place that will do His will and accomplish His greater purposes.
The second thing that I want us to focus on is the fact that even though we live and work around those who don't honor God, we can still have a major impact for the good. It is my belief that especially Western culture is moving farther and farther away from the things of God. Fewer and fewer people want to follow the teaching so the Lord. It can be hard to follow the Lord in the midst of a culture that is going in the opposite direction. However, we can do a lot of good right where the Lord has placed us. We can be a light in a dark place. We can tell others about Jesus, and we can demonstrate by our actions how Jesus is living in and through us. We can work as hard as we can to make this world a better place for the honor and glory of the Lord. The Lord might even call us to do something special for Him just as He called Obadiah.
The key is that we must be faithful to the Lord in all circumstances. We must stand with Him, and He will certainly stand with us. We must be willing to do what He asks us to do so that great things can be accomplished for the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Continue to pray that my job situation will work out how it is supposed to. Also, please pray that I can get my financial situation worked out.
Please continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Let us not forget to pray for peace in Syria, Yemen and in the other troubled areas of the world.
Many places in the world right now are experiencing heatwaves. We are where I live. Please pray that things will cool off soon.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those living in the nations of Oman and Tajikistan. Pray that many will come to know Jesus as Lord.
Next week, we will study more about the life of Elijah. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to have a post midweek. May God bless you all. Amen.
I have a couple of DVD reviews to tell you about today. The first one is an historical movie about the first year of the presidency of Lyndon Johnson. The movie is called "All The Way". It focuses upon the efforts of President Johnson and Martin Luther King to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act. I thought this was a terrifically acted film. I do want to provide a caveat. There is a lot of profanity in this movie. This is a reflection of the fact that President Lyndon Johnson was known to use a lot of colorful language.
The second recommendation is a DVD series called "A Touch of Frost.". This is a British detective series that ran for 15 seasons. The episodes are interesting, and the main character is a great detective who doesn't always get along with his superiors. He likes to do things his own way.
Galatians 6:8 -- "Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
Philippians 1:6 -- "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ."
Thank you for stopping by to read the Weekend Sermon this week. I hope that you are all having a very good week.
As you probably know, we are in a series of messages about the life and ministry of the prophet Elijah. In last week's message, we learned that Elijah spent much of the drought period with a widow in the town of Zarepath. She didn't have much food left, but Elijah told her that if she shared what she had with him, she, her son and the prophet would all have enough to make it through the hard time. She gave what she had to the Lord's servant, and it happened just as Elijah said that it would.
Several months passed, and Elijah was staying in the upper room of the widow's home. One day, the widow's son grew ill, and he became progressively worse until he died. Of course, the widow was extremely distraught. She wondered why this had happened since she'd helped the prophet of the Lord.
Elijah took the body of the dead lad up to his upper room. Elijah called on the Lord to restore the young man to life, and the boy came back to life. The widow gave praise to the Lord for the miracle that was done for her and her son.
I understand that the Lord did this mighty miracle because the prophet asked Him to do it. Elijah's ministry was verified at many times by great miracles. We have seen that, and we will see more of that as we continue in this study. There is something else that I want us to focus our attention on today. That is the feeling of the widow as her son grew sick and died. She wondered why God was allowing this to happen after all that she had done to help the prophet of the Lord.
In life, we are going to have a lot of ups and downs. Nobody that I know has a life where only good things happen to them all the time. Those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus, strive to live lives that are pleasing to Him. I believe that it is our natural reaction to believe that if we do what is right and honor God, that He will not allow bad things to happen to us. We feel just like the widow in our lesson today.
Here is what I get out of this story. First of all, just because we are doing good and serving the Lord doesn't make us immune to bad things. We have the wrong motive for following the Lord if we are serving Him to get something from Him. Job had the right attitude about serving the Lord. He had terrible things happen to Him, but He did not turn on the Lord. Job said that "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" Job served God because it was the right thing to do. That is what our attitude should be even though it is hard. That is why there are stories in the Bible about good people going through hard times so that we will know how to live in this world in the way that the Lord desires of us.
The second thing that I get out of this story is that God does care, and He will often do great things for those who call upon His name. Elijah prayed. God listened, and a miracle occurred. We are called in the book of James to be people of fervent prayer just like Elijah. When we call out to the Lord in trust with faith, great and mighty things will happen. However, if they don't, we need to accept God's will and continue to trust that He knows what is best for us.
In all things, we have this promise. Jesus is always with. He will never leave us and He will never forsake us. Even if the worst happens to us in this life, we have the promise of the Lord Jesus that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that we can be with Him forever and forever. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please continue to pray about my job situation and my selling my house. Thank you.
Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic around the world.
Pray for peace in Ukraine. Syria and Yemen still need our prayers. Pray for all of those places that you know are experiencing conflict.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Mauritius and Maldives. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our series about Elijah. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to post something midweek. May God bless you all.
This post is going to be about a couple of different items. First of all, I've been really busy. On top of that, I've not been feeling well. Because of this, I've not had a lot of time to read. That makes me sad, and it doesn't allow me to be able to post the reviews the way I want to. In the near future, I hope to get some more reviews on here.
There is a lot going on at the job. I was supposed to start working a guaranteed number of hours each week, but that isn't going quite the way I was promised. Please pray that things will get straightened out with the job. I am going to start looking for something else in the meantime.
I want to get my house sold. It is getting too hard to take care of all of the property. The heat and humidity are really getting to me this summer already. Please pray that I can get the house sold and find somewhere else to live by the end of July.
I'm really missing my family and my friend Toby the last few days. I miss them all the time, but it's been worse lately. I'm very depressed right now. I need your prayers about this.
Tonight, the forecast is for bad storms. Please pray that they do not materialize.
Finally, I want to share what I am working on and what we are going to be doing on the blog. After I finish the series on Elijah, I hope to go back to the New Testament and do a study of a book. Right now I am leaning towards I Thessalonians. After that, I want to do a study on Nehemiah.
I am currently working on a book about the Minor Prophets. When that is done, I will post it free of charge on the blog for whoever wants to read it.
Thanks for your prayers, and thank you for reading the blog. I hope that everyone has a good week.
Psalm 34:17-18 -- "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them, He delivers them from all their troubles, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Matthew 5:4 -- "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
I Peter 5:7 -- "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
I want to start out by apologizing for not posting anything on the blog this week. On Monday, I got sick at work, and I was sick for three days. I am doing good right now, and I thank the Lord for that. I am glad that I feel well enough to get this message posted and to get back to work.
Before I get into this week's message, there is something that I want to address. There have been people who have read the blog in the past that are upset about the post I made about the problem of guns and gun violence here in the United States. I've lost some readers because of that post. I do not take anything back that I said. It is a problem, and it must be addressed. There are a lot of Christians in my country who need to get over their obsession with guns.
If you've been reading the blog, you know that we've been in a series of messages dealing with the life of the prophet Elijah. He is an important figure in both the Old and New Testaments, and we will see that in this week's message. We've seen that Elijah told Ahab that it would not rain and a drought would be over the land because the people had fallen into a grave state of idolatry. Elijah was a wanted man. He fled from the king's pursuit to a brook where the Lord had the ravens bring him food.
Eventually, the brook where Elijah was staying dried up due to the ongoing drought. The Lord made sure that His prophet was taken care of. He told Elijah to go to a widow's home in the city of Zarepath. Zarepath was outside of Israel located in Phoenicia.
When Elijah arrived at the widow's city, he first asked her to bring him some water to drink. He also asked her to bring him some bread. She told the prophet that she didn't have any bread. She just had a little flour and oil left. She was going to use that to make one last meal for herself and her son, and then they would pass on. The prophet exhorted her to have faith. He told her to make something first for him, and then something for herself and her son. If she did that, she would not run out of flour or oil until the day that the Lord brought the rain back.
The widow of Zarepath had faith in what Elijah said, and she believed in the God of the prophet. She made something for Elijah, and then something for herself and her son. Elijah stayed with this family for many days, and just as was promised, the food never ran out.
Jesus referenced this story when He was preaching in His hometown of Nazareth. In Luke 4 Jesus said that a prophet was without honor in his hometown. He said that there were many widows in the land in Elijah's day, but he was only sent to the widow in Zarepath. Jesus also said that there were many lepers in the land, but only Namaan was healed. The people of Nazareth became very angry with Jesus when they heard these words.
So, what can we learn from this story and from what Jesus had to say about this story? The first thing that strikes me is that God takes care of those who are trying to serve Him. The Lord made sure that provision was made for the prophet. Elijah had a mission to carry out, and the Lord was going to provide for him and keep him safe until that mission was carried out. In our lives, we have to trust that the Lord will take care of us until His plans for us are accomplished. This is often difficult to understand, but we need to have faith in the promises of the Lord.
This story also shows me that the Lord uses all kinds of people to accomplish His purposes. This widow was poor and on the verge of starvation. She wasn't even an Israelite. However, God knew her heart. He knew that He could rely on her to accomplish His purposes in the world. To some, she may have seemed unimportant and insignificant, but there are no unimportant or insignificant people with the Lord. Everyone is important to Him, and the Lord can and will use anyone who is willing to have faith in Him and obey His word.
I also find in this story, that God cares about all types of people. God's love was not centered on one ethnic group or just one nation. He loves everyone all over the world. One of the great scenes in the Bible is found in Revelation where people from every race and ethnic group are worshipping the Lamb.
Now, what message was Jesus giving? He was using two examples of people outside of Israel who demonstrated great faith. They believed, and they received the goodness of the Lord. Jesus knew that He had come unto His own, and His own would not receive Him. However, those who would receive the Lord Jesus would be forgiven and have a relationship with Him. He would give them new life. Jesus said whosoever will may come to Him and enter into His rest. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I want to thank the Lord that I am feeling better, and things are going better with my job. Thank you for your prayers. Also please pray that my area will stop having so much rain. Flooding is becoming a real concern.
Please continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus. Pray that the sick will recover.
Pray for peace in Ukraine. Prayer is also needed for Syria, Yemen, Chad and Sudan. Pray for all nations experiencing conflict.
Continue to pray for those hurting from what happened in Buffalo and in Texas. Pray that leaders will seek solutions to the problem.
Remember to pray that the fires in New Mexico might be extinguished.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Vietnam and Togo. Pray that many will come to know about the love of Jesus.
Next week, we will attempt to get back to normal on the blog. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will try to post something midweek. I will post the sermon on Friday. May God bless you all.
