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.