Verses For The Week

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

Romans 12:10 -- "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."

Weekend Sermon -- II Thessalonians 3:4-5

      Thank you for taking the time to read the message for this week. I hope you are all doing well. I am doing some better. This week, we will once again be studying what the Lord has to teach us from Paul's second epistle to the Thessalonians. 

     As we begin today, we see that Paul had complete confidence in the believers in Thessalonica that they would continue to do the things that Paul taught them concerning following the commandments of the Lord. Paul did not have confidence because he was something special. He had confidence that the people would continue to follow Christ's teachings because the Lord Himself would be the one who would lead and guide His own people. Paul's confidence in all things was not in people. His confidence was in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

    Just as Paul's confidence in all things was in Jesus, Jesus is the one who we should place our confidence in. This means that in everything we do, we look to Jesus to lead us and guide. We demonstrate initially that our confidence is in Jesus when we trust in Him solely for our salvation and we do not try to depend on our good works and actions to make us right with God.

     We then demonstrate our confidence in the Lord when we do the things that He has directed His followers to do in the Bible. We show that we trust Him when we are willing to acknowledge what He has to say about the way that life should be lived. When we live according to the precepts and principles of Jesus, we show that Jesus is our Lord and that we truly believe that what He has to teach is the right thing.

     We also show our confidence is in Jesus when we follow His will for our lives. When we are willing to set aside our own desires to do the things that the Lord has directed us to do, we are showing that our confidence is in Him to lead us along the path that is right for us and that He knows what is best for us for time and for eternity. 

     In verse five of chapter three, Paul goes on to say that he hoped that God would direct the people's hearts to the love of God and the perseverance of Christ. What Paul is saying is that it is his desire that God would move and work in the people's lives so that they would grow in their love for Him. When God is moving and working in our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit, we become more and more like Jesus. We learn more about Jesus. We learn to do what He did and act the way that He did while He was living here on this earth. 

     The phrase the perseverance of Christ is interesting to me. It tells me two different things. First of all, Jesus is our example. As He persevered and made His way through the world, we can follow His example and make it through this life in the same manner that He did. I also find it interesting because it speaks to me of the suffering of Jesus. The entire time that Jesus was on this earth was a time of suffering for Him. He had humbled Himself, and He took upon Himself the form of a servant. Every day on this earth was a trial for our Lord leading to His sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary. The Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet He did not sin. Through trial and suffering, Jesus accomplished His mission. By following His example, we too can overcome and be and act like Jesus in the midst of the hardships of this world. Amen. 

Prayer Requests 

     Over the course of time, I've written on here about my health difficulties and asked for prayer on my behalf. I want to thank the Lord that my arthritis is doing better, and I've not had much asthma trouble over the summer. I am having a few other issues, and I would like to ask for your continued prayers. Thank you. 

     Please pray for those recovering from hurricane Beryl. Many people are still struggling to put their lives back together. Pray that they will receive the assistance that they need. 

     Keep praying for peace. Pray that the hostages in Gaza will be released and that Israel and Gaza can have peace. Pray for peace in Sudan and Ukraine especially this week as well. 

     Pray that the fires in Canada can be extinguished. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our current study. May God bless you all. 

     

Verses For The Week

 Proverbs 19:17 -- "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done."

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

Weekend Sermon -- II Thessalonians 3:1-3

      Thank you for reading the message this week. I hope that everyone is having a very good week. I am doing some better in regard to my health problems. 

     Over the course of the last few weeks, we have been going in a systematic way through the book of II Thessalonians. In our message last week, we discussed the fact that as believers in Jesus, we need to be living in such a way that we would not be ashamed if the Lord were to come back at this very moment. 

     In our message for today, we are going to see Paul shift gears so to speak. He begins chapter 3 by asking those in the church at Thessalonica to pray for him. He asks for their prayers in two specific ways. he asks that they pray that the message that he is bringing about the Lord will be received and honored, and he asks that they pray that he and his colleagues would be delivered from wicked and evil people who would try to hinder what they were trying to accomplish for the Lord. 

     First of all, Paul wanted the message of the love and grace of Jesus to reach as many people as possible. He was extremely faithful in doing all that he could to obey the Great Commission. Just as Paul needed prayer for the message of the Gospel to reach as many people as possible, we need to pray that the message of the grace of Jesus will reach people. 

     According to data from several sources, about 30 percent of the people in this world claim to be some type of Christian. Probably not all of these are really believers. They may be cultural Christians, etc. However, just taking the 30 percent figure at face value, that means that 70 percent of the people in this world do not claim any affiliation with the Christian faith. Billions and billions of people need to hear the message of the love of Jesus in this world.  At the very least, we need to pray for the advancement of the Gospel around the world. If possible, we need to go into the places in this world where there are few Christians and spread the message of Jesus. We all need to do whatever we can to spread the message of Jesus wherever we find ourselves in this world. 

     One of the things that I do when I pray is to pray for those who are missionaries in the world. We can all pray that they will be able to share the word of the Lord effectively. 

     We all also need to pray for the safety of those who are out trying to be a witness for Jesus. The forces of the enemy are always trying to hinder the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to pray that missionaries and pastors and teachers will not be hindered as they work diligently to tell others about the love of the Lord. 

     In verse three of our text Paul says, "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." I believe what Paul is saying here specifically is that as we go and attempt to tell others about Jesus, the Lord will give us strength. It doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen to someone who is a Christian. When we make the effort to go and share the love of Jesus with the world, the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit will give us courage and that ability to know what to say at the right moment. 

     I do believe that the Lord does protect us. We have ultimate protection. What I mean by this is the evil one can never snatch us out of the hand of the Lord. According to the Scriptures, if we are in Jesus we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is in our heart, and Jesus is in the hand of the Father. There is not way that the evil one can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. Even when we die, the evil one can not harm us because Jesus will take us to be with Him forever. We are secure in the Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that my lungs and my arthritis will improve. I am doing better, but I still have a long way to go. Thank you for your prayers. 

     Please pray in regard to the terrible humanitarian crisis in Sudan. There is a lot of suffering going on there. Pray for an end to the conflict that is bringing so much pain and suffering. Pray that the people will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Keep praying for peace in other parts of the world including Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Yemen and Syria. Pray that a wider war will not develop in the Middle East. 

     Pray for those recovering from natural disasters. There are still people recovering from Hurricane Beryl. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Colossians 3:13 -- "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Acts 10:43 -- "All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."

Weekend Sermon -- II Thessalonians 2:15-17

      Thank you for taking time to view the message this week. I am thankful that the Lord continues to give me the opportunity to post these messages. It is my hope and prayer always that you are all doing well. 

     Today, we are going to continue studying what the Lord has to teach us from the epistle of II Thessalonians. Over the last few messages, we have seen that Paul is telling the people that just before the Lord Jesus comes back to this earth, there will be a time of a great apostasy or falling away from the faith. There will also be the revealing of the one whom Paul refers to as the man of lawlessness who is  called the antichrist in other parts of the Bible. People will believe in the the antichrist because they have chosen to turn against the True and Living God. Therefore, God will send them a strong delusion in order that they will believe the lie and the lies of the antichrist. 

     In our passage today, Paul instructs the believers in the church in Thessalonica about what they are to do in light of the fact that Jesus is coming. First of all, I want to state something. The Bible is clear that no one knows the day nor the hour when Jesus will return. We don't know for certain what all the out workings of  Bible prophecy will be. There are a number of different interpretations about these things by well-meaning people. 

    We do know this. Jesus said that He would come again, and He wants to find us in readiness when the time comes for His return. We know that Jesus will come literally and not figuratively. He will rule and reign on this earth. All Christians who believe in conservative theology agree on this. 

     All of the events that Paul is speaking about could occur swiftly. On the other hand, Jesus may not return for a long time. So, with that in mind, what should our attitude be? What should we do?  

     Paul tells us. He states in verse 15 of our passage, "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." In other words, Paul was telling the people that they need to keep on following the teachings and commandments of Jesus that Paul has related to them in his letters and through the time that he was teaching them in person. They are to follow Jesus in all things and not look to the left nor to the right. They are to keep on the narrow path that leads to life. 

     In verse 17, Paul says that we are to do good in word and deed as we are strengthened by the Lord. This means that we are to be speaking words that heal, help and encourage and not words that tear people down and injury them. We are to help others and do as much as we can to help others make it through this world that is having more and more problems each and every day. 

     While we wait for the coming of the Lord, I believe that we need to be doing three categories of things. First, we need to obey the Great Commission. We need to be telling as many people as we can about the love, mercy and grace of Jesus. Second, we are to be living lives of holiness and avoiding sin.  One of the chief ways that we do this is by following the words of Jesus given to us. He told us to do unto others as we would have done to us. Jesus gave us a new commandment to love one another even as He has loved us. Love fulfills the law. Third, we need to be ministering to the needs of a hurting world. We do these by following the words of Jesus to do unto the least of those among us as if we are ministering unto Him. 

    Let each of us live our lives in such a way that we will be ready and not ashamed if Jesus should return immediately. If you don't know Jesus as Savior and Lord, I pray that you will turn your life over to Him now. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I have been having lung and breathing troubles again. Please keep praying for me. I really appreciate it. 

     We all need to pray diligently for an end to the wars and conflicts going on around the world. Pray for peace in Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan this week. 

     Please pray for all of those suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need. Pray that those in Texas will get their electricity back on. 

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

     Next week, we will begin chapter three of II Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. 

Prayer Request and Update

      Please pray that the storms they are predicting for my area will not be bad. We had some very minor wind damage from the storm last night. Also, I want to let you know that the sermon will be posted on Saturday this week. Thank you. May God bless you. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 16:11 -- "You will teach me how to live a holy life. Being with you will fill me with joy; at your right hand I will find pleasure forever."

Nehemiah 8:10 -- "For the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Weekend Sermon -- II Thessalonians 2:11-14

      Thank you once again for taking the time to read the sermon this week. This has been a rough week in my part of the world. Just north of where I live there has been a lot of flooding. Thank God, the weather is supposed to be nice for the next couple of days at least. I hope that all of you are doing well. 

     This week, we are again looking into what the Lord has to teach us from the second epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. Last week, we saw that just before Jesus returns to this earth, the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Paul was making sure that the people understood that the Second Coming has not already taken place. The antichrist would come on the scene before Jesus would come back. 

     Those who have not followed the Lord Jesus in this life will be the ones who are deceived by the antichrist. He will perform signs to lead people into believing that he is really God. However, the antichrist will be overcome when Jesus returns. 

     When Jesus returns, there will be a judgment. Those who have chosen of their own free will to reject Jesus will be forever separated from Him. They will have no part in the New Heaven and the New Earth that the Lord Jesus will bring about. 

     On the other hand, Paul makes it clear in our passage today that those who have believed in the Lord and have been set apart by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit will enter into the joy of the Lord and will part of the Lord's eternal kingdom. Paul says that those who have believed in Jesus will share in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that we will be with Jesus forever. Those who believe will see the restoration of all things. They will see the New Jerusalem, and they will be able to go in and out of the gates of that great city. Those who believe will see Jesus high and lifted up in all of His glory. And those who are in Christ shall ever praise and glorify the Lamb with all the saints. 

     I want to backtrack a little and speak about Paul's mention in this chapter of people believing the lie. The lie that Paul is speaking about is twofold. First of all, many who are alive when the man of lawlessness is revealed will believe the lie that he tells that he is God. They will fall for his lying signs and wonders and worship him. However, I think that there is another component to this. 

     Humanity is in a great rebellion against God and the things of God. This world and this world system is already trapped in believing the lie, the great lie, that man does not need God. The vast majority of people want to do what they want to do when they want to do it regardless of what God has revealed to be His will. People do evil things and are continually going against the moral and ethical standards of the Lord. 

     In order to make themselves appear to be righteous, people create their own false belief systems in order to justify themselves and their actions. This is all a lie, because it denies the True and Living God. The Bible says that their is a way that seems right to men, but the end is the way of death. 

     People want to believe the lie that there are many ways to God, or they believe that they can justify themselves. Many nowadays reject the idea of God altogether. However, the Word of the Lord is very clear. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Jesus. We can only be right with God and end our rebellion against Him by coming to faith in Jesus. We have to turn from our sin and turn to the Savior. We must acknowledge Jesus as Lord. 

     I hope that you have asked Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. He invites everyone to come to Him. Those who come to Him will be part of His great kingdom that is to come. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

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

     Pray for those who were impacted by hurricane Beryl. Pray that they will get the aid that they need to recover. Also, pray that this storm will weaken and stop hurting people. 

     Let us keep praying for peace. Remember to pray for peace in Sudan, Israel, Gaza and Ukraine this week. 

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

     Next week, we will continue in II Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Matthew 25:35-36-- "For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I needed clothes, and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.

Matthew 25:40 -- "Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."