Prayer Request

     There are supposed to be some really bad storms in my area this evening. Please pray that they will not be bad. Also, there is a prediction for flooding rains next week. Please pray. I thank you for your prayers. Let us also keep praying for those affected by the hurricanes. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 32:8 -- "I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go, I will counsel you with My loving eye on you."

John 8:32 -- "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

The Weekend Sermon -- Characteristics of Love -- Part 9

      It's time again for the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read this week's message. I hope and pray that you are all well. 

     Today, we are going to continue with our study of some of the characteristics of a life that is filled with and directed by love. If you've been following the series, you know that for the past few weeks we've been examining the great chapter that explains a lot about love I Corinthians 13. 

     In our message this week, we will focus our attention on verse 7. As I was studying for this message, I found several different translations for this verse. I like how the Living Bible paraphrases the verse. We read, "If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him." 

     First of all, love expresses itself in loyalty. This is true in the natural and in the spiritual realm. If you love someone who is related to you, your spouse or a good friend, love expresses itself in loyalty. You stand up for your people when they are going through a hard time or when someone is giving them a hard time. You take their side. You are faithful to them and stick by them through thick and through thin. You aren't a fair-weather friend who runs off when everything is not sunshine and roses. As it says in the marriage vows, it is for better and for worse. 

     Loyalty as an expression of love in the spiritual means that we are 100 percent totally and fully committed to the Lord Jesus. We do what He tells us to do. We follow His teachings and commandments. We don't put anyone nor anything above our relationship with Him. He is number one in our lives. He is Lord of all that we are or ever will be. 

     Love also manifests itself in believing in another person. If you love someone you believe that they will succeed. You encourage the other person and always keep positive thoughts in your mind about the other person. If someone says something negative or bad about someone that you love, if you truly love that person, your first instinct is to not believe the negative thing that you've been told. You believe the best about them, and hold that person in a position of esteem within your heart. You don't let others drag them down in your presence. 

     Love stands its ground in defending another person. I would always stand up for those I loved while they were with me. I loved my parents and my friend Toby so much. If someone said something bad about them, I always stood up for them. 

     In the spiritual, our love for Jesus should cause us to stand up for Him. We should live our lives in such a way that we are not ashamed of the the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If people try to cast doubt on Jesus Christ, we stand for Him and defend the cause of Christ by giving reasoned arguments for who Jesus is and for what He did while He was on this earth. We do it because we love Him, and we don't want others to mock nor ridicule Him. 

     There is another way that this verse is often translated. The NKJV says, that love, "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." The first part of this is similar to what we've discussed, but I want us to focus a moment on love endures all things. 

     If you are filled with love for another person, you are willing to go through a lot of hard times and hard things for that person. I know people who have had a spouse or partner that they've taken care of for many years at great cost physically and financially. There were a lot of hard times, but they did it because they loved the other. 

     As always, we see that love is about putting aside the self and seeking the best for the other. It is about loving God and our neighbor. It is about putting Jesus first, others second and ourselves last. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I have been feeling a little worse this week than I have been. Please keep praying that I will get back to feeling better. I've been feeling off since I had pneumonia way back in May. 

     Pray for those recovering from the hurricanes here in the US. 

     Keep praying for the end of the m pox and Marburg virus outbreaks. 

     Let us pray for peace in Israel and the surrounding areas. Pray for the release of the hostages. Let us pray that war throughout the region can be avoided. Remember to keep praying for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. 

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

     Next week, we will continue with our series. I have one or two more messages on this series before we move on to something else. On Monday, I will post the verses. May God bless you all. 

What God Expects From Leaders

      As you probably know, I am based in the United States. We are getting ready to vote in a couple of weeks. It seems like this campaign has gone on for an eternity. I like the way they do things in the UK. The election was called, they campaigned for a few weeks, they voted. The election was decided the same night, and the next day there was a new prime minister. 

     I am posting today, with a mainly US audience in mind. However, what I am going to write has to do with leaders of nations everywhere. I want to discuss what the Bible says that God expects out of those who would be leaders of nations. I hope that people will keep this in mind as they go to the polls. I am not going to say anything about any of the candidates. I just want to relate what God's Word says. 

     One of the best passages that we can read about what God expects out of a leader in found in Jeremiah 22. In this chapter, God relates what He expected out of those who would sit on the throne of David. In verse 3, God says that the ruler must be one who does what is just and right. They must be a leader who follows the Law. 

     The leader is to rescue those who have been robbed from the hand of oppressor. The leader is expected to make sure that people are not cheated nor ripped off by those who would try to take advantage of them. Also in verse 3, God says the leader is to, "do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. These were groups that were often oppressed in Jeremiah's day. God expects the ruler to help those who are the most vulnerable members of society. Finally in verse 3, God says that the ruler should not shed innocent blood. 

     In verse 16 of this same chapter, the Lord says that a former king did what was right. He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and all went well for him. God cares about the poor. He expects the leader of the nation to take care of the poor and those who are in need and hurting. 

     Another interesting passage for us to look at is Psalm 72. This is a Psalm written by Solomon. In this Psalm, he mentions the things that a good leader should do. In verse 2, we read that the leader should judge in the right way. The leader should be just. In verse 4 we read that the leader should defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy. Furthermore, the good leader is to crush the oppressors of the poor and needy. In verse 12, Solomon tells us that the king will rescue the poor and needy and defend them from oppression. 

     God expects all rulers everywhere to do what is good and stand against oppression and do what is just. We see this in Daniel 4:27 where Daniel states, "Therefor your majesty be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be then that your prosperity will continue."

     These are just a handful of verses about what the Bible has to say about good leaders. However, I believe that you will see the point. 

     When you go to vote in the coming days, keep in mind what God's Word has to say. Pray for the guidance of the Lord in the decisions that you make.

Verses For The Week

 Matthew 28:20 -- "And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

II Peter 3:13 -- "But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells."

Weekend Sermon -- Characteristics of Love -- Part 8

      Thanks for once again taking the time to read the sermon. I hope that everyone is doing well. If you have been affected by the storms, I hope that you are getting the help that you need. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to post the message this week. 

     Today, we will be looking at some more of what the Bible has to say about the characteristics of life that is lived with love at the center. We've been focusing our attention on the characteristics of love as found in I Corinthians chapter 13. In today's message I want us to look at 13:6. I like how the New Living Translation puts it, "It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out."

     A person who is filled with the love of Jesus and is letting love lead the way in life is going to be a person who is opposed to the injustice that is in the world. This is due to the fact that a loving person cares about what is happening to other people, and he or she does not want to see others come to harm. A loving and caring person wants justice because that is what Jesus wants for others in this world. 

     There is a great deal of injustice in this world. It can't be right that a few people have a great deal of wealth while many people in this world live in abject poverty. It can't be just for the rich to oppress the poor and deny them a fair a living wage. It isn't just and right that people die from treatable diseases because companies that have life-saving drugs available demand payments for the treatments that many people and nations cannot afford. We as followers of Jesus know that it is unjust for there to be people going without food and in many cases starving to death when we live in a world of plenty. 

     The person who is filled with the love of Jesus is a person who does not approve of injustice, and that person also seeks to bring about what is just and right. If we are to be filled with love we have to advocate for justice and speak up and speak out for those who need help. We also need to help others as we are able. We need to give and lift up those who are downtrodden. 

     There are many types of injustices in the world besides the few that I have mentioned. The Christian who is imitating the loving life of Christ will see injustice and work to end it as enabled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. 

     Now, let's look at the second part of the verse. Love rejoices when the truth wins out. To me, this means that a person who is filled with love will be the kind of person who wants good to prevail. They work for good in every way in which they are able, and then when a victory is obtained, they give thanks to God for allowing good to triumph over evil. 

    I also think that what this passage is telling us is that one of the characteristics of love is truthfulness over falsehood. Love tells the truth and want the truth to be manifest. It does not want lies and alternate facts and other types of deceptions to rule the day. The reason for this is that deception always harms people. True love seeks what is best for the other. 

     In His life and ministry, Jesus worked to help overcome injustice. He feed the poor and healed those who were afflicted. He spoke out against hypocrisy and the oppression of others by the religious authorities of the day. He treated women as equals and said suffer the little children to come to me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus welcomed people in love even those who society despised. He calls us to do good to the least among us. He calls us to love our neighbor and to do unto others as we would have done to us. 

     I close with these words from Micah 6:8, " Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Amen

Prayer Requests

     I am still not feeling that well. Please keep praying for me. I am some better, so I thank the Lord for that. 

     Keep praying for those affected by the storms here in the US. Some are still without power and clean drinking water. Pray that people will get the help that they need. 

     Pray that the m pox and Marburg virus outbreaks in Africa will end. Pray that vaccines will get to those who need them in a timely manner. 

     Please remember to pray for peace. The Middle East really needs our prayers. Pray that the hostages will be released. Pray for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Singapore and Syria. 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. May God bless you all. Amen. 

Verses For The Week

 II Timothy 2:15 -- "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."

Galatians 6:9 -- "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Weekend Sermon -- Characteristics of Love -- Part 7

      Thank you once again for taking the time to read the message for the week. I am grateful to the Lord for allowing me to have this ministry. 

     We are in the midst of a series of messages where we are examining what a life lived in love looks like. We are asking the question, how does a person filled with God's love act out in the world?

     Over the course of the last couple of weeks, we've looked at the great chapter on love I Corinthians 13. Today, I want us to focus in on another two characteristics that will be reflected in the life of a person who is living a life of love.  In I Corinthians 13:5 Paul states that love is not easily angered and it does not keep a record of wrongs. 

     Jesus had something to teach us about anger in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said that if someone was angry with their brother, they were in danger of judgment. In another place in the Bible we are told not to let the Sun go down on our wrath/anger.

     A person who is filled with love for others will live in such a way that he or she is not easily offended or worked up so to speak. I have to admit that this isn't always an easy thing for me. Especially when I was younger, I had sort of a bad temper. If you made me mad, you would definitely know about it. Thankfully, over the years, I've done better in this regard. 

     I believe that if we love others we will not want our own way all the time. We will be less selfish. When we are not acting in a selfish way, it is much easier to not get angry with others. At least I've found this to be true in my own life. 

     Anger is something that everyone needs to get control of. It leads us to other sins. I know that when I let anger get the best of me, it leads me to say nasty things that hurt other people's feelings. This is definitely not acting a Christ-like manner. 

     As I grow closer to the Lord each day, I am becoming less easily upset. I am trying to do better with this everyday. 

    Now, what does it mean that love does not keep a record of wrongs done? This means that we forgive and forget. We don't hold things against someone for years and years. True love forgives and tries to put things in the past. When we aren't living in a loving way, we remember the bad things people did to us, and then we bring them up at certain times to either hurt someone or make them feel bad. 

     The greatest example of love not keeping a record of wrongs that I had in my life was from my friend Toby. I remember that one time I got really upset with him for something that I later found out he didn't have any control of. I told him I was very sorry and that I would never get mad at him again for any reason. Almost immediately, he forgot all about, and we went back to being the best of friends as always. 

     When we are living in the love of Jesus, we forgive the wrongs done, and then we put them in the past. That is the way that the Lord treats us. He removes our sins from us as far as the east is from the west, and He remembers them against us no more. 

     Living a life of love is not easy. We have to work each day as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to become more and more like Jesus. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please remember in prayer those affected by the hurricanes here in the US. Pray that people will get the assistance and help that they need. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace. Ukraine, Israel, the Middle East and Sudan all need our prayers right now. 

     Pray for an end to the disease outbreaks. M pox is still going, and I heard a report that Marburg virus is ongoing in parts of Africa. 

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

     Please pray for me. I am feeling some better, but I am still not that well. Thank you. 

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

Verses For The Week

      Before I post the verses, I would like us all to pray for those who are still being held hostage in Gaza. It was one year ago when all of this started. Please pray that the hostages will be released. Pray that peace can come to Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and the Middle East.

Psalm 119:76 -- "Let Your steadfast love comfort me according to Your promise to Your servant."

Psalm 121:1-2 -- "I lift up my eyes to the hills, From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth."

Weekend Sermon -- Characteristics of Love -- Part 6

      I thank the Lord for another opportunity to post the message, and I thank you for taking the time to read the message this week. I hope you are all having a good week. 

     Once again, we are studying the characteristics of a life that is filled with love for the Lord and others. We are examining what a life lived out looks like when it is lived in love. 

     For today's message, I want to us to continue to look at some of the characteristics of love as related to us by the Apostle Paul in his great chapter on love I Corinthians 13. In verse 5, it states in the NIV version that, "it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking." Some other versions translate this part a little bit differently. Many versions state that love is not rude. Let's look into all three of these. 

     First off, let's take the NIV translation of love does not dishonor others. A person that is living a life of love does not go about seeking to make other people look bad. In fact, I would say that a truly loving person would try to do whatever he or she could do in order to make a person appear in the best light possible. What I mean by this is that we should not in any way go about trying to tear people down. Instead, a loving person should try to build people up. 

     Let me try to give an example of this. When I was young, I went to a school operated by the church my parents attended. The atmosphere was very oppressive. One was always being told how terrible they were. On the other hand, when I went to a religious college a few years later, the opposite attitude was on display. There, the professors were always trying to build you up and make you feel that you could be successful. I think that a person with a loving heart wants to help and encourage people and not try to take away their dignity. 

     I think that love does not dishonor others has another application. Often, when people fall into a particular sin, churches and religious people can often make them feel more terrible about themselves than they already feel. Wouldn't it be better if in love we tried to encourage people to be their best and always remind them that Jesus loves them?

     Now, as I mentioned, some Bible translations translate this a little different. Instead of the NIVs does not dishonor others, they say love is not rude. Being rude in my mind is different than dishonoring someone. So, let us look into this. Being rude means acting with bad manners. A person acting in love would be a person wanting to act in such a way that they were mannerly and pleasant. A loving person is someone that other people want to be around. A rude person doesn't care about anyone else's feelings. That is the opposite of love. Love cares about others and their feelings. 

     Our text for today also tells us that love is not self-seeking. How true this is. Love seeks the best for other people. Love is sacrificial. 

     When I was young, a minister once told me that the best way to live the Christian life is to put Jesus first in all things. Then we are to think of others and helping them with their needs. After this, comes us. A loving person doesn't have to meet their needs at the expense of someone else.

     Just to sum things up. A person acting in love behaves in a way the encourages and helps others. They are not acting in the world just to get what they want when they want it. Living in love manifests itself in encouraging others and reminding them that Jesus cares about them. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am feeling some better. I am still looking for a better job. Please keep me in your prayers. 

     Please pray for those affected by the terrible storms here in the US. Pray that they get the help needed. Also, there was flooding in parts of Mexico. They need our prayers as well. 

     The situation in the Middle East is very tense right now. Pray for peace. Make this a very important part of your prayers this week. Continue to pray for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. 

     Pray for an end to the m pox outbreak. 

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

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