Weekend Sermon -- "A Reflection On Life"

      Thank you for taking the time to read the message this week. I hope that everyone is enjoying the week. I want to once again thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the message. 

     Today, we are going to take a break from the series we are in engaged in the the Gospel of Mark because I want to focus on some of the things that have been going on in my life and how maybe that might be an encouragement to you. 

     If you have read the blog over the course of these last 15 plus years, you know that I have had to overcome a lot of struggles. I have dealt with grief, financial troubles and health issues. Through it all, as I have always told you, Jesus has been with me to help me to make it through both the good times and the bad. I don't know how people make it without Him. 

     At one point in my life, I was down to only eight dollars to my name. I wondered if I was even going to make it. But, the Lord was with me, and I am still here today. 

     Recently, I decided to move on with my life so to speak. I have been living in the house I lived in with my parents over the years. They both passed on to be with the Lord 17 years ago. The old house had begun to be an albatross around my neck filled with black mold and an absolute disaster. I decided to sell it, and move on. Thankfully, the Lord has helped me through this. 

    Over the course of the last few days, I have been thinking about the verse in the book of Joel that tells about God restoring what the locusts have eaten. I feel like that in my life. I was at rock bottom, but I feel more encouraged now. I feel like the Lord is helping me to come back from being so down, and maybe there is a fresh start with better things out there. 

     I said all that to say this. I want you to know that no matter what difficulty you are going through, the Lord Jesus is with you. He will help you to make it through. I don't know that everything you lost at some point in your life will be restored in this life, but I know it will be ultimately. Jesus said that those who follow Him will receive a reward. All will be well for those who are in Christ. 

    Keep trusting in the Lord. We don't always understand why we are going through what we are going through, but the Lord is going before us. He knows the way and the path. Ultimately, that way is to and through Him. Let us all keep pressing on and keep looking to Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that I will get everything done with the move done successfully. I need to get a different car soon, so pray with me about that. 

     Pray for those in Tibet and Nepal who are dealing with the flood. Pray that aid and help will get to those who need it. 

    Let us continue to pray for an end to the Ebola and cyclospora outbreaks. Pray that those who are sick will recover. 

     Continue to pray for peace. Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan all need our prayers. From what I understand, there is still a lot of violence occurring in Haiti. 

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

    Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 19:1 -- "The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands."

I Corinthians 10:31 -- "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 7:24-30"

     Thank you for taking the time to read the message. I hope all of you are doing well. I am not feeling all that well, and I would ask for your prayers. I have sold the house and have an apartment lined up, and I think all the stress of moving is weighing on me. Please pray that everything will keep going the way it needs to go according to the will and purposes of the Lord. 

     As I am sure most of you are aware, we have been going through the Gospel of Mark, and today we are going to look at what can be seen as a troubling or difficult passage. Today we deal with Jesus' encounter with the Syrophoenician woman. 

    In this text, we see that Jesus has gone to the region of Phoenicia. He is trying to get away from things for a little bit, but a woman from that area learns that He is there and comes to Him for healing for her daughter who is possessed by a demon. 

    Remarkably, Jesus tells her that it is not right to give the children's bread to the dogs. She replies that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table. Amazed at the depth of her faith, Jesus heals and delivers the woman's daughter. 

     What are we to make from this troubling passage? Why would Jesus call this woman a dog which was a derisive name for a Gentile? Why is He acting this way? Let me tell you what I think is the best way to look at this passage.

    In order to fully understand this passage, we have to look at the parallel passage found in Matthew 15:21-28. This passage sets things up a little differently. In this passage the woman is continually calling to Jesus, and He is not answering. She keeps it up, and the disciples are tired of it. They ask Jesus to send the woman away. Finally, Jesus stops and says that He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. The woman asks for help and when she responds to Jesus as she does in Mark, Jesus amazed at her faith heals her daughter. 

    In this passage, if we combine the two to make a whole, here is what I believe is happening. Jesus came to save the world. John makes it clear that God loved the whole world that is why He sent His only begotten Son. Many in Jesus' day thought that the message of the Lord was only for one group of people. The disciples were like that, and Jesus was expressing their opinion. He waited to help the woman to see if the disciples would be moved with compassion and ask Him to help her. When they didn't, Jesus jumped in.

    Jesus tested the woman's faith in order to demonstrate to the disciples that people of all types can have faith in Him. The woman demonstrated a strong and powerful faith. 

    What does this have to teach us? First of all, this passage shows that we as the people of God are to reach out with His love to all people. Not just one group of people are to be the recipients of the love and goodness of the Lord. His love is to all people, all groups everyone and everywhere. And, we have the responsibility to share the love of the Lord with all. 

    The other thing that I want to really reiterate from this passage is the great compassion and love of the Lord Jesus. Jesus loves you and He cares about you no matter who you are or where you come from. His love is great and available to all who will come to Him. Whoever comes to Him, He will not cast them out. May His name be praised. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray about my moving and transitioning in housing process. This is harder than I thought. 

     Keep praying for an end to the Ebola a Cyclospora outbreaks. 

    Pray for and end to war in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and around the world. 

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

    Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week and An Update

    First the update. An answer to prayer. I found a new home. Thank you. 

I Peter 5:7 -- Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." 

Matthew 6:11 -- "Give us this day our daily bread."

Update and prayer request

     I am not posting the verses or sermon this week. They will resume in September. I am busy with selling the house and moving.  Please pray I will get the apartment I have applied for. Thank you. 

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 7:1-23"

    Thank you for joining me for the message again this week. It is always a privilege and a pleasure to post these messages. I hope that everyone is doing OK. 

     We finally made it through Mark 6 last week, so that means we start chapter 7 this week. Our passage today is long, but it contains two core messages. 

     The religious leaders of Jesus' day were always trying to trap Him or get Him in trouble so as to discredit Him in the eyes of the people. On this occasion, they observed that Jesus' disciples did not do the ritual hand washing before they ate. They saw this as a grave violation, and they brought it to Jesus' attention. 

     Jesus used their criticism to launch a message about what was really important. He started by telling them about the importance of really following the way of the Lord verses simply following a tradition. Jesus used the example of the religious leaders saying that if something had been pledged to God they couldn't even use it to help their father or mother. Jesus said that this was a clear violation of the commandment to honor father and mother in the Ten Commandments. 

     Jesus made it clear that what goes into a person from the outside is not what spiritually defiles a person. On the contrary, what defiles a person are the actions that are manifested from a spirit that is not aligned with the Spirit of the Lord.  Jesus then finished His discourse by saying what the behaviors were that demonstrated the true defilement that comes from within. These include greed, slander and arrogance. 

     The first thing I want to point out in Jesus teaching is what He said about people following traditions instead of the clear teachings of the word. There is a lot of that that goes on today. People condemn others and make rules and regulations that don't have any basis in the Scriptures. 

     In the churches I grew up in as a boy, the tradition that was taught and enforced is that is was wrong for a man to have longer hair or a beard. There is nothing in the Bible about this. It is man made rules. Also, many churches I knew back then had a rule or tradition that the pastor had to be married. This is actually in contradiction to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. 

     What we need to do in our lives is to concentrate on putting into practice the things actually taught by the Lord. We could all do well to live according to the Golden Rule and the Great Commandment and the second commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself. If we would focus on those, the other things would all fall into place. 

     I also want to point out what Jesus was saying about what defiles a person. There aren't many places in the Gospels where Jesus outlines things that are sinful. This is one passage. Jesus says clearly, that adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly are sins. We would all do well to heed the words of Jesus and make sure that these behaviors are not a part of our lives. When Jesus speaks about things like this, we need to pay very close attention. 

     If we focus on following the exact and clear teachings of the Lord Jesus, we will not go or be led astray. Let us all follow Him and His Way until we see Him face to face. 

Prayer Requests

     I have sold my house, and things are progressing. However, I am having an issue finding a new place to stay. I get the money for the sale on Monday. Then, I am going full bore into finding a place. Please pray I will find one quickly. 

     Keep praying for an end to Ebola and Cyclospora outbreaks. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace. The Middle East and Ukraine and Sudan all need our prayers. 

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

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday, and for the message we will continue in Mark. May God bless you all.  

Verses For The Week

 Ecclesiastes 3:1 --"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven."

Galatians 6:9 -- "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."