Verses For The Week And An Update

      Just wanted to give an update on some things that are happening. We have had terrible weather in my area as of late. Last week, a tornado came very near my town and caused some damage. I was not badly damaged, and I thank the Lord for that. Some of my neighbors had quite a bit of damage. Please pray for all who have been affected by storms in my area. I hope to get back on track with the blog this week. Please pray that there will be a lull in the stormy weather. 

Verses

Isaiah 40:29 -- "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

Philippians 4:13 -- "I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

Weekend Sermon

  I am not doing well this week. I am facing a very hard time and hope you will pray for me. I am going to repost a past message this week. Thank you. 

Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for reading the sermon this week, and I thank the Lord for this opportunity.

Over the course of the last few messages, we've been examining some of the characteristics that should be part of the growing Christian's life.

Today, we look at good works. Before we get too deep into the message, I want to clearly state that no one is offered salvation and forgiveness by the Lord based on the performance of good deeds. Ephesians chapter 2 makes it clear that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. This same chapter also tells us that we are saved unto good works.

James tells us something similar in his epistle. He tells us that, "faith without works is dead." What James is trying to tell us is that a person who has a true possession of faith and not an empty profession of faith will be living a life filled with doing good in the world for the honor and glory of the Lord. 

We always need to look at what Jesus has to say on a subject. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus says, "Let your light shine before men so that they see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven." In other words, Jesus is telling us that when we do good deeds in the world, they help point others toward the God who we worship. 

This is exactly what Jesus did while He was ministering here on Earth. Acts 10:38 tells us that Jesus went around doing good and freeing those who were opressed by the devil. 

So, what kind of good works should we be doing? Jesus tells us this in Matthew 25. He tells us to do good to those who are the least among us. That means feeding the hungry, providing clothing, visiting sick people and those who are in prison. 

There are many ways that we can do good in this world. There are many hurting people who need us to care about them. This planet and its creatures need someone to care and help. The world needs the help of Christians who will seek the path of peace with justice. 

Another way that we can do good in the world is to tell others about the love of Jesus. This will make a radical difference in the lives of those who turn their lives over to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

This week, let each of us find some way to do what is right and good in this world in the name of Jesus and for His glory. Amen

Verses For The Week

 Proverbs 3:27 -- "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act."

Galatians 6:9-10 -- "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially those who belong to the family of believers."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 4:1-20"

     Welcome to this edition of the sermon. These last few days since the last time I posted the sermon have been wild near where I live. A tornado smashed up a little town not far from where I live. A tornado touched down briefly on the road behind the big field in back of my house. Giant hail caused extensive damage to the two biggest cities in my county. There were also numerous tornadoes and storms in other areas not too far away. I thank God that I had no damage. Thank you all for your prayers. I hope that all of you are doing well. 

     This week, we are once again in Mark, and we are starting on chapter four. In our text for the day, Jesus gives us the parable of the Sower and Seeds. 

     Jesus said that a man went out and sowed some seeds in his field. Some of the seed when it fell on the ground was immediately eaten by the birds. Some of the seed started to grow, but it didn't do much. It didn't take root, and the hot weather dried it up fast. There were some other seeds that took root and grew well, but the weeds came up and choked it out so that no crop was produced. Now, there were seeds that sprung up and produced a great crop. 

     The disciples didn't understand the parable, so Jesus explained it to them. Let's look into that. Jesus says first of all that the seed is the word. When the word of the Lord is spoken or given out it is the broadcasting of the message of the Lord to those who would hear. 

     Sometimes, when the word of the Lord and His message of love and forgiveness is preached, people don't want to hear it. They reject the word, or objections are given to make them doubt the word of the Lord. They doubt the love of Jesus, or they deny the truth about who Jesus was and what He did. 

     Then there are those who do receive the message of the Lord Jesus, and they begin to grow. They are like people who start to come to church for awhile, but after a few Sundays, you never see them again. They listened, and they started to understand. However, they were not willing to make a commitment. They wanted to do what they wanted to do. In the end, they rejected the word of the Lord. They decided to not give their heart and soul to the Lord, and they withered away spiritually. 

     The third group spoken of by Jesus in this parable is interesting. They did receive the word. I believe they represent those who do come to know the Lord as Savior. They are growing in the faith and they are making progresses. However, problems start to arise in their lives. They become disillusioned. They backslide and fall into sin. They never produce any fruit. They never accomplish anything for the Lord.  I have seen many people like this who will eventually make the decision not to follow Jesus anymore, and they walk away from the faith. Often this happens when they face a tragic situation in their lives. 

     Thanks be to God, some of the seed produces fruit. There are those who follow the Lord who do great things for the Lord. Their lives produce the fruit of the Spirit. They do unto others as they would have done unto themselves. They love God and their neighbor. They tell others about the life changing power of Jesus Christ. They make a difference for time and for eternity. 

     We want to be two of kinds of people in this parable. We want to be like the one sowing the seed. We need to spread the message of Jesus all over. And we want to be the ones producing fruit. We want to do all that we can to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Prayer Request

     Please pray for all of those in my area who had so much storm damage. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. Also, more storms are forecast this week, so please pray that they will not be bad. 

     Keep praying for peace. As I write this message, things are still unsettled in the Iran situation and in Lebanon and in the Middle East. I am very distressed about the situation in Lebanon. Please continue to pray for peace in Sudan. That situation is really catastrophic. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, pray for those in the nations of Gambia and Turkey. 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

 I John 4:16 -- "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

I Corinthians 16:14 -- "Do everything in love."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 3:22-30"

      Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon for this week. It has been a wild week where I live. A tornado hit the town just south of where I live and did a lot of damage. There was also a tornado just a little to the southwest of where I live. There was no damage in my town. Please pray that those harmed by this storm will be able to get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Last week, we paused our series going through the Gospel of Mark so that we could concentrate on Easter and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Today, we are once again back in Mark. If you remember, I skipped a section and said I would go back to it, and that is what our focus will be on today. 

     Jesus had been healing people and preaching His message of love and forgiveness and the coming of the Kingdom of God. His own family thought something was wrong with Him. The religious authorities did not like Him and wanted to do away with Him. 

     In our text today, the religious authorities go so far as to say that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of the devil. Jesus rebuked them and said to them that a kingdom divided against itself could not stand. He also said that by saying that the devil was at work when it was the power of the Holy Spirit was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and it was the unpardonable sin. 

     For our message today, I want to focus on two things. First, I want to talk about a kingdom divided against itself. In the direct context of our passage, Jesus is speaking about how foolish it would be for the forces of evil to be using Him to defeat them. They would be working at cross purposes. Jesus by defeating the power of evil could not be evil Himself. A power divided against itself will collapse. 

    Now, let us take this and apply it in a different context. Paul in I Corinthians speaks about the church being like one body with many members. Each one has its own role and function in the life of the church. One member cannot go their own way or not function properly otherwise the body will not function properly as a whole. 

    When we are divided and bickering and being hateful to one another in the church, that is not allowing us to get the message of Jesus out into the world. Division causes the message to not reach those who need to be reached and helped. That is why we need to be one in Jesus doing His will and preaching His message. We do this when each of us exercises the gifts of the Spirit given to us by the Lord. 

     Now, let us look into this matter of the unpardonable sin. What is it? I think that from what Jesus said it is claiming that what He was doing in the power of the Spirit was actually a power from the evil one. Why is it unpardonable? If Jesus was not who He said He was, then we have no redemption. There is no pardon for anyone. Plus, to make this claim about the power of the Spirit is to insult the entire Holy Trinity as the Spirit was in the Son and the Spirit came from the Father and the Son. 

     Can a person commit this sin today? I am not sure on this. I think though that Jesus was speaking about this specific occurrence. He was there in the flesh, and yet the religious leaders still accused Him of being in league with the devil. There was really no hope for them. 

     The only way that we can do anything for the Lord is through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Him we live and move, and have our being. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that I will be able to feel better. I am doing some better. 

     Pray for peace. We need peace in this world. We need an end to wars in Lebanon and Iran and throughout the Middle East. We need peace in Sudan and many other places in Africa. Myanmar needs peace and so does Haiti. 

     Pray for those affected by natural disasters 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 Sierra Leone and Singapore. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

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

Verses For The Week and Prayer Request

      First of all, please pray for the folks in the little town south of where I live. They got hit by a tornado last night, and there is quite a bit of damage. Also, storms are forecast for my area all week. Please pray that they will not be that bad. 

Hebrews 10:36 -- "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised."

Proverbs 18:10 -- "The name of the Lord is a fortified tower, the righteous run to it and are safe."