Toby -- The Story Of My Friend - - Chapter 5

 Chapter 5

     As I mentioned, I was very sick as a child.  I missed a lot of school, and I had difficulty keeping up at times.  If something was going around, I would catch it.  My immune system was very defective.  A stressful environment didn't help much.
     After the church my family attended opened a school, I began attending there.  While there, my illnesses intensified.  Because of insufficient enrollment, the school closed leaving me with no school to attend.  My parents and my doctors felt that going to school at home would allow me to regain my health and complete my high school education.
     Leaving the traditional school room for school at home was quite a transition.  The hardest thing to adjust to was the quiet.
     At this point, you may be asking what all this has to do with the book's main character.  Well, Toby was my classmate, so to speak, during my home school experiences.  He broke the monotony of studying alone.  He was always there ready to provide a grand distraction to tedious algebra and diagramming sentences.
     Every day at lunch time, we would go outside and play with the ball out on the patio.  When Toby was a young dog, he was quite active and full of fire.  We had some great ball games almost every day.
     After lunch, I'd return to my studies and continue until about three in the afternoon.  I kept the same hours as the local high school.  The only difference was that I went to school with a dog.  I also believe that I received a better education.  I really learned to study and think for myself.
     When my daily assignments were completed, Toby and I would usually go out and sit on the patio steps.  The town where I live is on a high plateau.  The view is incredible.  There is a view for miles out back.  We would sit out there and just relax and listen to the birds.  It was great to have a good friend.  We also liked to go out there in the evenings and look at the lights from the closest town about seven miles away.  On clear evenings I'd take out my telescope and look at the night sky.
     I learned a lot by studying at home.  I studied biology, history, economics, algebra, literature and many other subjects.  Every assignment was graded at the center where the curriculum came from.
     After three years of home study, I decided that I really liked this method of study.  I wanted to be a minister, so I enrolled in an external degree program at a Bible college affiliated with the church my family attended. I studied various ministerial and theological topics and earned a degree in theology.
     During these years, my routine with Toby changed little.  I learned much, and the two of us continued to have great times together.  Toby received quite a large dose of religion listening to me give sermons for practice.  He was probably one of the most well-versed dogs when it came to the theological disciplines.
     While I was in Bible college, I began to learn more and felt very uncomfortable in my church.  I just couldn't go along with many of their views.  I planned on becoming  a minister with our church pastor's home mission organization.  However, that all changed abruptly.  I believe that the church has the responsibility to speak up for social justice and for peace.  At this time, the first Gulf War was just under way.  I could not go along with praying for the death of other people.  I had a major falling out with the pastor on this and other issues including legalism and the extent of salvation.  I was no longer welcome in that church or denomination.
    My plans for entering the ministry were on hold.  Also, the Bible colleges in my old church were not accredited.  I decided to get another degree, but I had to start back at square one because none of my courses would transfer.
     I began attending a local community college.  It was difficult at first.  My health did hold up though.
     Sadly, Toby was very depressed when I left for my classes.  My Dad, who was retired at this time, said that Toby would lay by the front door and wouldn't move until he heard my car coming down the road in the afternoon.  When I'd walk in the door, he got so excited that he jumped up and down on all four legs.
     I earned my community college degree and then obtained a bachelor's degree in history at a small college in Kansas City.  After this, I went back to home study for awhile earning a certificate in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin and a graduate diploma from an accredited seminary.
     Toby was so glad that I was back home to study.  It was at this time that I began writing, and my work began to be published.  Toby lay down in my office while I wrote poetry and stories.  I also did a lot of religious writing which became my way of fulfilling God's call on my life.
     I do have one major regret.  I wanted to have a church and live in the parsonage with Toby.  It was one of my dreams.  Sadly, Toby passed away a couple of years after I started writing.  We never got to fulfill that dream together.

Verses For The Week

 Romans 12:17-21-- "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge, I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Weekend Sermon -- Philippians 4:14-18

      I am glad that it is time again to post the message for the week. It is my hope that you have all had a great week. I thank the Lord for continuing to give me the opportunity to post these messages. 

     Today, we are going to finish our series on the book of Philippians. I have really enjoyed having the chance to share these messages with all of you, and I hope that they have been of benefit to you. 

     As we wrap up Philippians, I want to draw your attention to a couple of points in these last few verses. First of all, Paul makes a point of thanking the people in the church at Philippi for being there for him and helping to support him right from the beginning of his ministry. He tells them in verse 17 that he wants them to have the benefits that come from giving. 

     Giving to the work of the Lord and to charitable causes is something that is necessary and truly rewarding. For the believer, those who give to support the spread of the message of Jesus will have an eternal reward in Heaven because they are building up treasure in Heaven where moth and rust does not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

     In order for pastors and missionaries to be able to go and spread the message of Jesus' love, they have to have support. That is where we as believers come into play. I hope that we can all give and support our local churches, and I hope that we can give to support missionaries who take the message of Jesus around the world. It is also important that we give in order to help people have a better life. We must help those who are sick, hungry and in need. When we do good and try to help the least among us, that is what is pleasing to the Lord Jesus. 

     Finally, Paul ends by saying that he wants all those in the church to receive the blessings of God that come from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the source of our blessings. By living as our perfect example, He has shown us how we are to conduct ourselves while living in this world. By dying on the cross, He has taken away our sins. Through His glorious resurrection, He has conquered death, hell and the grave. Through His presence within our hearts, the Lord Jesus provides His peace and His direction that sustains us and guides us until we come to see Him face to face in the place that He has prepared for those who love Him. 

     All that we have comes from God through the Lord Jesus. He has blessed us with innumerable things. We need to give Him all the thanks, glory, honor and praise for who He is and for what He has done. It is my hope that you know Jesus as Savior and Lord. You can know His peace and His forgiveness when you come to Him in repentance and faith and accept Him as the Lord of your life. I hope that you will do that today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am having a renewal of a problem that I had about twenty years ago. I have always had skin problems when going out in the sun. Over the last few years it hasn't been as bad. But lately, I am having a lot of trouble even going out for a little time. Please pray that this will get better. My arthritis flare has completely cleared up, and I am grateful to the Lord for that. I thank you for your prayers on my behalf. 

     Please pray for the people in Taiwan and China who have been affected by the bad storm. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. Also, as I am writing this message, there are some bad storms brewing in the Atlantic. Please pray that these will not bring harm to people. 

     Continue to pray for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan and Haiti all need our prayers. 

     Let us keep praying for an end to the current ebola outbreak in Congo.

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

     Next week, I will post the message on Friday as usual. I will start a new series in a couple of weeks. I will post the verses on Tuesday and the next chapter in the Toby book on Wednesday. May God bless you all. 

Toby -- The Story Of My Friend == Chapter 4

 Chapter 4

     Like me, Toby always had a lot of health problems.  They began a short time after he came to live with me, and they continued throughout his life.  Sickness, and its various cures and palliatives, were a major part of my relationship with my friend.  I'm glad that I was able to take care of him.  Actually, we took care of each other.
     Like I said, Toby's health problems began shortly after his arrival.  One night, I awoke to a horrible sight.  Toby had defecated blood everywhere, and he was extremely weak.  It was a Sunday morning, so I called our veterinarian at home.  He told me to get Toby to his office right away, and I did.  The vet ran several tests on Toby and determined that Toby had ulcerative colitis.  We placed him on a course of medicine and hoped for the best.
     That afternoon, Toby seemed like his normal self as he ran through the house barking at motorcycles.  I thought that he would be fine, and I wasn't worried since he seemed to be making such good progress.
     I was mistaken.  About four days later, Toby had another episode.  Of course, I rushed him to the veterinarian's office, and we began a new course of medication.
     Once again, Toby had a good improvement and returned to his rambunctious and happy self.  But, about four days later, he was ill again and back on his way to the vet's office.  This time, more tests were run.  They confirmed the initial diagnosis.  However, this time, the vet placed Toby on a different type of medication, and he was placed on a different diet.
     I fully expected the symptoms to return,  but this time the treatment worked.  Toby was in good shape.  After a fairly long course of this medication, we decided to gradually reduce the dosage.  When we withdrew too much, Toby got sick again.  We did eventually get Toby down to a lower dosage, but he had to remain on this daily medication for the next 10 years.
     Unfortunately, colitis was just the beginning of Toby's troubles.  When he was a little pup, no one looked after his teeth properly.  He developed a lot of teeth issues because the teeth never had a good foundation for growth.  When I bought Toby, he had so much caked in tartar on his teeth that I had the vet clean them right away.  Even at a young age, some of Toby's teeth were so bad that they had to be removed.
     Sometimes, Toby's roots became inflamed and infected.  He'd develop large swollen places in his jaw.  He eventually lost about half of his teeth.  In order for him to eat properly, I had to soak up his kibble.  In later life, I always bought him canned food.
     One of the worst episodes with Toby's health came about when his kidneys became infected.  He seemed fine one minute, and then the next minute he was violently ill.  I knew that something was drastically wrong.
     I was really worried as we traveled to the vet's office.  The vet gave Toby a penicillin injection and some liquid sulfa medication.  I was told to take Toby home and then bring him back in the afternoon for a re-check.
     I waited anxiously through the day keeping a close eye on my friend.  That afternoon, I took Toby back to the clinic.  He received a second penicillin injection, and our vet also did a complete blood and urine work up.
    The next afternoon, Toby's results showed some kidney damage, but it was not extensive.  We kept Toby on the liquid sulfa, and he improved slowly. It was really hard on both of us, but once again the old boy pulled through.
     Toby had many, many other health problems which I'm not going to go into detail about.  One problem that was so bad and I prayed and prayed about I do want to mention.  Because of the colitis medicine that he took, Toby was susceptible to opportunistic infections because of reduced immunity.  When he was about 7 years old, Toby developed an opportunistic skin problem.  We threw the book at this trying to treat it with little or no success.  All the while I was praying that Toby would be healed of this problem.
     I kept praying and praying for years about this.  Thanks be to God.  Toby was healed of this problem.  He lived the last years of his life totally free from this skin condition.  This incident taught me a lesson in being persistent in prayer just as Jesus taught.
     I didn't mention all of Toby's problems in this chapter to make readers feel depressed.  I included them because Toby's health was an important factor in our relationship.  Caring for Toby and seeing him through these times of trial made us a pair of strong friends.  It was my responsibility to care for Toby, and I made sure I did it to the best of my ability.  He was a joy to take care of never causing any fuss or trouble.  At least not for me.
    One thing I have to mention.  As Toby got to about 3 years of age, he came to the place where he only liked me and didn't really care for anybody else.  He tolerated my parents, but he wouldn't play with them.  He wouldn't let anybody come into my room when I was sleeping.  He was extremely protective.  He also absolutely hated everyone at the vet's office.  If they needed to do a procedure, I had to help.  They were scared to death of him.  However, Toby never so much as showed the slightest flash of anger at me.  I could do anything with him.  To me, he was the best.
     It has always been my belief that God brought the two of us together because we needed each other.  I needed him to be a friend when I was friendless.  Toby needed someone to help him through his many problems.  Our veterinarian said that the majority of his clients wouldn't have gone to the expense and hassle of treating Toby's many problems.  I found it to be a privilege.  I miss him every day.

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 9:9 -- "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."

John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 4:10-13"

      Thank you for reading the blog today. I am happy to be able to post the message. Something strange happened with the blog yesterday. I thought I was going to have to delete it because it was messed up. However, things are corrected now. Thanks be to God. I really enjoy posting on here. I've been doing this for almost 15 years. I hope that you get something out of the messages and the verses as well as the other things that I post. 

     Today, we are once again studying the book of Philippians. We will have a message from Philippians today, and then, Lord willing, I will wrap things up next week. After that, I will probably have a couple of topical messages before we start a new series that I have planned. 

     Last week, we focused on what our thoughts should be on. We should take into our minds and hearts only that which is edifying and uplifting. We should not set our focus on the things of this world, but we should set our hearts, minds and thoughts on the things that are above. 

     In our section for today, Paul draws his readers' attention to something that is important for all of us. In verse 11 he tells us that he has learned to be satisfied with the things that he has. That is something that I am learning and trying to do. Whether rich or poor or whatever state, I need to thank the Lord for the things that He has given to me. 

     Paul faced it all in his life. He started out as a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was a highly respected person, and I am sure that he had plenty of money. However, as he went about preaching the message of the Lord Jesus after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul faced persecution of high magnitude. He knew what deprivation was. But he did it because he loved the Lord. 

     I haven't faced the things that Paul faced. I have had ups and downs though. All of us have. I went through some really hard financial and emotional times after my parents passed on. I pretty much lost all my savings during the Great Recession. Through it all, I had enough to get by. I thank the Lord for that. 

    Paul knew that he could get through anything with the strength given to him by the Lord Jesus. When Jesus is with us, we can make it through. I know this from my own life. When I faced the hard time with my mother in the hospital for over a month, it was the Lord who gave me the ability to help my dad and get my mother back home. When I faced financial struggles and health struggles, the Lord was with me helping me to overcome and to make it through. Knowing His presence gives us strength to meet the challenges of each day. We can rely on Him, and He is our peace. He will never leave us, and He will never forsake us. 

     In order to help us make it through the problems we face, the Lord has given us our fellow believers. We are to encourage one another and help one another in the best way that we are able. Also, the Lord often sends helpers to us at the right time. That is what happened when the Lord sent me my friend Toby. 

     Our duty is to serve the Lord with all that we have within us. He will be with us. When hard times or good times come, we can keep going and serving the Lord because He is the one who is strengthening us and ordering our steps. 

     If you know the Lord Jesus, you understand what I am trying to say. If you have never come to have a relationship with the Lord, I invite you to give your life to Him today. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I will be able to get my house fixed. Also, pray that I can find out what is troubling me with my health. Thank you. 

     Pray for people to get along with one another here in the United States. It is a difficult time.

     Remember to pray for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan and Haiti all need our prayers. Also, remember to pray for refugees around the world. 

     Let us pray for those in Congo dealing with the ebola outbreak. Pray that this will end. 

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

     Next week, we will conclude Philippians. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Toby - The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

     Toby always was a really playful dog.  He was always looking for and ready to have a good time.  That quality made us quite compatible.
     As I mentioned in a previous chapter, I first bonded with Toby through a game of fetch with some old kite string.  Fetch became an important part of our play time, but we did graduate to better items than kite string.
     The first toy I bought Toby was a small, green alligator.  When I unwrapped the package and gave the gator a sharp squeak, I captured Toby's undivided attention.  His ears stood up more than usual, and he starred intently at this small noisemaker.
     I took the gator and flung it as far as possible across the living room.  Toby dashed after it, pounced on it, and set down to have a good long chew.  He never would return a thrown object back to me.  I would come over to get the gator, and a tug of war ensued.  As always, Toby acquiesced.  With that, our modified game of fetch resumed.  We could play like this for hours.  Finally, both of us would end up breathless from too much gator chasing.
     Toby liked to play with his gator at all times.  He'd squeak it, chew it and fetch it.  Whenever I said, "It's gator time" he knew instantly what that meant.
    I bought Toby several other chew toys over the years.  He had a rubber tennis shoe, a squeaky carrot and some other toys.  Toby never liked these toys as much as his well worn gator.  We played with that old swamp dweller until it finally fell apart.  Sadly, I could never find another gator exactly like it again.
     After gator died, Toby got into the habit of tearing his toys apart, so I didn't leave them out for him all of the time.   One time, I bought him a little rubber beef steak to play with.  The minute I gave it to him he ripped it apart and tried to eat it.  I guess he thought that it was the real thing.
     Besides playing gator, Toby and I engaged in other fun activities like racing.  It was one of our favorite things to do in Toby's younger days.  Out in the backyard, my uncle had an old bathtub that we used as the starting point of our races.  My Mom acted as the referee and official race starter.  Toby and I would stand in anticipation waiting for the signal to cruise to the finish line marked by the rose trellises at the end of the yard.  I always had to hold Toby back as he always tried to gain the advantage.
     When Mom said, "go", we were off and running as fast as possible.  Neither of us wanted to let the other win.  Unfortunately for me, Toby won the majority of these races.  For a little dog, he was lightning fast.  I never would have thought such stubby legs could move so fast.
     Toby had a unique running style.  He didn't move his front and back legs in synchrony as most dogs.  Instead, Toby threw both of this front legs out, and then pushed himself along with both back legs.  It was sort of a bouncing and pouncing motion that looked awkward, but it produced a great deal of speed.
     Toby didn't just race me though.  He liked to race through the house as motorcycles sped down the street in front of the house.
    At one time, before they were outlawed, three-wheeled motorcycles were popular where I live.  The kids would ride fast and loud down the streets and alleys of my community.  These motorcycles drove Toby crazy.  He tried to chase these roaring vehicles down even though he was safe inside the house.
     My house was a long, ranch house that allowed a dog to make a straight shot from end to end without hindrance.  When Toby heard the motorcycles coming, he would start barking, jump to his feet and dash from one end of the house to the other.  In one great leap, he would jump on the chair by the big picture window and bark and growl at this hated nemesis.
     Thankfully, this all ended when the motorcycles were banned.  Toby was relieved that this was all over, and so was I.
     While Toby grew to feeble to play fetch much or race, one game we played right until the end was the most fun of all.  Toby possessed a great sense of smell, and his tracking ability could put a bloodhound to shame.
    The way we tested Toby's tracking was by playing hide and seek indoors and outdoors.  My Mom would distract Toby while I went and hid somewhere.  After I was thoroughly hidden, Mom would say to Toby," Go find Garry", and Toby would be off in search of me.
     Toby always found me.  After a brief glance to see if I was in view, Toby put his nose to the ground and started sniffing out my scent.  From my secure vantage point, I would watch him following my exact track right up to my carefully chosen hiding place.  When he found me, he would jump up and down with excitement.  I really believe that with a little training, Toby could have won some prizes in the AKC tracking competitions.
     Toby loved to play, and I loved to play with him.  We were always trying to think up new ways to have fun.  Toby grew too old to play some of our games, but even when he reached his teens, he was very active and ready to go.
    Don't let anyone tell you that older dogs have no energy or can't learn.  Toby proved that even when they have grown old, dogs still want to play and have a good time.  Give an older dog a chance, and he will become your best friend.

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 56:3 -- "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You."

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

Disregard

  If you saw the last post, please disregard. It was posted in error and has been removed. I am not quitting the blog.

The Weekend Sermon -- Philippians 4:8-9

      Thank you for reading the message this week, and thanks be to God for the opportunity to post the message this week. I hope and pray that everyone is having a good week so far. 

     Today, we will continue with our series in Philippians. Last week, we saw that we need to be gentle and kind to one another. We also looked into the fact that we need to give all our anxieties and all of our worries over to the Lord in prayer. When we take things to the Lord, we are entrusting out lives to the one who really has the power and the ability to help us.

     For our message today, I want to focus on two verses that each tell us something important for the living of our lives for the Lord Jesus. First of all, we see in verse 8 that Paul says, "Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise." This is important as we try to keep our minds and hearts focused on the things of God. 

     The things that we allow to come into our minds have an affect on the way the we live. If we put things into our minds that are filled with darkness and negativity, that will cause us to think of things that are sinful and contrary to the will of God. For instance, I know many Christians who watch TV shows and movies that are filled with violence and other things that are contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the Scriptures. They keep putting these things into their minds, and it eventually leads a person away from following the Lord. 

     Instead of letting our minds be filled with sinful and worldly things, we need to fill our minds with what is true and with what is good. We need to pay careful attention to what we let in our minds and hearts. We need to watch programs and movies and read things that are in keeping with the Word of the Lord. We all need to keep our attention on what would bring glory to the Lord. 

     One thing that all of us need to fill our minds with is the Word of God. We all need to be reading the Bible more and more. And not just reading but also studying the Word. We need to let the Word of God get down deep within us so that we are not just hearers of the Word but doers of the Word. When the Word of God is within our minds, we will be focused on the things of God, and that will allow all of us to lead lives that bring glory to God. 

     Now, moving on to our second verse in our passage for the day. In verse nine, Paul tells the Philippians to follow him as an example of how to live for the Lord. In essence what Paul is saying is that they could look to him as he follows Christ. Paul is not saying to look at him and not at Jesus. 

     Jesus is our ultimate example of how to live and behave in the world. We read about how He acted in certain situations, and we do likewise. We read and comprehend His teachings and commandments, and then we put them into practice in our lives. There are holy people that are great examples of putting the life and teachings of Jesus into practice. Paul and the other apostles are good examples. In all things, we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. If we do what He did in the world, we cannot and will not go wrong. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying about my being able to come up with the finances for my roof. Thank you

     We need to be in deep prayer in regard to the situation in Ukraine as well as Israel and Gaza. Let us really focus in our prayers this week on peace for these people. Let us also pray for peace in Sudan. 

     Pray for the people in north central Kansas who were affected by the terrible flooding. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. They had ten inches of rain in one day that caused rapid flooding. 

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

     Next week, I will probably finish up Philippians, but it may take an extra week. I will post the verses on Tuesday, and I will post the book chapter on Wednesday. May God bless you all.  

Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter Two

 This is the next installment in my book about my friend Toby.

Chapter 2

     My first days with Toby weren't idyllic.  I was certainly glad to have him, but he wasn't too excited about this new situation.  The moment that Toby set foot in my home he immediately ran and hid under the dining room table.  No amount of persuasion on my part could produce a corgi.
     Toby wouldn't eat, drink or play.  I was disappointed, and I thought that maybe this new relationship might not work out.
     After a couple of days, Toby would venture out from his lair to eat a bite or two or go out to the bathroom.  Sadly, he began demonstrating some behaviors that made me wonder about his past.
     I noticed that if I walked near him, or if I lifted up my foot, he would cringe as if I was going to kick him.  Once, I picked up a newspaper from off the floor by my Dad's chair, and Toby ran like a flash back under the table and wouldn't come back out until I put the newspaper down.
     About two or three weeks passed, and I can't say that Toby and I made too much progress.  He didn't want to play, and for the most part, he remained firmly encamped under the dining room table.  My folks thought that I should get a puppy instead of this dog.  I wasn't about to do that, and I'm glad that I didn't listen to that piece of advice.
     One afternoon, I decided to clean out the utility room in the back of the house.  Actually, I'd been ordered to get my junk out of there and put it in the garage.  I had several rolls of old string and some old kites that were in disrepair.  At one time, I did a lot of kite flying, but I wasn't into that much anymore.  I grabbed several bundles of string and headed out to the garage.  On my way, the clumsy person that I am, I dropped the whole batch on the dining room floor.
     No sooner had the balls of string hit the floor, a red and white streak flew from underneath the table, grabbed a ball of string and dashed into the living room.  I ran after Toby, and he dropped the string.  I picked up the string, and Toby stood starring at me.  I threw the ball of string across the living room, and Toby tore after it.  He wouldn't bring the string back to me, but if I went and picked it up and threw it, he would chase after it.  By the way, as smart as Toby was, he never got the hang of retrieving.  We played with that old ball of string until we were both falling down tired.
     That time of play changed everything between us.  From that moment on, Toby was my friend for life.  We played together every day.  I bought him an alligator toy that squeaked and we played our version of fetch with that thing until it fell apart.  We went everywhere together.  From that day on, Toby started sleeping right beside my bed every night, and no one had better come in that room while I was asleep.  We became fast friends and never looked back.
     I owe a lot to kite string and patience.

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 119:49 -- "Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope."

Proverbs 23:18 -- "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 4:5-7"

      Thank you for reading the message this week. I've noticed that the blog readership has been down the last few posts. I hope that you are not getting tired of going through Philippians. I have a couple more sermons on this book before we are finished, and then we are moving on to something else. I do pray for you all every day, and I hope that you are all doing well. 

     Last week, we ended the message discussing Paul's admonition to the people to be glad in the Lord. We can always be glad knowing that Jesus has redeemed us from our sins. We can be glad knowing that one day we will be with Him forever and forever. Thanks be to God. 

     Today, I want us to focus first on verse 5 that states, "Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here." We always need to be gentle and kind to everyone that we meet. I believe that one of the aspects or behaviors of being a Christian that draws many people to want to know more about Jesus is when we who are His followers act in a gentle and kind manner. When we are bombastic and hurtful, that is a turnoff to others. It makes them not want to know more about the Lord Jesus. 

     We need to be gentle with each other and help one another. It really doesn't help to get down on people and have a condemning nature. It is always better to speak words that heal and not words that hurt. 

     One of the reasons that we should be gentle and kind and good witnesses of the love of Jesus is because the Lord will soon be here. Jesus could come back at any moment. We all who call Him Lord want Him to find us behaving in the manner that He did when He returns in power and great glory. 

     In verse 6, Paul tells us not to worry, but to offer up everything to the Lord in prayer. It is hard for me not to worry. I need to confess that I am someone who worries about things. I do try to get a handle on it, and the only thing that does any good is to put things in the hands of the Lord in prayer. There are many things in my life that are completely beyond my control. I have to pray that the Lord will work and move in my life for His honor and His glory. 

     When we have circumstances in our lives that bring worries and struggles, that is when we need to pray the most. The Lord is the one who has the power to do all that we can ask or imagine. 

     Finally, Paul tells us that when we pray and give things over to the Lord, we can have peace that no one can understand. That peace comes from the abiding presence of the Lord Jesus working in our lives. It comes from knowing that whatever we go through, Jesus will never leave us and He will not forsake us. No matter what happens here, we can have peace knowing that Jesus has prepared a place for us where we can be with Him forever and forever.

     Let us all do good to one another and care about one another. Let us pray for God's will to be done in our lives. And let us live in the peace that only Jesus can bring. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am working on a couple of book projects. Please pray for me as I work to get these done.

     Please pray for those dealing with fires in Canada, the US and Spain. Pray that the fires will be brought under control. 

     Pray for those who in Afghanistan affected by the earthquake. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Let us pray for peace. Pray for Ukraine. Continue to pray for peace in Israel and Gaza. Pray for the release of the hostages and pray that people will get the food aid that they need. Remember to also keep praying for peace in Sudan and pray for aid to come to Sudanese refugees. 

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

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

Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter One

 I have decided to repost the book I wrote about my friend Toby. It has been seven years since I posted it here on the blog, so it is definitely time that I do it again. I will post one chapter a week until I have posted them all. Here is the intro and chapter one. 

Toby --The Story of My Friend

Introduction

     I have known some interesting dogs in my life.  A few stand out vividly in my memory.  My Mother's collies were exceptionally beautiful.  She wanted a collie dog like Lassie since the time she was a little girl.  Her dream came true.  Blazer was a fantastic collie.  He was so magnificent that he won a collie specialty dog show.
     One crazy dog we had was Buster the English bulldog.  He was so wild when he was a puppy that he chewed a hole in the kitchen wall.
     My Father's favorite dog was Abraham the Rottweiler.  We bought him from a Jewish man who had a litter of three male puppies who he named Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Some people think that all Rottweilers are nasty, but Abraham was the sweetest dog one could ever meet.
     This book tells the story of the best dog that I have ever known.  His name was Toby, and, as far as I'm concerned, he was the greatest dog that ever lived.  He was a red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi.  Before Toby came into my life, I didn't really care much for the corgi breeds.  I thought that they looked silly with their short legs and long bodies.  After having been with my friend, that old opinion has changed dramatically.
     Toby came into my life when I needed a friend.  I needed someone to be there for me in a non-judgmental way.  The two of us shared most of the important events in my early life during the almost twelve years that we were together.  A corgi runs through most of my memorable experiences.
     In the chapters that follow, I will recount many of the special times that Toby and I shared together.  I hope that as you read about our special relationship that you will think back with fondness about the special animal that blessed your life.

Chapter 1

     When I was growing up, I was ill much of the time.  I had a condition known as hypogammaglobulinemia that left my immune system very weak.  I was especially susceptible to respiratory illness such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
     Because of my illnesses, a lot of the kids at my school didn't want to have too much to do with me.  I always had good dog friends though.
     Early in 1985 when I was 16, I found myself with no dogs to call my friends.  Furthermore, I was also facing some very hurtful issues at an extremely legalistic and cultic church my parents attended.  I was right in the pressure cooker since I also attended the school operated by this same church.  Each day, I was subjected to a stifling and rigid environment.  My spirit was crushed, and a great weight of depression descended upon me.
     It is like being in hell to every day walk on eggshells in fear of violating the tiniest rule and then facing punishment and humiliation.  For instance, I once received detention for wearing a white shirt to school on the wrong day.  White shirts were only to be worn on Tuesday and Thursday.  Red shirts had to be worn on the other days.
     Students were constantly warned not to be worldly.  No music was allowed except Christian music, and that did not include contemporary, Christian music.  Television was an instrument of the devil.  If you mentioned a television show you may have watched it was an automatic two day detention.
     Instead of Christmas being a time of joy, it was a time of sadness.  Christmas trees were idols, and Santa Claus was a false god.
     Someone in my physical condition faced even greater condemnation since sickness was seen as a punishment from God.  If you were sick, obviously there was great sin in your life, and God was punishing you in order to bring you to repentance.
     Throughout these years, I lived in fear, and I never felt any unconditional love.  From what I knew, love was based on performance.  Be good, get good grades, follow the rules and you were loved.  Step out of line, and the hammer falls.
     Bad health and crazy religion were getting too much for me.  I say this with all candor,  I doubt that I'd be writing today if on a Sunday in January of 1985 I hadn't read an advertisement in the Kansas City Star that changed my life forever.
     Sunday, after church, I decided to read the dogs for sale section in the paper.  My attention snapped to full focus when I saw one advertisement in particular that read:

            Corgi for sale--1 1/2 year old male.  Housebroken.  $150

     This was great.  An adult dog who was smaller and already house trained.  From the phone number listed in the ad, I knew that he wasn't very far away.
     I found myself in some difficulty, however, when it came to convincing my parents that going to look at this dog was a good idea.  Neither of my parents wanted a dog.  They didn't like corgis either.
     After about an hour of persuasion, as I dreaded every moment that my new dog might be heading to another home, I finally convinced my Mom to at least let me call and get some more information.
     The lady who placed the ad said that this dog had been purchased as a show dog, but his feet were too small according to the breed standard.  Also, the dog was primarily her son's dog, and since he'd gone off to college, she was selling the dog.  By the way, she said the dog's name was Toby.  I was sold right then.  I always liked that name for a dog.
     We made arrangements to go look at Toby that same afternoon.  My Dad wasn't excited about getting out in the January cold, but he came along with us to the home of Toby.
     The house was in a very, rural area, and the roads were icy and not well plowed.  The drive leading up to the house was treacherous, and I remember the car sliding.
     As we got out of the car, we were greeted by a great chorus of barking.  All along the back of the house were rows of kennels housing various dogs.  Near the house, a small, red and white dog came bounding toward me barking.  A yell from the house turned the corgi around in his tracks.  We followed him inside.
     After the customary greetings, Toby's owner showed me some of the ribbons he'd won at puppy shows.  She said that Toby loved hanging out with teenage boys, and that one of Toby's favorite activities was herding the neighbor's cows.  All this time, Toby was hiding under the sofa.
     Finally, we coaxed him out of hiding.  If you can love a dog at first sight, I loved Toby.  He had short legs with white on each paw and a solid white chest.
     When my folks said that I could have him, I was thrilled.  Toby's soon to be former owner was thrilled too.  She said that two other families had been there before us, but both passed Toby up.  Their loss.  He was mine now.
     As I look back, I realize that it was grace that brought Toby and me together.  Others had come to see him before me.  Either of those families could have seen Toby's great character, and I've have never known about him.  What caused me to look through the paper for dogs that afternoon?  What made me even consider a corgi, a breed I'd never been particularly fond of?  I believe it was all God's grace.  He knew that we needed each other more than either of us knew at the time.

Prayer Request

      Would you please pray that the storms predicted for my area tonight will not be bad. Thank you. I have started to feel better, so thank you for your prayers in that matter. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 23:6 -- "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Luke 6:36 -- "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 4:1-4"

     I want to thank the Lord Jesus for the opportunity to write the messages here on the blog each week. When I started doing this over a decade ago, I didn't know what to expect or how long it would last. I just decided to write things down, and then the Lord could lead people to read it if He so desired. I do want to thank all of you who keep reading the messages each week. 

     We have come to chapter four in our series going chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the book of Philippians. We finished chapter three last week focusing on the fact that one day, Jesus will return. When He does, we will receive a glorified body like unto His glorified body. I am not sure what that will all entail, but I do know that we can trust and have confidence in all that the Lord Jesus does. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

     Now, as we start chapter four, Paul states that it is his desire to come and see the people in the church at Philippi once again. It is his hope and prayer that they will keep on being faithful to the Lord. 

     Our goal in life as believers in Jesus is keep on being faithful to the Lord. We are all going to go through ups and downs in life. We will have struggles and times when it is not always easy to do what the Lord has asked us to do. However, as we are enabled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we keep pressing on. We keep doing what Jesus would have us to do. We hold fast to Him and to His word and example. 

     Paul then moves on to urge two members of the church to end their quarrelling. Euodia and Syntyche were two women who had helped Paul and Clement when they were working to establish the church in Philippi. They helped to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By quarrelling with each other, they had the potential to cause divisions in the church and to be a cause of those outside of the church to not want to have anything to do with the message of Jesus that they were trying proclaim. 

     As believers, we have to make sure that we maintain a good testimony. Nothing will turn people away from wanting to hear more about Jesus than if they see those who claim to have Jesus as Lord doing the opposite of what Jesus taught and commanded His followers to do. 

     In verse four, Paul urges all to always be glad because of the Lord. That doesn't mean that we are always happy about everything that happens to us in life. What it means is that we are glad knowing that we have Jesus as our Savior, Lord, Guide and Friend. We are glad because we know that He has forgiven us and cleansed us of our sins. We our glad knowing that He has prepared a place for us, and that when we die we will go to be with Him forever. We can be glad in the knowledge that Jesus is with us always, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. 

     We can always rejoice in the Lord. And when we are glad in Him, it lets others see what a difference Jesus can make in a person's life. It is a great witness of our faith in Jesus when we are joyful in Him. So let us all love the Lord and love one another. Let us praise the Lord and be glad in what He has done for us. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am having a lot of trouble with my stomach. Please pray about this. I do want to thank the Lord that I haven't had trouble with arthritis for a long time now. 

     Please pray that the wildfires in Canada, the US and in Spain will be brought under control

     Continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Pray for peace in Israel and Gaza, and pray for the release of the hostages. Sudan also needs our prayers for peace. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 10:1-2 -- "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey, and robbing the fatherless."

Proverbs 31:8-9 -- "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute, speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 3:17-21"

      This has been a very trying week. We had storms again, but I am pleased to report that my roof seems to be OK with the repairs I made. Time will tell. I thank you for taking time to read the sermon this week, and I hope that all of you are doing very well. 

     Last week, we looked at what Paul told us about moving forward in our walk with the Lord. We have not yet arrived. All of us, and Paul included himself, still have things that we need to work on in our lives to be more like Jesus. We keep pressing ahead doing all we can as we are aided by the Holy Spirit to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord Jesus. 

     Now, in our passage for this week, Paul urges the people to follow his example for living. He urges them not to follow after the ways of those who claim that they are believers, yet they are living in a manor that is contrary to the way of the Lord. Paul says that they are actually as a result of their behaviors enemies of the cross. He goes on to say that what they do is disgusting. Even though they may think that they are on their way to Heaven, the fact is, they are actually on the road to hell. 

     In order to more fully understand what Paul is saying here, I think we need to also look at what James had to say about this type of thing. James said that some say they have faith. That is well and good. However, if you say that you have faith in Jesus, but you don't demonstrate that through the way that you live your life, you are just deceiving yourself. A true possession of faith manifests itself in a change of life. We are transported from the darkness into light. When a person really and truly comes to faith in Jesus, that person has a change. That is what repentance means. It means to change one's mind. We change our mind and heart in regard to our old way of living, and we make the commitment to live according to the way that Jesus lived and taught us to live. 

     True faith results in following the example and teachings of Jesus. If a person claims to be a follower of Jesus but does not demonstrate that that faith is reality, that is not a person that we need to follow as an example for our lives. We need to look to those who have followed Jesus faithfully in thought, word and deed. Those are the ones who we can pattern our lives after. 

     Now, a note on all of that. Ultimately, the one who we should look to as our pattern and guide in life is Jesus. We are to keep our eyes on Him and follow Him in His way. We need to read His teachings and put them into practice in our lives. We need to love others as He has called us to do. We need to do unto others as we would have done unto us as Jesus said in the Golden Rule. He is the perfect example. He is Lord. And if He truly is our Lord, we will do what He tells us to do. His way will be a reality in our lives. 

     Paul goes on to tell us that we are citizens of Heaven. We are to follow the values of that kingdom and its king the Lord Jesus. We are waiting with eager anticipation for the day when Jesus will return and make all things new. While we are waiting, we need to be living for Him. 

     When the Lord returns, we who are His will receive a new body like unto His glorious body. We will live with Him on this earth. And He shall reign forever and forever. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I will get to feeling better. I am doing a lot better. I know that the Lord is at work. Thank you. 

     Continue to pray for peace in this world. Ukraine needs peace. I am thankful that some aid is getting into Gaza. That area and Israel need peace, and the remaining hostages need to be freed. We also need to pray for peace in Sudan, Haiti and the other troubled areas of this world. 

     Please pray that the fires in Canada, Spain and the US will be extinguished. Pray for the safety of the firefighters. 

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

     Next week, we will start chapter four of Philippians. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Revelation 1:7 -- "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so, Amen."

Matthew 24:44 -- "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 3:12-16"

      Thank you for reading this week's message. I thank the Lord for all those who read the blog, and I hope that you all are having a very good week. 

      If you regularly read the blog, you know that we've been in a long running series studying what the Lord has to teach us from the book of Philippians. We are currently in chapter 3. 

     Last week, we saw that following the Lord Jesus and having a personal relationship with Him is the most valuable and the most important thing for time and for eternity. Everything that is apart from the Lord and what He wants for us is without value. The focus of our lives should be on serving the Lord and doing His will and following His teachings and commandments. 

     Today, we will continue in chapter 3. Verse 12 is the key verse in our passage today. It states, "I have not yet reached my goal, and I not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize." Verse 13 goes on, "My friends, I don't feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and struggle for what is ahead."

     Paul was a man who lived his life in such a way that he was always striving to follow Jesus to the fullest. He wanted to draw closer to Jesus and live in such a way that the Lord would be pleased with him. His whole life was centered around faithfully following Jesus. 

    Even though Paul was striving to be like Jesus everyday, he knew that he hadn't arrived. There were still things in his life that he needed to work out. He was going to keep working to be the best follower of Jesus that he could be. Why? Because Christ had taken hold of him. Jesus was everything to him. And he wanted to please Him.

     This is what our attitude needs to be. None of us have reached perfection. Sometimes we do what we shouldn't do, and many times we fail to do the things that we should. But, we must never give up. We don't want to rest on our previous spiritual experiences. We don't want to plateau spiritually so to speak and not keep going on. We want to grow in our relationship with Jesus every day so that we become more like Him. We want to be like Jesus in this world and serve others in the same way that He served. 

     Paul said that he wanted to win the prize of being called to Heaven. This was not him earning his way to Heaven. Those who are in Christ have it within themselves to want to do the will of the Lord. We persevere and strive to overcome and be like Jesus. We keep going until the day when we are called by the Lord to join Him in the place that He has prepared for those who love Him. 

     We don't want to turn to the right or to the left as we look to Jesus to guide us in the way that we should go. We want to look straight at Jesus and follow His leading and His example as we make our way through this world. We will work to overcome sin and self, and we will work to lay up treasure in heaven as we spread the message of Jesus' love to those whom we know. 

     Let each of us keep going and growing in our walk with the Lord. Let us all keep Jesus at the forefront of our lives. Amen

  Prayer Requests

     I have an important prayer request. I thought I had my roof fixed. There were a couple of rains, and there was no leaking. However, a big rain came this week, and the roof has started in again. I don't have the funds to really repair it the way it needs to be. Please pray that the Lord will provide in this matter. Thank you. 

     Now, there is something else we need to pray about. Here in the US, the president has decided to take over Washington DC. One of the things he wants to do is force those who are homeless to either go into shelter or into addiction or mental health care. If they don't, they will be incarcerated. He has also talked about moving the homeless to tent cities far outside of DC. Here is the problem. There aren't enough shelters. Funds for affordable housing are not forthcoming. Money for healthcare for the poor has been slashed. We can't just round people up and start imprisoning them for being poor and/or sick. Let us all pray that there will be a change. We need funding and services to address the problem of homelessness. We need churches to step up and help. This problem has gone on too long in this country. But just putting people in prison isn't the answer. Please pray about this.

     Let us pray for peace in the world. Ukraine needs prayers for peace. Pray for peace in Gaza and the release of the Israeli hostages. Pray for peace in Sudan. Haiti also needs our prayers. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 I John 4:19 -- "We love because He first loved us."

John 15:13 -- "Greater love has no one than this, than someone lays down His life for His friends."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 3:7-11"

      Thanks for once again coming over to view the message this week. I have had a busy week, and as always, I am glad to be able to post the message. I hope and pray that everyone is having a good week as well. 

     Today, we will once again be studying in the book of Philippians. We saw last week that Paul wanted to emphasize to the people that salvation does not come by obeying the law. We can only have forgiveness of sins and a relationship with the Lord by grace through faith. As I mentioned, Paul explicitly lays this out in Ephesians where he says we are saved by grace through faith and not by works lest anyone should have reason to boast. 

     In our passage for today, Paul says something that is truly wonderful, and that is what I want to emphasize in my remarks for this message. In verses 7-8 Paul states, "But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Jesus Christ my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ." Truly powerful words.

     Paul was referring to the fact that at one time, he felt that it was of the utmost importance that he be zealous for the law. As he said, he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He felt that if he was diligent in obeying all of the law, he would then be acceptable to God. However, Paul encountered the risen Lord on the road to Damascus. He came to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and Jesus totally and completely revolutionized his life. Paul then knew that faith in Christ is what makes a person acceptable to God. Knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him is more important than anything else in the world. 

     Now, these words have a particular meaning to me. In that first verse, Paul says what he thought was valuable he now thought of as worthless. In my case, this has something to do with some of the things that I once thought were important things. At one time, I thought having money and a nice car and a fine home were important things to obtain in life. Being thought of as an important and respected person was something that I desired. However, as I've gone through life and grown in my relationship with the Lord Jesus, I've discovered that all of those old things I once thought were important are truly worthless. The only truly valuable thing is knowing Jesus and having a relationship with Him.

     Jesus told us that laying up treasure here on earth is in vain. We all should be laying up treasure in Heaven. That means building a relationship with the Lord and doing what He wants us to do here on earth to help people and make it as good a place as it can be until the day that He returns to rule and reign in power and great glory. Obtaining riches, fortune, fame and prestige are all things that are just passing away. 

     Now, I don't want to pass over the other verses in our passage for today. Paul is making clear once again that faith in Christ alone is what brings salvation. Paul wants to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection. His goal was that just as Christ has been raised, one day he too would be raised to newness of life in the world to come. 

     That is the expectation for all of those who know Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead conquering death, hell and the grave. He is the resurrection and the life. Those who put their faith and trust in Him do not need to fear death. Those who are in Christ Jesus will go to be with Him in the place that He has prepared when they die. That is not because of anything that they have done, but it is because of what Jesus has done on their behalf. We can only be made right with God through the work of Jesus on the Christ and through His glorious resurrection. It is my hope that if you have never placed your faith and trust in Jesus that you will give your life to Him today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am getting along, but I am not really feeling all that well. Please keep praying. Also, please keep praying that my area will not have in more heavy rains. Thankfully, things have been fairly calm as of late. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan and Haiti all need our prayers. 

     Keep praying that aid and help will reach the poor and sick in this world. Pray that no one will die because of a lack of food or medicine. Pray that those who have will help those who are in need. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Micah 7:7 -- "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me."

Psalm 9:18 -- "For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 3:2-6"

      Thanks for reading the message. I am glad to be able to post it. I am doing some better, and I hope that you are all doing well.

     Last week, we focused on just one verse as we began our study of chapter 3 in Philippians. We focused on the fact that we need to be glad and rejoice in the fact that we belong to the Lord. In our section for today, Paul is going to switch gears and give the people in Philippi a warning. 

     In verse 2, Paul tells the people to "Watch out for those people who behave like dogs."  What is Paul speaking about? In many of the places that Paul went to to preach the Gospel, there arose opposition to his message of grace. Some believed that in order for a person to be right with God, that person had to follow the Jewish law. This was all settled at the Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15. However, there will still many who said that people where saved not by faith alone but by faith plus the keeping of the law. 

     Paul wanted to make sure that people didn't fall into a false teaching. No one can be made right with God by keeping the law. No one can be made right with God through doing good deeds. As Paul will say, "We take pride in Christ Jesus." He means by this that the only way that we can be made right with God is through what Jesus has done for us. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that we are saved by grace through faith. We are not saved by works lest anyone should have reason to boast. Our salvation is dependent all on the finished work of Christ on the cross and His bodily resurrection. 

     As he continues, Paul will explain that if salvation was dependent on following the law or doing good, he would have something to boast about. He was extremely diligent in keeping the law. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He was firmly committed to following the Law of Moses. However, Paul knew that this meant nothing. It is only through faith in Jesus that one can be saved and forgiven. 

     Now, there is something else that we can see in the teaching of Paul in our section today. We should not go around comparing ourselves and our work to other believers. Paul is letting people know that boasting in good deeds is not the way that Jesus would want us to go. We are to follow the Lord and do His will in His way in our lives. We aren't to worry about what others are doing or what others are accomplishing. We are responsible for following the Lord as He leads us. 

     It is unfortunate that many people in churches today do not understand that they are saved by grace through faith and not by works. I see so many people who have been going to church their entire lives and they believe that they will have eternal life in heaven because they have been a good person. We will only have eternal life because of what Christ has done for us. Do not trust in your own good deeds and good works to save you from your sins. Put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus and in Him alone. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am doing some better in my health. Please keep praying that the weather will straighten up in my area. Thank you. 

     Keep praying for peace in the world. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Sudan, Cambodia and Thailand all need our prayers for peace. 

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

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday. We will continue with our current series for the sermon. May God bless you all. 

     

Verses For The Week and Prayer Request

 John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."

Isaiah 26:3 -- "Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace -- in peace because they trust in you."

Please pray that the storms predicted in my area for this week do not cause problems, We have had more than enough rain. 

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 3:1"

      Thank you for your continued interest in the blog and the sermons. I hope that you all are doing well and having a good day.

     Last week, we came to the end of our discussions in chapter 2 of Philippians. That is a great chapter speaking about what Jesus has done for us. I really love the section known as the Christ Hymn. That section really sums up what Jesus has done for us. It tells us so much about the Lord. One day, all will bow before Him and acknowledge who He is and what He has done. 

     Today, we move into Philippians chapter 3, and I want to focus on one phrase from the first verse which states, "be glad that you belong to the Lord." This statement has a lot of meaning. It is very meaningful to me. 

     First of all, we need to be glad that we belong to the Lord because that demonstrates that we have been forgiven of our sins and Jesus is the Lord of our lives. When we turn from sin and self and turn to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness and reconciliation, we belong to Him. We are no longer our own because we have been brought with a price. That price is the death on the cross of Jesus. He purchased our redemption so that anyone who is willing to come to Him might belong to Him forever and forever. Whoever comes to Jesus, He will not cast them out. 

     I am glad that I belong to the Lord because that is what gives meaning to my life. There are many things in this life that are important to me and that I like to do. But, nothing has ultimate meaning if this life is all that there is. Because I belong to Jesus, I know that what I do for the Lord will count not only for time but for eternity. My life can have meaning because belonging to the Lord allows me to lay up treasure in Heaven. There is something beyond this life that I am looking forward to. 

     Belonging to the Lord also to me means that Jesus is always with me as I go through this life. For me, this life hasn't always been the easiest to get through. Through it all, I know that Jesus is with me. Without His ever abiding presence in my life, I would not have been able to make it through. I wouldn't be where I am today if Jesus was not with me guiding me and showing me the way that He wants me to go. Through it all, especially in the hard times, the presence of Jesus lets me know that I belong to Him and that He loves me. He will never leave me and He will never forsake me. He loves me so much that He has prepared a place in Heaven for me so that when I die I will be with Him forever. 

     I am glad that I belong to the Lord. He is my Savior, my Friend, My King, My Lord and My Guide. And so much more. You can belong to Him too. Jesus invites you to come to Him and let Him turn your life around. I hope that you will do that today. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please continue to pray in regard to my health. I am having several issues. 

     Keep praying for those affected by the floods in Texas. Pray that people will get the aid and the help that they need. Also, pray for those affected my the floods in the Kansas City area where I live. 

     Continue to pray that those who have had aid and help removed from them by the US and UK will be able to be helped by others coming forward to assist them. 

     Let us keep praying for peace. Ukraine really needs our prayers. Pray for peace in Israel, Gaza, Syria Sudan and wherever war is a reality. 

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

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

Prayer Request

     We have been having some bad flooding in my area, especially just north of where I live. Tomorrow, the forecast is for extreme rain again. Please pray that we don't get these flooding rains. Thank you.

Verses For The Week

 II Corinthians 5:18 -- "Now all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

Romans 5:10 -- "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Ephesians 2:13 -- "But now in Christ Jesus, you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 2:19-30"

      It is time again for the Weekend Sermon, and I am glad to be able to post this message. Thank you for reading the message, and may the Lord's blessing be on you all. 

     As you are probably aware, we are studying through the book of Philippians. Today, we are going to finish up chapter 2. Much of this chapter has concerned following the example of Jesus in His humility. The chapter speaks about caring for others, and thinking of others and their burdens more highly than of oneself. 

     In today's message, I want us to look at the whole role that companions and friends play in our lives. Paul wasn't going all over the world telling people about Jesus by himself. He had others who came with him. When he first started his journeys, he went with a man named Barnabas.  A man named Silas went many places with Paul. We also know that Luke accompanied Paul often. That was how he was able to write in Acts so extensively about what Paul was up to. 

    One of Paul's important companions was Timothy. Timothy was a young man who Paul trained up to be a leader in the church. He relied on Timothy to carry out tasks, and Paul knew that he could trust Timothy to the full extent. In our text today, Paul also mentions Epaphroditus. He had been sick, but God healed him. He was a helper to Paul, and Paul wanted to send him and Timothy to the Philippians to encourage them and help them in the faith. 

     None of us can make it in this life alone. That is just on the human and temporal level. We need helpers and we need friends. If someone says that they made it where they are in life by their own efforts, they aren't telling the truth. Everyone has had someone help them in life to get where they are. 

     We all need friends who help us in this life. I had great parents who helped me to be able to study the word of the Lord. I had my friend Toby that the Lord sent me to help me not fall into depression and have other problems. I would not be here today if the Lord had not sent my friend Toby to me. I also had a good friend growing up who shared many great times with me and my family. 

     I have people who help me now. My brother and a man that I've known for many years have helped me when I was down financially. My brother is always there when I need help. 

    In the ministry, we all need to rely on others. The pastor can't do everything in the church. He needs help from others in the body of Christ is order to make sure that the local church functions in the way intended by the Lord Jesus. We all need to work together to advance the cause of Christ. 

     All of us have our own role to play in doing what needs to be done for the Lord in this world. Paul was a great Apostle, but there were others who had to come alongside and do things in order to help his ministry be more effective. 

     Everyone who is a part of the body of Christ has his or her own role to play in the life of the body of Christ. We each have our own calling and spiritual gifts. We do our part to help each other and to make this world a better place. We all work together to fulfill the Great Commission. 

     Don't try and go it alone in life or in ministry. You won't succeed. We are all important, and we all need each other. Be there for others. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that my health will continue to improve.

     Pray for those who were affected by flooding in Texas. Pray that they will get the help that they need. 

     We need to keep praying for peace in this world. Ukraine needs peace as does Israel and Gaza. Pray for Syria as there is renewed fighting there. Pray for peace in Colombia as there is renewed fighting there as well. Keep praying for peace in Sudan. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Tanzania and Nepal. Pray that many will come to know Jesus and His great love. 

     Next week, we will start Philippians chapter 3. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.

Verses For The Week

 Luke 6:37 -- "Judge not, and you will not be judged, condemn not, and you will not be condemned, forgive, and you will be forgiven."

I John 1:9 -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 2:14-16"

      Thank you all for once again taking the time to check out the message for the week. I hope that you are all doing well and are in good health. I am feeling pretty good. I just want the weather where I live to be less stormy and rainy. 

     Last week, we continued in Philippians looking into the fact that Paul wanted to make sure that those who where in the church at Philippi where being obedient to the commandments and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted them to know what it really meant to be saved. 

     There is something that I want to add to this that I didn't write about last week. There is a teaching that has become very prominent in the church. It makes being a Christian all about going to Heaven and not going to Hell. To be saved means that a person won't go to Hell. But, being a Christian and being saved so to speak is much more than this. Being saved means that a person decides to become a follower of Jesus. A person makes Jesus the Lord of his or her life. That means that in this life, we are committed to following what Jesus has told us to do. We follow what He said generally to all of those who have come to Him, and we follow what He has told us as individuals to do in this world. It's not all about the life to come. Being a follower of Jesus means just that. We follow His example. We do what He would do in this world. We live lives of holiness that are pleasing to the Lord. We don't seek our way, but we seek His way. 

     In verse 14 of our section today, Paul instructs the people to, "Do everything without grumbling and arguing." This is of critical importance. When I was growing up, my parents attended and were very active in a very fundamentalist church, and they sent me to this church's school. The church was very evangelistic, and they tried to get people in the community to come and hear the message of Jesus. There was one big problem. This particular church had the reputation in the community as being a church where the people couldn't get along. We went to this church until I was about 16. During those years, I can't even count the number of people who got mad and left the church. There was one church split after another. When I went there, that church had an average attendance of about 60 to 70. However, if everyone who left the church because of a dispute had stayed there, the attendance would easily have been 150 to 160 or more. The church had a bad reputation in the community, and no one really wanted to hear what it had to say. Thankfully, the Lord delivered me out of this situation. When we left this church, I was in such a state of depression I wasn't long for this earth. If the Lord Jesus hadn't brought my friend Toby into my life at about this time, I probably wouldn't even be around today. I am glad that I got to find out who Jesus really is. I have written a little about all of this before. In the future, I might get more into things. 

     When churches and Christians argue and fight with one another, it creates a bad testimony. It drives people away from the Lord. Things are supposed to be the exact opposite. We are supposed to shine as lights in this world as Paul says. People who don't know the Lord should see that we are living for Him and thus be drawn to want to know more about Jesus. 

     Jesus said it this way. He said that we are to shine as lights in the world so that people can see our good works and as a result give glory to the Father who is in Heaven. We don't ever want to do something bad that will cause someone to turn away from the Lord Jesus. 

     I believe that one of the main reasons that people don't want to come to church in my country is due to what they are seeing in many churches and with many Christians. They are seeing so many who are calling people names and acting in a hateful and a belligerent manner to others. And it is mostly due to politics. All of this drives people away. And it should not be this way. 

     Paul lays it out. We need to be living in such a way that when Jesus returns, He has good things to say about us. When Jesus returns, or when we meet Him after we die, we want to hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant." We don't want to be ashamed at His coming. 

     With this in mind, let all of us do good and right in this world. Let us love one another and love our neighbor as ourselves. Let us help to make this world a better place. May we do all that we can to draw others to Jesus. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am sure that many of you have heard about the tragic flooding in the state of Texas. Many have died, and many are still unaccounted for. Please pray that if someone is trapped and still alive that they will be rescued. Pray that people will get the aid and the help that they need in this situation. 

     Pray for those suffering as a result of other natural disasters. There is flooding in New Mexico, and a tropical storm hit the east coast. I know that there were storms in Taiwan and China. Please pray for all of those in harms way. 

    Continue to pray for peace in this world. Ukraine needs peace. Israel and Gaza need peace. People need to be able to access aid in an orderly and peaceful way. The remaining hostages need to be released. Keep praying for peace in Yemen, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan and it the other troubled areas of this world. 

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

    Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Tuesday. I hope that in the next few weeks that if my health keeps improving that I can get the new book on the Psalms posted here on the blog. More on that later. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

      I wanted to give everyone an update. I have been feeling pretty well lately. I thank the Lord, and I thank you for your prayers. I would like everyone to pray for those suffering as a result of the flooding in Texas. Pray that the Lord will be with everyone, and that aid will reach those who are in need. 

     Colossians 3:17 -- "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

     I Chronicles 16:34 -- "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 2:12-13"

      Thank you for joining me today for the weekend sermon. I am so glad to be able to post this message. We've been having a lot of bad weather where I live. I've had to go up on the roof and repair damage. Please pray that I can get all the work done, and that there won't be any more problems from all the rain and storms. I hope and pray that all of you are doing well. 

     Today, we are resuming our study in the book of Philippians. Last time, we focused on the section known as the Christ Hymn. This section shows clearly the humility of Jesus Christ. He was willing to set aside His Heavenly glory to come as a human in order to redeem the universe from the fall. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. 

     Now, chapter two takes a turn. As we've seen, Paul is away from the church at Philippi. In our first verse today, Paul urges the people to obey his teachings even more now that he is away from them as they did when he was with them. Paul gave the people his example and the teachings of the Lord Jesus about how they were to live their lives in the world. The mark that they were really getting the principles of the Lord Jesus deep within their hearts was that they were living according to the teachings and commandments of Jesus at all times. It was a consistent part of their lives. They didn't need Paul there to monitor what they were doing, they were simply willing to do what the Lord wanted them to be doing. 

     Paul goes on to tell them in the rest of verse twelve to, "Work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved." First of all, what does this verse not mean. Paul is not telling anyone that they are saved by works or by doing good deeds. We are saved by grace through faith alone. We are saved not by anything that we have done, but we are saved because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. 

     What Paul is getting at is that being saved means that we do certain things. A person who has a true possession of faith and not merely an empty profession of faith is a person who is living in such a way that it is evident that Jesus is the Lord of their life. A person who truly knows what it means to be saved is a person who is doing all that they can to love the Lord with all that they have within them, and they are doing all they can to love their neighbor as they love themselves. To be saved means that we are following the teachings and the commandments of Jesus. By doing this, we know that we have eternal life dwelling within us. We aren't saved by good works, we are saved unto good works. Good works are a natural outflowing of one who has Jesus within their heart. 

     Paul concludes our section by stating that we can only really follow the Lord and His commandments through His work within us. We have to be empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit to be able to live for Jesus in this world. We can't do anything through our strength alone. We need the help of the Lord, and we must rely on the help of the Lord in all things. 

     A person who has true faith in the Lord Jesus will be a person living in such a way that it is evident that Jesus is living within their heart. We must all strive to live each day for Jesus as the Spirit gives us the power. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that I will get to full health. 

     Continue to pray for peace. Pray for peace in Israel and Gaza and pray that the ceasefire holds between Israel and Iran. Keep praying for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. Pray for peace wherever you know that there is conflict and strife within this world. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 John 10:30 -- " I and the Father are One."

Colossians 2:9 -- "For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 2:5-11"

    Thanks for taking time to read the message. I hope that all are well this week. I have been doing better, and I thank the Lord for that and for the opportunity to post this message. 

     Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been studying what the Lord has to teach us in the book of Philippians. Beginning last week, we started to see how important it is for believers to be people who are humble. Those who follow Christ are not to think only about themselves. They are to consider the needs of others. In fact, the text from last week instructed us to consider others more important than ourselves. 

     Just as He is in all things, Jesus is our ultimate example of what a humble life looks like lived out in this world. Paul tells us that Jesus cared about others more than He cared about Himself. He was the epitome of humility. 

     Our section of Philippians for today is known as the Christ Hymn. That is because of its poetic nature in the Greek, and it is due to the fact that many in the earliest days of the church used these words about Jesus in songs that were sung during the worship service. 

     In this section, Paul demonstrates for us the way in which Jesus was humble. First of all in verse 6, Paul unequivocally lets us know that Jesus was God. Jesus is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who took upon Himself human flesh. He became God with us. 

     Even though Jesus was the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, He did not grasp on to that. What this means is that Jesus was willing to come to this earth and humble Himself by becoming a man. This was done out of the Lord's great love for us. He wanted to redeem us from the fall and provide forgiveness and new life for all who would call upon Him. 

     The humility of Jesus reached its full expression when He was willing to die upon the cross. He was humiliated, mocked and scorned while He was on the cross bearing our sins in His body. Yet, He was willing to do this so that we might be saved.

     Because He was willing to humble Himself and become obedient unto death, God has highly exalted the Lord Jesus and given Him a name above every name. One day, when Jesus returns in power and great glory, every eye will see Him. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

     Clearly, Jesus is our example of how to live a humble life. We are to care about others, and we are to be willing to sacrifice for others. We don't need to have our own way all the time. Life isn't all about us and having our wants and desires satisfied. Our life is to be lived under the Lordship of Jesus Christ in service to Him and to others. We truly serve the Lord and serve others when we are willing to tell others about the life changing power of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. 

     Jesus came so that whosoever believes in Him might have abundant life. He desires that all people everywhere be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. You can come to Jesus today. I hope that you will. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

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

     Pray for an end to the heatwave that is gripping large portions of the US and Canada. 

     Keep praying for peace. Pray that the ceasefire holds between Israel and Iran. Pray for peace in Gaza. Pray for the release of the hostages. 

     I am thankful that there has been some advancement toward peace in Congo. 

     Let us keep praying for peace in Ukraine, Sudan and Yemen. 

     One thing that we need to pray about is the end to a lot of foreign aid that was helping some of the poorest and sickest people in this world. Unfortunately, the government of my nation and the UK have decided to stop funding many foreign aid programs in order to spend more on weapons. Let us pray that individuals, churches and those who are extraordinarily wealthy can step up and make sure that people still get the help that they need. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 John 16:33 -- "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Matthew 5:9 -- "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

Weekend Sermon -- "Philippians 2:1-4"

      It is once again time for the sermon, and I am glad that you've taken the time to check out the message for the week. I am doing fairly well, and I thank you all for your prayers on my behalf. 

     We finished up chapter one in our study of the book of Philippians. We are going to begin chapter 2 this week looking in to what Paul is going to develop in this chapter on the subject of humility. We will see in this chapter that in all things, we are to look to the example that we have been given in the person and work of the Lord Jesus. 

     Philippians 2:1 begins by telling us, "Christ encourages you, and His love comforts you." I know that this is so true from what I've experienced in my own life. I've mentioned before that I think life is hard. I've had a lot of struggles with my health especially. It is during these times that I feel the Lord Jesus encouraging me in my spirit to keep on going and to not give up. 

     I've also experienced times in my life when I feel that people don't really care about me too much. The only one who I feel truly loved me for who I really am was my friend Toby. That is why I write about him and talk about him so much. However, the love of Jesus for me is the greatest love that there is. I know that no matter how much other people let me down in this life, Jesus loves me. He is always there for me, and I can feel His love within my spirit helping me to make it through the ups and downs of this life as I attempt as best that I can to do His will in this world. 

     Paul goes on in verse one to say to the Philippians, "God's Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others." Those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior are united one with another through the witness of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed that we all may be one. When those who are Christians work together to do the will of the Lord, that is pleasing to the Lord. Also, not always seeking our own way but being willing to join together with others is an important part of living a humble life. 

     Paul was pleased that the people were concerned about others. This is a big part of practicing humility. When we think about the things of others and not just on our own wants and desires, we are following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus who was truly the man for others. 

     In verse two, Paul goes on to tell us about what humility is like and what he wants for the Philippians. He asks them to show love for one another. He asks them to be united as if they were a single person. A humble person will be a loving person. Love seeks what is best of the other. A loving and humble person is willing to do what is best for someone else even to their own detriment. 

     In verse three we read, "Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves." Jealousy and pride are the opposites of true humility. A jealousy person is only thinking of himself because he thinks that he is more deserving of the good thing that has happened to someone else. Pride is the one of the sins that is declared in the Bible to be among the worst sins. Pride makes us think that we are better than other people, and that there are groups and classes of people that are less than us. This is so against everything that the Lord Jesus taught us. 

     We are to consider others as more important than ourselves, and Paul will tell us in verse four to care about others as much as we care about ourselves. This is in keeping with the words given to us by the Lord. Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. He also told us to do unto others as we would have done to us. We all need to focus on helping others and making sure that their needs are met. We need to treat others the way that Jesus treated people. 

     Jesus is our example of humility. We will see more about this next week. Let us all be those who love the Lord and love and care about others. We are able to to this as we experience the love of Jesus and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

      Please keep praying in regard to my health. I thank the Lord that I haven't had problems with the storms so far. 

     We really need to be praying for peace this week. Iran, Gaza and Israel all need peace. People on all sides need to stop the violence. We need to seek the peaceful way of Jesus. Aid needs to reach the people of Gaza, and people need to be safe as they attempt to access aid. The remaining hostages need to be freed. We need peace in the Middle East. 

     Also, keep praying for peace in Ukraine, Sudan and Congo. 

     Please pray for an end to the disease outbreaks in the world. Pray that the measles outbreak in the US will end and that the mpox outbreak will end. 

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

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