The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Conclusion"

      I hope that everyone is preparing their hearts during this Lenten season for the glorious time of Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He is alive, and because He lives, we will rise with Him when He comes to this earth. 

     Today, I am going to conclude our series of messages about the subject of faithfulness. We will then move into Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter with our messages. After that, I have several different things planned out for the remainder to the year. 

     As we close out our series on faithfulness, I want us to look at the importance of being faithful in studying about and carrying out the way of Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus is the same yesterday, and today and forever. It also tells us that we are to look to Jesus and keep our eyes on Him. We are to follow Him in the way that He has shown us to go. 

     In order to be able to faithfully follow Jesus, we have to know what Jesus taught us. We have to learn about His way. One of the ways that we do this is by diligently and faithfully studying the Bible. I urge each of you to read, read and re-read the Gospels. Find out what Jesus said and how He lived while He was here on this earth. I would especially urge you to read what I call the core teachings of Jesus found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and the Sermon on the Plain recorded in Luke 6. Also read and study extensively the Upper Room Discourse found in John chapters 13-16.

     When we know what it is that Jesus taught and what He did, it is then up to us to be faithful in doing the things that Jesus told us to do, and we must act like Jesus here in this world. We cannot just be hearers of the Word, we have to be doers of the Word as well. 

     One of the teachings of Jesus that I have placed a lot of emphasis on is the Golden Rule. Jesus called us to do unto others as we would have done unto us. If we would all be faithful in following this important teaching of Jesus, the entire world would be a much better place than it is right now. 

     The core of Jesus' teaching is that we are to love God with all that we have within us, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus was all about loving others. We are to be faithful in sharing the love of Jesus with others and loving this world just as Jesus did. 

     Let all of us be faithful in following the Lord Jesus. He is the Way. He will always be with us as we faithfully do His will in this world. Amen. 

  Prayer Requests

     So far, the storms have not caused any problems where I live. I thank the Lord for this. Please keep praying that my health will continue to improve. 

     Pray for those in Myanmar and Thailand who have been affected by the earthquake. Pray that they will receive the help and the aid that they need to recover. 

     Continue to pray for those recovering from storms on Mayotte. 

     Let us all keep praying for peace. Pray for peace in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan and the other troubled areas of this world. 

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

     Next week, I will post the message on Friday as usual. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Something I Want To Say

      I've posted this verse before, but it is very appropriate right now with what is going on in the United States. Leviticus 19:36 -- "The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born." That means that everyone is entitled to the due process of law in this country.

Verses For The Week And Prayer Requests

 Before I post the verses, I have two prayer requests. Please pray that the severe weather predicted for my area this evening will not be too bad. Also, pray for the people in Myanmar and Thailand that they will get the help that they need to recover from the earthquake. 

Psalm 46:10 -- "Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 96:9 -- "Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness, tremble before Him all the earth."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Part 5"

      Thank you once again for reading the weekly message. I hope that all of you are well. I am finally starting to recover from my illness. I thank the Lord Jesus that I am doing better. 

     Today we will once again focus our attention on the topic of faithfulness. In our message for today, I want us to look at an important commandment given to us by the Lord Jesus, and how we are to be faithful in carrying out what the Lord has asked us to do. 

     Just before Jesus ascended back into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us as our advocate, He gave His followers then and now an important commandment to follow. We read about this in both Matthew's Gospel and in the first chapter of the book of Acts. Matthew 28:19-20 states, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

     Jesus has called all of us who are His followers to go out into this world and proclaim the message of His love and forgiveness. The command wasn't just for people back then. It is applicable to us now just as much as back then. 

     The Lord Jesus wants everyone to be able to know about Him, and He has called us to be the ones to spread the good news. It is not just the pastor's job or the evangelist's job. It is the command to all of us to do what we can to tell others that they can have a new life in Jesus Christ. 

     I know that every one of us can find some way to be witnesses for the Lord where the Lord has us in this world. We can be faithful in carrying out the Great Commission in some way. 

     One way to carry out the Great Commission is to find ways to talk about God and the things of God at work and in your social gatherings. Don't ever hesitate to tell others about what Jesus has done for you. We can all share our faith with our friends, family members, neighbors and colleagues. 

     Another important way to share the faith is to live in such a way that people see Jesus working in you. We are called to live according to the values of Jesus and not according to the ways of this world. When people see that we are doing good and following Jesus, they will see our good works and give glory to the Father in Heaven. 

     Maybe the Lord has a specific ministry in mind whereby He wants you to spread the message of the Gospel. Maybe He is calling you to be a pastor, teacher, missionary or evangelist. If He is, heed the call. Do what God has called you to do in order to make a positive impact for Him in this world. 

     However we chose to be faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission, we must know that we can't do in our own strength. We can only tell others about Jesus and be His witness in this world through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Jesus told the faithful to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. Then, when they were filled with the Spirit's power, they would be able to be witnesses for Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the world. 

     Jesus is with us when we are faithful in telling others about Him. He will never leave us, and He will never forsake us.  With that in mind, let us all be faithful in telling others about Jesus and how He can save them from their sin and give them an abundant life now and eternal life in the world to come. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     As I mentioned, I am feeling better. Please keep praying that I will make a full recovery. Also, please pray that things will go better at work. Thank you. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, Israel, Yemen, Lebanon, Chad, Congo and Haiti all need our prayers right now. 

     Pray that some leaders in this world will stop wanting to take over other people's lands. 

     Unfortunately, many nations are cutting back on aid to other countries. This is causing much heartache in the world. Pray that this gap in funding will be able to be made up so that people who are in desperate conditions can get the help that they need. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Titus 2:11 -- "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people."

John 1:16 -- "And from His fulness we have all received grace for grace."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Part 4"

      I am sorry that I was not able to post the verses this week. I have been very ill with a lung infection. I am doing a little better, but I am still not that great. I have to go back in to see the doctor on Tuesday. Please pray that I will get to feeling better. I do hope to get back in the swing of things on the blog this week starting with the sermon being posted today.  I hope that all of you are doing well. 

     For the past three weeks or so, we have been studying some of what the Bible has to teach us in regard to faithfulness. We've looked at faithfulness in sacrifice, faithfulness in holiness and we saw that God is always faithful to us and to His word even when we lack in our faithfulness to Him. 

     Today, I want us to look at what the Bible has to say about being faithful in doing what is good. First of all, the Bible is quite clear that those of us who have been redeemed by the grace of God are called to do good deeds in this world. Ephesians 2:10 states, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  This means that when we are born again, we are called by God to go out and do good in this world and make it the best that it can be until the day when Jesus returns to this world in power and great glory. 

     Just for added emphasis on the fact that those who are in Christ are to be out trying to do good in this world we have the passage from the book of James that let's us know that faith that does not produce good works is a dead faith. It is an example of an empty profession of faith and not a true possession of faith. 

     What type of good works should we be faithful in doing. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:16 that part of being faithful in doing good is sharing what we have with others. This verse states, "And do not forget to do what is good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." 

     We also know from the teachings of Jesus what type of good works that we are to be doing in this world. We are to be faithful in doing good to the least of those among us. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and help the vulnerable and hurting people in our society and world. Jesus told us that when we have done it unto the least of those among us, we've done it unto Him. 

     Just as a side note, there is a movement among conservative Christians right now that is saying that empathy for others who are hurting is a type of a sin. This is false in every way. Jesus in His ministry was all about empathy. He felt the pain and hurt of others, and He worked to alleviate it. That is what He has called us to do. We are to weep with those who weep. We help the broken and hurting in the name of Jesus because that is what He did. 

     Jesus was clear, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to treat others in the same way that we want to be treated. When those claiming to be Christians try to get you to stop helping the hurting and vulnerable in society, what they are really trying to do is provide a religious justification for greediness and oppression. 

     In Galatians, the Bible tells us to never be weary in doing good. There are many problems in this world, and there are many people in this world who need our help. Christians must be at the forefront of helping this world be as good a place as it can be for everyone until Jesus returns. 

     During this Lenten season, and beyond, try to find ways to help others and to do good. As St. David the patron Saint of Wales said. we need to do be faithful in doing the little things. We need to in our own individual small ways contribute to the overall good in society. Each small good deed adds up into making a great world of difference. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Once again, please pray that I will get to feeling better. Thank you. 

     Pray for peace on this earth. Fighting has resumed in Gaza, pray for peace. Pray for release of the hostages. Pray for peace in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Pray for peace in Chad, Congo and Sudan. Pray for peace with justice in Ukraine. 

     Continue to pray for those recovering from natural disasters. Pray for those in Mayotte. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Maldives and India. 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. 

The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Part 3"

      This is the day for the Weekend Sermon, and I am thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity to post it. I hope that you are all doing well and having a very good week. 

     Last week, we continued with our series on faithfulness. Since it was the week that was the beginning of the Lenten season, we focused on the theme of being faithful in our sacrifice for the Lord. For today, I want us to continue with the theme of faithfulness, and I want us to focus on the theme of being faithful in holiness. 

     I don't often quote from the book of Joshua here on the blog, but one of the verses I want to bring to your attention today comes from Joshua 24:14 that says, "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshipped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord."

     One of the major parts of being faithful to the Lord is obedience and holiness. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 12:14 that, "without a life of holiness, no one will see God." The Lord expects those of us who believe in Him to live our lives in accordance with what He has told us to do. Those who are not willing to make the attempt to follow the way of the Lord are like those we read about in the book of James who only had a profession of faith. They did not have a true possession of faith. They said they had faith, but they did not have the works in their lives that demonstrated that they really had faith and really had the desire to live the life of holiness that God had called them to live.  

     When the Lord calls a person to follow Him, we are called to leave the old ways and the old life of sin behind us. Hebrews 12 tells us that we are to lay aside the sin that easily besets us, and we are to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. 

     We know that living a life of holiness means that we are to lay aside sin, but what does it mean on a deeper level? First of all, the Bible says that sin is failing to do what we know is good. We read this in James 4:17. We know what is good and right from the life and the teachings of Jesus, that is why the Bible tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus. He lived a holy and sinless life. He is our example in this world as to how to live a life that is pleasing to God. If we follow the teachings and the commandments of Jesus, we will be able to do what is good as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. 

     The Bible tells us that there are some things that lead us astray. Sin is following these things that are the opposite of the way of the Lord. In I John 2:16 it states, "For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - come not from the Father but from the world." Seeking to gratify the flesh, being filled with greed and selfishness, and being prideful lead us away from God and into sin and immorality. 

     The Lord Jesus calls us to be faithful to Him and follow Him. Jesus told us succinctly what it takes to live a life of holiness. He told us that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus said on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. 

     During this Lenten season and beyond, let us strive to be faithful in living lives of holiness. We can do it as the Spirit gives us power. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that we won't have bad storms again in my area this week. Thank you. 

     Pray that there will be peace in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and wherever war and conflict are present in this world. 

     Keep praying that aid will reach those harmed by natural disasters. Please keep praying for Mayotte. 

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

     Now for an announcement. I am currently working on my new blog book project. I am calling it 30 weeks of Psalms. If you remember a couple of years ago, I posted a short message on 30 Psalms for 30 straight days. This year, it will be a little different. On the Wednesday after Holy Week, I will post a short message on a Psalm for 30 weeks. I hope you will read the messages. The Psalms will be different than the ones I previously wrote about. 

     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

 Psalm 33:20 -- "We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield."

John 10:10 -- "The thief comes only to kill and to steal and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Part 2"

      Thank you all for your prayers in regard to the windstorm. We did have a lot of wind, but it wasn't as bad as predicted. I've not noticed any damage around the house. Thanks be to God. Thank you for reading the blog this week. 

     Today, we will once again be looking into some of what the Scripture has to say on the subject of faithfulness. I want us in this message to focus on faithfulness in our sacrifice to the Lord. 

     This week, we began the Lenten season leading up to Holy Week and Easter Sunday. Lent is the time when we prepare ourselves through sacrifice and repentance recognizing what Jesus has done for us through His life, death and bodily resurrection from the grave. 

     One of the religious disciplines that believers engage in during the Lenten season is fasting. Another is renouncing something. When we fast, that is also a good time to engage in prayer. We are bringing our physical body into subjection as we focus our spiritual self on concentrating on the things of God. 

     In Matthew 16:24, Jesus tells us that be faithful in sacrifice for Him is like taking up our cross. He says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let Him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me."

     During this Lenten season, I want to challenge all of us to be faithful in our sacrifice to the Lord in three areas. First of all, let us be faithful in fasting. I am going to fast for lunch on Good Friday, and I am also going to fast at least one other time during Lent. I hope that all of us can do that much. 

     I also want us to be faithful in sacrifice in prayer. During this season, let each of us give more of our time to praying for the needs of others around the world, and let us spend more time praying for peace in the troubled areas of this world. 

     In the days of lent, people often give up as a sacrifice to the Lord something that is important to them. This Lent, I am giving up candy bars. That might not seem like much, but I really like them. I want to do it because I want to demonstrate to the Lord that I can do this small thing in thanks for the tremendous sacrifice that He made on the cross. I hope that all of us can find one thing that we can sacrifice during this Lenten season. 

     Being faithful in sacrifice means that we will do what we have set out to do in honor of our Lord. We might not be able to do it in our own strength, but we can do it through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Amen

 Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I can get the problem with my car taken care of.

     Right now, I want us all to really pray about the situation in Ukraine. The actions of the President of my country are not right in this. Pray for a just peace in Ukraine. Pray that those who are the aggressors  will stop their aggression. Pray that God will give wisdom to the leaders of the world in regard to this situation. Also, let us keep praying for peace in Israel and Gaza and pray for the release of all the hostages. Keep praying for peace in Sudan and in the other troubled areas of this world. 

     Continue to pray for those in Mayotte who need help recovering from the storms. 

     Pray for an end to the diseases plaguing the world right now including ebola, mpox, covid and the flu. Pray for an end to the measles outbreak in Texas.

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Laos and Japan. 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 and Prayer Request

      Before I post the verses, I have a very important prayer request. The area where I live is supposed to have sustained winds of almost 70 mph tonight. If that happens, I won't have a house. Please pray that these winds don't come through with this type of power. Thank you. 

Romans 10:17 -- "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

II Corinthians 5:7 -- "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Faithfulness -- Part 1"

      Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. I am glad that you have taken the time to read the sermon this week. I have been doing somewhat better with my health, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I am also thankful for the fact that we have been having some nicer weather for a change where I live.

     Last week, we concluded our series of messages on some of what the Bible has to say about joy. Today, I want us to start a new series of messages on some of what the Bible has to say about faithfulness. The Bible calls upon us to be faithful people. We also find much in the Bible about the faithfulness of the Lord, and that is what I want us to look into today. 

     One verse about the faithfulness of God that is very important is found in Deuteronomy 7:9 that states, "Know you therefore that the Lord your God is God, He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." This verse tells us that God is faithful in keeping the covenants that He has made with us. 

     In the Bible, God made certain covenants with people. One of these is the covenant that He made with Abraham. He told Abraham that He would bless Him and that His descendants would be numerous. God told Abraham that through his seed all of the nations of the world would be blessed. God has faithfully kept this covenant. Through Abraham's descendant Jesus, all of the world has been blessed by knowing the love of God and having the ability to receive eternal life and forgiveness of sins through the Son of God Jesus Christ. 

     God has also been faithful in keeping the covenant that He made with David. He told David that one of David's descendants would rule forever from Jerusalem. Jesus is a descendant of David. He will come again in power and great glory and rule on this earth from Jerusalem, and His kingdom will have no end. 

     There are several other verses in the Scripture that speak of the faithfulness of God to us. We find one such instance in I John 1:9. This verse tells us that God is faithful and will forgive the sins of those who call upon Him. Whoever comes to the Lord in repentance and faith will be forgiven. That is God's promise, and He is faithful to do what He has promised. 

     In I Corinthians 1:9 we read, "God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. This means that God has called people to have salvation and a relationship with Jesus. God will not go back on His promise that we can know the Lord Jesus, and that He will be a living presence within our lives. 

     We know from the Scripture that Jesus is God come in the flesh. He has made those of us who follow Him important promises. We know from Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is faithful in all that He has promised. Jesus has told us that He has gone to prepare a place for us so that where He is, we will be there too. We know that God has always been faithful to His promises, so we know that we can have rock solid assurance in the fact that when we die we will go to be with Him in Heaven if we have put our faith and trust in Him in this life. 

     Jesus has also promised that He will come again to restore all things. He said in the Gospels that at the end of the age, He will send His angels to separate the righteous from the wicked. He will then rule and reign on this earth returning this universe to the state in which it existed before sin entered into the created order. 

     God is faithful. II Timothy 2:13 tells us that God is faithful to us even when we are faithless. This is because God cannot deny Himself. We can have confidence in the Lord. He will save those who call upon Him. Those who trust in Him will have eternal life. They will be with Him forever. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that my health will improve. 

     Let us pray for peace in the world. I am especially thinking about Ukraine this week. Let us concentrate our prayers on peace for Ukraine. 

     Continue to pray that those living in Mayotte will get the help that they need to recover from the storms. 

     Pray for an end to the diseases that are plaquing many parts of the world right now. Flu is bad here in the US.

     For our prayer focus countries this week Brunei and Cambodia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday. We will continue with our new sermon series. 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 28:20b -- "And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

     Leviticus 26:12 -- "I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Joy -- Part 3"

      It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon. I hope that all of you have had a very good week. 

     Over the course of the last couple of weeks, we've looked into a little bit of what the Bible has to say about joy. Today, we will conclude our series by looking at what I am calling ultimate joy. 

      As we have seen, as believers in Jesus, we can be joyful right now because Jesus is our Savior and Lord. He is always with us, and He is helping us to make it along the path of this life. Our sins are forgiven, and we have the blessing of being empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to serve the Lord on this earth. In addition to this joy, we have an anticipatory joy. We know what is going to come for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. When that anticipatory joy becomes a reality, that will be the ultimate joy for all who are in Jesus Christ. 

     In John 14:1-3, Jesus said the following, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in Me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am."

     These are words that speak of the ultimate joy. One day, if Jesus should delay in His coming, all of us will pass from this earth. However, those who are in Christ will go immediately to be with Jesus in the place that He has prepared in the Father's house. We will be with Jesus forever. When Jesus comes back to this earth at His Second Advent, He will restore all things, and everything will return to the way that it was before sin entered into the world. 

     I am really looking forward to this time of ultimate joy. First of all, I will be able to see Jesus face to face. I will be with the one who I have believed in and trusted in for the vast majority of my life. Faith will become sight. All will be made right when we see Jesus. There will be no more sin. There will be no more pain, and there will be no more sorrow. 

     I also believe that we will have the joy of being reunited with our loved ones who have trusted in the Lord Jesus. I look forward to seeing my family and friends who are with Jesus in Heaven right now. 

     The joy that we have when we are with Jesus will never end. Nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. 

     I hope that you right now have the joy in your heart that comes from having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. He said that all could come to Him, and He would not cast anyone out. I hope that you will trust in the Lord today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please remember to keep praying for all who are impacted by bad weather and natural disasters. There are many different places in the US that have experienced problems. Pray that people will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Pray for peace in this troubled world. Pray for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, Yemen, Sudan, Chad and Congo. Pray that the hostages will be freed. 

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

     Next week, we will have a sermon on a new topic. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week And Prayer Requests

      There is another bad winter storm predicted for my area. Please pray that we won't get really bad snow and cold. Also, the people in Kentucky need our prayers as they are having terrible floods. 

     Nahum 1:7 -- "The Lord is good, a refuge in time of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."

     Psalm 145:9 -- "The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Joy -- Part 2"

      Thank you for taking the time to read the message once again. I am always glad to have the chance to post the messages each week. I hope that at least some of you get something out of them. 

     Last week, we began a brief series on some of what the Bible has to say about joy. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is produced in the life of the believer. We have joy knowing that Jesus has redeemed us and that we have been given the promise that if we are in Him, we will have a home with Him for all eternity. 

     In today's message, I want us to focus our attention on what the Bible says brings joy in Heaven. Heaven is a place of worship, and it is a place of joy. 

     One of the things that Jesus said brought joy in Heaven was the repentance and salvation of just one single person. In Luke 15:7, Jesus said that there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. The angels rejoice when someone turns from sin and turns to the Savior. It is interesting to think that we can have a part of bringing joy to the angels in Heaven when we obey the Great Commission and tell others about Jesus so that they can come to Him and have a new life in Him. 

     Another thing that the Bible says brings joy to the Lord is that the Lord finds joy in those of us who serve Him and praise Him. Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." When we come to know Jesus, we are adopted into the family of God. We are God's children, and He is our Father. Just as a Father finds joy in his family, God finds joy in those of us who are His children. He loves us with a great love. His love is even greater than a human father's love for his children. We bring joy to the heart of God by being part of His family. 

     Now, this might be a stretch, but I don't think so. In 3 John, John said that he found joy when he heard that those who were members of the church he founded were walking in the truth. He was joyful when they were doing the things that he taught them to do. I believe that we bring joy to the Lord Jesus when we obey His teachings and commandments. When we do that things that He has asked us to do in this world, I believe that that causes joy to be in Heaven. 

     Heaven is a place of joy. We can live in joy because we know Jesus and God is our Father. I hope that you will find the joy that only Jesus can bring. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I can find a new job. Also, pray in regard to my health. To be really honest, I am having a lot of pain, and it is getting me down. 

     I am thankful that most of the fires in California are contained. Pray that those in need will get the help that they need. Also pray for those on Mayotte and in the southeast US. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine and the entire Middle East need our prayers. Pray for the release of the hostages. Thank God some have been freed. Also pray for peace in Sudan and Congo. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 71:14 -- "But I will hope continually and will praise You yet more and more."

Jeremiah 17:7 -- "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Joy" -- Part 1

      Thanks be to God for a new day. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to post the message. I hope that all of you are well. 

     Since the start of the year, we've been looking into what we can do to have a great year in the Lord. Last week, I posted a sermon about the message of John the Baptist. Starting with today's message, we are going to be looking into what the Bible has to say about joy. 

     When we become followers of Jesus, we become a new creation in Jesus. The old is gone and the new has come. When we receive Jesus into our lives, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then begins to work in our lives to produce what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit can be described as the qualities that are in our lives as a result of our letting the Lord have His will and His way within our lives. 

     One of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned to us in Galatians 5 is joy. A Christian who is being led by the Holy Spirit will have a life of joy. Now, what does this mean, and what does it not mean. First of all, it does not mean that we are always going to be happy about everything that is going on in our lives and in this world. Bad things do happen to good people. Christians are not immune from the problems that beset all who are on the earth. Jesus told us that in this world we will have persecution. It isn't all roses being a follower of Jesus.

     Even though we will have problems in this life, those of us who follow Jesus can still be filled with joy. How is that possible?

     The reason that we can have joy in all circumstances in our life is because we belong to Jesus. I Peter 1:8-9 tells us, "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with with an indescribable and glorious joy."

     Those of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord can have a joy that goes beyond words because He is in us and has redeemed us from our sins. He has saved us and given us a new life in Him. He lives within us, and He lets us know that He is always with us. Jesus will never leave us as we go through this life. We can be joyful knowing that He will never forsake us and He will never leave us alone. 

     We can be joyful knowing that we have a home in heaven with Jesus. Jesus has told us that He has gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven. Those who are in Him can rejoice and be joyful knowing that for all of eternity that we will be with Jesus in a place where there is no sin, sorry or heartache. All is good, and right. 

     Heaven will be the ultimate joy. I am joyful knowing that life with Jesus face to face is in my future. It is not because of anything that I have done, but it is because of what Jesus has done for me. Not only will I be with Jesus, but I can have ultimate joy knowing that one day I will be reunited with all of my loved ones who have gone before me to be with Jesus.  As we go through these troubled days in our world, we can also be joyful knowing that one day, Jesus will restore all things to the way that they were before sin entered into the world. 

     Joy is possible through a relationship with the Lord Jesus. If you trust Him as Lord and Savior, He will give you an indescribable joy that will last throughout all of eternity. Amen

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying about my job situation. Please keep praying that I will feel better. Thank you. 

     Continue to pray for peace. Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan and Congo all need our prayers for peace right now. 

     Pray for justice for the poor and the oppressed. 

     We can thank the Lord that the fires in California have been contained. Let us pray that those affected by the fires will get the help and the aid that they need. Let us also pray for aid and help to reach those in the US southeast and those in Mayotte. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Bosnia and Albania. 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

      Romans 12:15 -- "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

     Galatians 6:2 -- "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Weekend Sermon -- "John's Message"

      Thank you for reading this week's message. I am always glad when it is time to post the sermon. I hope that everyone is doing well. 

     Next week, we are going to begin a new series of messages. However, in today's message, I want to write about something that I believe the Lord wanted me to bring a message about. Sometimes, I will just be going about my day when something comes unexpectedly into my mind. That is what happened with this message. When that happens, and I can't get the topic out of mind, I believe that is God's way of letting me know that He wants me to write or speak about that topic. 

     The other day, I was thinking about how so many religious people of late are being so down on helping others and practicing social justice and goodness. As I was thinking about that, John the Baptist came into my mind. John was the forerunner of Jesus. John was the Elijah told about in Malachi who would prepare the way for the Messiah. 

     John began his ministry by going out and preaching by the River Jordan. Let's take some time to explore what John's message was. First of all, we read in Luke 3 that John preached a message of repentance and baptism. He called on people to turn from the sins that they were committing and to get their hearts prepared for the coming of the Messiah. The people were then baptized in order to demonstrate the cleansing of sin and the start of a new life. 

     John's message of repentance is certainly applicable to us today. When we come to Jesus, we need to repent of our sins and ask for His forgiveness. After we know Jesus as Lord and Savior, we still have times when we don't do the right things. The Bible tells us that we can confess our sins, and the Lord will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

     John went on in his preaching telling people that their lives needed to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. This is similar to what James said when he spoke about faith without works in dead. When a person comes to true faith in the Lord Jesus, it brings about a change of heart and a change of mind. That leads a person to want to do the things that Jesus has called us to do. A person who is following Jesus will have fruit in their life. That means that they are living a life of holiness and that they are living out the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. 

     One of the things that John the Baptist told the people that was a fruit of repentance was helping others. John said that if a person had two shirts, he should give one to someone who didn't have any. Likewise, if a person had enough food, he should give some of it to someone that needed something to eat. 

     Jesus and His apostles told us much the same about the Christian's responsibility to do good and to help others in the world. Jesus said that when we do good to the least of those among us, we have done it unto Him. 

     John the Baptist went on to say that the tax collectors should not collect more than they were supposed to. In other words, those who follow the way of the Lord should be honest. They should never be greedy, and they should not be deceptive. The Christian should be known in their community as a completely honest and trustworthy person. 

     The soldiers were told to be content with their pay and to not extort people. They weren't to use their power to oppress people. The believer in the Lord Jesus should stand up against oppression and advocate for what is good and what is right in society. 

     Finally, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus. He said when he saw Jesus that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus would be baptized by John, and then Jesus would go and preach a message that revolutionized the world. He would give His life so that whoever would believe in Him would have eternal life. 

     Let each of us learn from the teachings of John the Baptist, and let us all always look to Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that I can find a new job quickly. I thought things were improving, but they are really going downhill. Going to my job is making me very depressed. I need to find something soon. Please pray about this. Thank you. I do want to thank the Lord that my arthritis is some better. 

     Let us all continue to pray for those affected by the fires and the storms. The people in California and in the US Southeast need our prayers. The people on Mayotte need our prayers as well. Pray that people will get the aid that they need. 

     Pray for peace. Ukraine needs peace with justice. Pray that peace will come in Gaza and that more hostages will be released. Pray for peace throughout the Middle East that is so unstable. Let us also pray for peace in Sudan, Congo and Haiti.

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

     Next week, we will begin a new series of messages. I will post the verses on Tuesday. Once again, please pray about my job situation, it is very important. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

    Romans 12:9 -- "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

    Job 6:14 -- "Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty."

Weekend Sermon -- "Building On The Foundation"

      Thank you for taking the time to once again read the Weekend Sermon. I hope that all of you are doing well and are in good health. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post this message. 

     I mentioned last week that I was going to start a new series of messages this week. However, I came across a verse this week that prompted a message that I want to share with you. It is in a sense a continuation of what we studied last week. If you remember, we saw that as we start the new year, we need to be built up in Christ,

    Ephesians 2:20-22 compliments and adds to what we addressed last week. This passage states, "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building in joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit."

     As I mentioned last week, we have to get our roots down deep into the Lord Jesus as we head out into a new year. We have to anchor our lives in His example and in His teachings. This passage uses the metaphor of our lives and the church being a like a building.

     If you look at some of the ancient buildings, one of the first things that you will notice is that there is always a large cornerstone placed in the foundation. This was placed there in order to solidify the foundation in order that everything else that was built upon the foundation was secure. Jesus talked about foundations in one of His parables. He said that those who listened to His words and put them into practice were like those who built their house on a rock. When the flood came, the house endured. On the other hand, those who ignored His teachings were like those who built their house on the sand. The house was swept away when the rains came. 

    Everything that we do has to be built on Jesus Christ. The book of Hebrews tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus. Jesus told us to look to Him and not to look to the right nor to the left nor behind. We are to look to Him and follow Him in His way as we are on the narrow path that leads to eternal life. 

     Our passage also tells us that we are building the church and our lives on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. What does this mean? The apostles were taught by the Lord, and they were instructed to teach others. They went into all of the world to preach the message of Jesus. Some of what they preached is recorded for us in the New Testament. We are to read these words and base our lives on what they have to tell us as they follow and proclaim what they learned from spending time with the Lord Jesus. A good project for this week would be to pick one of the epistles like James, I John or I Peter. Read and study the book, and put into practice what it says. 

     The prophets also give us teachings on which we are to base our lives. They were entrusted by God to bring His message to a people that were often going astray. Malachi, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah and the rest presented a message of social justice and righteousness that is just as relevant now as it was then. These are the words that we are to build our lives on now. 

     As we live our lives following Jesus and the words of the apostles and prophets, we have to be led by the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the works of the Spirit is to lead us into the truth. The Spirit reminds us of all that the Lord Jesus has said. The Spirit convicts of sin and prompts us into the way that we should go. Always be sensitive and responsive to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. 

     As we go into this new year, let us be students of the Word. Let us follow the teachings of the Word, Jesus Christ, and the word about the Word, the Bible. May we be led by the Spirit into being like Jesus in this world. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am still having a lot of arthritis problems. I think that I am going to have to go to another doctor and see if I can get some additional help. I do want to thank the Lord that things are going better at my work. 

     Please pray for those who are suffering as a result of the fires in California. Pray for the safety of the fire fighters. Pray that those who need help will get the aid that they need. Also pray for continued aid to reach the storm victims in the US Southeast.

     We need to keep praying for aid to reach Mayotte. That island has really been devastated by storms. 

     Keep praying for peace. Pray that the ceasefire holds in Gaza and that more hostages will be set free. Pray for peace in Ukraine and Sudan. Pray that the violence will end in Haiti. 

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

     Next week, I will be posting a message that I believe the Lord gave me at this time. After that, we will be starting the new series of messages. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.  

     

Addressing A Controversy

     Yesterday in my country the USA, a controversy arose over the sermon preached at the prayer service attended by President Trump. In her remarks, the bishop asked the President to have mercy on members of the LGBT community, and she spoke up for immigrants. 

     As a primarily religion blog, it would be remiss of me not to address this controversy in some way. First of all, if you've read my sermons, you know that I am what would be considered a conservative in theological matters, but I also preach about social justice and environmental issues. 

     One of the the things that really has concerned me in the response to the bishop's message is that many conservative religious leaders are dismissing her remarks about immigrants. The Bible has a lot to say about how a nation is to treat the immigrant and the sojourner in the land. Let's look for a few minutes at some of what the Bible has to say about this issue. Contrary to what one conservative religious leader has said, immigration is a Bible issue. 

     Exodus 22:1 states, "You shall not wrong a sojourner nor oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt." This verse is not just speaking of of the Israelites being slaves. When there was a famine in the land where they were staying, Jacob and his family went to Egypt in order to survive. There they prospered. The Egyptians then mistreated and enslaved the Hebrews. God wanted to make sure that the people remembered that they were sojourners who became mistreated. He did not want the people of Israel to do to others what had been done to them.

     Zechariah 7:9-10 gives a strong message about how the marginalized are to be treated in society. This passage states, "Thus says the Lord of Hosts, render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil in your heart against another."  

     Two passages in Ezekiel tell us that God was not pleased at the way the people were treating the sojourners. First of all Ezekiel 22:7 states, "Father and Mother are treated with contempt in you, and the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst, the fatherless and widow are wronged in you." Part of the remedy for this is found in Ezekiel 47:22, "You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel." What this is saying is that when people have lived among you and have families, and they have not broken the law or caused harm, they should be well treated just as a native-born citizen. 

    There is one other Old Testament passage from among the many that I would like to relate to you. It is found in Deuteronomy 14:28-29 which says the following, "At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up in your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, the widow, who are within your towns shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do." Those who do not have enough were to be supported by the people's tithe. This included the immigrant due to the fact they often were fleeing persecution, war and famine in other places and often were lacking in resources. 

     Finally on this immigrants and Bible issue I want to say this. Jesus said that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we had to leave our home due to gang violence, war or some other hardship we would want others to help us. Also, Jesus told us to do unto others as we would have done to us. 

     Always remember this. We are to serve and follow Jesus not a political party or President whether or not they be of the left or the right. We have to stand where the Word of God stands. As this relates to the Bishop's remarks, the Bible is clear on the correct treatment of immigrants. We must in no way mistreat or cause fear and harm to those who are living lawful lives among us.

     In my remarks, I have probably offended some of you who read the blog. I remember when I taught through the book of Malachi that I lost a lot of followers. However, as someone called to preach the Gospel, I have to speak where the Scripture speaks, and the Bible does have a lot to say about how to treat immigrants, the vulnerable and the poor. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 1:17 -- "Learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

Luke 3:11 -- "John answered, anyone who has two shirts should share with one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same."

Weekend Sermon -- A Foundation For The New Year

      Thank you for taking the time to read the message this week. I have been having a rough time due to the really bad winter weather. I am sorry that I couldn't get anything posted last week, but I couldn't get out. Even if I could have gotten out, nothing was open. Thankfully, I am able to post the messages again. 

     Before I start the message, I wanted to say that Jan 13 is a special day because that is when my friend Toby came to live with me. I want to thank the Lord Jesus for letting us find each other. 

     The new year is always a great time to take stock of one's life. That is true in the natural as well as in the spiritual.

     As we begin the new year, I wanted to share with you a verse that I think can be a building block for all of us as we start 2025. Colossians 2:7 tells us, "Keep your roots deep in Him, and have your lives built on Him. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always be thankful."

     In order for us to be effective Christians going into the new year, we have to have our roots in Jesus. This means that in order to have the life that we need to please guide, we have to have our lives anchored in Jesus. We must have Jesus as our Savior and our Lord. I believe that this verse is also talking about sinking our roots and anchoring our lives in the words and the teachings of Jesus. When we learn more about Jesus and what He taught, it allows us to be able to withstand in this world and be what we need to be in order to be an ambassador for Christ in this world. 

     There are two major ways that we can place our roots deep in the Lord. First of all, we need to be students of the Word. As we start this new year, all of us need to make the commitment to study more in the Bible. We need to read the Bible, but I am saying something deeper. We need to do in depth study and plumb the depths of the theology and doctrines revealed in the Word. 

     We also build roots in the Lord through building a relationship with Him through prayer. I urge you as the new year is starting to make the commitment to pray at least twice a day. Pray about all manner of things. Spend time with Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit speak into your heart. 

     Having our lives built on Jesus to me means that all of our lives are centered in and around Jesus. Being a Christian to me means that Jesus is all in all. He is who our lives revolve around. Whatever we do, we ask what Jesus would do in that situation. In that way, Jesus really and truly becomes the Lord of our lives.  

    In 2025, let us be strong in the faith. That means that we practice what we preach. We look to Jesus, and then we act like Jesus out in the world. We do good unto the least of those among us, and we spread the message of Jesus' love to others. We are not lead astray by the things of the world, but we live lives of holiness and sanctification which is pleasing to God. 

     Finally, we need to be thankful people in 2025. We have a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that the storm didn't take out my power and the heat stayed on. I am thankful that the Lord gave me by best friend Toby. Of course we must always be thankful for the fact that Jesus has come, and because of Him, nothing will ever be the same again in this world and in our lives. 

     This year, express your thanks to the Lord often. Whenever the Lord answers a prayer, make sure to say thank you. Start the year off right by being a thankful person. 

     We have a new year ahead. Let Jesus be the center of you life. Live for Him. Let Him lead and guide you in all things in the year ahead. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I would like you to please pray that I can find another job. I am thankful for my current job, but it is really stressful. Thank you. 

     The fires in Los Angeles have been horrific. Pray that these fires can be extinguished. Pray for the recovery efforts and that people can get the aid and the help that they need. Pray for the safety of the firefighters. 

     Keep praying for those affected by storms here in the US as well as in Mayotte, Madagascar, Mozambique and Comoros. 

      Pray for peace. Sudan, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza all need our prayers. 

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

     Next week, I am starting a new sermon series. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Snow Days

      Where I live, we just had the largest one day snowfall since 1962. That was before I was born. I think we had just a little over 10 inches. Some places near me had well over a foot of snow. I lived through the largest two day snowfall ten years ago. We had 7 inches one day, and then we had 8 inches the next day. 

     With all of this snow falling, I was reminded of all of the fun that I had with Toby when the snow days came. That dog really loved the snow. When I was younger, I used to like it too. Neither of us cared for the super cold days when it was really windy, but any other time when the snow was on the ground, the two of us where ready for outdoor adventures. 

     Toby really came to life in the snow. Even when he was really old, he would get an extra burst of energy when we went out in the snow. He loved it when I would through snow at him. He would run around barking and biting at the snow. 

     I remember one winter in particular. We had a big snow with a lot of drifting. There was a drift in the backyard as high as the fence. That evening, freezing drizzle came down making a hard crust on the snow. Toby had a blast going up and down over the drift in and out of the yard. 

     About three days later, we had a little melting. Toby went out to walk up and down the big snowdrift, and it collapsed under him. All that was sticking up was the tip of one of his ears. I rushed over and dug him out as quickly as I could. He had a stunned look on his face. He was not at all happy that his drift climbing days where at an end. 

     What always amazed me is what an easy time he had getting through the snow. Being a corgi, he didn't have much ground clearance. It didn't make any difference. He would bound through the deepest snow and the largest drifts with ease. I think he would have loved living in a place where there was snow more of the year. Maybe he is running through the snow up in Heaven right now. 

Verses For The Week And An Update

      I was not able to post anything last week due to the bad storm. The area where I live had the heaviest snowfall since before I was born. I couldn't go anywhere for days. I do thank the Lord that the power stayed on so that I had plenty of heat. Starting today, I hope we can get back on track here on the blog. 

Here are the verses:

Psalm 46:1 -- "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

II Thessalonians 3:3 -- "But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."

Weekend Sermon

      This Weekend Sermon is going to be short. There are many things happening where I live. More on that later. I hope that everyone is doing well. 

     As we start the new year, I have been thinking a lot about the words in James 4:14 that tells us life is like a vapor. That is like the visible steam that you can see coming off a pot of boiling water. You see it for just a moment, and then it has vanished.

     Life is so short. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was running around with my friend Toby both of us having the time of our lives. 

     What I wanted to reflect on today is that we all only have so much time to do what we want to do and what God has called us to do with our lives. As we start this new year, I urge you not to put off doing what God has called you to do. Do all that you can this year to live the dream that God has given you. 

     I also want to speak to those that may have been putting off deciding to give their lives to Jesus. Today, is the day of salvation. Now is the time. 

     I know that was short, but I have something very important that I need all of you to pray about. There is major winter storm coming into my area. They are calling for a lot of freezing rain. So much is forecast that I am really worried about power outage and damage to the house. I have many old trees around the house. I've actually been thinking about getting out of there during this storm. 

     Please pray that the storm won't be as bad as what is currently being predicted, and pray that the power will not go out. Also, pray that I will have wisdom from the Lord about what to do.

     I have several new series planned for the new year. I am looking forward to continuing on the blog for as long as the Lord allows me to do it. 

     Remember to keep praying for peace, and pray that people will come to know Jesus around the world. 

     Next week, I hope to get back with a proper sermon. Thank you all, and may God bless you. 

Happy New Year

      I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I hope that everyone will be in good health and will be happy in the year to come. Thank you for reading the blog in 2024.