Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 8:38"

      Thanks for once again reading the message, and thank you all for your prayers. I hope that you are all doing well this week. 

     Today, we are going to finish our study from Mark 8 as we continue to go chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the book of Mark. We have taken our time going through this chapter as there was so much for us to consider in it. 

     The last verse of the chapter is what we will consider today. Jesus tells us that if we are ashamed of Him in this life, He will be ashamed of us when He comes again. This is a sobering thing to ponder. What does it mean?

    I think that there are two meanings in this. There is a meaning for both those who identify as Christians and for non-Christians. For non-Christians I believe what Jesus is saying is that if a person does not recognize Him and want to follow Him in this life, He will not recognize them when He comes again. In other words, Jesus is saying that the time to acknowledge Him is now because when He comes again it will be too late. It is the same as what James said when he said today is the day of salvation. Jesus also said that when He comes it will be like a thief in the night. No one will know, so we need to be ready should He come at any time. 

     Now, I also think that there is something in this for the Christian. Let me qualify that. For those who claim to be Christians. There are those who say that they are Christians, but they deny the fact and are ashamed of Jesus in two different ways. 

     First of all, they show that they are ashamed of Jesus because they say they have faith but they have no deeds. It is just like James said, faith without works is dead. These are people who you might know for decades yet you would have no idea that they had a relationship with Jesus Christ. They want to remain a private Christian so to speak. 

     Also, there are those who show that they are ashamed of Jesus because they do boldly say they follow Him, but in reality they do the exact opposite of everything that He taught. Let me give you an example. 

     There are a lot of people in this world who talk about being a Christian. Then they go into the public sphere and advocate for everything that is the opposite of what Jesus said to do. They are against helping the poor, taking care of creation or making sure that people can even have what is necessary to live a decent life. 

     Jesus said that on the day of judgment there will be many who will come and say to Him Lord, Lord. His response will be, "I never knew you." 

     Let all of us who say that we are Christians be unashamed followers of Jesus and His teachings. Let people know by what you do and by what you say that you are a follower of Jesus and that He is the Lord of your life. If you don't know Jesus, come to Him today and then tell others what a difference Jesus has made in your life. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying for me in regard to my health and with regard to finding a job. I am having some really weird health problems. Also, please pray that the money I am expecting will arrive. I need it so that I can implement something I believe the Lord wants me to do. 

     Keep praying for peace. Pray for Ukraine, for peace in the Middle East and for peace in Sudan. Pray for peace wherever you know there is war. 

     Pray for and end to the Ebola outbreak in Africa. 

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

    Next week, we will start Mark 9. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week and Prayer Request

  Prayer Request -- I am going to a new doctor today to try to get some help. Please pray that this visit will go well and that I can get on some type of treatment. Also, please pray that I can find a new job, and pray that some inheritance money I am expecting will come through like it is supposed to. 

Verses:

Hebrews 13:5 -- "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'"

Isaiah 41:13 -- "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; It is I who say to you; "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 8:36-37"

      It is once again time for the weekend sermon. I hope and pray that everyone is having a very good week. 

     As I am sure you know, we are in a study where we are going chapter by chapter verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. Right now, we are studying chapter 8, and we have been in this chapter for quite some time because there is so much for us to learn from the Lord Jesus in this chapter. 

     In our message today, I want us to focus our attention on what the Lord had to say about "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul." Jesus will go on to ask what could a person ever give in exchange for his soul. 

     This statement of Jesus boils down to what do people think is really important. We have so many people in this world who are only pursuing the things that pass away. They spend all of their time trying to accumulate wealth and possessions, and they don't care what moral or ethical laws they violate in order to do it. They walk over people and use and abuse people just to get what they want. In their minds, there is only the here and now and what they can obtain for their own comfort and gratification. They are in the process of forfeiting their own souls for earthly riches. 

     Jesus is saying that if a person could even gain everything in the whole world it was not worth it if it meant that a person would forfeit their soul. In other words, Jesus was saying you could become fabulously rich and famous, but if you end up separated from God in hell for all eternity, what good has it done for you. 

     People don't have the right perspective on eternity. The here and now in which we live is like one grain of sand on the beach. It is nothing compared to the entire beach that represents eternity. We get caught up in the right now and don't have an eternal perspective. 

     In another passage, Jesus put it this way. We need to lay up treasure in heaven where moth and rust don't corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. We should not lay up treasure on earth where things do become corrupted and can be lost or taken from us. 

     I want you to know this. All the money and fame and fortune in the world won't matter one bit when you stand before the Lord on judgement day. He will look to see if you have accepted Him as the Lord and Savior of your life. He will look to see if your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. If you have not turned your life over to Christ and your name is not written in the book, all the money and things in this world won't stop you from being cast away from God's presence for all eternity. 

     Thanks be to God, no one has to go to hell or be separated from the Lord. Jesus invites anyone and everyone to turn to Him and receive forgiveness and pardon today. That includes you. I hope that you will put your faith and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying in regard to my health. I am going to see a new doctor next week. Also, keep praying about my job situation. 

     Remember to keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Africa. Pray that those who are sick will make a full recovery.

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, the Middle East, and Sudan all are in need of our prayers. 

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

     Next week, we will continue in Mark finishing up chapter 8. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Hebrews 11:16 -- "But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That is why God wasn't ashamed for them to call Him their God. He even built a city for them."

Philippians 3:20-21 -- "But we are citizens of heaven and are eagerly awaiting our Savior to come from there. Our Lord Jesus Christ has power over everything, and He will make these poor bodies of ours like His own glorious body."

Weekend Sermon --"Mark 8:34-35"

      Thank you for reading the message, and thank you to the Lord for the chance to bring it. I pray that all of you are doing well. 

     It was my plan to finish up chapter 8 in our continuing study of the Gospel of Mark, but I think I will actually have this message and maybe two more out of this chapter. It really doesn't matter at what pace we proceed through the Gospel. What is important is that we understand and apply to our lives the teachings and the example of Jesus found there in. 

     In our passage today, Jesus speaks to those who are following Him about taking up their cross and following Him. That is what I want to focus on today. What does it mean to take up one's cross and follow Jesus?

     First of all, the cross means death. To take up one's cross means to die, and I believe as we begin our examination of this phrase we have to focus on the fact that following Jesus means dying to sin and rebellion against the way of God. In order to get on the path that leads to life, a person needs to be convinced that they are a sinner who is in need of a Savior. They have to repent of their sins and ask Jesus to be the Savior and the Lord of their life. That is the only way that a person dies to sin and becomes a new creation in Christ with the old passing away and all things becoming new. 

     Following the way of the cross, taking up one's cross, also means dying to self. People are selfish and self-centered as a general rule. They want to think about their own needs, wants and desires and they care very little, if at all, about others who are in this world. Taking up one's cross and following Jesus means that we have to give up and die to ourselves in order to become like Jesus who was the man for others. 

     Jesus came into this world to serve and not to be served. He came to give His very life as a ransom for sin. He didn't think about what was just for Him. In fact, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus like any person, wanted to avoid a painful death. However, in the Garden, Jesus prayed not my will but Thine be done. He was willing to set aside Himself for the sake of others. That is part of what taking up the cross and following Him means. 

     Taking up the cross also means following Jesus' path. Jesus' path involved at least two aspects. First off, He came to give His life on the cross for the salvation of all those who believe. His life from birth was leading to a cross. We also have to think about this way, the way in which He lived led to the cross as well. Jesus went against the establishment. He antagonized the religious and political leaders to the point they wanted Him dead. He preached the radical love of God and it cost Him His life. 

     When we take up the cross and follow Jesus, we are committing to follow His path of love, goodness and caring in this world. We are following in His footsteps of doing unto others as we would have done to us. We are committing to loving God with all we have within us. And we are committing to love our neighbors as we love ourself. 

    Finally, taking up one's cross entails suffering. There is a cost to following Jesus. That cost will manifest itself in different ways for different people. Some people follow Jesus and they are physically assaulted or martyred. Others suffer financial repercussions or interpersonal difficulties. For some, following Jesus will mean being ostracized by family and friends. 

    Jesus asks us to count the cost, and then make the decision to follow Him. I hope that you will follow Him. I hope that in spite of whatever cross you must bear you will follow the Lord Jesus wherever it is that He may lead you. Amen. 

     Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying in regard to my health. I must say I am not doing well at all. I actually to be honest have to tell you I don't know that it might be almost time for me to once again see my friend Toby. However, please pray that I will recover from what is ailing me if it be the Lord's will. Also, please pray that I can find a job that will be better. This place I work is really getting me down. Thank you all for all of your prayers. 

     Keep praying for peace in Ukraine. That is really on my heart this week. 

     Remember to pray that Ebola will come to an end in Africa. I heard there were more cases. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, pray for those in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will post the verses on Tuesday. We will continue in Mark 8 with the message. May God bless you all.  

Verses For The Week

 Ephesians 5:1-2 -- "Be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Luke 9:26 -- "If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels."

Weekend Sermon -- Mark 8:33"

      Thank you for once again taking time to read this message. It means a lot to me. I hope that you are all doing well, and I thank the Lord for the ministry of doing these messages.

     Last week, we looked at the fact that the disciples recognized finally that Jesus was the Messiah. He was God and man. That doesn't mean that they were seeing the entire picture of what Jesus' ministry entailed yet. Peter would rebuke Jesus for saying that He was going to be crucified. This drew a sharp rebuke from Jesus who said, "Get behind me, Satan." Jesus said that they were looking at things from a human perspective and not from God's perspective."

     In our message today, I would like us to focus on this statement of Jesus about looking at things from a human perspective and not looking at things the way that God sees it. So much of this is going on today in our world. 

     We live in a world that is fallen. People have rebelled against God and the ways of  God. The Bible is clear that we are like lost sheep who have gone astray. Each has gone to his own way doing what he or she deems right regardless of what the Lord has said about it. 

     The values of our society are completely at odds with the way of the Lord. For instance, think about what the world's view of success is. In this world system's way of thinking wealth, power, fame and prestige are what make for success. However, that is not what counts for having a successful life in God's eyes. In the Lord's view, being a success in life means following Him and turning your life over to Him. It means that you love God and your neighbor. You do unto others as you would have done to you. It doesn't matter if you are rich and famous. The world and all of its fame and treasure is passing away. The Lord Jesus has called on us to build up treasure in heaven where moth and rust does not corrupt and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

     When Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, this world would have looked on the rich man as a success and Lazarus as a failure. But, Jesus turned things around. Lazarus ended up having eternal life in heaven while the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell. 

     There are other ways that this world's values do not measure up with the way God sees it. For instance, boasting and calling attention to oneself and one's deeds is very common practice. But in God's view, we are to be people who are humble not drawing attention to ourselves and our supposed greatness. We are to realize that all that we have comes to us by the gracious hand of the Lord. He has given us all that pertains to life and Godliness. 

     One other area I would like to touch on is becoming more prevalent today especially among some famous people and in some political circles. This belief states that self-interest is the most important thing in life. A person shouldn't "waste" money and time on charity. They should make a lot of money and use it for themselves. What is done for oneself is viewed as right. This is the opposite of the teaching of the Lord. 

    The Bible says that we are to be concerned for the needs of others and not just for ourselves. We are called to follow the selfless example of Jesus who did not come into the world to be served but to serve. Jesus gave His life for the world. He is the ultimate example of humility, doing good and being a person for others. He is our example. 

     I hope that you will order your perspective rightly. Look at things from God's way and not from the perspective of this fallen world system. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray in regard to my health. I am not feeling well at all. I really need your prayers. 

     Pray for those who suffered damage in the area north of me from storms. Pray that they will make a full recovery.  Also, pray for those affected by the hurricane here in the USA. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine needs prayers for peace. Keep praying in regard to peace in the Middle East and don't forget about Sudan. 

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

     Next week, we will finish Mark 8. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 John 1:3 -- "Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made."

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

Weekend Sermon --"Mark 8:27-33"

      Thank you for reading this week's sermon. I am glad for the opportunity to post the message again this week. I hope you are doing well. 

     Last week in our study in Mark, we saw the encounter that Jesus had with a blind man. The man had a partial recover, and then Jesus laid hands on him again and the man was totally restored. We saw this as really happening but more importantly as a metaphor for coming to know more about Jesus and having our understanding about Him fully opened. 

    In our message for today, we want to look at how this transformation over time happened in the life of the disciples. Like the man who was healed, they couldn't understand or see who Jesus really was at all for awhile. For instance, they did not understand at all what was going on with the feeding of the four and the five thousand. They did not know what Jesus meant about the yeast of the Pharisees. However, as they spent more time with Jesus, they began to see more and more. 

    That leads us to our passage today. Jesus comes right out and asks them who people think that He is. They responded by saying that some thought he was John the Baptist while others thought that He might be Elijah or one of the other prophets. 

    Jesus then changes the question. He asks them who they think He is. To this, Peter said that Jesus was the Messiah. They were coming to understand who Jesus really was. His teaching and His message was starting to get through to them. 

     This is much the same in our current day and age. Many people start their spiritual journey not understanding who Jesus is nor what He did on the cross. They think of Him as a good man or a good teacher, and they leave it at that. But, there are those who over time study more and understand more. They come to realize that Jesus is not just a man. He is God come in the flesh to redeem the world from sin. 

    Just as Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, He in essence is asking everyone that question. Who do you say that I am? The answer one gives to that has eternal consequences. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We must turn to Him and trust Him to escape the wrath of God due to our sinfulness. What we believe about Jesus and our relationship with Him makes a difference for time and for eternity. 

    Now, the disciples still had a lot to learn. Jesus told them that He was going to be crucified and then rise again. Peter still not understanding rebuked Jesus. Jesus said "Get behind me Satan." According to Jesus they had human concerns and were not concerned about the things of God. 

    I hope that you will consider Jesus. I hope that you will come to realize more and more who He is and what He has done through His death and glorious resurrection. Consider giving your life to Him as Savior and Lord. If you don't understand it all, ask the Lord to show you the way, and He will reveal the truth of Himself to you. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

    Please pray that I will keep be able to do my ministry work and find another job.

    Keep praying for peace. Pray for Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 I John 1:5 -- "This is the message that we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all."

John 14:15 -- "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 8:22-25"

      Once again, I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this week's message. I hope that this week has been a good one. 

     Last week in our message, we took a one week divergence from out study in Mark. Today, we get back into what the Lord has to teach us from this book. 

    Our passage for today is one of the turning points in this Gospel. While the events in the story did actually happen, the healing has a deeper symbolic meaning. 

    First off, after Jesus fed the four thousand, He encountered a blind man who needed to be healed. The first thing Jesus did was to take the man out of the village. He then spit on the man's eyes and asked him if he could see anything. The man said he saw men walking around like trees. Jesus touched Him again, and the man's vision was completely restored at this point. Jesus then instructed him not to return to the village. 

     As I said, this did happen. However, Jesus performed the miracle in this way to show a greater spiritual point. 

     We are all like the man who was blind. We have no spiritual sight whatsoever. The Bible says that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. We need someone to show us how to see things in a new way. We need our vision transformed. 

     Jesus took the man out of the village, and he had to be willing to let Jesus lead him out. In order to have our eyes open and our hearts set free, we have to have the desire to move from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His glorious light. A lot of times, a person comes to a realization of the truth of who Jesus is in stages under the guidance and grace of the Lord. By the grace of the Lord, we begin to see more and more what the truth is and that we need a Savior. We begin to want to be moved from darkness to light. 

    Then, there comes a time when by His grace we come to place our complete faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and His glorious resurrection. We accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord and move completely out of darkness into the light of the abundant life that only Jesus can bring to us. 

    Once we have come to faith and trust in Jesus, we don't want to go back to the old way of life. We want to keep looking to Jesus who is the author and perfector of our faith. We don't look left nor right. We do not look back. We keep looking to Jesus and we follow the narrow way that leads to life. 

     Next week, we will see how this miracle was a turning point in the life of the disciples. They began to see more clearly who Jesus was and that revelation would be even more clear when they saw Him risen in power and great glory. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that the rains being predicted in much of the USA this week will not be as bad as forecasted. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan all still need prayer.

    Pray for an end to Ebola.

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

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

Verses For The Week

 John 3:17 -- "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Romans 12:12-- "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

Weekend Sermon -- "The Lord's Grace"

      It is time once again for this week's sermon. Thank you for reading it. I want to thank the Lord for giving me this ministry, and I hope that you are having a great week. 

     In our message today, we are going to step back from our study in the book of Mark this week because I want to bring a message about something that has been on my mind a lot recently. It has to do with the grace of God. 

     Grace can best be defined as God's unmerited favor. That means God giving us and providing us with good things not based on us doing something to earn or deserve it. He does it just because He cares for us and wants to provide the best for us. 

     As you know, I have sold my house and moved. Over the course of the last few weeks as this entire process has carried itself out, I have been looking back over the course of my life. Something really stood out to me in my reflections. I have been the recipient of the grace and goodness of the Lord over and over and over again. It is not through any good deeds on my part, it is all because of the goodness of the Lord. 

    One of the examples of God's grace in my life is the fact that He allowed me to be born in a Christian home to parents who showed me what it meant to live out one's faith for the Lord Jesus. By God's grace I was able to go to a Christian school and study and learn more about Him. 

    It was only by God's grace that I was able to beat the odds and make it through my early years and be here today. I was born with a congenital immune system problem and was not expected to live too long. But by the grace of God, I am still standing and moving forward trying to serve Him each day as He enables me to do it. 

     Another outstanding example of the grace of God at work in my life was finding my friend Toby. There was no way we would have ever come together unless the Lord Jesus made it all work out the way that it needed to work out. It is one of the defining points of my life finding him. 

    God's grace was also at work in allowing me to find a great teacher to help me learn about classical music and jazz. Some may say it was just the luck of the draw. But, I know that it was the grace of God. God providing for me more than I could ever ask or imagine out of His great goodness and love for me. 

    There have been numerous good things and good times that have happened in my life like becoming a writer and finding the right job that would not have happened except by the grace of God. It is all because of Him that I am what I am today and I have the things that I have today. It is all of Him and none of me. 

    The greatest gift of God's grace in my life is salvation through the finished work of Christ on the cross and through His glorious resurrection. It was not through any goodness or works of righteousness on my part that I am redeemed. It is all through what Jesus did for me. He took my sin and imputed His righteousness within me. By grace I have been saved. 

    I hope that you will look back this week at the many instances of God's grace in your life. And give Him thanks for all that He has done. If you have never come to know the grace of God through Jesus, I hope you will receive His gift of grace today. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying for me as I try to move into the new aspect of my life. Transitions are difficult, but your prayers make a difference. 

     Keep praying for peace. This is really on my heart right now. All of the battles and strife in the Middle East and Iran need to stop. We need peace in Ukraine now. The battle in Sudan needs to stop. So many are suffering. Pray for peace in these and in the other war torn areas of the world. 

     Pray for my friend at work who is having a hard time with his health. He has had an operation that has gone badly. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

      John 1:16 -- "For from His fulness we have all received, grace upon grace. 

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

Weekend Sermon --"Mark 8:1-21"

      Thanks for reading the message. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the message. May the Lord's peace be with you this day. 

     Today, we are moving into chapter 8 as we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark. Earlier, we saw that Jesus had fed the five thousand. In our passage today, Jesus has a similar situation. He feeds four thousand this time, and the disciples still beforehand didn't understand that Jesus could perform this miracle. This is unbelievable to me. 

     After Jesus had fed the people, the Pharisees had the temerity to ask Jesus for a sign. He already gave them one. So, Jesus said that He wasn't giving them any more signs and walked off. 

    At that point, Jesus told the disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod. The disciples thought He was upset about them not bringing bread. 

    Jesus was exasperated with them at this point. He recounted to them the miracle of the five and four thousand being fed. Don't you understand? Jesus was probably just shaking His head. 

     What are we to make of this passage? What are some lessons that we can derive from it?

     I want to point out first that Jesus makes it clear that He fed four and five thousand on separate occasions. Some more liberal Bible scholars point to this passage as a mix-up or discrepancy in the Bible. It is not. They were two different miracles, and Jesus says so Himself. That is one reason He is so upset with the disciples and their lack of understanding.

     Next, what is the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. This is interesting. Leaven is often used metaphorically in the Bible to represent something added that is impure. That is why unleavened bread was used. I think what Jesus is specifically referring to is the leaven of hypocrisy. That was the great sin of the religious leaders, and Jesus called them out on it time and time again. They did not practice what they preached. 

    More specifically in this context, they were trying to be deliberately obtuse in asking for a sign. They were just trying to cause trouble. Jesus had had enough of it. 

    We must be people who practice what we preach. We cannot say one thing and do another. If we claim to be followers of Jesus, people expect us to live according to a certain standard. To say we believe yet not follow the teachings and commandments of Jesus is the height of hypocrisy. It is one of the main reasons so many people are turned off of religion. 

    Now, to address what Jesus said to the disciples. They saw so much yet they did not understand. Sometimes the things Jesus said are difficult to grasp. However, Jesus does not give up on those who are trying. He kept on with these guys, and eventually, they saw the truth about Him, and they went and preached all over the world. 

    Sometimes, I think we do understand but say we don't so we have an excuse not to do what we know Jesus wants us to do. That is more of the yeast Jesus was speaking of. 

    Let us all strive to live out what we believe and practice what we preach. Let us always ask the Spirit to reveal the truth of the Word to us. Amen.

Prayer Request

     I purchased a new vehicle this week. I thank the Lord for His help. 

    Please keep praying for peace in the world. Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan still need our prayers. 

    I want to thank the Lord that the Cyclospora has passed. Keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Proverbs 21:21 -- "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness and honor."

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

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark7:31-36"

      Thanks for once again taking the time to read the message for the week. I have been having busy weeks and days with moving and working, but things are settling down a little now. Thank you all for your prayers. 

     Today, we are getting back in the swing of things and focusing our attention on our continuing study in the Gospel of Mark. In our passage, we see something that seems strange, but I believe that there are important spiritual ideas from this passage for us to grasp. 

     Jesus healed the people wherever He went. He came into the city and a man who was deaf and unable to speak was brought to Him for healing. Jesus took the man aside, and then Jesus put His figures in the man's ears and on his tongue. Jesus spit, looked up to Heaven and cried be opened in Aramaic. The man was healed and began to praise the Lord. 

     Why did Jesus do this healing this way? I believe that Jesus placed the man away from the crowd first of all to not make a spectacle out of him. This may have had to do with Jesus' understanding of his personality and what he had gone through in life. Jesus understands us at our deepest level, and He will do that which is best for us. 

    I think that Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears and on his tongue in order to communicate to the man that He was going to heal him. He wanted to let the man know that He was going to do a miracle and free him from the physical boundary that had contained him. 

     By looking up into Heaven, Jesus was showing everyone that divine power and not some magical incantation was responsible for the man being healed. All of the praise, honor and glory belongs to the Lord. 

    I also think that there is another very important insight that we can gain from this text. It is this, we often do not always understand what Jesus is doing and how He is working. We live in this world and pray and rely on the Lord and often we don't get why the Lord is letting x,y or z happen to us. I know this is true in my life. However, we can know this, Jesus is always working things out according to His plans and purposes for us. 

    I will give you a couple of examples. I know that I have been called to be a minister of the Gospel. When I was younger, I thought that would mean me being the pastor of a church. Then, the very fundamentalist churches of my youth rejected me, and I didn't know what would happen. But, Jesus had it worked out. He led me into writing and evangelism work. He was working things out according to His will even though I didn't understand how it would all work out at the time. Looking back, I see it worked out great.

    On another front. When I was a young man, the family dog attacked me for no reason at all. The vet thinks he had a brain tumor. I liked that dog, and I was depressed about the whole thing. However, out of that terrible event which I didn't understand, the Lord led me to my forever best friend Toby. If the one hadn't have happened, neither would have the other. I don't understand what my life would have been without Toby. Now, I don't for a second believe the Lord made that dog attack. However, out of the bad, the Lord brought something great. I didn't see it or understand it, but the Lord Jesus was at work. 

    I said all that to say this, the Lord works often in ways we don't understand until later. We may not understand until we get to see Him face to face. We can know that Jesus is doing all for our good and will always do what is right. We can and should always give Him the praise and the glory just as this man who was healed in an unusual way did. Jesus knows what He is doing. Let our trust be in Him. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that now that I have found a place to live, I will be able to find a newer car. I don't want anything fancy, just want something that will get me around. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine and all the Middle East really need our prayers. Sudan needs our prayers for peace as does Congo. Haiti is still experiencing violence. 

    Pray for and end to Ebola and Cyclospora.

    Remember to keep praying for those in Nepal recovering from the natural disaster. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

    For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Mauritius and Taiwan. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

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

Verses For The Week

Psalm 119:11 -- "I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

Hebrews 2:18 -- "For because He Himself suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted."

Weekend Sermon -- "A Reflection On Life"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer Requests

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

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

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

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

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

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

Verses For The Week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer Requests

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

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

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

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

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

Verses For The Week and An Update

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

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

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

Update and prayer request

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer Requests

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

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

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

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

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

Verses For The Week

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

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

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:45-56"

     Thank you again for reading the sermon this week. I really do enjoy posting these messages, and I hope that you get something from reading them. I am particularly enjoying going through Mark as this is the first time on the blog I have gone through a Gospel chapter by chapter and verse by verse. 

     As I am sure you are aware, we are studying through Mark. Today, we are going to be finishing up chapter 6. We have been in chapter six for quite some time. 

     In our passage for today, we see the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Jesus had just performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The crowd had dispersed. The disciples got into some boats to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. However, Jesus did not join them. Instead, He went out into a lonely place in order to spend time in prayer. 

     During the course of their trip, the disciples ran into a big wind and they had to row against it in order to make progress on their journey. While they were rowing, Jesus was walking along the water. He was going to go right by them, but He heard the disciples cry out in fear because they thought that He was a ghost. 

     Jesus told them it was Him, and that they did not need to be afraid. He came over and got into the boat, and immediately the winds and the waves died down. The disciples were amazed. They still didn't understand who Jesus really was. 

     When they all came to the other side, the people were wanting to see Jesus. Whoever even touched His garment were healed and delivered. 

     The first lesson I believe that we have from this story is that Jesus is able to overcome the problems and storms of our lives. In this story, Jesus walked right on the stormy waters. He was able to calm the raging seas. 

     There are a lot of bad things that we go through in this life. We can face sickness, depression, loneliness and financial devastation. Jesus has the power to help us to make it through all of the things that life can throw at us. He delivers us through the storms of this life. 

     One way or another. Now, or in eternity, we will be delivered by the power of the Lord if we are in Him. Nothing can separate us from Him. Things may look bleak and dark, but He has the power to make sure that we will ultimately be with Him for all eternity. 

     While we are here on this earth, Jesus tells us to not be afraid. He is looking out for our best interests. He is helping us, leading us and showing us the way. He is guiding us in the way that is right for us until we see Him face to face in that place that He has gone to prepare for those who love Him. 

     We are in His hands. We need not fear. Jesus has the power, and His love and presence will get us through. 

     The final thing I want to point out today is that Jesus cared about everyone. The people came from all over and He ministered unto them. He loved everyone, and He loves you. He understands what you are dealing with. He is Savior, Lord and King. What is so amazing is that He wants to be with us and help us. He cares. Amen. 

    Prayer Requests. 

     Please keep praying about the house sale. Pray that everything will go right. Thank you. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine is where I want us to focus our prayers this week. 

     Remember to keep praying for an end to the Ebola and cyclospora outbreaks. 

     Pray for those dealing with natural disasters. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that the need. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

      Hebrews 9:24 -- "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one, He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 

     Philippians 3:20 -- "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:30-44"

      Thank you once again for reading the message for the week. I hope you have all had a good week of serving the Lord and enjoying the good things in this life. 

     If you have been with the blog for a little while, you know that we are currently in a series of messages on the Gospel of Mark. We are right now in chapter 6. 

     Today, our focus is going to be on an event that is recorded in all four of the Gospels which is the feeding of the five thousand. It has a lot to teach us on a multitude of different levels. 

     Our text for the day tells us that Jesus was preaching to a great crowd of people. They had been listening to Him all day. They needed to get something to eat, and the disciples wanted them to disperse and get some food. However, Jesus told them to give the people something to eat. Of course, they didn't have enough, but Jesus performed a miracle whereby even a small amount of food was enough to feed 5,000 people. It was a truly profound miracle. 

     The first thing I want to point out about this parable is why it is included in all of the Gospels. It is the only miracle in all four. Why is it so important to warrant this? It is because what it is demonstrating about the person and work of Jesus. 

     In His Sermon on the Mount when Jesus reinterprets the law, He is showing that He is greater than Moses the lawgiver. In this miracle, He is doing that again but in a different way. While Moses was leading the people in the wilderness, manna came from Heaven and fed the people. But Moses is not the one who gave the bread to the people. 

    In this miracle, by His power as God come in the flesh, Jesus is the one who gives the people bread in the desert. He is greater than Moses, as He is the source of sustenance. 

    There is also something very spiritual going on with this miracle. It shows that Jesus is the Bread of Life and the one that can provide what is necessary to sustain a person's soul. He Himself is the Bread that has come down from Heaven. He is the one who gives His life, His love and His forgiveness as true spiritual food. He truly is the Way, the Truth and Life. Only Jesus can provide what is necessary for abundant life now and in the world to come. 

    Now, there are a couple of other things I would like to point out in regard to this passage. Jesus tells the disciples that they are to give people something to eat. This works on both the physical and the spiritual level. 

    As followers of Jesus, we have the obligation to help to meet the physical needs of the poor and the hurting who are in this world. We have to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We have to help people to have what they need to have the kind of life Jesus would want all people everywhere to have. That is one of our primary duties and one of the primary duties of the church working in this world. 

    We as Jesus' followers also have the duty to share His message and tell others that Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is the one who can forgive them and save them from their sins. He is the one who is able to deliver us from death, hell and the grave. We are to go into all the world and preach the Gospel and teach people about who Jesus is and what He has done. 

    Let each of us receive the blessings of the Lord. Let us share with others the goodness of the Lord. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please keep praying that all will go well with the house sale and with me finding a new place. Thank you for your prayers. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan, Myanmar and Sudan all need our prayers. 

     Pray for those suffering as a result of natural disasters. Pray that they will receive the aid and help they need. People in Venezuela, Japan, Spain, Canada and France all need our prayers. 

     Remember to pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak and the Cyclospora outbreak in US. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Luke 9:23 -- "Then He said to them all, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me."

Ephesians 5:15 -- "be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:14-29"

      I want to start the blog today with some good news. I have sold the house. I am thankful to the Lord for this. I am ready for a fresh start. It is time for me to do something else with my life. Thank you for taking the time to read the blog today.

     In our passage for today, a couple of different things are happening. We know from last week that Jesus and His disciples were preaching and teaching and bringing a ministry of healing and deliverance to the people. This caught the attention of Herod. 

     This was not the Herod of the birth narratives of Jesus. It was one of his sons. He was aligned with the Romans. He heard the message of Jesus just as the other people in the region. Many of them felt that Jesus was a great prophet or teacher. However, Herod was convinced that it was John the Baptist risen from the dead. Herod was responsible for his death. 

     Earlier, John had been preaching and telling Herod that it was not right for him to be married to his brother's ex wife. This made Herod's wife angry, and John was thrown into the prison. 

     One night, Herod had a great party. Herodias' daughter came and danced before Herod and his guests. Herod was so pleased that he offered to give her up to half his kingdom. The young woman consulted with her mother who despised John the Baptist. She asked for his head to be brought to her on a platter. John was executed, and his body was taken away by his disciples. 

    So, what are we to get out of this for our lives today? First of all, the reaction of the people to the message of Jesus. They viewed Him as a prophet like one from long ago, or more specifically, Elijah. They were not yet willing, or they did not yet comprehend, that Jesus was the Messiah. He was the one promised by the prophets. He had come to save His people from their sins. They were impressed with His message, but they didn't understand everything about Him. 

    There are still many people like that in our world today. They know about Jesus, and they are impressed by Him, but they will not acknowledge that He is God come in the flesh. They will not acknowledge that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him. One day, everyone will know, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 

     Herod thought Jesus was John the Baptist. He was having deep guilt over what he had done, and rightly so. John was a bold preacher of righteousness. He called out the sin of the leader without fear. We need people like John today. Being a bold preacher of good and right cost John his life, but he now has a far better existence with the Lord. 

     Herod is a great example of what a person should not be like. He had no backbone. He was lustful, rash and brash. When caught in an error, he was not able to correct his error because he had to big of an opinion of himself. When he was asked for John's head, he should have refused. It was an over the top request, and he knew it. However, he didn't have the courage to end up doing the right thing. 

    Let us not be those who speak and promise rashly. Let us definitely be those who are willing when we realize that we have made a mistake that we are willing to correct it. Also, let each of us acknowledge the truth about Jesus. He is God and man. He is the Messiah. He is Savior. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     Please pray that the house deal goes good. Pray that I will know God's will in every step from this point on. Thank you. 

     Let us keep praying for peace. We need peace throughout the Middle East. We need peace in Sudan and Ukraine.  Pray for peace and calm in Haiti. 

    Keep praying for aid and help for the people of Venezuela. 

    Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak and the cyclospora outbreak in the US. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

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

     Philippians 4:13 -- "For I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

The Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:7-13"

      This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you for reading the message this week. I hope that everyone is doing well. 

     Last week, we saw that Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth. The people there did not want to listen to Him. A few people did have faith, but not many. Most rejected Him as the carpenter who is just someone who grew up here. 

    Jesus, rejected by His hometown, went out to the other surrounding villages and began to preach and to teach and heal those who came or where brought to Him. He had many who did want to hear His message of love and forgiveness. Many came to be healed in body, mind, soul and spirit. 

     One of Jesus' missions while on this earth was to train up those who would carry on His message when He returned to the Father. He had disciples that He decided to send out two by two into the villages to preach and teach. Jesus told them to go without money and with just the clothes they had on. They should stay in the home of the one who offered and not travel from house to house. He said that if the people didn't want to listen to shake the dust off your feet and go to the next place. 

    The disciples went out and preached a message of repentance. Many were healed of their sicknesses, and demons and evil spirits were cast out. 

     What can we learn from Mark today? First of all, we have all been sent by Jesus to spread His message. Jesus sent out His messengers then, and He is sending us out into the world today. Our job is to tell others of the love, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. We also have the mission of helping to deliver people from those things that are hindering them spiritually and physically. We can help feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We can be the ones that share the love of the Lord in a multitude of ways in a world that is truly in need of His life-changing message. 

    I remember when I was doing a lot of evangelism work that we often went out two by two just as Jesus did. We can go out that way today and tell others about Jesus. In our day and age, I believe that we will be most effective in sharing the message of the Lord by telling those in our circle of influence about what faith in Jesus has meant in our lives. We have a mission field so to speak with our own family, friends and circle of influence. 

     What I would like each of us to do is to find some way to tell others about the Lord Jesus. It might be through writing like I do here on the blog. It might be through music or the arts. It might be through conversations that you have that will allow you to bring up the words of the Lord about a given situation. We all need to find some way to get the message out to others. 

    I am convinced that one of the best ways to share the love of Jesus is by being a consistent testimony of the values of Jesus. When we are people of love and goodness in this harsh world, people will see that Jesus and His love and life are in us. People will see that we are acting like Jesus, and they will want to know more about the one who has influenced the course of our life and actions. 

     I also believe that by working to make this world a better place, we are helping to spread the message of Jesus. Jesus cared for everyone. He said that He had come to preach good news to the poor. He wants us to be the ones in His stead who help others and work to change things for the better in His name. When we seek to make a difference in the name of Jesus, we are giving them the message of the power of Jesus for good and right. 

    This week, let each of us tell others about who Jesus is and what He has done. Let us strive in all things to bring glory to His name so that others might know Him and the power of His resurrection. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

    I am about ready to sign the contract to sell my house. Please pray that I will have wisdom in all this. It is hard. Also, please pray for me regarding my deep depression that I am in. I am having a very hard time. Please pray for me. 

     Let us pray for an end to the parasite Cyclospora infection in many parts of the US right now. 

     Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak. 

     Keep praying for aid and help to reach the people in Venezuela. 

     Pray for peace throughout the Middle East, in Ukraine and in Sudan. 

     For our prayer focus countries, this week we will pray for those in China and Turkey. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. I am currently working on my new commentary on I John. Hopefully, I can post that in a few week. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 43:18-19 -- "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See! I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and springs in the wasteland."

James 1:5 -- "If any of you lacks wisdom. you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 6:1-4"

     Thank you for taking time this week to read the message. I am not feeling at all well, so please pray for me. I am also trying to sell my house and I need wisdom on all this. I hope all of you are doing well. Today, the message will not be that long. 

    As we have been going through the Gospel of Mark, we have now made our way to chapter 6. In our verses this week, we learn that Jesus decided to go back to His hometown of Nazareth to teach and to perform miracles. 

    After Jesus' teaching, the people in the town were upset. They said things like He is the carpenter and we know His family right here. They wondered how Jesus came up with His teachings, and they were offended by Him. 

    This all shocked Jesus. He said that a prophet had honor everyone except in his own hometown and amongst his own people including his family. Jesus was not able to perform many miracles in Nazareth, but He did lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. Jesus then went on to the next place where the people were more receptive to what He had to say. 

    I have a personal connection to what Jesus is saying in this passage. When I became a minister, people that I was closely associated with didn't want to listen to me. They tried to discount anything that I might say about theology and the wrongs in the world from a Biblical perspective. I do not really know why this phenomenon exists, but I experienced it and I am well aware of others who have experienced it as well.

    In my case, the biggest pushback always came whenever I tried to provide a Biblical perspective on war, poverty, or nationalism. What do you know about it would be the general retort. Sometimes, like my folks, they just didn't want to listen and kept on doing their thing in their way. I felt in the early days of my ministry, my only real ally was my friend Toby. However, I knew and know what God has called me to do no matter what others think. Because of this, I have persevered.  

    Jesus couldn't believe that people would not want to listen to Him or His message. However, He did not let it get Him down. Not everyone in the town rejected Him. He found some people who did have faith and came to Him in order to be delivered from their infirmities. If a person keeps on spreading the message of love and goodness and the message of the Lord, there will be some who will listen. 

     I want to encourage you today to always do what God has called you to do know matter what your friends or family or people in your hometown say about it. Keep serving the Lord. Don't let their negativity destroy the positive and good things that God wants to do in and through you. 

    Because I did not let others get me down and ruin my ministry, I have been able to preach, teach, write, evangelize and speak up for God and the things of God. Others didn't think I could do it. I received only discouragement. However, I knew and know what Jesus wanted and wants me to do. That is all I can do is follow Him to the best of my ability. That is what you need to do too. Do not be discouraged. 

    When you go full out for the Lord, He will go with you. He will not leave you. Amen. 

Prayer Request

     Please keep praying that I will get to feeling better. As I write this message, I am not doing well at all. I do thank you for your prayers. 

    Keep praying that Venezuela will get the aid and the help that they need to recover from the devastation of the earthquake. 

    Remember to keep praying for the end of the Ebola outbreak. 

    Pray for peace. Things aren't looking great in the Middle East, and Ukraine and Sudan still need our prayers. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 I Corinthians 2:9 -- "But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him."

Revelation 21:4 -- "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall their be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for all the former things have passed away."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 5:25-34"

      I thank the Lord for giving me this chance to post the message once again. I hope that all of you are having a really good week. I am doing pretty good. 

     Last week, we looked into the account in Mark of the healing of Jairus' daughter. Today, we want to look at the healing encounter Jesus had right in the middle of that story. 

     As Jesus was traveling to the house of Jairus to heal his daughter, there was a great crowd around Him, and they were following Him pressing in on Him from all sides. In that crowd was a woman who had a bleeding disorder for twelve years. She had spent all she could spend on the doctors of her day, and all they had accomplished was to make her condition worse. 

    This woman was determined to get to Jesus. She made her way through and touched Jesus' garment. Jesus perceived that healing power had gone from Him, and He wanted to know who touched Him. He located the woman who I am sure was fearful that Jesus might be mad. Of course, He wasn't. He told her to go in peace as her faith had made her whole. 

    What can we learn from this incident in the life of the Lord Jesus?  The first thing I want us to consider is that the Lord is the helper of the helpless and the hope of the hopeless. This woman had exhausted all she knew to do. She was out of money, and she was getting worse and worse. She needed help and hope, so she went to Jesus. In this, she is an example to us. 

    All of us, no matter who we are, need help from time to time. We get to the end of our rope and we don't know what to do. We have done all that we know to do. We need to go to Jesus. He is the one who will help us in our darkest hour. Even when we have given up hope, He is our hope. 

    Jesus is the ultimate help and hope. He helps us by forgiving our sins and giving us abundant life now and in the place that He has gone to prepare for us. He gives us hope letting us know that through the power of His resurrection, death is not the end. All who have died in Christ will be with Him and with those who have placed their faith and trust in Him. 

    The second thing I learn from this is that this woman did not let anything keep her from getting to Jesus. She was going to at least find a way to touch the hem of His garment. She was determined in her faith. That is how we should be. 

    We should not let the cares of this world and the sins that so easily beset us keep us away from the Lord. We need to be with Him, and we need to stay close to Him. We don't want anything to hinder our communion with our Savior and Lord. 

    Finally, I want to point out that Jesus is the one who sees and cares about even those who others have forgotten. Jesus wanted to know who touched Him because He wanted her to know that He cared about her. The disciples were ready to move on. But Jesus wanted the woman to know that she was seen and loved. 

    Jesus cares about you know matter who you are or were you come from. He loves you no matter your race, ethnicity or socio-economic status. He wants you to know that you are special to Him, and that you are dearly loved. 

    This miracle encounter shows us a compassionate Lord. He cares about us and He loves us. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

    I am trying to sell my house. Please pray that all will go according to the Lord's will. 

    Please pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak. 

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

    Let us pray for safety at the World Cup. 

    Continue to pray for peace. Pray for the Middle East, Sudan and Ukraine. 

    For our prayer focus countries, this week we will pray for those in Oman and Suriname. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

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

Verses For The Week

 Romans 14:8 -- "If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

II Corinthians 5:15 -- "And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 5:21-43"

      Thank you for reading the message this week. I have been under the weather this week, so please pray for me. I hope that you are all doing well. 

     Today, we are going to be studying in the book of Mark once again. In our passage for the day, there are actually two different healing accounts. There is the account of the healing of Jairus' daughter and the healing of the woman with the bleeding condition. Today, we are going to focus on the first one, and next week we will focus on the second. 

     Jairus was an official with the synagogue who came to Jesus when his daughter was sick and on death's door. He asked Jesus to come to his house and heal her. Jesus agreed to come, but as they were delayed with the other healing, word came to Jairus that his daughter had died. Jesus told him to keep believing and they continued to the house. 

     When they arrived, the mourners were wailing over the loss of the little girl. Jesus told them that she was just sleeping, and they laughed at Him. Jesus went into the little girls room with Peter, James and John. He told the girl to rise, and she did. He then told them to give her something to eat. 

     For our message today, I want us to focus on the fact that they laughed at Jesus. Why did they do it, and why do people do it today? 

    When Jesus said the little girl was asleep, they laughed at Him. They thought He was crazy, but they were not thinking in the spiritual. Jesus knew that death is not the end. Death for those who believe in Him is like going to sleep and then waking up in His presence forever. There is nothing to fear in death for those who are in Christ. Jesus knew that this little girl was just asleep awaiting her transformation to glory, or in this instance, her resurrection at the word of the Lord. 

    Just as the people laughed at Jesus then, there are people that are doing the same thing today. People laugh at the teaching of Jesus. They think that it is foolish to love your neighbor as yourself. They find it unrealistic to not worry about tomorrow but to trust all things to the Lord. They find in laughable that one should turn the other check and love one's enemies as oneself. The teachings of Jesus are laughed at by many and discounted. 

    Many laugh at and disparage Jesus for claiming to be the only way to the God the Father. Jesus said the He was the way, the truth and life. No one can come to the Father except through Him. People find this offensive, and they laugh at Jesus for thinking and teaching this. They think that there are many ways not just His way. 

    I have met people that find it laughable that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sin. In fact, I encountered one such person today. He laughed when I told him that those who put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus will be with Him when they pass away. He found that laughable that anyone should believe such a thing in this day and age. 

    These are just a few of the things that cause people to laugh at Jesus or ridicule Him. In spite of that, Jesus still loves them. He loves the whole world and invites any and all to come to Him so that they might experience the abundant life that only He can give. 

    I hope that you will not reject, laugh at or ridicule Jesus. He is the one who has the words of life. He is the one who has come to seek and save that which is lost. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

    As I mentioned, I am not feeling well and need your prayers. Also, they are calling for flooding in my area. Pray that this does not happen. 

    Keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak. 

    Pray for peace. Keep Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, the Middle East and all areas encountering violence in your prayers. 

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

    Next week, we will continue in Mark 5. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all. 

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 95:3 -- "For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods."

Luke 1:50 -- "And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation."

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 5:1-20"

     It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I hope that you are all well. 

     We are in Mark once again this week. We are starting a new chapter, and I have to say, this is a story that has some difficulties in it. I will tell you what I think. Some may not agree. That is OK. 

     As we saw last time, Jesus and His disciples crossed over to the other side of the lake. They had now come to the area of the Gerasenes which was a Gentile area. When Jesus and those with him got out of the boat, they were met by a man who was violently demon possessed. He spent his time among the tombs and could not be contained even when chained up. He/the demons asked not to be tormented. 

    Jesus asked the demon his name, and they said Legion because there were many of them. Jesus commanded them to leave the man. The demons asked to be allowed to go into a herd of pigs grazing nearby. Jesus gave them permission, and when the pigs realized they were possessed they ran themselves off the cliff into the lake. 

    The man was free, but the people of the area didn't care. They asked Jesus to basically get out of town. 

    The man who was freed asked Jesus to let Him follow Him. However, Jesus said no. He told the man to go and tell others what God had done for Him. And that is what the man did. 

    So, what are we to make of all this? What is the lesson for us today? First of all, did this man actually have thousands of demons in him? The Bible is clear that he did, so I will go with that. However, this story is using symbolism to make a much broader point. 

    When Jesus asked the demon its name it said Legion. This is a direct reference to Rome. Rome was introducing the worship of idols into the entire area. That area where Jesus was was a hotbed for idolatrous religious practice which used pigs as a sacrificial animal. 

    By casting out a demon or demons named Legion, the story is letting us know that Jesus and His message is more powerful than the evil forces of the Roman Empire as well as more powerful than even a legion of thousands of demons. No power of evil can withstand the power of the Lord. 

     Now to the pigs. Did Jesus directly send the demons into the pigs? He did not. Also, the demons did not drive the pigs into the sea. The pigs did it themselves to prevent the demons from possessing them. Some will disagree with this interpretation. 

    The pigs are in this story to demonstrate the power of the Lord over the power of the gods worshipped by the Romans and other pagan peoples. They were left with nothing to sacrifice. 

    The reaction of the townspeople is also highly symbolic. Their reaction shows us the attitude of so many who care about profit over people. They were more worried about the bottom line of their loss of profit now that their pigs were gone than the fact that a man was freed from torment. They were also afraid of Jesus, and they wanted Him gone. 

    People today who care more about profit over people have the same attitude. They do not want to be confronted by the Jesus who calls us to care for the least of these. 

    Now, what about the man wanting to follow Jesus? Jesus said no. Why? Jesus wanted him to be His witness to his own people. And who could have been better? He was a walking and talking testimony to the transforming power of God's grace. 

    This account has a lot to teach us. Jesus has more power than any power of darkness. When we are in Christ Jesus, we are safe in Him. No power of hell can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ. Jesus will be the ultimate victor over every force of evil and darkness. It cannot and will not stand. 

    Our job as believers in Jesus is to care about people and to love others. We are to tell others about the wonderful things that the Lord has done for us so that their lives might be transformed by His forgiveness, love and grace. Amen

Prayer Requests

    Unless something changes, I am about ready to sell my house. Please pray for me. 

    Please pray for my sister-in-law as she is recovering from an operation. 

    Continue to pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak as well as hantavirus. 

    Keep praying for peace. Pray that peace comes in the Middle East situation and that the peace holds. We need to keep praying for peace in Ukraine and in Sudan. 

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

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

     

Verses For The Week

 Psalm 33:18 -- "But the eyes of the Lord are on all who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love. "

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

Weekend Sermon -- "Mark 4:35-41"

     Today is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you for reading the message. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post it. 

     We are back in the Gospel of Mark this week. We are going chapter by chapter and verse by verse through this book to see what the Lord would have us to learn. 

     For our message today, we are going to focus on the account of Jesus calming the storm. After the Lord had had an extended period of ministry, He told His disciples that He wanted to go over to the other side of the lake. This was the sea of Galilee, so it would have been about a seven mile trip give or take. 

     Jesus was in one boat, and there were other boats going over to the other side as well. Jesus went over and went to sleep. He was exhausted from ministering to all the people, and He was sleeping very soundly. 

    As they were making there way over to the other side, a huge storm came up. The waves were large and water was coming into the boats so much so that they feared they might drown. All the while, Jesus was still asleep. 

     Deeply troubled, the disciples woke Jesus up and asked if He even cared about the fact that they were drowning. Jesus got up and said, "Peace! Be still!". The winds and the waves quieted down right away. Jesus asked them why they didn't have any faith. 

    This astonished the disciples who wondered who Jesus was. Even the wind and the waves obeyed His commands. 

    So, what does this all mean for us living today? The first thing I want to focus on is the disciples wondering if Jesus even cared during the midst of the storm. Many of us wonder about this when we are facing the trials and difficulties that we encounter in our lives. We are really hurting, and we wonder if Jesus even cares what happens to us. 

    Jesus does care. In this account, Jesus wondered where was the disciples' faith. He was not going to let something happen to them. They needed to trust in Him that with Him in their midst, all was going to go just as it should go. He had it all under control. 

    When we are facing hard times and difficulties, we need to rest in the knowledge that Jesus does know and care. The Bible tells us that we can cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. We have not been left alone. Jesus said that He would never leave us, and He will not forsake us. When we are anxious, we can turn to Him and ask Him to help us make it through and to make a way where there is no way. 

     Jesus is the one who has the power to stop the storms in our lives. He told the waves to be at peace and be still. When we are facing hard times, Jesus is the one who speaks peace into our hearts. He gives us the awareness of His presence. We can rest in His promises. No matter what befalls, He is watching over us and doing all things in accordance with His will. We don't have to have anxiety with the peace of the Lord that passes all understanding within our hearts. 

    When facing hardships, Jesus is the one who can provide the fix and the answer. He is the one who has all power in Heaven and on earth. We don't need to go to others to get the answer to the problem, Jesus is the answer. He has the power. Look to Him and Him only. 

     The disciples wondered who this man was. Jesus was and is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. The Eternal Son of the Father. The God man. All things were created by Him, through Him and for Him. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is on our side. He is our peace. He is our Rock. Amen. 

Prayer Requests

     I am getting ready to sell my house. I need wisdom from the Lord on this. Please pray for me. 

    Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Africa. Pray that those who are sick will make a full recovery. 

     Keep praying for peace. Pray for peace between US and Iran. Pray for peace in Lebanon and Gaza. Pray for peace in Sudan and Ukraine. Wherever there is war, let there be peace. 

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

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

Verses For The Week

 Isaiah 46:9 -- "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me."

Psalm 143:5 -- "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all that you have done, I ponder the works of your hand."

The Weekend Sermon -- Mark 4:26-34

      Thank you for taking the time to read the message this week. This has been a very busy week for me. I have a lot going on, and I will ask for your prayers on some matters latter. I do hope and pray that all of you are doing well. 

     We are back in Mark this week studying what the Lord has to teach us through this Gospel. In our passage for today, we have Jesus comparing the Kingdom of God to sowers and seeds and to mustard seeds. 

     In the first illustration, Jesus says that the Kingdom is like a man sowing seeds. He does not know how the seed grows, but it does and produces fruit. In the second illustration, Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It is a tiny seed, but from that tiny seed a large plant grows. 

     What does this have as far as a meaning for us today? Let's look at the first illustration. I believe that Jesus is saying that the Kingdom of God is built on this earth by those of us who follow the Lord. What do I mean? We are the ones who have to be out planting the seeds. What are the seeds? First and foremost I believe that the seed being planted is the word of the Lord being sown into peoples' hearts. The seed is sown and planted when we tell others about the fact that they can have a life-changing relationship with the Lord Jesus. 

    Seed is also sown when we do good in this world. When we feed the hungry and clothe the naked and help those who are in distress we are sowing seeds that help to build the Kingdom of God. 

     Now, we have to be careful. We are the ones who are sowing the seed. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that gives the increase. He is the one who changes people's hearts and lives. Not by might. Not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord. We can do nothing in our own strength nor through our own effort. It is the Spirit working in and through us. 

     The second illustration I think is a little different. I believe what Jesus is saying here is that the Kingdom of God begins like a tiny seed such as a mustard seed. That tiny seed is planted and then sprouts and becomes a huge bush. Who would have believed it!

     That is what the Kingdom of God is like. It has a small beginning. First of all it had the small beginning in the Upper Room, and now the Gospel has gone around the world. Also, when we spread the message and sow the seeds, it may seem like a small thing. But God, in His power uses that small thing and makes something great. 

    So, what is the take away from all this? We have to be out sowing the seed and doing the work of the Kingdom all the time. What we are doing may not seem like a lot in the scheme of things. However, the Holy Spirit by His power takes what we do and does great and mighty things by His power. It is our job to do what we can, and we rely on the Spirit's power the whole way. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     I am probably going to sign a contract to sell my house next week. Please pray for me in this matter. I have a lot on my plate right now, and I need your prayers. I need to find out just what I am supposed to do in the next portion of my life. Pray that I will know the Lord's will in all things. 

     Please pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Keep praying for those affected by natural disasters. Pray that they will get the aid and the help that they need. 

     Pray for peace. Ukraine, Sudan, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Gaza all need to be at peace.

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

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