Here is the next chapter in the book about Toby. This was originally part of a longer chapter. I am dividing it up into smaller parts.
Chapter 10
Of all of the dogs I've known, Toby possessed the most unusual behaviors I've seen. He wasn't weird. He was unique. He was eccentric.
One of the strangest aspects of his behavior I discovered completely by accident. I used to love to watch boxing when I was younger. I would never miss a match. I enjoyed working out on the heavy bag and doing shadow boxing to try to stay in shape. Sometimes to get a little exercise, I would shadow box in the kitchen for a few rounds.
One evening, while I was pummeling my imaginary opponent, Toby ran quickly to his food dish, and he began devouring his food in haste. When I stopped boxing, he stopped eating. When I resumed, the munching recommenced. I thought that this was strange. It would come in handy.
Toby was always sort of funny about eating. Sometimes he wouldn't eat. Maybe, something was just slightly out of kilter in his routine, and he would just go off of his food.
During one of these spells, I remembered how Toby ran to his dinner bowl when I boxed. I started shadow boxing, and Toby started eating Eukanuba.
This little trick almost always worked if Toby wasn't off of his food because of his ulcerative colitis problem. If I boxed and Toby wouldn't eat, I knew that something was wrong and that a trip to the veterinarian was in order.
I've never understood what is was about boxing that caused this response. Maybe, he was a big fan of boxing like me, and this was Toby's version of eating popcorn and watching the main event.
Another one of Toby's strange behaviors was fish jealousy. I enjoy tropical fish. I've never taken the plunge into salt water aquariums, but I've had some pretty nice freshwater set ups. After being away from the fish hobby, I decided to buy a new aquarium and purchase a couple of nice fish.
I bought a twenty gallon aquarium, a heater, gravel, all of the needed equipment. After I set it all up, I put the fish into their new environment.
Toby didn't like this one little bit. The first time I fed my new fish, he looked at me with a piercing gaze. If looks could kill, I'd have been disintegrated. Toby was jealous of my involvement with some other member of the animal kingdom.
No matter what I did near the aquarium from cleaning to feeding the fish, Toby would give me a dirty look as if I were a traitor. He would then snort and turn away in disgust. After I'd finish with the fish, he would be back to his normal self.
One afternoon I spotted Toby sitting under the fish tank looking up at his mortal enemies. I could almost see the thoughts of hate forming in his mind. It was as if he was sending mental death telepathy through the waters.
Toby didn't have to be jealous of the fish for too long. I decided to give my aquarium set and fish away. I just kept one Betta that I placed where Toby couldn't see him. When the aquarium went out the door, I thought that I detected a faint smile from a well pleased corgi.
When I told about Toby and his boxing and eating behavior, I forgot to mention another of his unusual eating habits. Sometimes when we were at my Grandma's house in Cheyenne, Toby would have one of his not eating spells. I tried the boxing routine, but that didn't work on the road; it only worked at home. In order to get Toby to eat at my Grandma's house I would have to feed him by hand. Sort of. I would take a few chunks of his food from his bowl and place them outside of his bowl. Now this is strange. He would eat these food chunks as long as I placed two pieces outside of the bowl. Not three, not one; it had to be two pieces. If I kept doing this, he would eat the entire bowl. He would only do this at my Grandma's house. I could never figure this out.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Weekend Sermon---Sermon on the Mount
I'm glad to be back again this week to post the sermon for the week. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter. For me, it was a great time of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
The last time that we focused our attention on the Sermon on the Mount, we talked about the spiritual discipline of fasting. As with the other spiritual disciplines, Jesus taught His followers not to practice these spiritual disciplines to be seen by others and receive the praise of people. All that we do is to be directed toward the Lord, and the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
There is something interesting about fasting I wanted to share. This week, I heard a report on the news about how that fasting can help people live longer. According to this report, doctors have discovered that those who fast during the week have fewer health problems and actually have a much longer life span.
This isn't the reason that the Scriptures give for fasting, but it is interesting to consider the fact that when people follow the practices of Scripture, they have tangible benefits in their lives.
There is one other thing that I would like to mention about fasting that I didn't mention last time. Fasting in the Bible is often associated with confession and repentance of sin. Those who were experiencing grief and great sorrow over sin would sometimes fast as they were praying to the Lord to forgive them and bring them back into fellowship.
The Bible does not say that it is essential to do this. The Scriptures state that if we confess our sins that the Lord is faithful and just, and He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Today, we shift gears and focus on an entirely different teaching that Jesus presents.
Starting with Matthew 6:19, Jesus begins a discussion of where we should lay up our treasure. He begins in verse 19 by saying, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steel."
So many people's only or main concern in life is the accumulation of money and possessions. It seems that all they think about is how to make the next deal or how to get more.
The thing about accumulating earthly treasure is that it has not eternal value. You may spend a lifetime trying to accumulate money, and it can be gone in an instant.
When the banks had so much trouble hear in the United States, I had some shares of stock in a couple of banks. Within a period of less than one week, half of my investments were wiped out. Look at what has happened in Cyprus. Those who have over 100,000 euros in the bank are going to have 40 percent of their deposits seized.
This all goes to show that earthly treasure is fleeting. It has no eternal value, and it doesn't last. Even what you think you possess can vanish in a storm, by robbery or by the loss of job.
That's another example from my own life. I had money saved up. For a period of six years, I took care of parents as their primary caregiver. When they passed away, I tried to get a job. However, since I was supposedly out of the work force for too long, no one would give me a job. It didn't take long for the money I had saved to vanish. I'm yet to recover financially, that is why I often ask those who read this blog to pray that God will provide.
Through all of this, I've learned that a person can never depend on anything or anyone except the Lord Jesus. He is the only one who will never leave you or forsake you.
Jesus went on to say in verse 20, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
What does it mean to lay up treasure in Heaven? I think that it means at least two things. The treasure that we lay up in Heaven are those good deeds that we do for the Lord in order to help others and to help make this world a better place. When we give to the poor, we lay up treasure in Heaven. When we volunteer to help the homeless or deliver meals to the elderly, we are laying up treasure in Heaven. Whenever we visit the sick or help to encourage the depressed, we are laying up treasure in Heaven. Also, when we care for God's creation, we are laying up treasure in Heaven.
I also believe that we lay up treasure in Heaven when we lead others to Jesus and share the gospel. What better treasure could there be than to see souls in Heaven with whom we shared the love of Jesus? As followers of Jesus, this is probably one of the greatest things that we can ever do.
In verse 21, Jesus goes on to say, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Whatever we spend our time, talent and resources on is what is truly most valuable to us. If all of our efforts are spent on the accumulation of things, it demonstrates that we place material things first in our lives. On the other hand, if we do unto the least of these and spend our time sharing the gospel, it demonstrates that our heart is with the Lord Jesus, and we care about what make Jesus happy more than we care about anything else.
There is much more that Jesus says concerning this matter in the next few verses. We will, Lord willing, discuss that next week. On Wednesday, I will post another chapter of the Toby book. May God bless you. Amen.
The last time that we focused our attention on the Sermon on the Mount, we talked about the spiritual discipline of fasting. As with the other spiritual disciplines, Jesus taught His followers not to practice these spiritual disciplines to be seen by others and receive the praise of people. All that we do is to be directed toward the Lord, and the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
There is something interesting about fasting I wanted to share. This week, I heard a report on the news about how that fasting can help people live longer. According to this report, doctors have discovered that those who fast during the week have fewer health problems and actually have a much longer life span.
This isn't the reason that the Scriptures give for fasting, but it is interesting to consider the fact that when people follow the practices of Scripture, they have tangible benefits in their lives.
There is one other thing that I would like to mention about fasting that I didn't mention last time. Fasting in the Bible is often associated with confession and repentance of sin. Those who were experiencing grief and great sorrow over sin would sometimes fast as they were praying to the Lord to forgive them and bring them back into fellowship.
The Bible does not say that it is essential to do this. The Scriptures state that if we confess our sins that the Lord is faithful and just, and He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Today, we shift gears and focus on an entirely different teaching that Jesus presents.
Starting with Matthew 6:19, Jesus begins a discussion of where we should lay up our treasure. He begins in verse 19 by saying, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steel."
So many people's only or main concern in life is the accumulation of money and possessions. It seems that all they think about is how to make the next deal or how to get more.
The thing about accumulating earthly treasure is that it has not eternal value. You may spend a lifetime trying to accumulate money, and it can be gone in an instant.
When the banks had so much trouble hear in the United States, I had some shares of stock in a couple of banks. Within a period of less than one week, half of my investments were wiped out. Look at what has happened in Cyprus. Those who have over 100,000 euros in the bank are going to have 40 percent of their deposits seized.
This all goes to show that earthly treasure is fleeting. It has no eternal value, and it doesn't last. Even what you think you possess can vanish in a storm, by robbery or by the loss of job.
That's another example from my own life. I had money saved up. For a period of six years, I took care of parents as their primary caregiver. When they passed away, I tried to get a job. However, since I was supposedly out of the work force for too long, no one would give me a job. It didn't take long for the money I had saved to vanish. I'm yet to recover financially, that is why I often ask those who read this blog to pray that God will provide.
Through all of this, I've learned that a person can never depend on anything or anyone except the Lord Jesus. He is the only one who will never leave you or forsake you.
Jesus went on to say in verse 20, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
What does it mean to lay up treasure in Heaven? I think that it means at least two things. The treasure that we lay up in Heaven are those good deeds that we do for the Lord in order to help others and to help make this world a better place. When we give to the poor, we lay up treasure in Heaven. When we volunteer to help the homeless or deliver meals to the elderly, we are laying up treasure in Heaven. Whenever we visit the sick or help to encourage the depressed, we are laying up treasure in Heaven. Also, when we care for God's creation, we are laying up treasure in Heaven.
I also believe that we lay up treasure in Heaven when we lead others to Jesus and share the gospel. What better treasure could there be than to see souls in Heaven with whom we shared the love of Jesus? As followers of Jesus, this is probably one of the greatest things that we can ever do.
In verse 21, Jesus goes on to say, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Whatever we spend our time, talent and resources on is what is truly most valuable to us. If all of our efforts are spent on the accumulation of things, it demonstrates that we place material things first in our lives. On the other hand, if we do unto the least of these and spend our time sharing the gospel, it demonstrates that our heart is with the Lord Jesus, and we care about what make Jesus happy more than we care about anything else.
There is much more that Jesus says concerning this matter in the next few verses. We will, Lord willing, discuss that next week. On Wednesday, I will post another chapter of the Toby book. May God bless you. Amen.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Toby Book
Here is the next chapter
Chapter 9
I went with Toby on many trips, but I just want to focus on one more that was probably the best trip that we took together. It was also a trip that almost ended in tragedy.
On our annual trip out to my Grandma's house in Cheyenne, we decided to go down through Southern Kansas and then visit Colorado Springs. One of the first places that we visited was Greensburg, Kansas. This was before the terrible tornado hit the town. I can't fathom the fact that everything I saw in that town has absolutely wiped out. Thankfully, the town has rebuilt.
No offense, but I can't say anything really positive about our trip through Kansas. Through most of the journey, we passed cattle feed lot after cattle feed lot. The smell was horrendous. Even with the windows up and the air conditioner on you could smell that awful stink.
The trip just about ended at breakfast the next morning. The folks stopped for breakfast, and I waited outside with Toby. They brought me something to eat and told me what a wonderful meal they had. I took a piece of toast and gave some to Toby. He wouldn't eat. He smelled the toast and turned his head away. He wanted no part of it. That should have tipped me off right there.
I thought maybe Toby was having trouble with his stomach. No, he knew that there was something wrong with the food. I ate the toast. About two hours later, I was so sick I thought I would die. My folks didn't have any toast, and they were fine. This is just one of many occasions when I should have listened to the dog.
I recovered overnight, and was well enough to enjoy Colorado Springs. This is one of the most beautiful cities I've seen. The city is right next to the mountains that seem to be a reddish color.
We found a motel that faced the mountains. We had a great view of the Air Force Academy. I went out on the balcony with Toby, and the two of us watched the gliders at the Air Force Academy for hours. These training gliders were taken up by an airplane and then released. They released the gliders, and then the gliders would circle in broad swoops with the mountains as their background. Toby fixed on the gliders and watched them go around and around until they landed.
Later that day, the two of us went for a long walk in the area behind the hotel. We didn't know it, but we were actually on Air Force property. There wasn't a fence so we just walked on. I didn't notice until we got back that there was a sign that warned people that if they went on the land that they were subject to criminal prosecution. I'm glad no one noticed a fat man and a corgi.
The next morning, in spite of my Dad's protests, we went up into the mountains. It was a great day of hiking and enjoying the Sun and the mountains. I was worried about Toby in the evening, however. I think that we over did things because he wouldn't eat. Finally, before we went to bed. I fed him some of his food by hand, and he ate it and then ate the rest of his bowl of food. We went out and watched the city for a long time.
The next morning we had to be off. We drove a short while and decided to travel up to Estes Park by the Big Thompson River. Along the way, Toby and I got out and took a walk down the river. When we were there it wasn't a raging torrent, but it was flowing along pretty well. For quite a while, we watched the trout jumping up out of the river. Every time one of the fish would jump out of the water and splash down, Toby would growl. I though that this was funny until he got it into his head to go out after the fish. Toby leaped into the river trying to get a trout. I had his leash on, but the current was pulling him away from me fast. He wasn't swimming too well either. I went down into the water, and the current was more powerful than I thought. I had a difficult time keeping my footing. I grabbed hold of Toby, and I got us back to shore. We were soaked and the water was ice cold. I thought I'd lost him down the river for sure. But, we would have gone together because I was going after him no matter what.
Dad finally couldn't stand the mountains any longer, so we went Cheyenne. Everyone went out to my uncle's ranch again except for Toby and me. We didn't want to have anything to do with any more rattlesnakes. The two of us walked down to the park and had a nice day and a nice meal. We watched the ducks in the pond for a long time. I'm gland Toby didn't decide to go after them. He just watched them floating along. We then went over and looked at the old steam locomotive. On our way home, we looked at the abandoned church behind my uncle's house. I would have loved to have bought that little church and have started a ministry there. However, the dentist office had already purchased the church and were going to rip down the building and use the lot for parking.
I always wished that the two of us could have taken more trips together. By the time I graduated from college and really had the chance to do as I pleased, Toby was not in good enough health to travel much. The last trip we took out to see my Grandma, Toby developed some trouble breathing. The veterinarian said that it was altitude related, and that Toby shouldn't go out to the mountains anymore. So, the two of us just took brief excursions not to far from home. We went to Omaha, and on another trip we went out to see the Winston Churchill Museum in Westminster, Missouri. Whatever we did, it was fun because we were together.
Chapter 9
I went with Toby on many trips, but I just want to focus on one more that was probably the best trip that we took together. It was also a trip that almost ended in tragedy.
On our annual trip out to my Grandma's house in Cheyenne, we decided to go down through Southern Kansas and then visit Colorado Springs. One of the first places that we visited was Greensburg, Kansas. This was before the terrible tornado hit the town. I can't fathom the fact that everything I saw in that town has absolutely wiped out. Thankfully, the town has rebuilt.
No offense, but I can't say anything really positive about our trip through Kansas. Through most of the journey, we passed cattle feed lot after cattle feed lot. The smell was horrendous. Even with the windows up and the air conditioner on you could smell that awful stink.
The trip just about ended at breakfast the next morning. The folks stopped for breakfast, and I waited outside with Toby. They brought me something to eat and told me what a wonderful meal they had. I took a piece of toast and gave some to Toby. He wouldn't eat. He smelled the toast and turned his head away. He wanted no part of it. That should have tipped me off right there.
I thought maybe Toby was having trouble with his stomach. No, he knew that there was something wrong with the food. I ate the toast. About two hours later, I was so sick I thought I would die. My folks didn't have any toast, and they were fine. This is just one of many occasions when I should have listened to the dog.
I recovered overnight, and was well enough to enjoy Colorado Springs. This is one of the most beautiful cities I've seen. The city is right next to the mountains that seem to be a reddish color.
We found a motel that faced the mountains. We had a great view of the Air Force Academy. I went out on the balcony with Toby, and the two of us watched the gliders at the Air Force Academy for hours. These training gliders were taken up by an airplane and then released. They released the gliders, and then the gliders would circle in broad swoops with the mountains as their background. Toby fixed on the gliders and watched them go around and around until they landed.
Later that day, the two of us went for a long walk in the area behind the hotel. We didn't know it, but we were actually on Air Force property. There wasn't a fence so we just walked on. I didn't notice until we got back that there was a sign that warned people that if they went on the land that they were subject to criminal prosecution. I'm glad no one noticed a fat man and a corgi.
The next morning, in spite of my Dad's protests, we went up into the mountains. It was a great day of hiking and enjoying the Sun and the mountains. I was worried about Toby in the evening, however. I think that we over did things because he wouldn't eat. Finally, before we went to bed. I fed him some of his food by hand, and he ate it and then ate the rest of his bowl of food. We went out and watched the city for a long time.
The next morning we had to be off. We drove a short while and decided to travel up to Estes Park by the Big Thompson River. Along the way, Toby and I got out and took a walk down the river. When we were there it wasn't a raging torrent, but it was flowing along pretty well. For quite a while, we watched the trout jumping up out of the river. Every time one of the fish would jump out of the water and splash down, Toby would growl. I though that this was funny until he got it into his head to go out after the fish. Toby leaped into the river trying to get a trout. I had his leash on, but the current was pulling him away from me fast. He wasn't swimming too well either. I went down into the water, and the current was more powerful than I thought. I had a difficult time keeping my footing. I grabbed hold of Toby, and I got us back to shore. We were soaked and the water was ice cold. I thought I'd lost him down the river for sure. But, we would have gone together because I was going after him no matter what.
Dad finally couldn't stand the mountains any longer, so we went Cheyenne. Everyone went out to my uncle's ranch again except for Toby and me. We didn't want to have anything to do with any more rattlesnakes. The two of us walked down to the park and had a nice day and a nice meal. We watched the ducks in the pond for a long time. I'm gland Toby didn't decide to go after them. He just watched them floating along. We then went over and looked at the old steam locomotive. On our way home, we looked at the abandoned church behind my uncle's house. I would have loved to have bought that little church and have started a ministry there. However, the dentist office had already purchased the church and were going to rip down the building and use the lot for parking.
I always wished that the two of us could have taken more trips together. By the time I graduated from college and really had the chance to do as I pleased, Toby was not in good enough health to travel much. The last trip we took out to see my Grandma, Toby developed some trouble breathing. The veterinarian said that it was altitude related, and that Toby shouldn't go out to the mountains anymore. So, the two of us just took brief excursions not to far from home. We went to Omaha, and on another trip we went out to see the Winston Churchill Museum in Westminster, Missouri. Whatever we did, it was fun because we were together.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Good Friday and Easter
It is good to be with you again for the Weekend Sermon during this Holy Week period. Yesterday, I posted a few brief thoughts about what Jesus did on Maundy Thursday. Jesus demonstrated His great love and commanded us to love one another.
On that same night when Jesus washed His disciples' feet and instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion, Jesus and His disciples left the Upper room and they went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus prayed the words, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."
I can't even begin to imagine what went through Jesus' mind as Good Friday approached. As the divine Son of God, Jesus knew that in just a few short hours He would face mocking, beating, scourging and ultimately death on the cross. He also knew that on the cross He would bear our sins in His body as the spotless, sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
In His humanity, Jesus would have of course wanted to avoid the pain and the humiliation of the cross. However, Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father. Out of His great love for the world that He made, Jesus went to the cross to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.
I like the way that Paul explains what Jesus did in Philippians 2:6-8 where it says, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus suffered a great betrayal and a great abandonment. First, He was betrayed by Judas, and then he was abandoned by all of His closest followers. As the events of the night progressed, Peter would deny that he knew Jesus three times.
Jesus was brought before the High Priest, Herod and Pontius Pilate. He was mocked all the way. Jesus could have called the hosts of Heaven to rescue Him, but he didn't. His love for us led Him on.
Finally, on Good Friday, Jesus was nailed to the cross where He suffered in agony for the sins of the world. He went through so much.
Isaiah told about Jesus and what He would suffer in Isaiah 53:5-6 where he says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Jesus had to die on the cross because every person that has ever lived has sinned. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." There was nothing that fallen humanity could do to obtain salvation. We were separated from God.
However, God loved us and wanted to save us. But, God is a God of justice and holiness as well. In order to satisfy the demands of justice and the demands of love, the Father sent His son into this world. Jesus led a perfect, holy and sinless life. Because of this, He could take our place. He could be our substitute. Jesus bore our sins and took the punishment for sin that we deserved on Calvary.
John puts it this way in I John 4:10, "Herein is love not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sin."
Jesus died and was buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus' followers thought that it was all over. Jesus was dead and gone.
However, Jesus would rise triumphantly from the grave on Easter Sunday. Many people only concentrate on the cross when they consider the redemptive work of Christ, but Jesus had to rise from the dead in order to overcome the consequences of sin. When sin entered into the world, death came into the world. Death was the consequence of sin. When Jesus rose up from the the dead on Easter morning, He defeated death. Through the redeeming work of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we can live forever with Jesus.
Because Jesus rose up from the grave on Easter morning, those who put their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ don't have to fear death, because death is not final. It has been conquered by Jesus.
Many of you know that even though I am not an old man, most of close family members are dead. Thankfully, all of them had placed their faith in Jesus. They were members of the family of God, and when they died, that wasn't the end. Because of the resurrection of Jesus, my Mom, Dad, my grandparents and my aunts and uncles are in the presence of their Lord and Savior. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is John 11:25-26 where Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And he that believeth in me shall never die."
Thanks be to God, I put my trust in Jesus when I was a young boy. I am looking forward to a great reunion day because of what Jesus has done.
You may be reading this blog today, and you have never come to Jesus for salvation. You have never accepted Him as your Savior and Lord. Jesus died and rose again for you because He loves you. You can know Him today. Romans 10:9 explains how to trust Jesus as Savior. It says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." You can do this right now. I pray that you will.
If you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, rejoice that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Give praise to the Lord for what He has done by taking away your sin and giving you eternal life. May the name of the Lord be praised.
Next week, we will return to our study in the Sermon on the Mount. I will also post another chapter of the book on Wednesday. Have a wonderful Easter. Amen.
On that same night when Jesus washed His disciples' feet and instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion, Jesus and His disciples left the Upper room and they went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus prayed the words, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."
I can't even begin to imagine what went through Jesus' mind as Good Friday approached. As the divine Son of God, Jesus knew that in just a few short hours He would face mocking, beating, scourging and ultimately death on the cross. He also knew that on the cross He would bear our sins in His body as the spotless, sinless Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
In His humanity, Jesus would have of course wanted to avoid the pain and the humiliation of the cross. However, Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father. Out of His great love for the world that He made, Jesus went to the cross to be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.
I like the way that Paul explains what Jesus did in Philippians 2:6-8 where it says, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus suffered a great betrayal and a great abandonment. First, He was betrayed by Judas, and then he was abandoned by all of His closest followers. As the events of the night progressed, Peter would deny that he knew Jesus three times.
Jesus was brought before the High Priest, Herod and Pontius Pilate. He was mocked all the way. Jesus could have called the hosts of Heaven to rescue Him, but he didn't. His love for us led Him on.
Finally, on Good Friday, Jesus was nailed to the cross where He suffered in agony for the sins of the world. He went through so much.
Isaiah told about Jesus and what He would suffer in Isaiah 53:5-6 where he says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Jesus had to die on the cross because every person that has ever lived has sinned. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." There was nothing that fallen humanity could do to obtain salvation. We were separated from God.
However, God loved us and wanted to save us. But, God is a God of justice and holiness as well. In order to satisfy the demands of justice and the demands of love, the Father sent His son into this world. Jesus led a perfect, holy and sinless life. Because of this, He could take our place. He could be our substitute. Jesus bore our sins and took the punishment for sin that we deserved on Calvary.
John puts it this way in I John 4:10, "Herein is love not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sin."
Jesus died and was buried in the borrowed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus' followers thought that it was all over. Jesus was dead and gone.
However, Jesus would rise triumphantly from the grave on Easter Sunday. Many people only concentrate on the cross when they consider the redemptive work of Christ, but Jesus had to rise from the dead in order to overcome the consequences of sin. When sin entered into the world, death came into the world. Death was the consequence of sin. When Jesus rose up from the the dead on Easter morning, He defeated death. Through the redeeming work of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven and we can live forever with Jesus.
Because Jesus rose up from the grave on Easter morning, those who put their faith and trust in the finished work of Christ don't have to fear death, because death is not final. It has been conquered by Jesus.
Many of you know that even though I am not an old man, most of close family members are dead. Thankfully, all of them had placed their faith in Jesus. They were members of the family of God, and when they died, that wasn't the end. Because of the resurrection of Jesus, my Mom, Dad, my grandparents and my aunts and uncles are in the presence of their Lord and Savior. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is John 11:25-26 where Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And he that believeth in me shall never die."
Thanks be to God, I put my trust in Jesus when I was a young boy. I am looking forward to a great reunion day because of what Jesus has done.
You may be reading this blog today, and you have never come to Jesus for salvation. You have never accepted Him as your Savior and Lord. Jesus died and rose again for you because He loves you. You can know Him today. Romans 10:9 explains how to trust Jesus as Savior. It says, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." You can do this right now. I pray that you will.
If you know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, rejoice that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Give praise to the Lord for what He has done by taking away your sin and giving you eternal life. May the name of the Lord be praised.
Next week, we will return to our study in the Sermon on the Mount. I will also post another chapter of the book on Wednesday. Have a wonderful Easter. Amen.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Maundy Thursday
On this day, Jesus gave His Upper Room Discourse. This teaching is recorded in John chapters 13-16. One thing that Jesus did on this night was wash His disciples feet. Jesus said in John 13:13-15 " Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done for you."
In this action, Jesus was showing His disciples that they were to serve others. We as followers of Jesus today should be people who serve. There are many ways that we can serve the Lord. Many Christians try to serve others by feeding the hungry and trying to meet the physical needs of the poor. Others work with the sick. There is a world that is hurting. Believers can find a place to help others.
One of the greatest ways that we can serve others is to share with them the life changing message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This good news can transform a person's life. It is the greatest gift that we can give to someone when we share with them the way of eternal life and the way to have a personal relationship with the Lord.
Also on this night, Jesus gave His followers a new commandment to follow. He said in John 15:12, " This is my commandment, that ye love another, as I have loved you." Jesus was all about love. He loved us to the fullest by giving His life on the cross. As the followers of Jesus, let us show our love for the Savior by caring for the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ and bringing Jesus' message of love to the world.
In this action, Jesus was showing His disciples that they were to serve others. We as followers of Jesus today should be people who serve. There are many ways that we can serve the Lord. Many Christians try to serve others by feeding the hungry and trying to meet the physical needs of the poor. Others work with the sick. There is a world that is hurting. Believers can find a place to help others.
One of the greatest ways that we can serve others is to share with them the life changing message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This good news can transform a person's life. It is the greatest gift that we can give to someone when we share with them the way of eternal life and the way to have a personal relationship with the Lord.
Also on this night, Jesus gave His followers a new commandment to follow. He said in John 15:12, " This is my commandment, that ye love another, as I have loved you." Jesus was all about love. He loved us to the fullest by giving His life on the cross. As the followers of Jesus, let us show our love for the Savior by caring for the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ and bringing Jesus' message of love to the world.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Toby Book
Here is the next chapter.
Chapter 8
I took many trips with Toby over the years that we were together. Every summer, we would always go out and visit my Grandma and my uncle in Cheyenne. Instead of just going straight out there, we often took different routes and tried to explore some new places where none of us had ever been before.
One year, my Mom decided to take some extra vacation time, so we had an additional trip that year. That particular year, Mom wanted to go up to Iowa and visit some of the places where she lived as a girl. She also wanted to see the place that her Dad grew up, and we wanted to explore some family history. So, we all decided to take a trip up to Iowa.
The first day of the trip, we went to the towns my Mom knew as a young girl. She was born in Vinton, Iowa, so we stopped there first. We also visited the town of Van Horne where my Grandma was born and where she lived as a girl. The town of Garrison is nearby. That is where my Mom's grandparents lived.
It was interesting to see where my Mom was born. Visiting Garrison made Mom sad. She said that it was so different from when she knew it. Many of the business were closed.
From there, we made our way to the towns of Traer and Dysart. Dysart was my Mom's least favorite place. She actually didn't want to visit there, but I wanted to see it since my Grandma said that she liked it. My Mom said that when she was a girl, everyone who was in her glass was Scandinavian. They all had light hair, and they made fun of her because she had black hair. They called her a terrible name that I won't repeat.
There really wasn't that much in this part of the trip for me and Toby to do. It was mostly just a trip for my Mom. I did have fun walking around Clear Lake with Toby. My Mom spent most of her younger days in Mason City. She would often go over to Clear Lake to the Surf Ballroom and listen to the big bands play.
The second part of the trip was very interesting. We decided to go and visit what was left of the religious colony where my Grandpa was born.
I'll have to give a little history of how this religious colony came to be. My Great Great Grandfather originally lived in Prussia. He began reading the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and became a member of the Swedenborgian Church. Because my Great Great Grandfather wasn't a Lutheran like his neighbors, many of them began persecuting him for his religious beliefs. He decided to leave Prussia and come to America where he could have religious freedom.
He eventually settled in Saint Louis where he met up with some other Swedenborgians. They decided to build a religious colony in Norway, Iowa. They lived communally for two or three years. After that, each family owned their own land. They had their own church and school.
This is where my Grandpa was born in 1901. The church that these early Swedenborgian pioneers built is still there. Toby and I had a great time visiting this old church. I could just picture my Grandpa sitting in the pews listening to the sermons that were still given in German when he was a boy.
My Grandpa loved dogs, and if he had been alive to know Toby, he would have loved him too. When my Grandpa was a boy, he decided to get an old, retired racing greyhound. My Grandpa went rabbit hunting with that dog almost every day. My Grandpa's brother told me that they kept the whole family fed one winter with the rabbits they caught. This was quite a task as my Grandpa had 12 brothers and sisters.
My Grandpa's old farm was just across the street from the church, and I could imagine that if Toby would have been there the two of us could have had many great adventures in the rural Iowa countryside.
My Grandpa didn't remain a member of the Swedenborgian Church. He became convinced that they were wrong, and he joined an evangelical denomination. Services are no longer held in the old church in Iowa.
Toby and I walked around the countryside for many hours. We visited the cemetery where my Great Great Grandparents and Great Granparents are buried. Many of my Great Aunts and Uncles are buried there as well. I remembered my Grandpa and all of the fun we had when I was a boy. Every day I wish that he was still around to talk to.
After we visited the religious colony, we stopped at the Amana Colonies and looked around. I walked around there with Toby for a long time. At one shop they were giving out free samples of red clover wine. I decided to take a shot. That was a mistake. That stuff about knocked me over. Toby began barking at me like I was stupid for even trying the stuff. Once again like at Mount Rushmore, too many people wanted to pet the dog. We went back to the car and ate lunch while Mom and Dad continued there excursions.
We had a very enjoyable time in Iowa visiting all of the old family places. I just enjoyed being with my family and my good friend Toby. I always enjoy the scenery and the beauty of the earth.
Chapter 8
I took many trips with Toby over the years that we were together. Every summer, we would always go out and visit my Grandma and my uncle in Cheyenne. Instead of just going straight out there, we often took different routes and tried to explore some new places where none of us had ever been before.
One year, my Mom decided to take some extra vacation time, so we had an additional trip that year. That particular year, Mom wanted to go up to Iowa and visit some of the places where she lived as a girl. She also wanted to see the place that her Dad grew up, and we wanted to explore some family history. So, we all decided to take a trip up to Iowa.
The first day of the trip, we went to the towns my Mom knew as a young girl. She was born in Vinton, Iowa, so we stopped there first. We also visited the town of Van Horne where my Grandma was born and where she lived as a girl. The town of Garrison is nearby. That is where my Mom's grandparents lived.
It was interesting to see where my Mom was born. Visiting Garrison made Mom sad. She said that it was so different from when she knew it. Many of the business were closed.
From there, we made our way to the towns of Traer and Dysart. Dysart was my Mom's least favorite place. She actually didn't want to visit there, but I wanted to see it since my Grandma said that she liked it. My Mom said that when she was a girl, everyone who was in her glass was Scandinavian. They all had light hair, and they made fun of her because she had black hair. They called her a terrible name that I won't repeat.
There really wasn't that much in this part of the trip for me and Toby to do. It was mostly just a trip for my Mom. I did have fun walking around Clear Lake with Toby. My Mom spent most of her younger days in Mason City. She would often go over to Clear Lake to the Surf Ballroom and listen to the big bands play.
The second part of the trip was very interesting. We decided to go and visit what was left of the religious colony where my Grandpa was born.
I'll have to give a little history of how this religious colony came to be. My Great Great Grandfather originally lived in Prussia. He began reading the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and became a member of the Swedenborgian Church. Because my Great Great Grandfather wasn't a Lutheran like his neighbors, many of them began persecuting him for his religious beliefs. He decided to leave Prussia and come to America where he could have religious freedom.
He eventually settled in Saint Louis where he met up with some other Swedenborgians. They decided to build a religious colony in Norway, Iowa. They lived communally for two or three years. After that, each family owned their own land. They had their own church and school.
This is where my Grandpa was born in 1901. The church that these early Swedenborgian pioneers built is still there. Toby and I had a great time visiting this old church. I could just picture my Grandpa sitting in the pews listening to the sermons that were still given in German when he was a boy.
My Grandpa loved dogs, and if he had been alive to know Toby, he would have loved him too. When my Grandpa was a boy, he decided to get an old, retired racing greyhound. My Grandpa went rabbit hunting with that dog almost every day. My Grandpa's brother told me that they kept the whole family fed one winter with the rabbits they caught. This was quite a task as my Grandpa had 12 brothers and sisters.
My Grandpa's old farm was just across the street from the church, and I could imagine that if Toby would have been there the two of us could have had many great adventures in the rural Iowa countryside.
My Grandpa didn't remain a member of the Swedenborgian Church. He became convinced that they were wrong, and he joined an evangelical denomination. Services are no longer held in the old church in Iowa.
Toby and I walked around the countryside for many hours. We visited the cemetery where my Great Great Grandparents and Great Granparents are buried. Many of my Great Aunts and Uncles are buried there as well. I remembered my Grandpa and all of the fun we had when I was a boy. Every day I wish that he was still around to talk to.
After we visited the religious colony, we stopped at the Amana Colonies and looked around. I walked around there with Toby for a long time. At one shop they were giving out free samples of red clover wine. I decided to take a shot. That was a mistake. That stuff about knocked me over. Toby began barking at me like I was stupid for even trying the stuff. Once again like at Mount Rushmore, too many people wanted to pet the dog. We went back to the car and ate lunch while Mom and Dad continued there excursions.
We had a very enjoyable time in Iowa visiting all of the old family places. I just enjoyed being with my family and my good friend Toby. I always enjoy the scenery and the beauty of the earth.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Weekend Sermon--Sermon on the Mount--Matthew 6:16-19
It's good to be back for the sermon this week. We had a little snow, but it mostly just affected the grassy areas. This weekend, we are supposed to have a major snow storm with as much as 10 inches of snow. I hope that this forecast is wrong. It should be warmer. However, I can remember the year that Toby had his big operation that it snowed on the day of his surgery in mid-April.
In last week's message, we talked about the importance of prayer. Just as with giving alms, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves in prayer. We pray to be heard by the Lord not to receive the praise of people.
Just continuing a little on the subject of prayer from last week, I'd like to encourage everyone to pray the Lord's Prayer three times each day. I talked about this last week, and I hope that some are putting this into practice. If not, I really encourage you to start as Holy Week is approaching.
Also, I encourage you to pray every day. Pray several times a day if you can. I know that I can't make it through the day without prayer. As I've said before, I don't know how people make it through the hardships of life without a relationship with Jesus.
During your prayer time, I would also urge you to make a practice of reading and studying the Bible. We talk to the Lord in prayer. One of the ways that the Lord speaks to us is through He written Word. I know that many times when I am in prayer about some issue in my life, the Holy Spirit will direct me to a verse that speaks about the issue that I am facing.
Well, we have looked at two important spiritual disciplines, giving alms and prayer. Now, we will take a look at the third spiritual discipline of fasting.
Fasting is not a spiritual discipline that is discussed very much these days. We here a lot about giving and prayer but not so much about fasting.
What is the purpose of fasting? First of all, fasting is often linked with prayer in the Bible. Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness. Many others in the Bible fasted and prayed as well. When we fast, we can use the time we would have used for meal preparation and eating for prayer.
Also, fasting is a means of practicing self-denial. We set aside something that is important to us in order to concentrate on the things of the Lord. When we practice self denial and self discipline in one area of our lives, it helps us to practice self denial and self discipline in other areas of our lives as well. Victory builds upon victory.
Finally, fasting is a means of helping others. One of the original purposes of practicing the discipline of fasting was to help the poor. The money that would be spent for food during the period of the fast could be used to buy food for those who don't have enough to eat. I think that this could be an interesting project for churches. Members could fast and pray for a period of time and then bring the money to the church. The church could then give it to those in the congregation with need. It would also be a good project to help benefit a homeless shelter in the area. Those who don't attend church for one reason or another could do this on their own. We should just keep our giving anonymous. It is not to gain praise of people, we do it as unto the Lord.
I don't know what your particular practice of fasting is, but if you don't currently practice fasting, I hope that you will attempt to incorporate it into your spiritual life. As we move into Holy Week, it would be a great time to start fasting.
One way to begin would be to fast one meal, or more, on Good Friday. During that time, remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for our salvation on the cross.
Just as with the other spiritual disciplines, Jesus instructed us not to do it to be seen by people.
The spiritual life is not a competition. We have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. We need to do what Jesus has called us to do and not compare ourselves to others.
I've heard some people compare their spiritual accomplishments with other by saying things like, "I go to church more than he does", or " I give more to the Lord than they do." All of this is between Jesus and the individual.
Jesus spoke about this in one of His post-resurrection appearances. Jesus was speaking with Peter about whether or not Peter loved Him. Jesus told Peter about the type of death Peter would die. Peter saw John walking behind them and asked Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus replied, " If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"
We need to follow Jesus and not compare ourselves to others and judge others. We need to stop seeking the praise of people and concentrate on following the commands of Jesus and following what He has called us to do.
Following the Lord and what Jesus thinks is important and leaving behind what the world values and thinks is important will be the major theme of Jesus' teaching in the remainder of chapter 6.
Fasting usually has to do with abstaining from food and/or drink. However, fasting also has the spiritual meaning of abstaining from those things the world values that do not accomplish the will of the Lord in our lives and in the world. We will get into this more the next time that we study the Sermon on the Mount.
Next week, I am going to step away from the Sermon on the Mount for one week and concentrate on the events of Good Friday and Easter. We resume our study of the Sermon on the Mount the following week.
Next Wednesday, Lord willing, I will post another chapter of my book about Toby. I've posted seven or eight chapter already. I hope that you will read them. May the Lord bless you . Amen.
In last week's message, we talked about the importance of prayer. Just as with giving alms, we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves in prayer. We pray to be heard by the Lord not to receive the praise of people.
Just continuing a little on the subject of prayer from last week, I'd like to encourage everyone to pray the Lord's Prayer three times each day. I talked about this last week, and I hope that some are putting this into practice. If not, I really encourage you to start as Holy Week is approaching.
Also, I encourage you to pray every day. Pray several times a day if you can. I know that I can't make it through the day without prayer. As I've said before, I don't know how people make it through the hardships of life without a relationship with Jesus.
During your prayer time, I would also urge you to make a practice of reading and studying the Bible. We talk to the Lord in prayer. One of the ways that the Lord speaks to us is through He written Word. I know that many times when I am in prayer about some issue in my life, the Holy Spirit will direct me to a verse that speaks about the issue that I am facing.
Well, we have looked at two important spiritual disciplines, giving alms and prayer. Now, we will take a look at the third spiritual discipline of fasting.
Fasting is not a spiritual discipline that is discussed very much these days. We here a lot about giving and prayer but not so much about fasting.
What is the purpose of fasting? First of all, fasting is often linked with prayer in the Bible. Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness. Many others in the Bible fasted and prayed as well. When we fast, we can use the time we would have used for meal preparation and eating for prayer.
Also, fasting is a means of practicing self-denial. We set aside something that is important to us in order to concentrate on the things of the Lord. When we practice self denial and self discipline in one area of our lives, it helps us to practice self denial and self discipline in other areas of our lives as well. Victory builds upon victory.
Finally, fasting is a means of helping others. One of the original purposes of practicing the discipline of fasting was to help the poor. The money that would be spent for food during the period of the fast could be used to buy food for those who don't have enough to eat. I think that this could be an interesting project for churches. Members could fast and pray for a period of time and then bring the money to the church. The church could then give it to those in the congregation with need. It would also be a good project to help benefit a homeless shelter in the area. Those who don't attend church for one reason or another could do this on their own. We should just keep our giving anonymous. It is not to gain praise of people, we do it as unto the Lord.
I don't know what your particular practice of fasting is, but if you don't currently practice fasting, I hope that you will attempt to incorporate it into your spiritual life. As we move into Holy Week, it would be a great time to start fasting.
One way to begin would be to fast one meal, or more, on Good Friday. During that time, remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for our salvation on the cross.
Just as with the other spiritual disciplines, Jesus instructed us not to do it to be seen by people.
The spiritual life is not a competition. We have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. We need to do what Jesus has called us to do and not compare ourselves to others.
I've heard some people compare their spiritual accomplishments with other by saying things like, "I go to church more than he does", or " I give more to the Lord than they do." All of this is between Jesus and the individual.
Jesus spoke about this in one of His post-resurrection appearances. Jesus was speaking with Peter about whether or not Peter loved Him. Jesus told Peter about the type of death Peter would die. Peter saw John walking behind them and asked Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus replied, " If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"
We need to follow Jesus and not compare ourselves to others and judge others. We need to stop seeking the praise of people and concentrate on following the commands of Jesus and following what He has called us to do.
Following the Lord and what Jesus thinks is important and leaving behind what the world values and thinks is important will be the major theme of Jesus' teaching in the remainder of chapter 6.
Fasting usually has to do with abstaining from food and/or drink. However, fasting also has the spiritual meaning of abstaining from those things the world values that do not accomplish the will of the Lord in our lives and in the world. We will get into this more the next time that we study the Sermon on the Mount.
Next week, I am going to step away from the Sermon on the Mount for one week and concentrate on the events of Good Friday and Easter. We resume our study of the Sermon on the Mount the following week.
Next Wednesday, Lord willing, I will post another chapter of my book about Toby. I've posted seven or eight chapter already. I hope that you will read them. May the Lord bless you . Amen.
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