Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Book Review -- "Sparky" and a Program Recommendation

    There is an entire series of books available for young readers called the "Dog Diaries" series.  I've seen these books displayed at the library, so I decided to read one of them to see if it was something I could recommend here on the blog.  The book in the series that I read is called "Sparky" written by Kate Klimo.
    "Sparky" is about a dog with that name who is the firehouse dog for a fire station in Chicago during the 1800s.  When the book begins, Sparky is just a pup, and she is in training to be a good firehouse dog just as her mother is.  One night, the entire city of Chicago goes up in flames, and Sparky and her firehouse companions have to go all out to save lives and help stop the fire.
     What I liked best about this book was the history that was involved.  The author does an excellent job of telling readers about what it was like to fight fires in the 1800s.  The book deals with the Great Chicago Fire, and author provides a great deal of historic information about this fire all through the eyes of a fire dog.
     I think that kids would really like this book.  I like it too, but as those who read the blog know, I like books about animals whether they are written for young readers or not.  A good animal book is a good animal book. I imagine all the books in this series are good.  I'll probably read some more of them as I see them available at the library.

    Now for a the program recommendation.  For the past couple of weeks, the PBS series Nature has been broadcasting a program about cats called, "The Story of Cats".  So far, I know that two episodes have been broadcast.  I don't know if more are planned.  However, I do heartily recommend these two episodes.  Most of the programs on "Nature" are excellent, and these cat programs are really high-quality productions.  The highlight for me was the information on the clouded leopards.  I really didn't know that much about them, so seeing them in the wild and learning something about them was exciting.  The episodes are available on the PBS Nature website.  However, episode 1 is only supposed to be available through the first part of December, so if you want to watch it, you need to hurry.  These programs are about all kinds of cats in the wild from the smallest to the largest.

    Next week for the book review, I will begin revealing my dog, cat and animal books of the year.  The cat book of the year is an easy pick.  The dog book of the year is a close contest between two.  The animal book of the year is a close contest as well.  Next week, the dog book of year will be revealed.

   

Monday, November 28, 2016

Verses For the Week

Hosea 11:1 -- "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I have called my son."

Mark 1:11 -- "And a voice came from Heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with whom I am well pleased."


Saturday, November 26, 2016

Weekend Sermon -- "Christmas Hymns"

     Thank you for stopping by to read the Weekend Sermon here on the blog.  I am glad to be able to post the sermon today, and I hope that everyone is doing well.  I hope that everyone who reads the blog here in the United States had a good Thanksgiving Day holiday.
     For Thanksgiving, I went out to dinner with by brother and his family.  We had a very good meal, and a nice time of conversation.  I found out that my nephew was in a bad car crash, but thanks be to God, my nephew and niece were not injured, and the folks in the other car weren't injured either.
     I would ask that you would pray for me this week.  There is a lot of stress at work again.  Also, there are some more storms forecast for my area.  Please pray that these don't cause any problems.
     In prayer this week, please remember those who are recovering from natural disasters.  Pray for the people of New Zealand, Italy, Haiti and Japan.  Also, please pray for an end to homelessness and hunger around the world.
    As always, we need to continue to pray for peace.  Remember Syria and Iraq in prayer.  Let us also pray for the nations of Togo and Egypt this week.  Pray that many in these nations will here the message of Jesus' love and salvation.
     Today, we begin our series of Advent messages here on the blog.  After the Advent season, we will embark on a series of messages on all of the parables of Jesus.  I am really looking forward to this series.
     Part of what I love so much about the Christmas season are the wonderful hymns and carols that we get to sing at this time of the year.  It doesn't happen so much anymore where I live, but when I was younger, people used to go out caroling door to door throughout the neighborhood during the holiday season.
     One thing that I love about hymns is the message they contain.  The old hymns, which sadly aren't even sung in many churches anymore, contain powerful doctrinal messages that help to encourage and instruct those who would sing them.
     For our message this week, I want to focus on two of my favorite Christmas carols and think about the message in the words.
     "O Come, O Come Emmanuel is a carol usual sung during this first week of the Advent season.  It's words speak of anticipation and a longing for the coming of the Messiah.  The first verse says, "O, Come, O, Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.  Rejoice, Rejoice.  Emmanuel shall come to thee O, Israel."
     This verse expresses the hope for the one who would come and redeem the people of Israel from their state of bondage.  The nation of Israel was promised a Messiah who would come and rule and reign.  Jesus was that Messiah.  He was God with us who came to redeem from sin all those who would call upon His name.
     I like the third verse of this hymn that says, "O, Come thou Day spring come and cheer, our spirits by thine Advent here, disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight."
     The first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis 3:15.  Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord revealed through the prophets that the Messiah would come.
     Jesus had to come to earth in order to redeem us from our sin.  Sin brought with it death and eternal separation from God the Father.  However, Jesus by his substitutionary death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins.  He bore our sins in His body at Calvary.  Through His glorious resurrection, Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave.  Death has no power over those who are in Christ.  That is what the third verse of this hymn is expressing.  When Jesus came, He put an end to the power of sin and death for those who put their faith and trust in Him.
    Jesus said in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."  This is my favorite verse in the Bible.  It is a powerful verse that speaks of Jesus' power and victory over all the forces of darkness.
    God has come to be with us in Jesus Christ.  He has overcome sin and death.  Those who believe in Jesus will be with Him forever and share in His abundant love.
    Another great carol of Christmas is "Joy to the World".  This song is sung at Christmas time, but the man who wrote this carol, Isaac Watts, wrote this hymn to speak about the glorious return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age.  It is actually about the Second Coming of Jesus.
    Jesus came the first time as a humble infant born in a stable.  He lived a perfect and holy and sinless life.  He came onto His own, but His own did not receive Him.  Jesus was crucified, but then He rose again and ascended in to Heaven.  However, Jesus told His disciples that He would come again to rule and reign in righteousness upon this earth.  That is the message of "Joy to the World."
     The first verse says, "Joy to the World, the Lord is come. let earth receive her king, let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing."
     When Jesus comes back to earth someday the Bible says in Romans 14:11 that every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will acknowledge God.  This same truth is expressed in Philippians 2:10-11 that says, "At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth.  And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."
     When Jesus comes again, He will rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and His kingdom will have no end.  The entire world will know peace.  As it says in Micah 4:4, "every man will sit under his own vine, and no one will make him afraid."  All will be restored to the state that existed before sin entered into the world.  Death and corruption passed upon everything because of the first Adam's sin.  However, the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, has brought life and joy and restoration to the universe.  Thanks be to God.  Joy to the World.
     Right now, we live in between the two Advents of Jesus.  At this time, Jesus is extending His message of love, salvation and forgiveness to all.  He wants everyone to be part of the kingdom He will establish at His Second Coming.  That is why He made His first Advent.  He calls you right now to accept Him as Savior and Lord of your life.  He calls on you to come and follow Him today.
     There are many, many great hymns that we sing during the Christmas season.  Each one is packed with meaning and significance.  During this Advent season, I hope that you will really reflect on the meaning of the carols that you sing, and give thanks to Jesus that He came and is coming again.
     This Monday I will post the verses.  On Wednesday, there will be a book review.  Sometime towards the end of December, I will post my selections for the dog and cat books of the year.  Next week, I will post the sermon on Friday as usual.  May God bless you all.  Amen.




Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving

    I don't have a book review for today.  I just want to get on the blog and wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving Day holiday.  I also want to thank everyone for reading the blog throughout the year.  May God bless you all.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Verses For the Week -- Verses About Giving Thanks

Psalm 106:1 -- "Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever."

I Chronicles 16:34 -- "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting."

Friday, November 18, 2016

Weekend Sermon -- Thanksgiving -- Philippians 4:6

     Thank you for reading the Weekend Sermon this week.  I hope and pray that everyone is doing very well today.
    We have been having a lot of windy weather in my part of the world.  Thankfully, there hasn't been any damage.  Please pray that the winds won't cause any damage.  It's still supposed to be windy today, but it is supposed to let up this evening.
     In prayer this week, please pray for those who are suffering as a result of natural disasters.  The people of New Zealand experienced a bad earthquake this past week.  Let us pray that they will recover quickly.  Remember to pray for those in Italy who are still recovering from the earthquake there.  Also pray for those in Haiti who are recovering from the hurricane damage.
     Continue to pray for peace in the world.  Iraq and Syria are having a terrible time of warfare and strife.  Pray for peace.  Also, pray for peace in Libya, South Sudan and Yemen.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us remember to pray for those in China and Burkina Faso.  Pray that many in these two nations will hear the message of salvation.
     Last week, we finished our series of messages on less well-known characters in the Bible.  For today's message, I just want us to think about the theme of thankfulness since it is the Thanksgiving Day holiday here in the United States on Thursday.
    Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year.  While my folks were still alive, we always had a tremendous feast on Thanksgiving Day.  My Mom was a great cook.  She worked hard at her job, so we went out to eat quite a bit.  However, we always preferred Mom to be cooking the meal because what she fixed was always better than what you could get at a restaurant.  She made some great Thanksgiving Day meals.  We always had a turkey, dressing, potatoes, pies, biscuits, etc.  I ate so much and Toby ate so much that we could not eat anymore.
     Now, on Thanksgiving, my brother and his family invite me out to dinner.  That is something that I look forward to throughout the year.  It is a good time to be with family, and we always go out to a nice place to eat.
     Giving thanks is an important theme in all of the Bible.  Many of the Psalms tell us to give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings that He has bestowed upon us.  The New Testament, in verses such as Philippians 4:6, tells us to have an attitude of thanksgiving and to give thanks in our prayers.
     As I reflect on my life, I know that I have much to be thankful for.  First and foremost, I am thankful for the fact that Jesus came to this earth and died for my sins.  I am thankful that He rose again from the dead, and one day, He will come again to rule and reign upon this earth.  I am thankful that the message of the Gospel reached me, and that I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.
    I'm thankful for the fact that a minister cared enough about my Dad to share the way of salvation with him.  Because of this, my Dad came to know Jesus, and I was raised in a Christian home with Christian values.
    My Dad is a perfect example of the importance of sharing the faith with others.  When we follow the Great Commission and tell others about Jesus, not only can it affect that person's life, but it can and will affected the lives of those around them.
    I am thankful for my parents.  We didn't always see eye to eye, but they were good people, and I miss them every day.
    I thank the Lord that on a bitterly cold day in January, I met the dog that would be my best friend.  As I've said here on the blog before, if the Lord would not have brought that dog into my life when He did, I might not be here today. I was very depressed at that time, and I needed a friend.
    I hope that you are all thankful for the good friends that the Lord has allowed to come into your life.  This past year, my best human friend passed away.  That has been hard.  We knew each other since we were seven years old.  Be thankful for good friends.  They have been given to us by the Lord to help us during the course of this life.
    I am also thankful for the opportunity to learn new things.  I love to read and to study.  This past year I have been reading philosophy books again, and that has brought me a lot of joy.  I encourage you to try and learn something new each day.  I encourage you to read and expand your mind.
    This Thanksgiving, I am glad that I am in a little bit better financial place.  Things aren't great, but they are better than they were.  I am thankful that I have a home and I am doing better.  Having the financial problems I did has made me realize how hard it is for so many in my country to make ends meet.  It makes me want to work harder for social and economic justice for those who are having a hard time.  Please, if the Lord has blessed you, don't forget the fact that many people are justly barely making it if they are making it at all.  Reach out and help those you can help.
    I am very thankful for the news that was reported the last couple of days about homelessness here in the United States.  The number of homeless is down to 550,000.  Now, that is a huge number, but it is less than a few years ago.  There has been a great effort here in the United States over the last eight years to end homelessness among veterans.  Homelessness among veterans is down by 47 percent.  I thank the Lord for this.  There is still so much to do.  Please, let us all do what we can to help end homelessness.
    Finally, I just want to say that I am thankful that the Lord has given me the opportunity this year to post the sermons on this blog.  It is the highlight of the week to post the messages and fulfill in some way the calling the Lord has placed on my life.  I pray that these messages are helpful to you.  I am thankful to the Lord for all of you who read this blog, and I pray that the blessings of the Lord will be upon your life.
    I want to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving Day.  Because of the holiday, I will not be posting a review on Wednesday.  The sermon will be posted on Saturday next week as the library will be closed for the holidays on Friday.  I will post the verses as usual on Monday.  May God bless you all.  Amen.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Book Review -- "Secret Service Dogs"

    I always enjoy reading a good book about dogs.  "Secret Service Dogs" written by Maria Goodavage is great book about dogs.
    In this book, the reader is introduced to several different handlers and their dogs.  The Secret Service has used dogs to protect the President of the United States for many years.  Some dogs are used to check out any area that the President will be visiting.  The dogs sniff out the area checking for bombs or other weapons.  These dogs travel with the President's detail around the world. There are other dogs that are used to walk among the crowd of visitors around the White House.  They check for the scent of any type of potential explosive device.  Still other dogs are used as patrol dogs.  These dogs are used to stop those who would try to illegally infiltrate the White House grounds or try to harm the President or his family while they are away from home.
    In the book, each type of dog is profiled along with their handler.  One of the most interesting stories in the book is about a dog named Hurricane who actually had to stop someone who was trying to get into the White House.
    This book is well-written.  This is a subject I knew very little about.  I knew that there were dogs used by the Secret Service, but I had no idea the extent to which they were used.  I also found the information about how the dogs are obtained and trained to be well worth reading.
    I would definitely recommend this book.

P.S.  I would like to ask those of you who read the blog to pray for me over the next couple of days.  Some bad weather is expected, and I would ask you to pray that it would remain safe in my part of the world.  Thank you.