I stated in the sermon on Friday that I was going to have a review of a dog book today. However, I saw a DVD that I wanted to recommend because it was so good. A couple of days ago, I checked out a DVD at the library called, "India's Wandering Lions". It was a program originally broadcast on Nature on PBS.
This was a fantastic video that showed how Asiatic lions are expanding and interacting with humans. At one time, Asiatic lions roamed throughout the Middle East and India. Because of hunting, the population dwindled all the way down to 20 lions who lived in the Gir Forest in India.
The Indian government placed the lions under protection, and the population recovered and stabilized around 300. In the last few years, the lion population has grown, and the lions have wandered outside of the Gir Forest area.
The DVD showed how the lions are getting food, and how the people in the villages are learning to live with lions so close. They are living with the lions without harming them.
I highly recommend this DVD. It is one of the best wildlife programs that I've seen for awhile.
Now, I would like to post a poem that I had published in The California Quarterly in 2004.
Fragments
A momentary glimpse
Fleeting, passing glances
Chit-chat conversations
Little insight into the soul.
Copyright. 2004 Willard Stringham
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Monday, March 12, 2018
Verses For the Week
Psalm 55:6 -- "Oh, that I had wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest."
Hebrews 4:10 -- " For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His."
Hebrews 4:10 -- " For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His."
Friday, March 9, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- "If My People Which Are Called By My Name -- II Chronicles 7:14
Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am glad that you have taken the time to stop by and read the blog this week.
This has been a good week in many ways for me. I asked for prayer about the high winds. My house did OK, and the neighbor's house did not sustain any further damage. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
I also want to thank the Lord for letting me get quite a bit of writing work this week. I am still praying for the mole to exit my yard and go back out in the large field where no one cares if it is there. Please pray about this if you would.
In prayer this week, please pray for those in the eastern part of the United States who were hit with the big storm. Many thousands are still without power. Please pray that the power is restored soon.
Please continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico. There is still much to be done for those recovering from the hurricane there.
Let us also be in prayer for those in Papua New Guinea who are recovering from the effects of the earthquake. Pray that they will receive all the aid that they need.
Continue to pray for peace in this world. Syria needs peace. The situation there is like a nightmare. Let us also pray for peace in Afghanistan, South Sudan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for Tunisia and Thailand. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of the Lord Jesus.
For the last couple of weeks, we have been in a series that is examining some of the passages in the Bible that are often taken out of context or are often misinterpreted. Today, we will continue with this series looking at one of the verses that is most taken out of context.
II Chronicles 7:14 if a verse that one often hears used in revival meetings. The evangelist or teacher will call on the church to repent so that God will restore the nation to what it once was. I've heard many sermons in my country of preachers saying that God will only restore America if the church first repents. They will then quote II Chronicles 7:14 as Scriptural support.
There's a problem with this. II Chronicles 7:14 in its proper context refers to Israel, the dedication of the Temple, and actual land restoration.
In order to find the context of the passage, Let's start with II Chronicles 7:12 and go through 16. Here is what it states, "Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, ' I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times, I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn for their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my house forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here. '"
Solomon had dedicated the Temple previous to these verses. God was pleased with the construction of the Temple and the offerings that Solomon and the people had made to Him during the time of the Temple dedication. God appeared to Solomon and assured Solomon that He would always be willing to forgive the people even if they sinned.
When the people of Israel sinned against God, punishment would often follow. However, God said that if the people of Israel would come to the Temple in humility and seek Him, God would hear them and heal the land of the effects of His judgment. We see the fulfillment of these words of the Lord time and time again in the history of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament.
God had and has a special relationship with the people of Israel. They are in a special way a people that are called by His name. The people of Israel are the nation that God has a covenant relationship with.
Those in the church are called God's people in a different way. We are the children of God through the salvation we receive through faith in Jesus Christ God's Son. When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted into God's family. He is our Father, and we are His children.
God has not abrogated His covenant with the Jewish people. When Jesus comes again, the Jewish people who follow Jesus will receive all the covenant blessings promised to David and Abraham. God has not forgotten His promises to His blessed nation.
I think that some of the misinterpretation of II Chronicles 7:14 comes in my country from a misunderstanding of how God relates to the nations of the world today. Some in my country have the view that God has a special relationship with the United States. They view the founding and settling of America as something like when Israel went into the land of Canaan. It's all part of the manifest destiny ideal.
There is a problem with this thinking. God does not favor one nation over another at this time. He doesn't love one group of people more than another group of people. God cares about and loves everyone. He wants all people to come unto Him.
The Lord Jesus cares about those who love Him if they live in the United States, Morocco, Vietnam, Bulgaria or wherever. There are Christians in every nation of the world. There aren't many in some, but there are Christians in every nation.
Now, does it mean that there is nothing that we can learn from this passage? I think that there is much to learn from this passage as long as we keep it in the right context. The problem comes when it is taught that God will heal a nation or bless a nation if the people in the church repent, humble themselves and pray. God promised that to Solomon and Israel.
What we can learn from this verse is that humility is important to God. We must put aside pride and repent when we know that we have committed a sin. We should pray and ask forgiveness of our sins. The Scripture that we should use to teach this is found in I John 1:8-9 which states, "If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong."
Some people may feel that there isn't a big problem taking a verse out of context and using it to prove a point. I think that there is. Anytime that you take a verse out of context, you are altering the meaning. Also, taking a verse out of its proper context is often how false teachings come about. People will hear a verse quoted, believe that a teacher is speaking from the Bible, and they will believe the false teaching. A person that is firmly rooted and grounded in the truth will not succumb to false teaching because as a student of the Scripture, they will be able to rightly divide the Word in its proper context.
Next week, we will look at another often misused Scripture that is taken out of context. This time, Lord willing, we will look at something Jesus said that is often misused. On Monday, I will post the verses, and I will have a dog book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
This has been a good week in many ways for me. I asked for prayer about the high winds. My house did OK, and the neighbor's house did not sustain any further damage. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
I also want to thank the Lord for letting me get quite a bit of writing work this week. I am still praying for the mole to exit my yard and go back out in the large field where no one cares if it is there. Please pray about this if you would.
In prayer this week, please pray for those in the eastern part of the United States who were hit with the big storm. Many thousands are still without power. Please pray that the power is restored soon.
Please continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico. There is still much to be done for those recovering from the hurricane there.
Let us also be in prayer for those in Papua New Guinea who are recovering from the effects of the earthquake. Pray that they will receive all the aid that they need.
Continue to pray for peace in this world. Syria needs peace. The situation there is like a nightmare. Let us also pray for peace in Afghanistan, South Sudan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for Tunisia and Thailand. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of the Lord Jesus.
For the last couple of weeks, we have been in a series that is examining some of the passages in the Bible that are often taken out of context or are often misinterpreted. Today, we will continue with this series looking at one of the verses that is most taken out of context.
II Chronicles 7:14 if a verse that one often hears used in revival meetings. The evangelist or teacher will call on the church to repent so that God will restore the nation to what it once was. I've heard many sermons in my country of preachers saying that God will only restore America if the church first repents. They will then quote II Chronicles 7:14 as Scriptural support.
There's a problem with this. II Chronicles 7:14 in its proper context refers to Israel, the dedication of the Temple, and actual land restoration.
In order to find the context of the passage, Let's start with II Chronicles 7:12 and go through 16. Here is what it states, "Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, ' I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times, I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn for their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. I will listen to every prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be my house forever. My eyes and my heart will always be here. '"
Solomon had dedicated the Temple previous to these verses. God was pleased with the construction of the Temple and the offerings that Solomon and the people had made to Him during the time of the Temple dedication. God appeared to Solomon and assured Solomon that He would always be willing to forgive the people even if they sinned.
When the people of Israel sinned against God, punishment would often follow. However, God said that if the people of Israel would come to the Temple in humility and seek Him, God would hear them and heal the land of the effects of His judgment. We see the fulfillment of these words of the Lord time and time again in the history of Israel as recorded in the Old Testament.
God had and has a special relationship with the people of Israel. They are in a special way a people that are called by His name. The people of Israel are the nation that God has a covenant relationship with.
Those in the church are called God's people in a different way. We are the children of God through the salvation we receive through faith in Jesus Christ God's Son. When we trust in Jesus, we are adopted into God's family. He is our Father, and we are His children.
God has not abrogated His covenant with the Jewish people. When Jesus comes again, the Jewish people who follow Jesus will receive all the covenant blessings promised to David and Abraham. God has not forgotten His promises to His blessed nation.
I think that some of the misinterpretation of II Chronicles 7:14 comes in my country from a misunderstanding of how God relates to the nations of the world today. Some in my country have the view that God has a special relationship with the United States. They view the founding and settling of America as something like when Israel went into the land of Canaan. It's all part of the manifest destiny ideal.
There is a problem with this thinking. God does not favor one nation over another at this time. He doesn't love one group of people more than another group of people. God cares about and loves everyone. He wants all people to come unto Him.
The Lord Jesus cares about those who love Him if they live in the United States, Morocco, Vietnam, Bulgaria or wherever. There are Christians in every nation of the world. There aren't many in some, but there are Christians in every nation.
Now, does it mean that there is nothing that we can learn from this passage? I think that there is much to learn from this passage as long as we keep it in the right context. The problem comes when it is taught that God will heal a nation or bless a nation if the people in the church repent, humble themselves and pray. God promised that to Solomon and Israel.
What we can learn from this verse is that humility is important to God. We must put aside pride and repent when we know that we have committed a sin. We should pray and ask forgiveness of our sins. The Scripture that we should use to teach this is found in I John 1:8-9 which states, "If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong."
Some people may feel that there isn't a big problem taking a verse out of context and using it to prove a point. I think that there is. Anytime that you take a verse out of context, you are altering the meaning. Also, taking a verse out of its proper context is often how false teachings come about. People will hear a verse quoted, believe that a teacher is speaking from the Bible, and they will believe the false teaching. A person that is firmly rooted and grounded in the truth will not succumb to false teaching because as a student of the Scripture, they will be able to rightly divide the Word in its proper context.
Next week, we will look at another often misused Scripture that is taken out of context. This time, Lord willing, we will look at something Jesus said that is often misused. On Monday, I will post the verses, and I will have a dog book review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
Book Review -- "Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen"
At one time, a dog named Strongheart was the biggest movie star in Hollywood. This was during the days of silent movies in the 1920s. Strongheart was a German shepherd who starred in films like "The Silent Call" and "The Return of Boston Blackie".
In "Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen", author Candace Fleming writes a fictionalized account of a part of Strongheart's life. She writes about Strongheart's early days as a police dog and his first days in the movies.
This book is aimed at younger readers, and it is a very good introduction to the life of Strongheart. The illustrations in the book are by Eric Rohmann, and they are very well done.
This is a well-written book, and the story is presented well. There is a section in the back of the book that tells more of the true story of Strongheart.
While this is a fictionalized account of Strongheart, there is an excellent book that is a true to life account of Strongheart and his relationship with a man named J. Allen Boone. Strongheart and Mr. Boone spent much time together, and they were great friends. Mr. Boone's book is called "Kinship With All Life." It is written for an adult audience.
I recommend both of these books. If you go on YouTube, there is one movie available that will allow you to see Strongheart in the era of silent films.
In "Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen", author Candace Fleming writes a fictionalized account of a part of Strongheart's life. She writes about Strongheart's early days as a police dog and his first days in the movies.
This book is aimed at younger readers, and it is a very good introduction to the life of Strongheart. The illustrations in the book are by Eric Rohmann, and they are very well done.
This is a well-written book, and the story is presented well. There is a section in the back of the book that tells more of the true story of Strongheart.
While this is a fictionalized account of Strongheart, there is an excellent book that is a true to life account of Strongheart and his relationship with a man named J. Allen Boone. Strongheart and Mr. Boone spent much time together, and they were great friends. Mr. Boone's book is called "Kinship With All Life." It is written for an adult audience.
I recommend both of these books. If you go on YouTube, there is one movie available that will allow you to see Strongheart in the era of silent films.
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Prayer Request
I would like to ask for your prayers in a matter. The winds where I live are very, very bad today. Please pray that there isn't any damage to the house. My neighbor's roof has sustained some damage already. Please pray that he won't have any more problems. Thank you for your prayers.
Monday, March 5, 2018
Verses For the Week
Psalm 46:1 -- "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
II Thessalonians 3:3 -- "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."
II Thessalonians 3:3 -- "But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one."
Friday, March 2, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- "The Poor Will Be With You Always"
Hello and welcome to this week's edition of the Weekend Sermon. Thank you for taking the time to read the blog and the sermon this week. I hope that everyone is doing very well.
I've been having a very good week in writing so far, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I've also been out working in the yard this week. It has been fairly warm since the ice event we had.
In prayer this week, please pray for those in Florida who are still recovering from the incident at the school. Pray that action can be taken so that this type of tragedy doesn't happen again.
Continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico affected by the hurricane. Many people still are without power, and some people don't have enough water. Pray that more aid will arrive.
Please continue to pray for those in Papua New Guinea who have been affected by the earthquake. There is a great need there for assistance. I know that Australia is sending aid. Hopefully, that will help.
Please continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, South Sudan and Iraq.
For our prayer focus countries of the week, let us all pray for Benin and Laos. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus.
I have two things that I would like to ask prayer for. For the past four months, I have had increasing amounts of pain in my legs and feet. For many years, I've had nerve pain in both legs and mild arthritis. Over the last four months, the pain in my legs has increased dramatically. I'm having great pain at night, and I'm only able to work outside in the yard for a short time. I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to take care of the place anymore. Please pray that I won't hurt so bad. Also, please pray that if its the Lord's will that I can get the house sold. I've tried to sell it in the past to no avail. It is a very old house in disrepair. Please pray about this.
On another note, please pray that the mole in my yard will go away. It's not a big deal as far as problems go, but it will hinder me getting the house sold if the yard is torn up. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
Now, on to the message. Starting last week, we began a series of messages on some of the misinterpreted passages in the Bible and passages that are taken out of context. Last week, we looked at the verse in Revelation where Jesus states that He is standing at the door knocking.
Today, I would like us to examine Jesus' statement in John 12:8 where He states, "You will always have the poor among you."
First, what is the misinterpretation of this verse. Ever since I was a young man going to the far right-wing churches my parents attended, I heard this statement of Jesus interpreted something like this. There will always be poor people. There's not really anything that we can do about it. Poor people are responsible for there own problems. We're supposed to spend our money on spreading the Gospel and not on the poor.
I often hear this statement of Jesus used by those who don't want to help the poor and the oppressed even today all these years later. It is as if the people quoting it want a justification for not doing anything about poverty.
Jesus did not mean that we are not supposed to help the poor in this statement. I don't believe that He meant that we can't do anything to combat poverty and social problems.
Let's look at this verse in its context.
Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. There was a dinner prepared for Jesus. During the course of the meal, Mary took an expensive jar of perfume and anointed Jesus with it.
When this happened, Judas Iscariot spoke up. He said that it was a waste to use up all the perfume. He said that it could have been sold to help the poor. John adds that Judas didn't care about the poor.
Jesus replied to Judas and said, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer."
There are two ways to accurately look at Jesus words. First of all, Jesus was defending the actions of Mary. She knew that Jesus wouldn't be on earth too much longer. She did something nice for Him, and Jesus appreciated it. Jesus was pointing out that while He wasn't going to be around too much longer, the poor would be there after He was gone, and then they could be ministered to .
I believe that Jesus was also pointing people to the instructions found in Deuteronomy 15:11. This verse states, "There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need." This verse is in a broader context of speaking about the law of remission of debts every seventh year.
Those assembled with Jesus would have understood that Jesus was making a reference to the passage in Deuteronomy. Jesus was essentially stating that His followers were to do what is right by Him and give to those in need. Jesus was saying to Judas and those at the dinner that doing something nice for Him and helping the poor wasn't any either/or proposition. They were expected to do both.
So, how does this apply to us today. Jesus, and the rest of Scripture, is quite clear that we are to help those who are in need. In the Old Testament law it was both an individual and a governmental requirement to help the poor, the oppressed and the needy.
Jesus stated that when He comes back to earth in His glorious Second Coming that He will judge the nations of this world on how they cared for the least of those among them. While on earth, Jesus gave His followers an example of how to help others. Jesus fed those who were hungry when He fed the 4,000 and the 5,000. Jesus healed the sick, and He ministered to those who were ignored by those in society. We know that Jesus and His disciples gave money from their shared resources to help those in need. We see this at the Lord's Supper when Judas left the Upper Room. The other disciples thought that Jesus had sent Him to give to the poor since Judas was the treasurer of the group.
With Jesus as our example, we should give our time and our resources to help those who are in need. Churches need to have food banks and clothing ministries. Churches need to have ministries to help the homeless. And churches need to help those in desperate circumstances in many of the nations around the world.
As individuals, we need to do what we can to help others. If the Lord has provided for us, we need to help others.
I believe that whatever nation you are in as you read this blog, that you ought to advocate with your government, if you live in a democracy, for them to help the poor and the oppressed. In the Old Testament, the Lord commanded the nation to observe a year of jubilee and to forgive debts every seventh year. The rulers of the nation were to see that this was done. The Lord called on the leaders of the land to be good shepherds who looked after the sheep especially those who were vulnerable.
Now, this isn't directly related to what we have just discussed, but the same attitude is involved. Some people say that we shouldn't work for a cleaner environment or to stop the harming of endangered species. The thinking goes like this. The world is going to get worse and worse. The world is going to be destroyed during the Great Tribulation. Then a new heaven and new earth will be created, so we don't need to worry about the earth now.
That type of thinking is also not in accordance with the Bible. The Lord told us to take care of the earth that He has made. The earth is the Lords. We are the caretakers of it. We have an obligation to take care of it in a proper manner that does not harm the earth or its creatures.
No one knows when Jesus will return. It may not be for 1,000 years or it could be today. If Jesus should tarry His coming, we don't want to live in a cesspool of pollution with contaminated water and have all the animals on the planet killed off.
I hope that you will pray and consider what you can do to help the poor and the oppressed. I hope that you will be environmentally conscious.
Next week, I will post another sermon in our series on Friday, Lord willing. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will be reviewing a dog book on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
I've been having a very good week in writing so far, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I've also been out working in the yard this week. It has been fairly warm since the ice event we had.
In prayer this week, please pray for those in Florida who are still recovering from the incident at the school. Pray that action can be taken so that this type of tragedy doesn't happen again.
Continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico affected by the hurricane. Many people still are without power, and some people don't have enough water. Pray that more aid will arrive.
Please continue to pray for those in Papua New Guinea who have been affected by the earthquake. There is a great need there for assistance. I know that Australia is sending aid. Hopefully, that will help.
Please continue to pray for peace in this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, South Sudan and Iraq.
For our prayer focus countries of the week, let us all pray for Benin and Laos. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus.
I have two things that I would like to ask prayer for. For the past four months, I have had increasing amounts of pain in my legs and feet. For many years, I've had nerve pain in both legs and mild arthritis. Over the last four months, the pain in my legs has increased dramatically. I'm having great pain at night, and I'm only able to work outside in the yard for a short time. I'm worried that I'm not going to be able to take care of the place anymore. Please pray that I won't hurt so bad. Also, please pray that if its the Lord's will that I can get the house sold. I've tried to sell it in the past to no avail. It is a very old house in disrepair. Please pray about this.
On another note, please pray that the mole in my yard will go away. It's not a big deal as far as problems go, but it will hinder me getting the house sold if the yard is torn up. Thank you for your prayers in this matter.
Now, on to the message. Starting last week, we began a series of messages on some of the misinterpreted passages in the Bible and passages that are taken out of context. Last week, we looked at the verse in Revelation where Jesus states that He is standing at the door knocking.
Today, I would like us to examine Jesus' statement in John 12:8 where He states, "You will always have the poor among you."
First, what is the misinterpretation of this verse. Ever since I was a young man going to the far right-wing churches my parents attended, I heard this statement of Jesus interpreted something like this. There will always be poor people. There's not really anything that we can do about it. Poor people are responsible for there own problems. We're supposed to spend our money on spreading the Gospel and not on the poor.
I often hear this statement of Jesus used by those who don't want to help the poor and the oppressed even today all these years later. It is as if the people quoting it want a justification for not doing anything about poverty.
Jesus did not mean that we are not supposed to help the poor in this statement. I don't believe that He meant that we can't do anything to combat poverty and social problems.
Let's look at this verse in its context.
Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. There was a dinner prepared for Jesus. During the course of the meal, Mary took an expensive jar of perfume and anointed Jesus with it.
When this happened, Judas Iscariot spoke up. He said that it was a waste to use up all the perfume. He said that it could have been sold to help the poor. John adds that Judas didn't care about the poor.
Jesus replied to Judas and said, "Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer."
There are two ways to accurately look at Jesus words. First of all, Jesus was defending the actions of Mary. She knew that Jesus wouldn't be on earth too much longer. She did something nice for Him, and Jesus appreciated it. Jesus was pointing out that while He wasn't going to be around too much longer, the poor would be there after He was gone, and then they could be ministered to .
I believe that Jesus was also pointing people to the instructions found in Deuteronomy 15:11. This verse states, "There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need." This verse is in a broader context of speaking about the law of remission of debts every seventh year.
Those assembled with Jesus would have understood that Jesus was making a reference to the passage in Deuteronomy. Jesus was essentially stating that His followers were to do what is right by Him and give to those in need. Jesus was saying to Judas and those at the dinner that doing something nice for Him and helping the poor wasn't any either/or proposition. They were expected to do both.
So, how does this apply to us today. Jesus, and the rest of Scripture, is quite clear that we are to help those who are in need. In the Old Testament law it was both an individual and a governmental requirement to help the poor, the oppressed and the needy.
Jesus stated that when He comes back to earth in His glorious Second Coming that He will judge the nations of this world on how they cared for the least of those among them. While on earth, Jesus gave His followers an example of how to help others. Jesus fed those who were hungry when He fed the 4,000 and the 5,000. Jesus healed the sick, and He ministered to those who were ignored by those in society. We know that Jesus and His disciples gave money from their shared resources to help those in need. We see this at the Lord's Supper when Judas left the Upper Room. The other disciples thought that Jesus had sent Him to give to the poor since Judas was the treasurer of the group.
With Jesus as our example, we should give our time and our resources to help those who are in need. Churches need to have food banks and clothing ministries. Churches need to have ministries to help the homeless. And churches need to help those in desperate circumstances in many of the nations around the world.
As individuals, we need to do what we can to help others. If the Lord has provided for us, we need to help others.
I believe that whatever nation you are in as you read this blog, that you ought to advocate with your government, if you live in a democracy, for them to help the poor and the oppressed. In the Old Testament, the Lord commanded the nation to observe a year of jubilee and to forgive debts every seventh year. The rulers of the nation were to see that this was done. The Lord called on the leaders of the land to be good shepherds who looked after the sheep especially those who were vulnerable.
Now, this isn't directly related to what we have just discussed, but the same attitude is involved. Some people say that we shouldn't work for a cleaner environment or to stop the harming of endangered species. The thinking goes like this. The world is going to get worse and worse. The world is going to be destroyed during the Great Tribulation. Then a new heaven and new earth will be created, so we don't need to worry about the earth now.
That type of thinking is also not in accordance with the Bible. The Lord told us to take care of the earth that He has made. The earth is the Lords. We are the caretakers of it. We have an obligation to take care of it in a proper manner that does not harm the earth or its creatures.
No one knows when Jesus will return. It may not be for 1,000 years or it could be today. If Jesus should tarry His coming, we don't want to live in a cesspool of pollution with contaminated water and have all the animals on the planet killed off.
I hope that you will pray and consider what you can do to help the poor and the oppressed. I hope that you will be environmentally conscious.
Next week, I will post another sermon in our series on Friday, Lord willing. On Monday, I will post the verses. I will be reviewing a dog book on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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