James 1:17 -- "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
Psalm 100:5 -- "For the Lord is good, His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations."
Monday, September 17, 2018
Friday, September 14, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- Romans 12:3
Welcome to a new edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am always happy when it comes time to post another sermon. I hope that everyone is having a very good week.
As I start this week, I want to ask everyone to be in prayer for those on the east coast of the United States who are in the path of the hurricane. Pray that people will by safe from this storm.
This has bee a very good week in writing, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I also have something else to thank the Lord for. I received a job offer this week. It is for a full-time and not a part-time job. However, I am still going to keep working on writing. I took the full-time job because it will provide some much needed healthcare benefits.
As far as the blog schedule is concerned, I will have to switch some things around a little, but that won't be for another week. I will go more into that next week as I don't start the new job until the 24th.
In other matters, please pray for those in Hawaii who were in the path of the tropical storm. I heard that there was some flooding on the island of Maui.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Libya, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for the nations of Morocco and Qatar. Pray that many in these nations will hear about the love of Jesus.
For the past couple of weeks, we have been in a new series of messages that will focus on the last few chapters in the book of Romans. This week, we will focus on Romans 12:3 which states, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
This is a verse that we could have focused on in our series on misinterpreted verses. What I would like to do in today's message is relate how this verse is often misused, and then I would like to go over the meanings of this verse.
When I was a boy growing up in the fundamentalist churches and attending the fundamentalist schools, this was one verses that was repeatedly used to keep people down. If you accomplished something good in academics, sports, whatever, you were almost immediately quoted this verse about not thinking too highly of oneself. I never felt growing up that I could think that I amounted to anything lest I was sinning in some way. Verses being misused like this led in great part to some of the problems that I developed with depression when I was young.
The Bible certainly talks about the sin of pride. However, this verse is not trying to say in anyway that a person cannot have a sense of self-esteem. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you have to go around all the time thinking that your no good and that you can't be happy when you accomplish something important.
I believe Paul is speaking about two things in particular in this verse. First of all, no one who is thinking in a Biblical manner can take any credit for his or her salvation. We have no part in our salvation. Salvation is from God. It is by His grace alone.
Jesus did for us what we could not do. No person can do a certain number of good deeds and obtain salvation. It is Jesus who accomplished the work of redemption. We are born again by calling upon Him for forgiveness and acknowledging Him as the Lord of our lives.
Paul is also speaking in this verse about the fact that no person should think that they are sufficient in themselves. The Lord has given to each person gifts to use in the church. We are all members of one body. Paul will go on to discuss this more in the following verses, and he also discussed this point in the book of I Corinthians.
Each one of us is necessary for the body of Christ to function properly. No one is more important than another. Each of us is to use the particular gift that the Lord has given to us in order to advance the work of the Lord upon this earth.
The church can only function in the way that it was intended to function when each member is working towards that common goal of sharing the love of Jesus with the world. If we do not work together, if we do not use the gift that has been given to us, the church will be hampered in each mission.
When a person in the church thinks that he or she is indispensable and that no one else in the church is doing what they are, that is what causes problems in a church. We must value each other's contribution to the task of sharing Jesus with the world.
Now, to go back to my first point. I was made to feel like a piece of dirt by the leaders of the churches and schools that I attended as a boy. No one should be made to feel this way. This is not in keeping with who Jesus is.
I was able to come to know who Jesus is and how much He loved me, and I was able to overcome much of what happened to me as a boy. A big part of the reason that I was able to overcome had to do with the fact that I know that the Lord let me find my friend Toby so that I would have a friend that loved me for who I was.
If you have been in a situation in a church where you have been made to feel like you are worthless, please understand that this is not what Jesus thinks about you. Jesus loves you. Please read the Gospels that relate what Jesus actually did and said. Don't just listen to what a minister tells you about Jesus. Found out about the love and compassion of the Lord Jesus for yourself. Don't give up on Jesus just because some of those who claim to be His followers are nasty and have hurt you. I almost did. However, I am grateful to the Lord that I didn't, and I am glad that Jesus is in my life today.
Next week, we will continue with our series in Romans. I have just been covering one verse for the last three weeks, but next week, we will be covering more verses in chapter 12. We will be looking at the spiritual gifts Paul speaks about in this chapter. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday, I will post the next chapter in the book about my friend Toby. May God bless you all. Amen.
As I start this week, I want to ask everyone to be in prayer for those on the east coast of the United States who are in the path of the hurricane. Pray that people will by safe from this storm.
This has bee a very good week in writing, and I am thankful to the Lord for that. I also have something else to thank the Lord for. I received a job offer this week. It is for a full-time and not a part-time job. However, I am still going to keep working on writing. I took the full-time job because it will provide some much needed healthcare benefits.
As far as the blog schedule is concerned, I will have to switch some things around a little, but that won't be for another week. I will go more into that next week as I don't start the new job until the 24th.
In other matters, please pray for those in Hawaii who were in the path of the tropical storm. I heard that there was some flooding on the island of Maui.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Libya, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for the nations of Morocco and Qatar. Pray that many in these nations will hear about the love of Jesus.
For the past couple of weeks, we have been in a new series of messages that will focus on the last few chapters in the book of Romans. This week, we will focus on Romans 12:3 which states, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
This is a verse that we could have focused on in our series on misinterpreted verses. What I would like to do in today's message is relate how this verse is often misused, and then I would like to go over the meanings of this verse.
When I was a boy growing up in the fundamentalist churches and attending the fundamentalist schools, this was one verses that was repeatedly used to keep people down. If you accomplished something good in academics, sports, whatever, you were almost immediately quoted this verse about not thinking too highly of oneself. I never felt growing up that I could think that I amounted to anything lest I was sinning in some way. Verses being misused like this led in great part to some of the problems that I developed with depression when I was young.
The Bible certainly talks about the sin of pride. However, this verse is not trying to say in anyway that a person cannot have a sense of self-esteem. Being a Christian doesn't mean that you have to go around all the time thinking that your no good and that you can't be happy when you accomplish something important.
I believe Paul is speaking about two things in particular in this verse. First of all, no one who is thinking in a Biblical manner can take any credit for his or her salvation. We have no part in our salvation. Salvation is from God. It is by His grace alone.
Jesus did for us what we could not do. No person can do a certain number of good deeds and obtain salvation. It is Jesus who accomplished the work of redemption. We are born again by calling upon Him for forgiveness and acknowledging Him as the Lord of our lives.
Paul is also speaking in this verse about the fact that no person should think that they are sufficient in themselves. The Lord has given to each person gifts to use in the church. We are all members of one body. Paul will go on to discuss this more in the following verses, and he also discussed this point in the book of I Corinthians.
Each one of us is necessary for the body of Christ to function properly. No one is more important than another. Each of us is to use the particular gift that the Lord has given to us in order to advance the work of the Lord upon this earth.
The church can only function in the way that it was intended to function when each member is working towards that common goal of sharing the love of Jesus with the world. If we do not work together, if we do not use the gift that has been given to us, the church will be hampered in each mission.
When a person in the church thinks that he or she is indispensable and that no one else in the church is doing what they are, that is what causes problems in a church. We must value each other's contribution to the task of sharing Jesus with the world.
Now, to go back to my first point. I was made to feel like a piece of dirt by the leaders of the churches and schools that I attended as a boy. No one should be made to feel this way. This is not in keeping with who Jesus is.
I was able to come to know who Jesus is and how much He loved me, and I was able to overcome much of what happened to me as a boy. A big part of the reason that I was able to overcome had to do with the fact that I know that the Lord let me find my friend Toby so that I would have a friend that loved me for who I was.
If you have been in a situation in a church where you have been made to feel like you are worthless, please understand that this is not what Jesus thinks about you. Jesus loves you. Please read the Gospels that relate what Jesus actually did and said. Don't just listen to what a minister tells you about Jesus. Found out about the love and compassion of the Lord Jesus for yourself. Don't give up on Jesus just because some of those who claim to be His followers are nasty and have hurt you. I almost did. However, I am grateful to the Lord that I didn't, and I am glad that Jesus is in my life today.
Next week, we will continue with our series in Romans. I have just been covering one verse for the last three weeks, but next week, we will be covering more verses in chapter 12. We will be looking at the spiritual gifts Paul speaks about in this chapter. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday, I will post the next chapter in the book about my friend Toby. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 10
Before I post the chapter, I wanted to ask everyone to pray in regard to the hurricane that is headed toward the east coast of the United States. Please pray that this hurricane will weaken and not harm anyone. Pray that everyone in that part of the world will be safe from this storm.
I also wanted to say thank you to the Lord. I received a job offer on Monday, and I accepted the job. I will be starting on the 24th. Thank you for your prayers in this matter. Because of the job, there will be a few changes on when things are posted on the blog, but I will go into that later.
Here is the next chapter. As always, I wish Toby was still with me.
Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 10
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 was 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 it. 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 glad 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 on one trip. 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.
I also wanted to say thank you to the Lord. I received a job offer on Monday, and I accepted the job. I will be starting on the 24th. Thank you for your prayers in this matter. Because of the job, there will be a few changes on when things are posted on the blog, but I will go into that later.
Here is the next chapter. As always, I wish Toby was still with me.
Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 10
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 was 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 it. 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 glad 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 on one trip. 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.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Verses For the Week
I wanted to report that all is OK at my home. The storms did not cause any damage. Thank you for your prayers.
Here are the verses:
I Chronicles 16:28 -- "Praise the Lord all people on earth, praise His glory and might."
Daniel 2:20 -- "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His."
Here are the verses:
I Chronicles 16:28 -- "Praise the Lord all people on earth, praise His glory and might."
Daniel 2:20 -- "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His."
Friday, September 7, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- Romans 12:2
Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon. I am glad to be able to post this sermon. I pray that everyone is having a good week.
I have to start this week by asking for your prayers. It is raining very hard. The place where I live is in a flood advisory. Please pray that this rain will shut down and there won't be any more problems. So far, my house doesn't have any flooding problems. Thank you for your prayers.
In another matter, I believe that things are looking very good on the job front. Please pray that this will work out this week. I am optimistic.
Please pray for those in Japan who were injured or suffered damage in the earthquake. Pray that those who have damage will get the help that they need quickly.
Continue to pray that all of the fires will be extinguished in the western part of the United States. Some of the fires are under control, but some are still raging.
Let us all continue to pray for peace. Please be in prayer for Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan and South Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Oman and Chad. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
Starting last week, we are in a series of messages on the last few chapters in the book of Romans. We looked at Romans 12:1 last week. This week, our focus will be on Romans 12:2 which states, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Then you will be able to test approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Let's look at the first phrase. We are not to conform to this world's pattern. When we came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, the Bible says that we became new creations in Christ Jesus. All of the old had passed away. All has become new. We have moved from an old way of thinking and behaving into a new pattern of thought and behavior.
When I think about what it means not to conform to this world's way of thinking, the first thing that comes to my mind is the world's understanding about sin. The world in which we live in today approves of many things that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible. The ethical principles regarding sexual ethics that this world holds are contrary to the Bible's ethical principles. According to what this world teaches, sexual relationships outside of marriage are considered to be acceptable. The Bible is quite clear that sexual relationships are only allowed between those who are married. This is just one area that one can think about as to how the way the world thinks is contrary to the revealed will of God.
Another area that comes to my mind when I consider the pattern of the world is the way that the world views success. According to the principles of this world, success is achieved when a person has a lot of possessions, makes a lot of money, or has what is considered to be a good career. This is not the definition of success that the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that a successful person in the eyes of God is a person who serves the Lord in spite of anything that might come his way.
I always think about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus when I think of the world's view of success vs. God's view of success. The rich man seemingly had it all. He had made it. However, he found himself in hell. On the other hand, Lazarus was poor and homeless. However, he went to heaven. Which one of these two men had the ultimately successful life?
The ways of the world are not God's ways. He has a different way of thinking. In Luke 16:15, Jesus says, "What people value highly is detestable in God's sight."
The last portion of Romans 12:2 tells us to renew our minds so that we will know what God's will is. The way that I understand this is that our minds are renewed when we think about things the way that Jesus did. We can see clearly from the way that Jesus acted and spoke in the Gospels what He thought about a number of different matters.
As a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, the goal is to allow Jesus to be the example in everything. He is the one that we look to to be our pattern of behavior. We are to follow His example. We are to follow His commandments and His teachings. When we do this on a consistent basis, our minds change so that we are not following the path of the world. We are transformed, and we are following the way of the Lord Jesus.
We know what God's will is when we follow Jesus. Jesus was sent to show us the way. Following Jesus is God's will.
The way in which we know what Jesus would have us to do is to read the words of Jesus in the Gospels. Pray every day, and ask the Lord Jesus to guide you and give you strength. Meditate upon His presence in your heart.
Next week, we will continue with our study in the book of Romans. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday, I will post the next chapter in the book about my friend Toby. May God bless you all. Amen.
I have to start this week by asking for your prayers. It is raining very hard. The place where I live is in a flood advisory. Please pray that this rain will shut down and there won't be any more problems. So far, my house doesn't have any flooding problems. Thank you for your prayers.
In another matter, I believe that things are looking very good on the job front. Please pray that this will work out this week. I am optimistic.
Please pray for those in Japan who were injured or suffered damage in the earthquake. Pray that those who have damage will get the help that they need quickly.
Continue to pray that all of the fires will be extinguished in the western part of the United States. Some of the fires are under control, but some are still raging.
Let us all continue to pray for peace. Please be in prayer for Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan and South Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in Oman and Chad. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
Starting last week, we are in a series of messages on the last few chapters in the book of Romans. We looked at Romans 12:1 last week. This week, our focus will be on Romans 12:2 which states, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. Then you will be able to test approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Let's look at the first phrase. We are not to conform to this world's pattern. When we came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, the Bible says that we became new creations in Christ Jesus. All of the old had passed away. All has become new. We have moved from an old way of thinking and behaving into a new pattern of thought and behavior.
When I think about what it means not to conform to this world's way of thinking, the first thing that comes to my mind is the world's understanding about sin. The world in which we live in today approves of many things that are contrary to the teachings of the Bible. The ethical principles regarding sexual ethics that this world holds are contrary to the Bible's ethical principles. According to what this world teaches, sexual relationships outside of marriage are considered to be acceptable. The Bible is quite clear that sexual relationships are only allowed between those who are married. This is just one area that one can think about as to how the way the world thinks is contrary to the revealed will of God.
Another area that comes to my mind when I consider the pattern of the world is the way that the world views success. According to the principles of this world, success is achieved when a person has a lot of possessions, makes a lot of money, or has what is considered to be a good career. This is not the definition of success that the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that a successful person in the eyes of God is a person who serves the Lord in spite of anything that might come his way.
I always think about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus when I think of the world's view of success vs. God's view of success. The rich man seemingly had it all. He had made it. However, he found himself in hell. On the other hand, Lazarus was poor and homeless. However, he went to heaven. Which one of these two men had the ultimately successful life?
The ways of the world are not God's ways. He has a different way of thinking. In Luke 16:15, Jesus says, "What people value highly is detestable in God's sight."
The last portion of Romans 12:2 tells us to renew our minds so that we will know what God's will is. The way that I understand this is that our minds are renewed when we think about things the way that Jesus did. We can see clearly from the way that Jesus acted and spoke in the Gospels what He thought about a number of different matters.
As a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, the goal is to allow Jesus to be the example in everything. He is the one that we look to to be our pattern of behavior. We are to follow His example. We are to follow His commandments and His teachings. When we do this on a consistent basis, our minds change so that we are not following the path of the world. We are transformed, and we are following the way of the Lord Jesus.
We know what God's will is when we follow Jesus. Jesus was sent to show us the way. Following Jesus is God's will.
The way in which we know what Jesus would have us to do is to read the words of Jesus in the Gospels. Pray every day, and ask the Lord Jesus to guide you and give you strength. Meditate upon His presence in your heart.
Next week, we will continue with our study in the book of Romans. On Monday, I will post the verses. On Wednesday, I will post the next chapter in the book about my friend Toby. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 9
Before I post the next chapter, I just want to say that I think that I may have a part-time job. Pray that this works out. Also, the rain is terrible here. I am really getting concerned. Please continue to pray that there won't be flooding. Thank you.
Here is the next chapter. I really miss the times Toby and I spent together. I miss him so much.
Chapter 9
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 class 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.
Here is the next chapter. I really miss the times Toby and I spent together. I miss him so much.
Chapter 9
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 class 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.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Verses For the Week and a Prayer Request
Before I post the verses, I have a couple of prayer requests. First of all, there is supposed to be flooding rains all week where I live. Please pray that these heavy rains don't materialize and that my house doesn't get flooded. Some people that live in a town west of me have already experienced flooding. Also, please pray for me this week as I am having a hard time. Thank you for your prayers.
Verses:
Psalm 3:3 -- "But you Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high."
Matthew 11:28 -- " Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "
Verses:
Psalm 3:3 -- "But you Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high."
Matthew 11:28 -- " Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "
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