As I start this review, I want to state that this is the best book that I've read for a long time. The book that I am reviewing today is "The Travelling Cat Chronicles" written by Hiro Arikawa. At it's heart, this book is about love and friendship.
The book begins with a stray cat gradually getting to know a man named Satoru. The cat likes to rest on the man's silver van, and the man comes out and brings food and treats for the cat. One day, the cat is injured in an accident. He comes to Satoru seeking assistance. After the cat recovers from his injuries, he decides to stay with Satoru, and Satoru names the cat "Nana" because the cat has a crook in his tail making it look like the number seven which is pronounced "Nana" in Japanese.
For five years, Nana and Satoru live together and are friends. They both care about each other. However, one day, Satoru tells Nana that he has to find a new home for him. Satoru won't be able to take care of him in the future.
Over the course of the book, Satoru and Nana take four trips in the silver van to find someone who will take Nana in. The first three trips are to visit old friends of Satoru, and the final trip is to visit Satoru's aunt who took care of him after his parents passed ways.
As the book unfolds and Satoru visits each of his old friends, we learn more about his life in the past and what is happening in the present. Throughout the book, Nana the cat states his opinion about what is going on.
The final part of this book is really well done. It's definitely an emotional ending. I'm not going to give away any more of the plot. Read this book, and find out how great it really is for yourself. I highly recommend "The Travelling Cat Chronicles."
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Monday, December 17, 2018
Verses For the Week
Psalm 39:7 -- "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you."
I Peter 1:3-4 -- "He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."
I Peter 1:3-4 -- "He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."
Friday, December 14, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- God Among Us
Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I am glad that you have taken the time out of your day to read the sermon. I hope that everyone is having a very good week.
I've been enjoying my job, and I've been getting a lot of hours. I thank the Lord for this job, and I am also thankful that there has been a lot of writing work to keep me busy as well.
I would like to ask for your prayers in one matter. I am having some pain in my wrist. Please pray that this will get better and that it won't affect my job in any way. Thank you for your prayers.
As you pray this week, please remember to pray for those in the Congo who are in the midst of the Ebola outbreak. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray that the virus does not spread.
In the United States, there have been many children who have been separated from their parents when the parents come over the border from other countries seeking asylum. Please pray that these children will be reunited with their parents.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Libya, South Sudan and Afghanistan. Remember to pray for those in France who were involved in the terrorist attack. Please pray for an end to terrorism.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for Cambodia and Kuwait. Please pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus in these two countries.
Last week, we finished our series of messages on the last few chapters of the book of Romans. Today and next week, I will be posting messages based on the Advent season.
Today, I would like to focus our attention on what happened when Jesus came to be born on this earth. To begin this message, I would like to post four important passages of Scripture.
Matthew 1:23 -- "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel which means God with us."
Galatians 4:4-5 -- "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Colossians 2:9 -- "For in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily."
Philippians 2:6-7 -- "Who being in the form of God did not consider equality with God something to be used his advantage, rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Throughout the entirety of the Old Testament, the prophets spoke of the fact that a Messiah was going to come and redeem the people. The first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis 3:15.
When the right time came, God sent His Son into this world. Jesus is completely divine and completely human. He humbled Himself and came to this earth in human form born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas day. The one who was the King of the entire universe, came to us as a helpless baby. He came to serve and not to be served. He came to show us how to live the way that we are supposed to live in this world. Philippians 2 will go on to tell us that Jesus suffered on the cross to redeem us.
Jesus came to redeem us from our sins and to bring about the restoration of all things. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus brings about the salvation of our souls. It brings about the possibility that one day all will be as it was before sin entered into the world. One day, when Jesus returns to this at His Second Advent, the process of the restoration of all things will be completed. All will be as it was originally intended to be.
What is so amazing to me about Christmas is that the God of this entire universe would come to be among us. He loved us so much that He came to show us the way. Jesus is the one who shows us what God is really like. If you want to know what God is like, you look to Jesus. If you want to know how to act and live in this world in the right manner, you look to Jesus as the ultimate example because He lived a life without sin and only did that which was perfect, right and good.
God came among us at Christmas time in order that we might find perfect peace in and through Him. We can find peace for our souls by finding forgiveness through Him. We can find peace for the struggles that beset humanity by looking at and following His teachings recorded in passages such as the Sermon on the Mount.
Immanuel has come. We must look to Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. We must keep our eyes fixed on Him in all things and follow Him fully.
I hope that during this Christmas season that you will truly realize what happened on Christmas Day. God fully revealed Himself to us in the person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came to show us the way and redeem us from our sins. Please meditate on this during the holiday season.
Next week, I will bring another message based on Christmas. The sermon will be posted on Saturday next week. I don't like to keep changing the day that the sermon will be posted, but my schedule at work keeps changing. I don't know from week to week if I will have to work on Friday or Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will have a review on Wednesday. I am in the process of finishing up a cat book. May God bless you all. Amen.
I've been enjoying my job, and I've been getting a lot of hours. I thank the Lord for this job, and I am also thankful that there has been a lot of writing work to keep me busy as well.
I would like to ask for your prayers in one matter. I am having some pain in my wrist. Please pray that this will get better and that it won't affect my job in any way. Thank you for your prayers.
As you pray this week, please remember to pray for those in the Congo who are in the midst of the Ebola outbreak. Pray that those who are sick will recover, and pray that the virus does not spread.
In the United States, there have been many children who have been separated from their parents when the parents come over the border from other countries seeking asylum. Please pray that these children will be reunited with their parents.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Pray for peace in Syria, Libya, South Sudan and Afghanistan. Remember to pray for those in France who were involved in the terrorist attack. Please pray for an end to terrorism.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for Cambodia and Kuwait. Please pray that many will hear of the love of Jesus in these two countries.
Last week, we finished our series of messages on the last few chapters of the book of Romans. Today and next week, I will be posting messages based on the Advent season.
Today, I would like to focus our attention on what happened when Jesus came to be born on this earth. To begin this message, I would like to post four important passages of Scripture.
Matthew 1:23 -- "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel which means God with us."
Galatians 4:4-5 -- "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Colossians 2:9 -- "For in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily."
Philippians 2:6-7 -- "Who being in the form of God did not consider equality with God something to be used his advantage, rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
Throughout the entirety of the Old Testament, the prophets spoke of the fact that a Messiah was going to come and redeem the people. The first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah is found in Genesis 3:15.
When the right time came, God sent His Son into this world. Jesus is completely divine and completely human. He humbled Himself and came to this earth in human form born of the Virgin Mary on Christmas day. The one who was the King of the entire universe, came to us as a helpless baby. He came to serve and not to be served. He came to show us how to live the way that we are supposed to live in this world. Philippians 2 will go on to tell us that Jesus suffered on the cross to redeem us.
Jesus came to redeem us from our sins and to bring about the restoration of all things. The birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus brings about the salvation of our souls. It brings about the possibility that one day all will be as it was before sin entered into the world. One day, when Jesus returns to this at His Second Advent, the process of the restoration of all things will be completed. All will be as it was originally intended to be.
What is so amazing to me about Christmas is that the God of this entire universe would come to be among us. He loved us so much that He came to show us the way. Jesus is the one who shows us what God is really like. If you want to know what God is like, you look to Jesus. If you want to know how to act and live in this world in the right manner, you look to Jesus as the ultimate example because He lived a life without sin and only did that which was perfect, right and good.
God came among us at Christmas time in order that we might find perfect peace in and through Him. We can find peace for our souls by finding forgiveness through Him. We can find peace for the struggles that beset humanity by looking at and following His teachings recorded in passages such as the Sermon on the Mount.
Immanuel has come. We must look to Jesus as the way, the truth and the life. We must keep our eyes fixed on Him in all things and follow Him fully.
I hope that during this Christmas season that you will truly realize what happened on Christmas Day. God fully revealed Himself to us in the person of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came to show us the way and redeem us from our sins. Please meditate on this during the holiday season.
Next week, I will bring another message based on Christmas. The sermon will be posted on Saturday next week. I don't like to keep changing the day that the sermon will be posted, but my schedule at work keeps changing. I don't know from week to week if I will have to work on Friday or Saturday. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will have a review on Wednesday. I am in the process of finishing up a cat book. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Update
I have been so busy with my job and working on writing that I haven't had much of a chance to read. I won't be posting a review this week, but I do believe that I will get back to posting more reviews next week. I am thankful that I've been getting writing work, and I am thankful that I've been getting a lot of hours over the holiday season at my other job. I will be posting the sermon on Friday.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Verses For the Week
Isaiah 12:6 -- "Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."
Proverbs 10:28 -- "The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing."
Proverbs 10:28 -- "The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing."
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Special Prayer Request
Yesterday, I read an article about how the Ebola virus is spreading in the the Congo. Please say a special prayer for the people in this region. Pray that those who are sick will recover. Pray that the virus will not spread any further. Pray for those who are on the front lines helping those who are infected with the virus. Thank you for your prayers on this matter.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Weekend Sermon -- Romans 16:17-27
Thank you for reading the Weekend Sermon this week. I thank the Lord for this opportunity, and I hope that all of you are having a very good week.
I've been working hard at my job, and writing has been going well. :Usually in the month of December, there are fewer writing jobs, but this month has been good to start out with.
Please be in prayer for my one of my aunts and for one of my uncles. They both lost their spouses recently, and it is very hard to deal with the death of a loved one during the holiday season.
Let us all be in prayer for those in Yemen. That country is in the midst of war, and disease, and famine is rampant. Please pray for an end to the violence, and pray that the aid that the people need will reach the nation.
There are many other places in the world that need peace at this time. Pray for peace in Syria, Israel, Afghanistan, Ukraine, South Sudan and Libya
During this holiday season, let us pray that people will be filled with kindness. Let each of us try to follow the words of the Lord Jesus and do unto others as we would have done unto us.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nations of Azerbaijan and Mali. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus. Also, pray that many all over the world will hear the message of Jesus' love during this Christmas season.
Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been studying the last few chapters of the book of Romans. Today we will finish chapter 16, and that will be the end of our Romans series. Starting next week on the Weekend Sermon, we will be having some messages centered around the Christmas season.
In today's passage, I want to focus on two verses. The end of verse 19 states, "I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil." This verse reminds me of Philippians 4:8 where Paul gives the instruction that we are to think about those things that are lovely, honorable, just and true.
There are a lot of bad things out in the world that can draw our minds away from the values promoted by Jesus. Many of the movies and television programs that are currently available don't express Christian morals and values. I've found in my own life that if I spend time watching or reading those things which are not reflective of the values of Jesus, it causes me to be less like Jesus and more like the world and its values.
There are a lot of good things that we can put into our minds that are honoring to the Lord. We should all be reading the Bible on a daily basis, but I'm saying more than that. There are good movies and books that do promote what is good that we can be spending our time reading and viewing.
I've been trying in my life to read more animal and nature books. During the coming year, I want to read more non-fiction and fewer mysteries and such. I like to read about the beauty of God's creation, and that gives me peace in my heart. I like to listen to music that promotes peace and tranquility within my spirit.
I'm not trying to come down on people or tell people that this type of book or movie or television program is wrong. I'm just saying that I find that my life is more peaceful and happy when I focus on those things that reflect the values of Jesus and His creation. I want to focus more on those things in the weeks and months to come.
Now, there is a second verse that I want to focus on. Verse 20 states, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." What does this mean?
When humanity fell into sin and turned its back on the will of God, evil entered into the world. The Bible says that death passed upon all because all have sinned.
In Genesis 3, we read the record of the fall of humanity. In that chapter, God promised that one would be born who would crush the head of the serpent who was the symbol of Satan.
When Jesus was born into this world, this prophecy saw the beginning of its fulfillment. Jesus was the Lamb of God sent to take away the sin of the world. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life. Because of that, He could take our sins upon Himself on the cross. He could be our substitute. He took the punishment for sins upon Himself that we rightly deserved.
Because of sin, death had passed upon all people. However, Jesus dealt with the consequences of sin through His glorious resurrection. By rising from the grave, Jesus destroyed death, hell and the grave. Death has no power over the one who is in Christ.
Evil is still in the world. There is a lot of terrible stuff that goes on in this world. However, Satan and his evil will be destroyed once and for all when Jesus returns in power and great glory at His Second Coming. Then, all sin will be at an end. Wars will cease. Man's inhumanity to man will be over. Injustice will be at an end. All will be good and right. Peace and justice will rule the day. Love will triumph over the forces of hate.
The Bible says that Satan and all those who remain his followers will be cast in the lake of fire. Evil will be destroyed.
Until that day comes, those of us who are followers of Jesus have a job to do. We are to take the message of Jesus' love to those who don't know about it. We are to tell others that Jesus lived, died, rose again and is coming again. We are also to strive to make this world a better place. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and help those who are oppressed. We are to stand for justice and goodness. We are to follow the example given to us by the Lord Jesus until that day when He returns and all things are made right and all things are restored to their original state.
I hope that you have come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The Bible says that whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You can repent of your sins and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord this very day.
Next week, our Christmas messages begin. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. On Wednesday, there may be a review, but I am not sure yet. I will post the Weekend Sermon on Friday next week. May God bless you all. Amen.
I've been working hard at my job, and writing has been going well. :Usually in the month of December, there are fewer writing jobs, but this month has been good to start out with.
Please be in prayer for my one of my aunts and for one of my uncles. They both lost their spouses recently, and it is very hard to deal with the death of a loved one during the holiday season.
Let us all be in prayer for those in Yemen. That country is in the midst of war, and disease, and famine is rampant. Please pray for an end to the violence, and pray that the aid that the people need will reach the nation.
There are many other places in the world that need peace at this time. Pray for peace in Syria, Israel, Afghanistan, Ukraine, South Sudan and Libya
During this holiday season, let us pray that people will be filled with kindness. Let each of us try to follow the words of the Lord Jesus and do unto others as we would have done unto us.
For our prayer focus countries this week, please pray for those who live in the nations of Azerbaijan and Mali. Pray that many will hear the message of the love of Jesus. Also, pray that many all over the world will hear the message of Jesus' love during this Christmas season.
Over the course of the last few weeks, we've been studying the last few chapters of the book of Romans. Today we will finish chapter 16, and that will be the end of our Romans series. Starting next week on the Weekend Sermon, we will be having some messages centered around the Christmas season.
In today's passage, I want to focus on two verses. The end of verse 19 states, "I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil." This verse reminds me of Philippians 4:8 where Paul gives the instruction that we are to think about those things that are lovely, honorable, just and true.
There are a lot of bad things out in the world that can draw our minds away from the values promoted by Jesus. Many of the movies and television programs that are currently available don't express Christian morals and values. I've found in my own life that if I spend time watching or reading those things which are not reflective of the values of Jesus, it causes me to be less like Jesus and more like the world and its values.
There are a lot of good things that we can put into our minds that are honoring to the Lord. We should all be reading the Bible on a daily basis, but I'm saying more than that. There are good movies and books that do promote what is good that we can be spending our time reading and viewing.
I've been trying in my life to read more animal and nature books. During the coming year, I want to read more non-fiction and fewer mysteries and such. I like to read about the beauty of God's creation, and that gives me peace in my heart. I like to listen to music that promotes peace and tranquility within my spirit.
I'm not trying to come down on people or tell people that this type of book or movie or television program is wrong. I'm just saying that I find that my life is more peaceful and happy when I focus on those things that reflect the values of Jesus and His creation. I want to focus more on those things in the weeks and months to come.
Now, there is a second verse that I want to focus on. Verse 20 states, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." What does this mean?
When humanity fell into sin and turned its back on the will of God, evil entered into the world. The Bible says that death passed upon all because all have sinned.
In Genesis 3, we read the record of the fall of humanity. In that chapter, God promised that one would be born who would crush the head of the serpent who was the symbol of Satan.
When Jesus was born into this world, this prophecy saw the beginning of its fulfillment. Jesus was the Lamb of God sent to take away the sin of the world. Jesus lived a holy and sinless life. Because of that, He could take our sins upon Himself on the cross. He could be our substitute. He took the punishment for sins upon Himself that we rightly deserved.
Because of sin, death had passed upon all people. However, Jesus dealt with the consequences of sin through His glorious resurrection. By rising from the grave, Jesus destroyed death, hell and the grave. Death has no power over the one who is in Christ.
Evil is still in the world. There is a lot of terrible stuff that goes on in this world. However, Satan and his evil will be destroyed once and for all when Jesus returns in power and great glory at His Second Coming. Then, all sin will be at an end. Wars will cease. Man's inhumanity to man will be over. Injustice will be at an end. All will be good and right. Peace and justice will rule the day. Love will triumph over the forces of hate.
The Bible says that Satan and all those who remain his followers will be cast in the lake of fire. Evil will be destroyed.
Until that day comes, those of us who are followers of Jesus have a job to do. We are to take the message of Jesus' love to those who don't know about it. We are to tell others that Jesus lived, died, rose again and is coming again. We are also to strive to make this world a better place. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and help those who are oppressed. We are to stand for justice and goodness. We are to follow the example given to us by the Lord Jesus until that day when He returns and all things are made right and all things are restored to their original state.
I hope that you have come to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The Bible says that whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. You can repent of your sins and ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord this very day.
Next week, our Christmas messages begin. On Monday, I will post the verses for the week. On Wednesday, there may be a review, but I am not sure yet. I will post the Weekend Sermon on Friday next week. May God bless you all. Amen.
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