Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 14 and an Update

    This is an update. We've had 12 inches of rain in the last four days. My garage had a lot of water in it. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I am thankful to the Lord for keeping things from being any worse. Thank you for your prayers. We are supposed to have two days rain free, and then it is supposed to rain for two more days. Please keep praying.

     I would like to ask everyone to pray for those in the path of the hurricane heading toward Florida. Pray that people will be safe.

Here is the next chapter

Chapter 14

     Just after I turned seven, my folks decided to move out of the city.  We moved about 20 miles south of the city where we lived to a small town of about 175 people.  Mom was getting into taking dogs to dog shows, and she wanted to live where she could have more than the three dogs that were allowed in the city.
     I've lived in rural areas ever since.  Except for one brief interlude that Toby and I could not stand.  It was not a pleasant experience.
     When my folks moved to the country, they kept their jobs in town.  My Mom worked for the same doctor from 1957 until she retired in 2000.  After she moved, she had to commute 32 miles each way.  Living out in the country made it hard to get to work sometimes because the county often didn't make it a  priority to clean off the rural roads.  She didn't have any trouble getting to work when it was just snowy, because she had an old International Scout four-wheel drive.  My Dad never did have any trouble driving in bad weather.
     One year, we had a series of terrible ice storms.  We even lost power for an extended period.  Mom was having a terrible time getting to work in the slick conditions.  So, she decided to move back to town.  I have to say that I don't understand what came over my Mother at this point.  She decided to sell all of her show dogs.  Everyone of them!! Including my Dad's rottweiler, Abraham.  She even wanted me to sell Toby so that she had better choices of apartments and condominiums to move in to.  I said no way.  I told her that if she tried to pull that, I was gone.  I was a senior in high school at this time.  I would have left too if she would have pressed me.
     She found an apartment in town to move into.  Toby and I just about died.  We absolutely could not stand that place.  It was a nice apartment as far as apartments go, but it was just terrible with all of the noise and confinement.  I could only take Toby out on the leash, and he hated it.  Mom was happy because she was close to work.
     Well, Toby and I decided to try and make the best of bad situation.  I told him that we could endure until  I was done with high school, and then we could escape.
     Then came a bad night.  I decided to take a walk with Toby down through the back part of the apartment complex that led in back of some businesses in the area.  We were a few blocks away when a car with three men in it pulled up.  They rolled down the window and started making vulgar statements at me.  I ignored them, and then one of the men told me to get in the car.  About two blocks down, another car pulled on to the road, and the men in the car drove off.
     Well, Toby and I headed for somewhere safe.  We took off fast.  Unfortunately, this was the time before cellphones, so I couldn't call the police.
     Before we got very far, these same guys came back round again.  They stopped, and one of them got out of the car.  This set Toby off.  He started growling, and every hair on his back was on end.  He ran to the end of the leash and started barking his head off.  The man who got out of the car started laughing, but he didn't laugh long when Toby got loose from me.  He took after them.  The man jumped back in his car and they took off.  Thank God, Toby came back when I called him, but he was mad. If I hadn't been with Toby, those guys would have jumped me.
    We made it back to the apartment quick.  The police never did catch the men.
    We lived in the apartment for about seven weeks.  My Dad finally put his foot down.  He usually did whatever my Mom wanted to do, but he wasn't liking the apartment.  We still had the house, and Dad wanted to move back.  And we did.  What a dreadful episode.
     One good thing happened.  The people who bought Abraham called us about one week after we moved back home.  They said that Abraham was too much for them to handle, and wanted to know if Dad would take him back.  He sure did.
     I like living away from people.  Unfortunately, my health may not let me live in the rural areas too long.  As I get older, it gets harder to take care of everything.  I don't know if I will be able to stand living in town.  One thing I know, Toby saved the day.  He was just a corgi, but he was fierce.  He sounded mean when he growled.
     Toby saved the day one other time.  My Dad had trouble with his heart, so he retired when I was a freshman in college.  On days when I got back early from class,(this is after I graduated from Bible college and was going to a different college and not going to school at home) Dad and I would sometimes go to the little town about seven miles to the south and have lunch at the buffet restaurant.  We got back home, and I could hear Toby going crazy barking and growling inside the house.
     I went inside, and Toby was barking and barking at my parents bedroom window.  I went outside, and I discovered the source.  While my Dad and I were away, someone had tried to break in.  The screen on the window was cut, probably with a knife.  I could see where the intruder had tried to force open the lock and get the window up.  The thief must have thought better of it when he heard Toby.  Toby sounded meaner than my Dad's rottweiler.  The thief probably thought that there was a monster in the house and split.  Once again, Toby kept me safe.

Verses For the Week -- Prayer Request -- Update

    We have had terrible rains where I live. My garage got a lot of water in it last night. They are calling for more rain tonight through tomorrow night. Please pray that conditions will improve. If we get too much more rain, it will be more than my garage that gets water in it. Thank you for your prayers.

Isaiah 40:31 -- "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Philippians 3:14 -- "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Weekend Sermon -- Romans 12:12-13

     Thank you for taking the time this week to read the Weekend Sermon. I am thankful to the Lord for another opportunity to post the message. I hope that you all are having a wonderful week.
     This week has been very busy. I am working hard at my new job, and I am very busy with writing. I am thankful to the Lord for providing me with work.
     I do have an important prayer request. It is raining heavily where I live, and it is forecasted to rain for the next several days. I am concerned about flooding in my area. Please pray that the rains will not be too heavy. Please pray that there won't be flooding. Thank you for your prayers.
    In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those in Indonesia who are recovering from the earthquake and tsunami. Pray that the injured will recover and that those in need will receive the aid that they need.
     Please continue to pray for those on the east coast of the United States who suffered damage from the heavy hurricane rains. Pray that they will get the aid that they need.
     I heard on the radio this morning that there are still cases of Ebola in the Congo. Please pray that those afflicted will recover. Pray that the disease will be brought to a halt.
     We need to continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world. Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and South Sudan certainly need our prayers.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Iran and Singapore. Pray that many in these two nations will here about the love of Jesus.
     For the last few weeks, we have been studying what the Lord has to say to us from the last few chapters of the book of Romans. We have been dealing with Romans Chapter 12 specifically up to this point.
    Today, I would like us to focus our attention on verse 12 through 14 of this chapter. So far in chapter 12, we have seen that we are to present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice. We are to use the gifts that the Lord has given to us to help the church of Jesus Christ accomplish the mission that has been given to it. All of us have a role to play in spreading the message of Jesus' love and forgiveness to the world.
    Last week, we saw that we are to be people who love sincerely, and we are to care for those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to put away evil and do that which is good.
     As we focus on verse 12, Paul states that we are to, "be joyful in hope." Of all people that live on this planet we are the ones who have hope for tomorrow. Those who are in Christ have the promise that one day, we will be with Jesus in the place that He has prepared for us. We know that this life is not all that there is. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Whatever bad is happening in our lives at the present time, we still have hope for a glorious future in which Jesus reigns as Lord of all and over all. We can rejoice in this hope. We can be filled with joy because Jesus will make all things well.
     Paul also tells us to be, "patient in affliction." This is a hard thing to do. When we are going through a hard time, we want to be out of that hard time as quickly as possible. No one likes to suffer. When we are afflicted in this life, we can endure because we know that the Lord is using everything in our lives to draw us closer to Him. Often that is hard to understand. It requires faith that the Lord is looking out for us in all things.
     Paul goes on to say that we should be, "faithful in prayer." Prayer is at the heart of the Christian life. We have the privilege to pray and be in communication with the Lord of the universe. We can go to Him with every burden that is on our hearts. We can bring others before the throne of grace and intercede on their behalf.
     I urge you to make it your practice to pray every single day. I couldn't make it through my day without prayer. I need to seek the guidance of the Lord Jesus with every step that I take. Pray the Lord's Prayer every day, and pray for your needs and the needs of others every day. Pray for those you know who do not yet know Jesus as Lord. Pray for the the needs of this world. Pray for those prayer requests that are mentioned here on the Weekend Sermon. Don't forget to be in prayer always.
     In verse 13 it says, "Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." There are many people who are our brothers and sisters in the faith who have great need. This is true in nations all over the world whether they be wealthier nations or poorer nations. One of the qualities that distinguished the early believers in the book of Acts was that they shared what they had with each other. The Bible says that there was no need found among them. Those who were wealthy would even sell some of their land and give the proceeds to help others who were in need.
     As believers in Jesus, we need to help one another. If we know of a brother or sister in Christ who has a financial need, we should do what we can to help them. If we know of a spiritual or emotional need, we should seek to be of assistance in these areas as well.
     Our helping of others shouldn't stop with those who are our fellow believers in Jesus. There is a whole world that is in desperate need of assistance. Many do not have enough to eat. Many are dying of treatable diseases. So many need help, and we should be of aid as the Lord provides and gives us strength.
     Next week, we will continue our study in the book of Romans. I believe that there will be two more sermons before we move on to chapter 13. The sermon will be posted on Saturday again next week. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post the next chapter of my book about my friend Toby on Wednesday. I am having fun posting the story about my friend, and I hope that you enjoy reading it. May God bless you all. Amen.

Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 13

    Before I post the next chapter, I have two prayer requests. Please pray for those in Indonesia who are recovering from the natural disaster there. Also, there is supposed to be a lot of rain in my area over the next week. I am very concerned about potential flooding. Please pray that all will be well at my house. Thank you for your prayers.

Here is the next chapter:

Chapter 13

     Allegri's Miserere is one of the finest examples of choral music known in the Western world.  When the composer Mozart first heard the piece performed in the Vatican, he was so impressed and moved by its brilliance that when he arrived back home, he wrote out the complete composition from memory.  If anyone listens to this piece, I believe that they will be impressed.  It is all well and good for people to appreciate the wonders of Allegri, but when Toby showed his appreciation for Allegri, I was intrigued.
     One July afternoon, when it seemed like I'd left no task undone, I sat down to relax and take in some good choral music from a recently purchased compact disc.  Toby appeared quite content to listen to the selections from Bach, Handel and Palestrina.  But when the selection from Allegri began to play, Toby raised his head and looked at the CD player with rapt attention.  He really enjoyed the vocal beauty of this timeless work.
     Immediately, when the singers began, Toby's ears pricked up and turned to capture a superior acoustical tone.  As the soprano voices raised on high, Toby's head cocked slightly as if in contemplation of the words.  Toby put his head back down, closed his eyes and went to sleep when the next selection from Mozart began.
     I am a great fan of classical music, but I enjoy other types of music as well.  I love jazz almost as much as classical music.  Whereas Toby shared my appreciation of classical music, he did not like most jazz.
    When most of the jazz I listened to came through the speakers, Toby would go into the other room, which is about the only time he wasn't where I was at.  The only type of jazz Toby seemed to like was smooth jazz.
    Another type of music that Toby expressed his displeasure with was contemporary Christian music.  He always stayed in the room while it was on, but I'd hear him moan once in while as if he thought it was horrible.  He liked hymns though.  He didn't moan when they were on.
    Well, no two creatures like all of the same things.  I was glad that Toby liked to listen to classical music with me.  You can't complain when a dog likes classical music.
     One thing Toby also liked was to listen while I played the tin whistle.  In addition to classical and jazz, I also enjoy Celtic music.  I taught myself how to play the tin whistle so that I could play some tunes.  Toby liked to sit and watch me while I played the whistle.  I think that the ancient Celtic blood of the Welsh was stirred in him when he listened to the tin whistle.
     The two of us had many good times listening to music.  On many afternoons, we would relax in the back room or out on the patio and listen to my favorites from Barber, Rachmaninoff, Ives, Copeland and Faure.  There aren't too many things better in this life than listening to great music with a grand friend.

Verses For the Week

II Corinthians 4:8-9 -- "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid."

Weekend Sermon -- Romans 12:9-11

     Welcome to this week's posting of the Weekend Sermon. I am thankful to the Lord once again for the opportunity to post a message. I hope and pray that everyone is having a good week.
     This has been an interesting week. I've been working hard, and I am thankful to the Lord for the jobs that He has provided for me. I've also been working on the house, and I am hoping to be able to get the house sold here in the not too distant future.
     In prayer this week, please remember to pray for those in Indonesia. I heard on the radio this morning that there was an earthquake there, so let us pray that aid and help will reach those who need it.
    Please pray for those on the east coast of the United States who are still trying to recover from the flooding associated with the hurricane. Pray that aid will reach those who need it the most.
     Continue to pray for peace in this troubled world. Let us focus our prayers for peace this week on the nations of Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.
     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for the nations of Ivory Coast and Malaysia. Pray that many in these two countries will hear about the love and forgiveness that is offered by Jesus..
     For the past several weeks now, we have been in a series of messages on the last few chapters of the book of Romans. Last week, we focused on the fact that each member of the body of Christ has been given gifts by the Holy Spirit that are to be used in order to forward the mission of Jesus in this world. The church can only function properly and serve the Lord as it should when each member is doing their part. No one should think that their gift or contribution is greater than or less than someone else's contribution. We all have a role to play to make Jesus and His message of love known to this world.
     Today, we will be focusing on Romans 12:9-11. Paul begins in verse 9 by stating, "Love must be sincere." If we say that we love someone, but we don't really mean it in our hearts, people can tell that right away. In the church, we often say that we love people even if they are sinners. It is often said by some that they love the sinner but hate the sin. However, the way that some in the church speak about others, it seems as if there is hate for the sin and the sinner.
     This verse is telling us that we must not be hypocritical. We can't say that we love others, and then with our actions show something entirely different. James speaks about this in his epistle. Faith without works is dead. True love motivates us to take action.
     This functions in two ways. First of all, we often say that we love the world and we want to see others come to know Jesus. However, if we are not doing something to tell others about Jesus, we aren't being sincere. Our actions are betraying our words.
     The same holds true for doing good in the world and trying to make this world a better place. If we never do anything to help other people, how can we say that we really love others and want to help them.
     Paul continues in this same verse to state, "Hate what is evil, cling to what is good." This is important advice for all Christians. In our lives, we need to hate those things that are opposed to the things of God and His word. Anything that is opposed to the teachings and practices of Jesus should be rooted out of our lives.
     We must hold on to those things that make us more like Jesus. We must pray each day to become more like the Lord Jesus is thought, word and deed.
     In verse 10 it says, "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." As followers of Jesus, we are to love each other, and we are to show it. We are to help our fellow Christians in whatever way that we can. We are also called to spend time with others who are followers of Jesus so that we might learn and grow together. When we are devoted to one another in love, we are able to encourage one another and help each other as we serve the Lord and progress through this life.
     We are to place the needs of others above our own needs. This is a very difficult thing to do, but it is one of the ultimate demonstrations of love. If you are able to be of service to others at a cost to yourself, you are truly demonstrating to someone that you care about them and truly love them.
     We will conclude by focusing on verse 11 which tells us, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."  When a person first comes to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, that person is often really on fire to serve the Lord. He reads his Bible, studies diligently and prays daily. A new convert is often very active in the life and ministry of the church.
     Over time, I've seen many new converts start to fade in their service to the Lord and in their personal devotional life. I've seen many people who are Christians who were once very passionate to serve the Lord, but now they only go to church on an occasional basis, and they don't serve in the church.
     Paul is urging us here to remain filled with fervor for serving the Lord. There are ways that we can do this. First of all, do not neglect the reading and studying of the Bible. Reading and studying the Bible provides spiritual nourishment for the soul that will keep you strong as you walk with the Lord. Do not neglect to pray every day. Speaking with the Lord keeps us close to Him. Always be involved in something that is improving the lives of others, and always practice fulfilling the Great Commission as you tell others about the salvation that is available in the Lord Jesus.
     If we practice these things, we will remain zealous for the Lord's work. We will continue throughout our lives to serve and honor Him.
     Next week, we will continue with our series in Romans, and the Weekend Sermon will be posted on Saturday again next week. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post the next chapter in my story about Toby on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.

Toby -- The Story of My Friend -- Chapter 12

Here is the next chapter.

Chapter 12

Although some might not think of this as an unusual behavior, Toby was a dog who liked a routine.  This was certainly true when it came to taking his medicine in the morning.  As I said early, Toby had to take medication every day of his life because of his ulcerative colitis and other ailments.  Each morning, we would put his pills in a cheese ball.  He loved cheese and would gobble his cheese and pills right down.  However, he wanted his cheese ball placed in a certain place.  Toby would not eat his cheese ball if you placed it in his food dish.  You had to put the cheese ball outside of the dish, or he wouldn't eat it.  He also wouldn't take the cheese ball out of your hand.  He wanted the cheese ball placed on the floor.  I don't know why.
    Another quirky behavior that Toby had was his reaction to the phrase, "It's coming".  One day we were watching a movie on television and someone on screen said, "It's coming."  Toby bolted awake and started barking his head off.  He did the same thing later in the movie.  I could set Toby off barking anytime by saying these two words.  I don't know what "it" was, but Toby didn't like it especially when it was coming.
    One of the other things I got a kick out of was Toby's funny noise that he would make.  Toby could make a noise in his throat that was like a yodel and bark and a tongue roll at the same time.  It was loud, too.  He'd only make this sound if you asked him a question.  It was like he could understand exactly what we were saying.  One time, Dad was talking to some people about the county commissioner candidates.  I said to Toby, "You don't think that guy would be any good do you?"  Toby looked at me and made his crazy noise and everybody cracked up.  Toby was right.  That candidate won, and he was a lousy commissioner.
    The two other behaviors I want to mention in this chapter involve food.  At least two Sundays a month, Mom would make her delicious chicken and noodles for dinner. She had a special pot she used just for making chicken and noodles and vegetable soup.  When she would get the pot out to make vegetable soup, Toby didn't even notice.  But on the days when Mom was making chicken and noodles he would race into the kitchen and stare up at the pot waiting for some of the chicken Mom always gave him.  How he knew it was time for noodles and not vegetable soup, I don't know.  My Mom would say to Toby, "Toby, there's no use waiting there, the chicken won't be ready for awhile so just go away."  Toby would go and do something else, but the minute that that chicken was ready, he was back waiting.  Toby loved chicken more than any other food in the world.
     Toby also knew each morning when breakfast was ready.  He would wake me up for breakfast just as Mom was done fixing everything.  I have to give my Mom credit.  Even though she worked every day, she always got up and made everyone a nice breakfast.  She was an outstanding cook and a wonderful person.  Well, Toby wouldn't let anyone in my room when I was asleep, so I was glad that he was looking out for me so that I got my breakfast in the morning.  This is the only time he got me up when I was asleep is when breakfast was ready.  If Toby had to go out to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he would go into my parents room and get one of them up to take him out.  My Mom told him to get me up to take him out many times, but he wouldn't do it.