Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 30th, 2023 Who Is Laughing Now?

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 4 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 9 – 12; Psalms 141 – 145; Proverbs 30)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8

Read the “0830 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Hitting Rock Bottom“

“Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.” (Lamentations 4:21)

I do not know for sure if I am interpreting these verses correctly; but it seems to me, without having studied the passage, that the Edomites were rejoicing because of all the judgment that was being afflicted on God’s people. They were ecstatic that their enemy, Judah, was being taken in such a cruel way into captivity into Babylon. However, God says that their rejoicing would be short lived because their day of judgment was coming as well. And remember, God promised His people that He would not make “a full end” of them. I do not think the same promise applies to the Edomites.

God is not pleased when people rejoice when their enemies are falling (Proverbs 24:17). We expect this kind of behavior from the lost world, but are we guilty of the same thing? Have you ever rejoiced (maybe even just a little) when you received word that someone who has hurt you in the past has had some kind of bad thing happen to them. I hate to admit it but I know that I have done it on occasion. Worse yet, I know that my flesh wants to do it every time. God despises that kind of attitude. To think that we who are sinners deserving of judgment, rejoice when another sinner, no more deserving than we, receives it. God must get weary with us and our wicked attitude. Next time you hear about somebody you don’t like (or doesn’t like you) going through a tough time, why not pray for them; why not thank God that you are not facing the same or equally painful situation. Maybe if you will sow a little mercy and compassion, you just might reap a little of the same back when you need it.

By the way, the Calvinists all like to quote the passage from Malachi that says that God loved Jacob (Israel), but hated Esau (Edom). They attempt to prove that God arbitrarily sends some people to Heaven and some people to Hell, without any opportunity for repentance. However, we must remember that when God referred to Esau in Malachi, he was speaking about Edom as a nation, and when he referred to Jacob, he was speaking about Israel. It is also important to consider that God did not say he hated Esau in the Book of Genesis, He said it at the end of the Old Testament, after the history of the Edomites had already been established. According to Malachi, God hated (or rejected) the Edomites. Why? Partially, it was because they rejoiced when the Babylonians were destroying the people of God.

Aug 29th, 2023 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 5 – 8; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4

Read the “0829 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” – (Lamentations 3:21-24)

I love the Biblical significance of the rainbow. God showed Noah the rainbow and told him that it would be there in the sky at the end of the rainstorm to remind God’s people that the rain is coming to an end. For Noah it was a precious reminder, as he had just experienced the destruction of every living creature on the earth through a deluge of water. To us, the rainbow is still a symbol of hope. In our passage in Lamentations today, we do not see an actual rainbow but we do see the hope that all of God’s children can see even when they feel like it’s all over. In these chapters we read about Israel after the destruction that came through the hands of the Babylonians. It was a horrible time for God’s people – possibly the lowest point in their history. Jeremiah had warned the people for many years that judgment was imminent because the people of God had forsaken the Lord. Well, here in Lamentations, there are no more warnings, just the account of the total humiliation and destruction of Jerusalem, Israel, and the people of God.

The first two chapters of this book are very sad indeed; and chapter three starts out as bleakly as the first two; but when we get to verse 21, we can finally get a glimpse of hope. Jeremiah recalls that God is merciful and compassionate, and as he wrote in The Book Of Jeremiah, “he will not make a full end” of them. You see, Jeremiah remembers here that God loves His people, even though He had to correct them. God’s correction would not last forever. In fact, Jeremiah reminds the people that God’s compassion is new every morning. I love that statement. Aren’t you glad that God never runs out of compassion?

Christian, you may be experiencing in your life right now the correcting hand of God. I know that I have had my share of correction through the years. It is certainly not pleasant. However, there are two things that we need to remember about God’s correction. First, we must remember that God does not correct us to get even. He disciplines us for our own good, purely out of love for us. He is trying to bring us back to where we need to be – for our own good. Secondly, we need to keep in mind that God’s correction will not last forever. I remember as a child, I sometimes thought the punishments that I had received at the hands of my parents would never end; but they always did. The sun always came up, and the rainbow eventually appeared to signify the end of the storm. If you are experiencing the loving correction of our Heavenly Father today, take heart: there is hope, His compassions are new every morning.

Aug 29th, 2013 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 5 – 8; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)

Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “5 Practical Ways To Invest In Your Team“

Read the “0829 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Aug 30th, 2012 Hitting Rock Bottom

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 4 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 13 – 16; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 30)

“They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.” – (Lamentations 4:5)

“The hands of the pitiful women have sodden {means – boiled} their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.” – (Lamentations 4:10)

My dad once told me that people need to hit “rock bottom” before they can start climbing back up. Such was the cas for the nation of Judah (Israel) in the passage that we read today. The Book of Lamentations is a very sad passage of Scripture. In these last two chapters of the book we see the end result of a nation that turns its back on the Lord. Israel was once the crowned jewel of all of the earth. At one point in their history they had experienced the marvelous blessing of God, with all of the provision and protection that came along with it. What happened? Slowly, they began to think that their prosperity was not a result of the favor that God had bestowed upon them. Instead, in their pride, they believed that all of the good things that had come their way were the result of their own works and wisdom. God was gradually pushed out of their minds; and as God was slowly losing His preeminence in their eyes, sin began to move in. At first it was very small and subtle, but eventually the nation became engulfed in full-scale immorality and idolatry.

Surprisingly, God did not bring about judgment immediately. He lovingly and patiently pleaded with the people, warning them about the eventual consequences of their actions. At some points in their history, the people even heeded the warnings, and turned back to the Lord, at least temporarily, and managed to postpone the judgment. Eventually, however, God’s patience ran out and the judgment that they long deserved came. These chapters in Lamentation portray a vivid picture of the payment that will eventually come upon any people that turn their back on God. What a shame!

I wonder how long it will be before God’s patience runs out on America. We have certainly been turning our back on the Lord for the past several decades. We’ve removed God from our schools and government. We murder innocent babies by the millions. We have thrown the towel in on decency and morality. We have become consumed with material things, and have forsaken the things that really matter. God cannot be pleased with this once godly nation. In recent years we have seen a number of natural and un-natural disasters that have hit our nation and our world. Were these events just natural occurrences or isolated coincidences, or is God trying to get our attention? I can’t answer that question definitively; but I do know that God allowed all of these events and may have even caused the natural ones, and He could have prevented them. I think that it is very likely that we will see more of the same in the future. I don’t think our economy will get much better, either. Things are getting rough out there. The prosperity and protection that we experienced for years is vanishing away. The only hope that we have is in turning back to God.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Sometimes when we think about passages like these we think only of the lost world around us. In our mind we blame the situation that our country is in on the unbelievers out there; but according to the verse above both the blame and the solution rest in the hands of God’s people. If “my people” didn’t get away from God in the first place then we wouldn’t have to get back to God today. Our churches and our families are gradually, slowly, subtly, and almost unconsciously moving away from the Lord. We need to repent, and revive, and radically move back to where we once were. How about you? Are you as close to the Lord now as you used to be at some point in your past. Do you allow things into your life and home now that you once wouldn’t even think of? How is your devotional life: your Bible reading and prayer time. Have you quietly slipped away in your personal relationship with God? These are hard questions, but we must give them some serious thought. Our flesh will rebel against the effort. It never wants to admit failure, but we must carefully and prayerfully take inventory of our spiritual lives. I want the blessings of God on my life, my ministry, my family, my church, and my nation. I’d be willing to bet that you do to. God hasn’t moved – we have. We need get back to where He is.

Aug 29th, 2012 Great Is Thy Faithfulness!

Today’s Passage – Lamentations 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text)

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 9 – 12; Psalms 141 – 145; Proverbs 29)

Scripture Memory for July – John 3:1 – 21

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 119:105

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” – (Lamentations 3:21-24)

I love the Biblical significance of the rainbow. God showed Noah the rainbow and told him that it would be there in the sky at the end of the rainstorm to remind God’s people that the rain is coming to an end. For Noah it was a precious reminder, as he had just experienced the destruction of every living creature on the earth through a deluge of water. To us, the rainbow is still a symbol of hope. In our passage in Jeremiah today, we do not see an actual rainbow but we do see the hope that all of God’s children can see even when it feels like it’s all over. In these chapters we read about Israel after the destruction that came through the hands of the Babylonians. It was a horrible time for God’s people – possibly the lowest point in their history. Jeremiah had warned the people for many years that judgment was imminent because the people of God had forsaken the Lord. Well, here in Lamentations, there are no more warnings, just the account of the total humiliation and destruction of Jerusalem, Israel, and the people of God.

The first two chapters of this book are very sad indeed; and chapter three starts out as bleakly as the first two; but when we get to verse 21, we can finally get a glimpse of hope. Jeremiah recalls that God is merciful and compassionate, and as he wrote in The Book Of Jeremiah, “he will not make a full end” of them. You see, Jeremiah remembers here that God loves His people, even though He had to correct them. God’s correction would not last forever. In fact, Jeremiah reminds the people that God’s compassion is new every morning. I love that statement. Aren’t you glad that God never runs out of compassion?

Christian, you may be experiencing in your life right now the correcting hand of God. I know that I have had my share of correction through the years. It is certainly not pleasant. However, there are two things that we need to remember about God’s correction. First, we must remember that God does not correct us to get even. He disciplines us for our own good, purely out of love for us. He is trying to bring us back to where we need to be – for our own good. Secondly, we need to keep in mind that God’s correction will not last forever. I remember as a child, I sometimes thought the punishments that I had received at the hands of my parents would never end; but they always did. The sun always came up, and the rainbow eventually appeared to signify the end of the storm. If you are experiencing the loving correction of our Heavenly Father today, take heart: there is hope, His compassions are new every morning.

Aug 30th, 2011 The Wages of Sin on a Society

Today’s Passages -Lamentations 4 – 5; Proverbs 30

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 10 – 13; Memorize – 1 John 1:14 & 15)

Note – I will update the Bible reading and Scripture memorization for the month of September later today.

“They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.” – (Lamentations 4:5)

The Book of Lamentations is a very sad passage of Scripture. In these last two chapters of the book we see the end result of a nation that turns its back on the Lord. Israel was once the crowned jewel of all of the earth. At one point in their history they had experienced the marvelous blessing of God, with all of the provision and protection that came along with it. What happened? Slowly, they began to think that their prosperity was not a result of the favor that God had bestowed upon them. Instead, in their pride, they believed that all of the good things that had come their way were the result of their own works and wisdom. God was gradually pushed out of their minds; and as God was slowly losing His preeminence in their eyes, sin began to move in. At first it was very small and subtle, but eventually the nation became engulfed in full-scale immorality and idolatry.

Surprisingly, God did not bring about judgment immediately. He lovingly and patiently pleaded with the people, warning them about the eventual consequences of their actions. At some points in their history, the people even heeded the warnings, and turned back to the Lord, at least temporarily, and managed to postpone the judgment. Eventually, however, God’s patience ran out and the judgment that they long deserved came. These chapters in Lamentation portray a vivid picture of the payment that will eventually come upon any people that turn their back on God. What a shame!

I wonder how long it will be before God’s patience runs out on America. We have certainly been turning our back on the Lord for the past several decades. We’ve removed God from our schools and government. We murder innocent babies by the millions. We have thrown the towel in on decency and morality. We have become consumed with material things, and have forsaken the things that really matter. God cannot be pleased with this once godly nation. In recent years we have seen a number of natural and un-natural disasters that have hit our nation and our world. Were these events just natural occurrences or isolated coincidences, or is God trying to get our attention? I can’t answer that question definitively; but I do know that God allowed all of these events and may have even caused the natural ones, and He could have prevented them. I think that it is very likely that we will see more of the same in the future. I don’t think our economy will get much better, either. Things are getting rough out there. The prosperity and protection that we experienced for years is vanishing away. The only hope that we have is in turning back to God.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Sometimes when we think about passages like these we think only of the lost world around us. In our mind we blame the situation that our country is in on the unbelievers out there; but according to the verse above both the blame and the solution rest in the hands of God’s people. If “my people” didn’t get away from God in the first place then we wouldn’t have to get back to God today. Our churches and our families are gradually, slowly, subtly, and almost unconsciously moving away from the Lord. We need to repent, and revive, and radically move back to where we once were. How about you? Are you as close to the Lord now as you used to be at some point in your past. Do you allow things into your life and home now that you once wouldn’t even think of? How is your devotional life: your Bible reading and prayer time. Have you quietly slipped away in your personal relationship with God? These are hard questions, but we must give them some serious thought. Our flesh will rebel against the effort. It never wants to admit failure, but we must carefully and prayerfully take inventory of our spiritual lives. I want the blessings of God on my life, my ministry, my family, my church, and my nation. I’d be willing to bet that you do to. God hasn’t moved – we have. We need get back to where He is.

Aug 29th, 2011 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Today’s Passages – Lamentations 1 – 3; Proverbs 29

(Second Milers also read – 1 Corinthians 6 – 9; Memorize – 1 John 5:14 & 15)

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” – (Lamentations 3:21-24)

I love the Biblical significance of the rainbow. God showed Noah the rainbow and told him that it would be there in the sky at the end of the rainstorm to remind God’s people that the rain is coming to an end. For Noah it was a precious reminder, as he had just experienced the destruction of every living creature on the earth through a deluge of water. To us, the rainbow is still a symbol of hope. In our passage in Jeremiah today, we do not see an actual rainbow but we do see the hope that all of God’s children can see even when it feels like it’s all over. In these chapters we read about Israel after the destruction that came through the hands of the Babylonians. It was a horrible time for God’s people – possibly the lowest point in their history.  Jeremiah had warned the people for many years that judgment was imminent because the people of God had forsaken the Lord. Well, here in Lamentations, there are no more warnings, just the account of the total humiliation and destruction of Jerusalem, Israel, and the people of God.

The first two chapters of this book are very sad indeed; and chapter three starts out as bleakly as the first two; but when we get to verse 21, we can finally get a glimpse of hope. Jeremiah recalls that God is merciful and compassionate, and as he wrote in The Book Of Jeremiah, “he will not make a full end” of them. You see, Jeremiah remembers here that God loves His people, even though He had to correct them. God’s correction would not last forever. In fact, Jeremiah reminds the people that God’s compassion is new every morning. I love that statement. Aren’t you glad that God never runs out of compassion?

Christian, you may be experiencing in your life right now the correcting hand of God. I know that I have had my share of correction through the years. It is certainly not pleasant. However, there are two things that we need to remember about God’s correction. First, we must remember that God does not correct us to get even. He disciplines us for our own good, purely out of love for us. He is trying to bring us back to where we need to be – for our own good. Secondly, we need to keep in mind that God’s correction will not last forever. I remember as a child, I sometimes thought the punishments that I had received at the hands of my parents would never end; but they always did. The sun always came up, and the rainbow eventually appeared to signify the end of the storm. If you are experiencing the loving correction of our Heavenly Father today, take heart: there is hope, His compassions are new every morning.