Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Feb 19th, 2013 Just for Ladies

Today’s Passage – Numbers 11 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 16 – 18; Proverbs 19; Psalms 96 – 100

Scripture Memorization for January – Proverbs 4

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19

Corrie ten Boom

“And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”    (2Cointhians 12:3-10)

This week I wanted to share the extraordinary life of Miss Corrie ten Boom.

A few weeks ago, my Preacher was watching a movie call The Hiding Place.  I walked over to view the movie for a minute.  I was so taken back at what I saw, I couldn’t watch it any longer.  My Preacher was telling me about it and said it was a true story.  I really want to view the movie, but I wasn’t sure if I could emotionally handle it.  I finally watched it, and it had such an impact on me, that I really wanted to share what God gave me, from this woman’s life.

For those of you who never read the book or saw the movie, I will tell you a little about her life.

The ten Boom family were dedicated Christians who owned a clock shop during World War II.  Miss Corrie and her family, Father, Mother and two sisters, lived above the shop.  During 1943 and 1944, there were as many as 7 people illegally living in the ten Boom home, Jews and members of the Dutch underground, and Corrie became the “ringleader”. On February 28, 1944, the family was betrayed, and the Gestapo raided their home.  They were arrested and taken to prison. Corrie was seperated from all her family members, and the Gestapo never found the 6 people they were hiding at the time.  While being transported to another prison, she found her sister, where they served time at a concentration camp in Germany.  Life in the camp was almost unbearable.  They were poorly fed, beaten, raped, and had to work long and hard.  Everything was taken from them except the dress and shoes they wore.  No undergarments were allowed.  Even with that kind of living conditions, Corrie and her sister found the strength to share the love of Jesus to their fellow prisoners.  As a result of their faithfulness to God, many women became Christians in that terrible place.

After watching the movie, I asked myself if I could be that strong in the Lord.  Miss Corrie put others first before her own safty.  She knew if she and her family got caught hiding the Jews, that she and they would go to prison.   Can I put others first?  Can I care for the welfare of others?  Could I give up personal safty for others?  I’m not sure if I would give up my cup of Wawa coffee for someone. Miss Corrie gave up her feedom.   She managed to get a hold of a small sized Bible by giving up some of her ration of bread.  It took courge to smuggle it into the concertation camp, because if she got caught with it, she would have been beaten, BADLY!  That Bible was everything to her.  I have many Bibles in my home.  I could only pray that I would have that much love for my Bible.  The Word of God became very precious to her.  There may come a day in my life time, that I may not be able to carry a Bible openly or even own one.  Would  my Bible be my prize possession?  Would the words written in the Bible be more precious to me than anything?  After working all day, Miss Corrie and her sister taught the other women prisoners about Jesus and sang hymns.  When I get home after a long day of doing anything, I just want my coffee and pj’s, and my days are nothing compared to what those women went through.  A fact that was not in the movie but written in the book was about when Miss Corrie was at a speaking engagement years after her release from the concentration camp.  After speaking, a man walked up to her and stuck out his hand to shake hers.  Miss Corrie recognized him as the Nazi guard who raped her sister, who later died in the camp.  She said, when she saw him, she wanted to spit in his face, but when he reached out his hand he told her that he had excepted Jesus.  She thought to herself, “If God can forgive him, who am I not to forgive him” and she stuck out her hand and shook his.  Wow!!  Could I find forgiveness like that?  Could you?

There were other truths that I learned from this couragous woman, but I think I’ll stop here.  The more I look into her life, the more I see how short I fall from my relationship with my Lord.

Not only did Miss Corrie see people come to know the Lord in the camp, but also influenced many afterwards.  Her name will never be mentioned in the Bible, but her unbelievable life’s story is still impacting people today.   It did mine.  I started to type, “Oh that I could have a testimony like that”  but then I deleted it.  I’m not sure if I’m willing or have the strength to go through all that.

My prayer is that we take off our blinders and see what is important in this life.  Take a stand, live for others and truth, share the gospel.

I hope this was a help and or blessing to you.  I highly recommend you watch the video.  It can be seen for free on youtube under, “The Hiding Place”.  I believe the auto-book can also be found there.

Thank You 

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”     (1John 5:13)