Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Dec 22nd, 2018 Is Your Faith Dead? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – James 2 – 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 – Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22) Read the “1222 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” (James 2:14)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

Good morning. Is your faith dead? We are saved by grace through faith and not works. There is nothing we can do to work or earn a place in heaven. It is only through what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus got our sins, and we got His righteousness. And the righteousness of Jesus is a working righteousness. You can believe, have faith, but faith without works is dead. Is your faith dead? James gives us several examples.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)

The devils have faith: they believe in the one true God, and they tremble because their faith is dead. They know their final destination is the lake of fire.

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:21-23)

“And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Genesis 21:12)

God made this promise to Abraham about Isaac, and Abraham believed God. God also told Abraham…

“And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” (Genesis 22:2-5)

Abraham obeyed God and went. But look what he told his servants that went with him: both he and Isaac would go and worship, and both he and Isaac would come again to the servants. And Abraham obeyed until God stopped him from doing the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham knew God, and believed God when He said in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

“And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18)

Abraham’s faith in God manifested itself in obedience to God: works. And what about Rahab the harlot?

“Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” (James 2:25)

“And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.” (Joshua 2:9-14)

Rahab put her trust in God, and believed that God’s people, the spys would keep their word. Her faith generated a work to save her family and the spys. Faith without works is dead. Is your faith dead, or is it generating a good work that God has ordained for you to walk in?

Peace.

Dec 15th, 2018 Jesus Is Coming Soon – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – 2 Thessalonians 1 – 1 Timothy 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 –Psalms 71 – 75; Proverbs 15)

Read the “1215 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” (2Thesselonians 2:1-2)

Good morning. The year was 1914. World War 1 had started. By it’s end in 1918, and estimated 16 million had died. Blind Willie Johnson was around 21 years old at the time. The year 1918 was also the year of the Influenza epidemic. The war claimed 16 million lives, but the epidemic claimed 50 million. Blind Willie Johnson was an American gospel blues singer and guitarist. He was also an evangelist. One of the songs he wrote was about this time period: Jesus Is Coming Soon. Here are a couple of lines from the song…

Soldiers died on the battlefield, died in the counts too
Captain said to the lieutenant, “I don’t know what to do.”

[Chorus]
Well, we done told you, our God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, our God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon

Well, God is warning the nation, He’s a-warning them every way
To turn away from evil and seek the Lord and pray

Fifty million souls is a heck of a warning. This was a world wide war, and a world wide epidemic. Over here, the Dodge brothers were taken. One in 1918, the other two years later. Yet we still drive Dodges today. The epidemic in America did not subside until the summer of 1919, but the virus still circulates through the world today. The war lasted 4 years, the epidemic subsided after 1.5 years, but what a death toll. I look at America and wonder what it will look like five and a half years from now? Is Jesus coming that soon? People hate our president for trying to do what’s right. What happens if a liberal takes his place? As California works to ban the Bible as hate literature, and anything God connected is removed from public sight and schools across the nation. The photo above is the church a Ephesus. It was once a thriving church. Is this what the churches in America are going to look like in a few years? Jesus is coming soon. But one thing must happen before this…

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2Thesselonians 2:3-12)

And along with this…

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thesselonians 4:13-18)

Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready?

Peace.

Dec 8th, 2018 Grace Or Works? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – Galatians 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 – Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)

Read the “1208 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)

Good morning. Works or grace? Do you believe you are going to Heaven because you are a good person, a good Baptist, a good Catholic, a good Methodist, or a good whatever? Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are not that good. And neither am I. Jesus told us…

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)

Your righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Here’s how…

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:17-21)

Only the righteousness of Jesus exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees. And the only way to get His righteousness is to receive Him as your Saviour: that He knows you. Your righteousness is not going to make it. Isaiah said…

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)

Your righteousness, my righteousness, the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees are all as filthy rags. You see…

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23)

And there is nothing you can do to earn righteousness: there is no work good enough.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

You can try, but you’ll end up in this situation…

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

If we could work our way to Heaven, why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Paul knew. He even persecuted the church for the sake of the Law, believing he was doing a good work for God. But God opened his eyes to the truth…

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:20-21)

The Apostle John summed up salvation in one verse…

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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 5:11-13)

Call it Easybelieveism, or whatever you like, but that’s what the Apostle Paul told the Philippian jailor…

“And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” (Acts 16:27-34)

Works will never make it, but a perfect God, a perfect Saviour, with a perfect plan of salvation will get you there. For by grace are you saved.

Peace.

Dec 1st, 2018 Dare Any Of You? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – 1Corinthians 6 – 9 (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 – Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Read the “1201 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1Corinthians 6:1-11)

Good morning. There was a movie starring Hulk Hogan, the wrestler. He played a space alien visiting earth. The family he was staying with needed to get into their driveway with the car, but the neighbor was blocking it with his dragster. Hulk Hogan gets out of the car, picks the dragster up and moves it out of the way. The neighbor comes running out telling Hulk Hogan, “Hey! You can’t do that!”

Hulk Hogan replies, “What are you going to do, beat me up?”

The neighbor says, “Are you crazy? This is the ninties, we’re gonna sue you!”

Money, money, money. That’s what it’s all about. Did you know that Judge Judy makes $47 million per year? That’s over $900,000 for each of the 52 days she works per year. All because people want to take their problems to court to see how much money they can get out of it. The same thing happens in our churches. Where there are people, there are problems. Many in the congregation can get hurt when someone looks at them funny, steals their seat, or even things worse. Rather than discuss it with the pastor, or take it befor the church, they up and leave. And the problem does not get solved. The ofending person may not even know he did something wrong. Jesus said…

“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” (Matthew 18:15-17)

If you walk away, you will not solve the problem. If you don’t confront the offender, you will not solve the problem. If the offender doesn’t know there is a problem, how can he fix it? You may also cause him to hurt someone else. The right thing to do is confront the problem the Bible way. Jesus also said…

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

Peace.

Nov 24th, 2018 The Old Testament: It’s Still For Today – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – Acts 26 – 28 (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 – Psalms 116 – 118; Proverbs 24)

Read the “1124 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.” (Acts 26:4-7)

Good morning. It’s all in the Old Testament, God’s simple plan of salvation. Paul was raised on the Old Testament, and tried to follow and keep the Laws of God that Moses had given the Jews. As a Pharisee, he would try to keep the Law. He studied the Scriptures and tried to apply them to his life, but he was still a sinner.

“To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:1-3)

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

All have sinned, there is none that doeth good. And twice, in Ezekiel 18, God warns us…

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 16:20)

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)

“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:1-12)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)

And how would Paul or anyone else living in Old Testament days know how to be saved?

“And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” (Romans 4:1-7)

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” (Joel 2:28-32)

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

Those of the Old Testament times were looking forward to the time that God would send Messiah to deliver them. They believed God. Today, we believe God, and look back to when Jesus died on the cross to deliver us from our sins. Jesus is risen and coming back as King of kings and Lord of lords, the Messiah, the Deliverer. Paul believed this and was led by the Holy Spirit to write what we call Romans Road. He also wrote Ephesians 2:8-9…

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

And what he told the jailer in Acts…

“And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:27-31)

Do you believe?

Peace!

Nov 17th, 2018 Are You Where You Should Be? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – Acts 7 – 8 (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 – Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)

Read the “1117 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:26-39)

Good morning. I’m writing this from Camp Calvary in the mountains of Pennsylvania. I’m usually in my home office. And I really did not want to be here, and that could only mean one thing: the Lord had something special for me, and the devil was trying to keep me from going. I would miss it if I stayed home. Philip would have missed the eunuch if he stayed home. But he obeyed the Holy Ghost and went. The eunuch got saved and baptized, then went on his way rejoicing. Philip was caught up to do other things for the Lord, and the eunuch saw him no more.

So here I am. A week after getting out of the hospital for a proceedure on my heart. I’m glad I decided to go to the men’s retreat here. The theme of the retreat: Isaiah 6:8, “Here Am I; Send Me.”

Okay. My first blessing was from Justin, our youth leader. I love to hear him preach. He preached a 5 minute sermon, and it’s amazing what he can cram into those 5 minutes. The second blessing came from my preacher. A well pointed sermon that was pointed at me. The third blessing was from someone I met. He would soon be going through the same proceedure that I went through, and was somewhat nervous about it. Praise the Lord, he used me to give some comfort to this brother. What if I stayed home? Would there have been someone else to do this? Would I have been able to receive the blessings from another source? That’s very doubtful. The best place to be is where God wants you to be. I can’t wait to see what happens today!

Peace.

Nov 10th, 2018 Who Killed Jesus? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – John 10 – 11 (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 – Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Read the “1110 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:14-18)

Good morning. When Mel Gibson started making the movie, The Passion Of The Christ, the Jews protested it. They said it claimed that the Jews killed Christ. Many Jews were looked down upon and called “Christ killers” long before this movie was made. It was a Jew, Judas, who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders. Jews who stirred the crowd to cry, “Crucify Him!, Crucify Him!.”

It was believers who DID NOTHING but stare in disbelief that this was happening. And it was the Gentiles who nailed Him to the cross. Can a man kill God? Of course not. Jesus said…

“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

We are all responsible. Look at this passage…

“I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:48-58)

We must all, Jew and Gentile, believer and unbeliever, take the responsibility for Christ, our Good Shepherd, for laying down His life for us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Peace.

Nov 3rd, 2018 They Wanted To See Jesus – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – Luke 19 – 20 (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 – Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Read the “1103 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.” (Luke 19:1-6)

Good morning. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. He took the initiative to run ahead of Him and climb into a sycomore tree to see. Zacchaeus ended up spending the day at his house with Jesus.

“And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19:37-38)

There was a multitude gathered as Jesus rode into town. They had seen Jesus and the mighty works done, and they praised God. Unfortunately, there were Pharisees there too who wanted to see Jesus: to tell Him to keep His disciples from praising God.

“And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40)

The chief priests and the scribes were there to see Jesus too, but for a different reason…

“And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.” (Luke 20:19-20)

The Sadducees were also there to see Jesus. And to ask questions to catch Jesus with His Words. They were all there for different reasons, but they all wanted to see Jesus. What about you? Jesus said…

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)

Do you want to see Jesus? He’s in your Sunday School class. Do you want to see Jesus? He is at your Sunday Morning and Evening Services. He is even at your Mid-week Evening Prayer/Bible Study. You can even meet with Him at your home, alone, doing your personal devotions. It would be my guess that if you are not in church, then you’re probably not doing your Walking With God at home either.

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

We miss you, and are praying for you. Hope to see you Sunday.

Peace.

Oct 27th, 2018 O If We Would Only Let The Holy Spirit Do His Job! – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Luke 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 – Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 27)

Read the “1027 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.” (Luke 5:36-38)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17)

Good morning. The work of the Holy Spirit is amazing. He is with us from before we get saved, and brings us all the way to our home in Heaven. O if we would only let the Holy Spirit do His job! And there are many works that the Holy Spirit does…

1) He Convicts Us Of Sin

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me…” (John 16:7-9)

2) He Leads The Way To Christ For Salvation

“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me…” (John 15:26)

3) He Teaches Us

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (John 16:13)

4) He Directs Us In The Way We Should Go

“Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.” (Acts 6-7)

5) He Gives Us The Power To Witness For The Lord

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

6) He Preserves Us And Brings Us Safely To Heaven

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

Not only that, but if we let Him do His job, He will bear fruit in our lives…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Take a look at your life. Do you see any of the Holy Spirit’s fruit there? No? You are either not saved. In that case you need to call upon the name of the Lord and receive Jesus as your own personal Saviour. Or if you are saved, as God’s Word says in Ephesians 4:30, don’t grieve the Holy Spirit by doing the things you should not; and do not quench the Holy Spirit by not doing the things you should. Let the Holy Spirit do His job!

Peace.

Oct 20th, 2018 A Speculative Of Speckled Trout – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Mark 8 – 9 (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 – Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)

Read the “1020 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.” (Mark 8:1-9)

Good morning. Did you ever wonder, like I did, if there would be meat or fish served in Heaven at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? An animal would have to die, wouldn’t they? But…

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12-15)

Death was cast into the lake of fire along with Hell. No more death. You can’t have meat. You are going vegan! NOOooooo! Well, at least you’ll be healthy. But we forget that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator…

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)

Here, with just a few little fishes, He made enough fishes to feed about 4,000 people. Look what He did in Mark chapter 6…

“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.” (Mark 6:34-44)

Five loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000 men, not counting the women and children. He is the Creator, and He created more than enough to feed the multitude. And also…

“And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.” (John 21:8-13)

So, will there be meat and fish at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Probably. One thing would be known for sure: it will be the best tasting meat and fish ever, because everything that Jesus creates is perfect.

Peace.