Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 13th, 2011 Peace – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 63-66, Proverbs 13, and John 19-20

Today’s Passage: John 20:21: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

Good morning! I want to give you some thoughts from John 20:21. When we preach this verse, it is usually used as the Great Commission verse from John, but it is much more than that. Jesus said, “Peace be unto you:”, and the colon after ‘you’ explains what our Lord meant by that: “as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” And Jesus further explains in Luke 19:10: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” That was what the Father had sent Jesus to do. God Almighty was humbled as a man putting on flesh. He grew, and went to work as a carpenter. At 30 years of age, allowing Himself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, He began to seek others to share the good news of the kingdom of God. Some loved Him, some hated Him. Sounds like a normal life doesn’t it.

We need to seek the lost like Jesus did. Mathew 28:18-20 tells us: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” And also Mark 16:15: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Also in Luke 24:47-49: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” The Power they needed to wait for was the Holy Spirit. Just like Jesus allowed Himself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, we need to humble ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to control us. Jesus told us in Acts 1:8: “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.” Seek people to give the gospel to.

But Jesus said He came to seek AND to save that which was lost. How do we save someone who is lost? How did Jesus save us? By dying. He shed His precious blood and gave His life for us. Jesus said, “…If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24). We need to die: die to self. If we die to ourselves, there is nothing to keep us from doing what we should. The Holy Spirit is free to do His work. We will have no problem telling others about Jesus, and receiving His peace.

Peace. (John 20:21)

Jun 11th, 2011 Rapture – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Job 22-26, Proverbs 11, and 1Thesselonians 4 – 2Thesselonians 2.

Good morning. “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.

I feel sorry for those who do not believe in the catching away of the church, otherwise known as the rapture. I mean verse 15 starts off with: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord…”: it comes from the Lord. And verse 18 says, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” How can you comfort someone who does not believe.

I never had a chance to track down the info, but someone once told me that the theory of the rapture was created by a woman in the 1800’s. I would just say great! At least someone is reading their Bible! 1Thessalonians was written around 52 AD. In 1Corinthians 15, and verses 51-57, (written around 55 AD) the Bible says, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And Jesus promised: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Jesus also said in Luke 17:26-27: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

Before Noah, Enoch was raptured. When the flood came, God protected Noah and his family in the ark. After the rapture of the church, the Great Tribulation period will begin, and God will protect the nation of Israel as He did Noah.

Jesus is coming back to catch His bride away. Everything is in place, and the rapture of the church could take place at any time. Are you ready? All you need do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Just realize you are a sinner. God’s Word says…

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [AND] Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It’s in our blood to sin: because Adam sinned, we all sin.

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

BUT…

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And He made it so easy for us. Jesus took on Himself the hard part: dying for our sins on the cross. All we need do is receive Him into our hearts.

Rom 10:8 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;

Rom 10:9 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.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 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.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

One more thing about the woman from the 1800’s. I said she read her Bible, but she also probably liked good Godly music. This was written in the 1700’s…

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

(Christ The Lord Has Risen Today by Charles Wesley)

Alleluia! Peace.

Jun 4th, 2011 It’s That Simple – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Esther 6-10, Proverbs 4

2^nd Milers Also Read: 2Corinthians 9-12

October is coming. I forgot the date, but it doesn’t matter being that it is
not the right date anyway. The rapture of the church could happen
before you finish reading this. Luke 21 is a good place to learn of
what the world will be like in the end times: such as the days of
Noah. While reading 2Corintians 11, I was reminded of Luke 21 and
verse 26: …Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking
after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of
heaven shall be shaken.

There is no doubt that this world we live in today is under major stress.
People working ten jobs in order to make ends meet. The soaring
prices of gas and food. Others fear loosing their jobs. There are
wars, and rumors of wars. Is it any wonder that man’s hearts are
failing them for fear? But 2Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 13 says,
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

There is simplicity in Christ. Where? Sometimes circumstances blind us to
just where in Christ that simplicity is. My verse is John 16:33 –
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world. Bad things are going to happen – ye shall have
tribulation. Use these things to thrust you closer to Christ. That’s
why God may have allowed it to happen in the first place. God knows
your whole life from beginning to ending. He knows what you need. How
much more simpler can it be? Sick of working those ten jobs? Then
tithe. God said that He would rebuke the devourer: those little
things that eat away at your paychecks. You may find you will be able
to cut down to five jobs, and eventually one. It’s that simple: the
simplicity in Christ.

Do you fear some terrorist may brake through your door and blow himself
up splattering him and you all over the living room walls? Are you
saved? Jesus said in John chapter 6, “All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do
mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the
Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth
the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will
raise him up at the last day.”

If you are saved, your final home will be heaven. Jesus will not cast
you out. What have you to fear but God? He is your heavenly Father
and He chastens those He loves: you should only fear Him. It’s that
simple: the simplicity in Christ.

I have a verse hanging on the wall over my computer. It’s been hanging
there for about 2 years now. It is Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Let us hear
the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep His
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

It’s that simple: the simplicity in Christ.

Peace. (John 14:1-9)

Mar 12th, 2011 The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Joshua 1-4, Colossians 1-4, and Proverbs 12

Today’s Passage: Colossians 3:12-15: Be Ye Thankful

Good morning. “Did you thank God this morning for giving you another day?” This was a question that was asked by another Christian at the Home Depot I was working in Friday. And for some reason I did thank Him for another day that morning. Usually I don’t. I thank Him for the day, as you would thank Him for your food when saying grace, but I never really thought about thanking Him for giving me another day. Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” And just one verse away, verse 17, tells us: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Saying thank you to God, and to others, seems to be something we neglect to do sometimes. And as Christians, we should be a thankful people. Two simple words can go a long way. Saying thank you shows our appreciation. Saying thank you shows we are grateful. Saying thank you can build another person up, edify him. For instance, say God lays on someone’s heart to give you $20 to help you out. He’s not 100% sure, but gives you the money anyway. You say thank you to God, and to the person, for this gift. By you saying thank you and the Holy Spirit in his heart, he now walks away rejoicing and thanking God for using him to help you. And you walk away thanking God for that person, and using him to supply your needs.

I just took a minute to thank God for our Preacher in letting me do this blog. And thank you for reading it, I hope it will be a help to you.

Peace. (Colossians 3:15)