Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 26th, 2012 Commit Thou To Faithful Men

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 1 – 3

Second Milers also read – Luke 7 – 8; Psalm 126 – 130; Proverbs 26

Scripture memory for April – 1 Corinthians 13

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” – (2 Kings 2:9)

In chapter 2 of 2 Kings we see the account of Elijah, the mighty prophet of God being translated by God up into Heaven.  Can you imagine what it must have been like for Elijah, and even for the people who witnessed it, to see the chariot of fire come down to pick him up.  Wow!  Before Elijah left, however, he passed his mantle (garment, robe) to Elisha and with the mantle came a “double portion of [Elijah’s] spirit”.

I have a couple thoughts regarding this transition.  First I think that it is a marvelous thing that Elijah took the time to diligently mentor young Elisha.  He did not just teach him, he demonstrated through his life a man that knew God, walked with God, and was greatly used of God.  He made serving God look good.

Secondly, I think about Elisha who did not squander the training and the mentoring he received from Elijah.  He took the foundation that was given him and he used it and built upon it.  I haven’t checked it myself, but I’ve heard other preachers say that Elisha performed twice the number of recorded miracles than did Elijah.

I remember as a young Christian there were men who took time to mentor me.  There were actually many men that had a part in my training, but one man stands out above all of the rest.  Pastor Rick Wedemeyer spent time with me.  He was very patient with me.  He let me get close to him; he let me see first hand the love he had for his Lord, his family and for the people of his church.  He still is a great friend and counselor to me today.  I wonder if some young Christian will say some day about me that I was a great mentor to them.  I hope so.  Why don’t you find someone, maybe a new convert, maybe a kid on the bus; and pour your life into him.  Now this is going to cost you some time and you might want to straighten yourself out first as you wouldn’t want to be the wrong kind of influence; but if you’re willing to do this, your life will continue to live on through the person you mentor after your gone.

And you young Christians:  why don’t you find some older, spiritual saint of God, and latch on to him for a while, and take what he gives you and give it to the next generation.

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2)

May 4th, 2011 Choose Your Battles Wisely

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 23 – 25; Proverbs 4

(Second Milers also read – Luke 23 – 24; Memorize Ephesians 4:29)

“In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.” – (2 Kings 23:29)

In order to make sense of the story referenced in 2 Kings 23:29 above, the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 35:20 – 25 should be read also. In a nutshell, the two big dogs on the block during the time of Josiah are Egypt and Assyria. The Kingdom of Judah, which includes Jerusalem and its surrounding areas was nestled right in between these two world powers. Assyria  had already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. Anyway, Egypt was travelling north to fight with Assyria at a place called Carchemesh on the Euphrates River. King Josiah from Judah, for some unknown reason, got in the middle of this battle, choosing to fight for the Assyrians against Egypt. 2 Chronicles tells us that the Pharaoh of Egypt warned Josiah not to interfere. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that God told Josiah to get involved. From all appearances it looks as if Josiah was killed because he involved himself in something that God never told him to be involved in. Josiah was a great king, but he got his priorities messed up here. The end result is that Josiah’s son takes control of Judah, and the Bible tells us that he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

I think that there is a great lesson for us to learn here. Sometimes we get ourselves in trouble when we interfere in things that God never told us to interfere with. We need to learn to do two things. First, we need to choose our battles carefully. Second, we need to learn to mind our own business at times. Now don’t misunderstand, sometimes God wants us to get involved in things that are not directly involving us, but when these times arise we need to make sure that it is truly God’s will for us to involve ourselves. When I look back at the ten years of my ministry here at Jersey Shore Baptist Church, I can now see in hindsight that there were many times that I got involved in things that God never told me to do. As a result, the church would lose focus, and harm would come. I am trying now to stay within the area that God has called me to. He has called me to pastor the people of Jersey Shore Baptist Church, and He has called me to get the message of the gospel to my community. Besides my responsibilities as a husband and father, those are my main duties. It is a big enough job by itself, so I don’t need to get mixed up in something that distracts me from those purposes. There are a lot of “good” causes out there to get involved in, but even a “good” cause can become sin, if it is not God’s will.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself getting sidetracked into an area that distracts you from what you know God wants you to do? Choose your battles wisely, mind your own business, and stay focused on the will of God for your life.

May 2nd, 2011 Spread It Before the Lord

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 18 – 19; Proverbs 2

(Second Milers also read – Luke 19 – 20; Memorize Ephesians 4:29)

“And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.” – (2 Kings 19:1)

“And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.” – (2 Kings 19:14)

In our passage this morning in 2 Kings. we see the city of Jerusalem surrounded by the army of the nation of Assyria. Assyria had already conquered much of the known world at that time, including the northern kingdom of Israel, and Jerusalem in Judah certainly did not have the military strength to repel such a powerful force. Hezekiah, the King of Judah did what we all should do when we are faced with problems far bigger than our own human ability to solve: he went to the Lord. Notice in verse 1 above that Hezekiah went into the house of the Lord. That’s a good place to go to find answers, isn’t it. He then sent for the man of God, Isaiah. In this passage we can see a recipe that will help us in time of trouble. Go to God; go to God’s house; seek counsel from the man of God.

Notice in verse 14 above, the Assyrian’s are threatening again, and Hezekiah does the same thing that he did the first time. Why wouldn’t he? By the way, both times God delivers Jerusalem from the mighty Assyrians. The first time, God just lures them away from Jerusalem, but the second time He actually kills 185,000 of them. They should have quit while they were ahead.

So, what can we learn from this passage? When you are faced with questions and problems that are bigger than yourself, go to God. Look into the Bible for answers to your questions. Seek counsel from the men and women that God has placed in your life to help you. And whatever you do, do not forsake the house of God, when you are faced with problems. It very well may be that God will solve your problem there.

Apr 29th, 2011 Clean House

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 10-12; Proverbs 29

(Second Milers also read – Luke 13 – 14; Memorize John 11:25 – 26)

Now when we get to chapters 11 and 12, we are in the southern kingdom of Judah. The king of Judah, Ahaziah, was also slain by Jehu in the northern kingdom back in chapter 9. Ahaziah was friends with the king of Israel, so he was guilty by association. Also, Ahaziah’s mother was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. So you see the wicked influence of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of the northern kingdom had spread to the southern kingdom of Judah. By the way, it all started when the good king, Jehoshaphat, became friendly with Ahab. At any rate, by the time we get to 2 Kings 12, the southern kingdom of Judah is filled with the worship Baal, which needs to be exterminated from the land.

What we need to learn from all of this is that if we are not careful about living our lives separate from the world, we too will begin to allow all kinds of things that God is against. And what is worse, we will also set a poor example to our children who will most likely move even further away from God than we do. I do not believe that King Jehoshaphat would be pleased with what happened to his nation in the next couple of generations, but in reality, he was the one who started all by getting too cozy with people who hated God, and God’s prophets.

Consider some New Testament verses about separation:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” – (2 Corinthians 6:14)

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” – (1 John 2:15)

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” – (2 Corinthians 6:17)

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – (Romans 12:2)

I do not believe that these verses teach that we should isolate ourselves from the world. Jesus said that we are to be in the world but not of the world. Our presence as Christians in this world is really for the purpose that we may glorify God. We are to make God look good to the world through our lives. When we allow the world to conform us into its image rather than us influencing the world, we are no longer glorifying God. Remember, Christian, you are the one who knows the truth. Don’t let the vain philosophies of this world somehow cause you to doubt that truth. I think if we would be completely honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that we have all allowed too much of the dirt of the world to creep into our lives. Maybe its time for us to do a little housecleaning. Just a thought.

Apr 28th, 2011 Windows in Heaven

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 7 – 9; Proverbs 28

(Second Milers also read Luke 11 – 12; Memorize John 11:25 – 26)

“Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.” (2 Kings 7:2)

In today’s passage we see the the city of Samaria surrounded by an overwhelming army of the Syrians.  This massive host from Syria had the city surrounded for some time, which caused the Israelites to run completely out of food on the inside of the city; with no way to get out to get more food.  Things got so bad the people were actually buying and selling dove’s dung to eat.  Some had even killed and ate children.  Pretty hopeless situation.

Along comes the man of God and tells them that at the same time the next day the situation would be reversed, so much so that food that was very expensive the previous day would be sold for next to nothing on the next day.  But one of the lords (princes) of Israel doubted the Word of God through the mouth of the prophet, and stated basically that this is impossible, even if God were to open the windows of heaven.

You can read the story for yourself; but God did exactly what he said he would do.  The Syrians heard the sound of chariots, and assumed that their enemies from Egypt or maybe the Hittites were coming to help Israel by attacking them.  They flee, leaving all of their food and goods behind.  Israel discovers that the Syrians have left, and they come out of the city and spoil the camp of the Syrians.

It looks like God truly opened up the windows of heaven.  We have a promise from the word of God regarding those same windows in heaven:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10)

God has promised us that if we will  keep him first in our lives that he will keep those windows open.  He doesn’t promise that we will all live in mansions on this earth and eat caviar; but praise the Lord, we won’t have to eat dove’s dung either.

Apr 27th, 2011 Lean Not Unto Your Own Understanding

Today’s Passage – 2 Kinggs 4 – 6; Proverbs 27

(Second Milers also read Luke 9 – 10; Memorize John 11:25 – 26)

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” – (2 Kings 5:11-13)

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” – (Proverbs 3:5-6)

In chapter five of 2 Kings, we see the captain of the host of the nation of Syria is diseased with leprosy. He is told that there is a man of God in Israel that might be able to heal him, so he goes with his servants to Israel to see Elisha, the man of God. When he gets there, Elisha does not even come out of his house to meet the man personally, but instead sends a messenger which tells Naaman to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman becomes furious for two reasons: first, he thinks the solution is too simple. It was not what he expected from a man of God. He thought that Elisha would have performed some elaborate religious ritual or something. Secondly, Naaman figures that if it is only a matter of washing, he could just as easily have stayed in Syria. He felt that the rivers in Syria were far superior to the river Jordan in Israel anyway.

This story illustrates how we tend to think as humans. Often times we come to God with a problem, and we already have a pre-conceived idea in our mind of how that problem is going to be fixed. However, many times God will fix it in a way that is foreign to our understanding, and we will rebel against it. Sometimes when we go for counsel, we look for someone who will tell us what we want to hear, rather that what we need to hear. God’s ways are not our ways. He does what He wants, not what we want Him to do. By the way, there was nothing special about the water in the Jordan river. The healing came from God, and because Naaman finally believed God and did what God had told him to do.

I have added a link to last year’s post on this passage, “Open My Eyes”. My thought from last year was from chapter 6.  http://pastorerickson.com/?p=177