Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Sep 15th, 2012 Ready?… – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

People really get upset when you point out the idols, or false gods in their lives. In Judges chapter 6, the people were upset because Gideon had destroyed their idol of Baal that was set up in the grove.

“And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night. And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built. And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.” (Judges 6:25-31)

Will ye plead for Baal? If he is a god, he can plead for himself. So, you may wonder, why all the violence in the Islamic world? Because Allah, the moon god, is not God: he can not plead for himself. So why doesn’t the only True and Living God plead for Himself? Why doesn’t He just take His thumb and squash them as you would do and ant? Because the True and Living God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That’s where we, as Christians, come in. We are the ones that the True and Living God has chosen to tell the world the truth. We are reaping what we have sown for not doing this: not getting the gospel out. If Islam and other false religions could only hear the truth of the gospel, the Holy Spirit would have something to work with in their hearts. We need to pick up the ball we dropped, and run with it. And just like the prophets of Baal that Elijah faced, they cried out to their false god, and cut themselves, but their idol would not, and could not, answer them. Only the True and Living God can save.

Please pray for missionaries, like the Town family, who will risk their lives to get the gospel to those blinded by the devil.

“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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17).

Get the picture?

Peace! (Revelation 20:10)