Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 3rd, 2013 Walking With God – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 19 – 23 (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 – Luke 23 – 24; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Five Ways Dads Can Redeem the Time“

Read the “0803 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Good morning. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said:

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

This is what happened to two men walking towards Emmaus in Luke 24:13-36. As they were walking, Jesus was on their minds: the trial, the beating, the crucifixion, and now someone had taken Jesus’ body from the tomb. All these things unsettled their world, and saddened them. Jesus then drew near, and went with them. The Bible said their eyes were holden that they should not know Him: they did not know they were walking with God. They explained to Jesus what had just happened in Jerusalem while they walked together. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, Jesus expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. They got excited, and ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others.

So. Are you excited today? Why are you saddened? Let me give you three praises you can praise God with today that may cheer you up…

Praise God the Father.

He loved you so much, that He sent Jesus to die for your sin and mine: every sin that is, and ever was, and will ever be; whether committed by the saved or the unsaved (John 3:16, 1:29). When you received Jesus, you were Tramadol adopted into God’s family: you are another son to Him (Galatians 4:4-7). And as a son, He will Take care of you and supply your every need (Philippians 4:19-20).

Praise God the Son.

Nobody loves you as much as Jesus does (John 15:12-13). He took all the punishment for sin that we should have received (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53, 50:6; Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:1-18; Matthew 27:27-54; Mark 15:15-39; Luke 22:63-65, 23:33-47; John 19:1-30). Jesus cared for and loved us so much that He sent us another comforter (John 14:16-18 & 26) [You should read all of John 14: there are many blessings to praise Jesus about contained within that chapter.]

Praise God the Holy Spirit.

You can praise him in times of trouble for His comforting(Psalm 51; John 16:7-14). You can praise Him for the gifts that He gives you and the fruit that you will bear (1Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23). You can praise Him for the power to witness He gives you (Acts 1:8). He even wrote a book for you and preserved it in the King James Bible for English speaking people.

So let me ask you again. Why are you saddened? Maybe you didn’t read the Bible today? How do you expect the Holy Spirit to fix what’s wrong in your life if you don’t know what He said. Let’s go back to Luke 24. Think about Jesus, here in this passage, as the Holy Spirit (remember: these Three are One). The two men are trying to walk away from there problems. It isn’t going to work: they’re still talking about what happened (vs. 13-14). Today, since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit lives in every believer. He has feelings: we can grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30), and quench Him (1Theselonians 5:19). Sometimes we take Him to places we should not be, or let Him hear things we should not hear, or see things we should not see. He is always with us. But He is concerned about us (vs. 17). Jesus had to come to these two walking down the street. We can meet with God every morning, when we open our Bibles. From there, He can rebuke us (vs. 25-26), and He can teach us (vs. 27). He will get you going in the right direction again, and be a witness for the Lord (vs. 32-35). Then do you know what happens?

Peace! (Luke 24:36)