Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Dec 3rd, 2013 JUST FOR LADIES BY CAMILLE STAHL

Today’s Passages – 1 Corinthians 13 – 14 (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)

Scripture Memorization for December – The Incarnation

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 19

Watch Pastor Chappell’s Growth Points Video – “Pressing Into the New Year with Godly Passion“

Read the “1203 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this passage – “The Greatest of These is Charity” and “A Family Addicted to the Ministry“

“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1Corinthians 13:11)

When we first accept the Lord as our Saviour, we instantly do not become Bible scholars.  Everything is new to us.  We are like little children doing and hearing things for the first time.  We are encouraged to read our Bibles and attend church services so we can learn the things of God.   We soon learn, and are convicted, that there needs to be some changes in our lives.  One by one, God makes changes.  Out with the old, in with the new.  Our speech, the places we go, the things we look at, the people we associated with, the bad habits we’ve acquired, and so on.  Boy life is good.  Moving right along.  But then something happens.  We find ourselves slipping back into our old ways.  “What’s happening to me?  Why am I slipping?”

“And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.” (Mark 4:7)

“And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mark 4:18-19)

How can we detect areas of weakness to help us from backsliding?

We must recognize which aspects of life are easy targets for Satan’s attacks.  When we find ourselves sliding back, we should HALT.  Never allow yourself to get too:

H – hungry – A – angry – L – lonely – T – tired

Visualize yourself going in the right direction, pleasing God, instead of fantasizing about the old ways, sin.

Read the Word of God.  You won’t able to defend yourself against the enemy’s attacks if you don’t know your Scriptures.

Pray.  Having fellowship and conversation with the Lord each morning strengthens and alerts you to Satan’s attacks during the day.

Thank You

1 John 5:13