Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 2nd, 2011 The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: 1Samuel 15-16; Matthew 3-4; Proverbs 2.

Today’s Passage: 1Corinthians 1:10.

Good afternoon. Sorry I’m late. I’ve been battling with a sinus infection since Friday. Too many Ibuprofen will wipe you out. After getting home from our Saturday morning church prayer, around 8:00 am, I too 1000mg more. Then I laid down for a few, which turned out to be 6 hours. That’s why I’m late.

You also may be wondering why am I using 1Corinthians 1:10, which is outside the scheduled readings. Because of Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose: Preacher never changed the reading schedule, I was in a fog and never noticed, and that’s how the Lord led us to 1Corinthians 1:10. Talk about mysterious ways, huh?

God sends out an invitation through Paul here…

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1Cor 1:10)

Is your church like that? Neither is ours. We have our share of gossip, worldliness, and drama. I’m not quite sure what the ladies mean by ‘drama’. I guess I don’t watch Days of Our Lives, or As The World Turns enough. If our church, and your church, would speak the same thing, and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment imagine what the Holy Spirit could do through us. We need the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ. The best way is through reading your Bible and prayer. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2)

There were seven of us at the church praying this morning. Seven from a church that runs over a hundred. That’s less than 10%. Usually it’s 10% doing 90% of the work in churches. I guess, as spirits grow cold, that percentage will keep getting lower. That’s why I give this invitation: if your church has an early morning prayer time -be there. If they do not – start one. And read your Bible daily. If you don’t have time, what I do is burn a CD with all the tracks for this weeks reading, and play them while driving to and from work. It’s not as good as reading, but it helps.

I hope this will be a help to you. Let me leave you with a little bit more of Romans 12…

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12: 4-18)

Peace (Romans 12:18)