Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jan 21st, 2023 A Dry Thirsty Land – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Exodus 4 – 6 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 13 – 14; Proverbs 21; Psalms 101 – 105

Read the “0121 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” (Exodus 4:9)

Good morning. Did you know that in Philadelphia – the city of brotherly love – in 2022, crime in the city ranked 162% higher than the national average? Violent crime was 420% higher. I had read that about 10 years ago, a Vietnam War veteran had his jaw broken and his skull fractured by a youth gang. What happened? America has gone dry: it’s a dry land. And it’s because people’s hearts have gotten harder.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Timothy 3:1-7)

Many of us are to blame. We are afraid to stand on what the Word of God says. We are afraid to speak out and say that any Jew, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Atheist, Agnostic, Unbeliever, Charismatic, Evolutionist, Secular Humanist, self-proclaimed Christian, or anybody else not mentioned in these groups are going to Hell if they have not received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This is not being hateful to any group. This is not a hate crime. This is what God’s Word says in 1John chapter 5…

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1John 5:11-12)

Do you know what a real hate crime is? Allowing souls to slip into hell without giving them the Gospel: telling them about Jesus. Even if you are shy, you can still leave a Gospel tract. Leave one with a tip when you dine out. Give one to the gas station attendant when you get gas in your car or truck. You could even mail some out to addresses in the phone book. Can you afford 60 cents a week? That’s 52 people you could reach with God’s plan for salvation in one year.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission [of sins]. We need to pour out the water of God’s Word on this dry land, and let the people know that the blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin.

“And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” (Exodus 4:9)

“For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:19-20)

Peace.