Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 1st, 2023 Vain Things – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 12 – 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mathew 1 – 2; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1

Read the “0401 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.” (1Samuel 12:20-22)

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Good morning. In 1974/75 a group of people followed a man down to South America. Four years later, in 1978, almost 1000 died from either poison or gunshot (over 300 were children) in Jonestown, Guyana. If you look up Jonestown on Wikipedia, they have the final recording of Jim Jones’ speech he gave before the mass suicide.

Twenty-six years ago, on March 26, 1997, thirty-nine members of the Heaven’s Gate cult had committed mass suicide, believing their souls would be transported to a spaceship trailing the Hale-Bopp comet.

On September 11th, 2001, another group who were following another man, flew 2 airliners into the World Trade Center in New York. Thinking they were going to go to heaven and receive 70 virgins each. They have been living in a fireball, like the one that destroyed the plane, for almost 22 years now.

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1)

Because they don’t have Jesus. Turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; and turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. It’s sad to say that many people do not read the Bible. The Bible will tell them…

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Jesus said…

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

Jesus also said when Peter asked Him what shall this man do…

“Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22)

If more people would follow Jesus, and what He says in His Word, there would be more peace in the world. If you know Jesus, that’s good.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)

But, does Jesus know you?

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 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. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1John 5:9-13)

Peace.