Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 27th, 2011 2Timothy 1:7 – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 40-50, Proverbs 27, and Romans 14-1Corinthians 1.

Today’s Verse: 2Timothy 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Good morning! I started writing this while in the waiting room of my daughter’s doctor’s office in Philadelphia. On the TV is CNN reporting on a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the east coast. The earthquake was felt from Atlanta, Ga., all the way up to Toronto, Canada. The first thing that came to mind was what Jesus said in Matthew 24:7, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

According to 2Timothy1:7, which I had started to read in the doctor’s office, God hath not given us the spirit of fear. Earthquakes in various places are going to happen: Jesus said it would. This is all part of the end-times; we do not have to fear. Today we’re waiting on Irene, a hurricane that should start hammering NJ sometime tonight. But God hath not given us the spirit of fear. He gave us power, love, and a sound mind.

We have been given power. The power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Guiding us in the decisions we make (John 14:26). Sealing us till the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

Of love. We love God because He first loved us (1John 4:19; John 3:16).

And of a sound mind. I know that I have an appointed time to depart this earth. I also know that if I was on the east side of Route 9, I would have evacuated. That’s what our elected officials wanted. Those whom God has appointed. Here is a question. If you were given orders to evacuate, would you stay? “I’ll put my trust in God.” Remember what Joseph said to his brothers?

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” (Genesis 45:4-7)

God sent Joseph to preserve life. The official who gave the order to evacuate everyone east of Route 9 may not know it, but he is acting in the same capacity as Joseph, and was sent by God to preserve life.

And remember 2Timothy 1:7: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Peace. (Mark 4:39)