Come As You Are?
Today’s Passage – Exodus 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Luke 7 – 8; Proverbs 26; Psalms 126 – 130)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Matthew 6:33
Read the “0126 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.” – (Exodus 19:14-17)
Notice in chapter 19 the reverence the people had when they were entering into the presence of God. They washed their clothes, they abstained from physical intimacy, and they trembled. I bet there was not one person from the congregation that was not present. I bet the children were silent, being kept under very close watch by their parents. The people understood that they were meeting with the omnipotent Creator of the universe. He is holy and He was not to be approached by the people of Israel in a flippant and carefree manner. They came with a reverent attitude of worship.
Fast forward now to today. Many of God’s people show up late, if they show up at all. They arrive wearing shorts and ripped tee shirts. The children are running all over the sanctuary while their parents are obliviously engaging in their own conversations about anything and everything except the worship of God. We have certainly come a long way down as far as our reverence to God is concerned. We sing half-heartedly, talk during prayer and special music; and then sleep when the Word of God is being preached: all the while wondering how long is this going to take. We’ve got more important things, like football, to worry about today. Do I exaggerate or is this an accurate description of the attitudes of many in our churches today? God help us!
Now, I wish to be very clear about this: I do not consider myself to be pharisaical or legalistic at all. I understand completely that salvation comes solely through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, beginning with faith in His shed blood at the cross of Calvary. I know that God is not impressed when we show up at the church with our white shirts and ties, or our long, modest dresses. I get that. I know that God dwelleth not in temples made with men’s hands, and that the believer’s heart is the temple of God. And, I realize that God looks upon the heart; and if a man shows up at church in shorts and a ripped tee shirt because that is all he has or perhaps because he doesn’t know better, I think God is pleased. I know that I am. Believe me, I am thrilled that people just show up, and I am not the least bit concerned about the way they are dressed. I am, however, very concerned about the heart attitude of God’s people today when they come to worship the infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and all-powerful God. It’s not a ball game. We are not gathering together simply to meet with friends, or to hear a man speak. We are corporately entering into the presence of God. We have become way too casual and careless. People give more thought when they are meeting with earthly dignitaries. God help us to remember that worship is a holy undertaking. Let’s give God our very best attention. I want people to come as they are, but I want them also to realize Who it is they are coming to worship, and I also want to see them leave a little more conformed to His image. I think this “seeker sensitive” thing has gotten way out of hand. Should we not be a little more “Saviour sensitive”?
Posted in Thoughts from Exodus by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Dream One Fulfilled
Today’s Passage – Genesis 43 – 44 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Mark 5 – 6; Proverbs 17; Psalms 81 – 85)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 92:1 – 4
Read the “0117 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s reading passage – “Passed the Test” and “People Can Change“
“And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.” (Genesis 44:14)
“For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.” (Genesis 37:7-8)
Just a quick thought from today’s reading. The greatest truth from this passage was dealt with in a previous post, which I encourage you to read if you haven’t done so. (See “People Can Change“)
However, this morning, I noticed that Joseph’s brothers were “on the ground” before their brother Joseph, which was a perfect, literal fulfillment of the dream that he had way back in chapter 37. To “make obeisance” literally means to bow before. Joseph’s brothers were now voluntarily making obeisance to him, albeit it was the circumstances orchestrated by Joseph that drove them to it. The point is that Joseph had a dream that was from God, and that dream was going to be fulfilled as God said it would.
By the way, someday the lost world who perhaps now is rebelliously determined never to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ will someday fall to their knees as well. Hopefully, they will bow voluntarily before it is eternally too late.
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Romans 14:11)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
No More Jacob
Today’s Passages – Genesis 31 – 32 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 23 – 24; Proverbs 12; Psalms 56 – 60)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 51
Read the “0112 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28)
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Jacob left the land of Canaan with a name that means “supplanter” or “deceiver”; but he returns after twenty years with name Israel, which means “a prince of God”. This is a wonderful picture of the power of God to transform lives. Jacob didn’t just get a name change, either, he received a nature change, and so do we when we give our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. God gives us a new nature. The Holy Spirit of God moves in and transforms our lives from the inside out. This isn’t just a “turning over of a new leaf”. This is the impartation of a divine nature into the heart of a formerly fallen sinner. What a wonderful thing it is to be a Christian.
Notice, however, that Jacob did not receive his new name until he had been with Laban for twenty years. Justification and positional righteousness take place immediately when we are born again into the family of God; but sanctification and practical righteousness in our lives is a lifelong process. God had to do some things in Jacob’s life. I have been saved now for over twenty-five years myself, and God is still chipping away at my rough edges; still revealing areas of my life that need His touch. In fact, the closer I walk with him, the more I see the things in my life that are not as they should be. My goal is just to get close to Him, and allow Him to have His will and His way in my life. I am not what I should be but, praise God, I am not what I used to be, either. I am not yet an Israel, but no longer am I Jacob. God is still at work in my life. I am trying to get out of His way and let Him work.
“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 12:2)
Posted in Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Balanced and Biblical Separation
Today’s Passages – Genesis 13 – 16 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 9 – 10; Proverbs 5; Psalms 21 – 25)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read the “0105 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Gardens and Green Grass – or God’s Will?”; and “Relationships Are More Important Than Riches”
“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” (Genesis 13:14-16)
In Genesis 13, God speaks to Abraham and promises him that He will give him the land of Canaan as well as many children who would someday inherit and inhabit that land. God had already promised to give Abraham the land back in Genesis 12, but because there was a famine in the land, Abraham temporarily moved away into Egypt and away from the place where God had pledged to bless him and his seed. It was not until Abraham separated from Egypt, which is a type, or picture, of the world; and, until Abraham separated from Lot, who was becoming a very worldly man, that God spoke to Abraham again, and reaffirmed His promise to him.
God wants us to be a separated people as well:
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
“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)
However, notice from Genesis 13 and 14 that Abraham was very balanced in his separation. He was not unkind, nor did he lack compassion. He offered Lot and his family and servants the choice of where he wanted to go. Abraham knew that God would take care of his own family wherever they travelled as long as it was within the boundaries of God’s will. Abraham also continued to be an influence and source of blessing to Lot after Lot had left. Abraham rescued Lot from ruin in Genesis 14; and he prayed for Lot, begging God to save him and his family from the destruction of Sodom, in Genesis 18. Though Abraham could not dwell any longer with Lot, he still tried to be a blessing to him and his family.
We can also be a blessing to people that we need to be separated from. We can pray for them, and we can let them know in tangible ways that we love them and care deeply for them. Of course, the most compassionate way that we can bless those that we separate from is to share Christ with them. If they were to get saved and begin to live for the Lord then we would not have to separate from them anymore.
Separation is clearly a biblical principle, but being arrogant, unkind, and lacking Christ-like compassion are not what God would want us to be. Christ interacted with sinners in order to demonstrate His love for them and to save them. While we are here “in the world”, we must love the people, even lost people, who are “in the world” with us. But, we must not become so intimate with them that they pull us out of the will of God. We are here on this earth to glorify the Lord and to shine the light of His gospel to a lost and dying world. We cannot do that if we are isolated, but neither can we do it if we are not biblically separated.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Learning To Be Truly Thankful
Today’s Passages – Acts 23 – 25; (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 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:1 – 4
Read a previous post from this passage – “What Are You Waiting For?“
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Introduction
John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University. He came from a Christian home, and he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks. Yet in those days he was a bit snobbish and sarcastic. One night, however, something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley’s heart. While speaking with a porter, he discovered that the poor fellow had only one coat and lived in such impoverished conditions that he didn’t even have a bed. Yet he was an unusually happy person, filled with gratitude to God. Wesley, being immature, thoughtlessly joked about the man’s misfortunes. “And what else do you thank God for?” he said with a touch of sarcasm. The porter smiled, and in the spirit of meekness replied with joy, “I thank Him that He has given me my life and being, a heart to love Him, and above all a constant desire to serve Him!” Deeply moved, Wesley recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness.
Many years later, in 1791, John Wesley lay on his deathbed at the age of 88. Those who gathered around him realized how well he had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance. Despite Wesley’s extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn, “I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath.”
Thanksgiving is certainly a wonderful time of the year, when people are generally more appreciative than they are at other times in the year. But, why do we need to set aside a special day to be thankful. All people, saved or lost, have much to be thankful for, especially in America. Christians, particularly, should have nothing but gratitude in their hearts every hour of the day, and at every season of the year.
All of us struggle with ingatitude at times, but many Christians today have a difficult time seeing past the struggles and trials of daily living to a realization of the sovereign hand of the Lord actively working in their lives through each and every situation – whether “good” or “bad”.
In our text, the Apostle Paul encourages the believers at Thessalonica to be thankful for and in everything. This means that whatever situation they may face, they need to realize that they have much to be thankful for.
There is a similar passage found in Ephesians:
“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” (Ephesians 5:17-20)
We will give the context of this passage a closer examination in a minute, but, for now, just focus on v. 20:
“giving thanks always for all things”
Here again, we see that it is possible to live at a level of Christian growth where we can truly be thankful for everything that comes our way: good days, bad days; sunshine or rain; prosperity or poverty; through pleasures as well as through pain – being thankful for all things always.
The phrase “give thanks”, or something very similar to it, is found some 73 times in the Bible; thanksgiving 28 times, many times talking about the Old Testament sacrifice of thanksgiving; thankful is found 3 times; thank (singular) is found 27 times.
Clearly, we are expected to be a thankful people, but it would be far better to develop a truly thankful heart, then to just go through the motions of thanksgiving at certain seasons of the year.
As time goes on and as we draw closer to the return of the Lord Jesus, the world will become less and less appreciative:
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:21)
But, this should not be the case for Christians. We need to recognize how truly blessed we are.
When we think about what we have in Christ, we often consider things like his provision for our every need and even many of our desires. God has given me salvation from Hell and a home in Heaven. He has given me a beautiful wife, wonderful children, and even more awesome grandchildren. I have a nice, cozy home to live in, a car to get me where I need to go, food to eat, and plenty of warm clothing.
God has also given His protection over us. I cannot be sure how many times that God has shielded me from harm, but I know that He has. He has been merciful to me at times when I deserved His judgment.
He has also given us purpose. God has a wonderful plan for each of our lives. He wants to use us to help fulfill His will for this world. Just think, the God of the Universe has handpicked me and specifically chosen you to do a particular task for Him.
All of these things are wonderful in themselves, and they are individually each a reason for us to rejoice, but I there is a fourth reason for us to be thankful, and this reason if fully grasped will help carry our attitude of thanksgiving beyond the good days into the days when the car breaks down, the doctor tells us bad news, or our loved ones hurt us by an unkind action.
I’m referring to God’s providence. God’s providence has to do with His sovereign control over all that goes on in His creation. Nothing happens in this universe without God’s permission, and God promises to us that everything that happens – “good or bad” – will ultimately be used of Him to advance His agenda.
“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.” (Romans 8:28)
Even the bad things that God allows in our lives are for our good or for His glory. We just need to trust that He knows what He is doing.
That’s why Paul could be content in whatever situation that he was in:
“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” (Philippians 4:12)
Paul knew that God was in control of his circumstances, and he knew that God was taking good care of him, and working through him to fulfill God’s Great Commission.
Let’s consider the passage we looked at earlier from Ephesians:
“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” (Ephesians 5:17-20)
Consider Three Ingredients from these verses that will produce true thanksgiving in our hearts:
God’s Sovereignty – Paul says that we should be wise enough and mature enough to understand the will of the Lord, which is often very good and pleasant for us; but, sometimes includes some pain and sorrow. But, if the pain and sorrow are part of God’s will then we can rejoice, knowing that it is ultimately going to bring about good.
God’s Spirit – Then he says that we are to be filled with the Spirit. Sometimes, people will escape from life by drinking wine or partaking in some other sinful activity, but a Spirit-filled Christian deal with life’s problems because we can see the Hand of God in every situation.
God’s Songs – Then He tells us to sing. Singing is an expression of praise to God, and is also a tool in our arsenal to combat negativity and depression. Godly songs will elevate our moods, and the truths contained in those songs will help us to look at things from the perspective of God and other brothers and sisters who have already experienced what we may be facing.
Finally, we get back to the place where we are truly thankful, again.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Before Abraham Was – I Am
Today’s Passages – John 8 – 9; (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 41 – 45; Proverbs 9)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Matthew 6:33
Read the “1109 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Put Down Your Stones”
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. (John 8:18)
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. (John 8:23)
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)
Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. (John 8:28)
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14)
This is one of my favorite passages of Scriptures in the entire Bible. I just love when Jesus tangles with the religious leaders. They never seem to get it. The “bottom line” of Christianity is taught very clearly in this passage: you either believe that Jesus is God or you do not. The Pharisees certainly did not. They accused Him of being a Samaritan and “born of fornication”. They said He had a devil. They claimed that because He grew up in Galilee that He was disqualified. I guess they didn’t bother to check where He was born because if they did they would have found that His birthplace was Bethlehem. Everything in the Scriptures completely pointed to Jesus being the true Messiah.
The thing that really amazes me about this passage though are all of the I am statements made by the Lord in this dialogue. There is no doubt here that Jesus was making a bold declaration as to Who He is. He is God. Remember when Moses asked God His name in Exodus 3. God said to tell the people that “I AM THAT I AM hath sent [him]“. Jesus uses that little phrase, I am, at least a half a dozen times in this passage alone. The best being verse 58 where He attests that He pre-existed Abraham. That really bothered the Pharisees. They took up stones to stone Him. Why? Because they knew that He was claiming to be God.
You can tell me that you do not believe the Bible, and I will accept that, but you cannot say that the Bible does not teach very plainly that Jesus is the Great I AM; that Jesus is God. And you cannot claim that Jesus did not claim deity for Himself. The record is crystal clear. You either believe it or you don’t. And until you put your faith in Jesus, the Great I AM, you will also remain in your sins.
Posted in Thoughts from John by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Have You Ever Been There?
Today’s Passage – Mark 15 – 16 (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 116 – 118; Proverbs 24)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – James 4:10
Read the “1024 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Ready, Set, Go“, and “The Just for the Unjust“
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)
The above verse references the time when Jesus was on the cross with the sins of the whole world placed upon his shoulders. In His humanity, He cries to the Father, and for the first time Jesus calls His Father, “God” instead of “Father”. Here at this moment it seemed that everything was against Him, including God.
Does it ever seem to you like God has forsaken you? I have been through some dark valleys in my time, and there have been many times where I have wondered, “Where is God?” At those times, it seemed like God was nowhere to be found. However, in hindsight, I can see that God was there all along; and though I could not see Him or feel Him, He was there. He is always there. If you are going through some kind of a trial today, don’t trust your feelings: they will often betray you. Trust the Word of God. The Bible tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. Keep trusting; keep praying, even though it seems like you are just talking to yourself. Remember faith is the evidence of things not seen. Though His presence may seem to be elsewhere, He is right there with you. He hasn’t stopped loving you, and He hasn’t stopped working for your good and His glory.
Posted in Thoughts from Mark by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Stop Doing Church by Gerald Hicks Jr.
Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 41 – 45 (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 – Romans 5 – 8; Psalm 119; Proverbs 25)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – James 4:10
Read the “0825 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
What does being a christian mean to you?
To me it means a follower of Christ in every way. We follow Him in what He does, says, and acts. As a Baptist, we believe the Bible; as a follower of Christ, we obey and follow the Bible …?
Complacency means self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.
Complacency is a virus.
Complacency creates corruption.
Complacency can come through different avenues. Whether you grew up in church and you get used to the same old routine, or recently getting saved, but then a few months after, the fire runs out, or even after you may have fallen in an area.
Stale Christianity:
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
God is strongly against stale Christianity. It makes Him want to vomit! He is not pleased with fence riders, with one leg in the world and the other in church.
Three areas in our lives where complacency corrupts
- In our worship of God
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” (Psalm 148:1-13)
Our worship is nothing to be ashamed about! We don’t mind letting the world around us know who our favorite sports team is when we are cheering for them, so why do we get tuned down when it comes to letting the world know we are followers of Christ? When it comes to praising the name above every name?
I heard a preacher say–” I don’t think we’re going to be whispering in heaven.”
Start praising the Lord today for everything He does for you!
Unfortunately, at times we get used to God, we get used to His blessings and His provisions.
We have to ask ourselves Are we singing the hymns that we sing without even thinking?
We ALWAYS have a reason to praise the Lord!
- In our walk with God
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:17-18)
A pastor preached a message entitled – stop doing your devotions, when I was in bible college and it was a challenge to wake us up to realize we aren’t doing God any favors by reading His Word just to check it off a to do list, and if we weren’t spending time with God for any other reason but besides “to help God out,” then to just stop. We need God a whole lot more than He needs us! Be thankful He preserved His Word for us! Now to think that the One and Only True God, whom spoke this universe into existence and by Him all things consist, (Col.1) desires a personal relationship with us, that ought to blow our minds! We ought to want to spend time with God more than anyone else!
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. … I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. … Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalm 119:9-11, 15, 18)
- In our witness for God
Consider the life of Paul. Did he quit? Did he have reason to quit? I’d say so, humanly speaking and thinking of all he went through that we could understand his life was not the easiest. Paul, however was not consumed with his troubles or issues. He counted it all joy due to whom his life was lived for!
Never get over your salvation!
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Luke 15:10)
Sports teams winning championships or great athletes being honored does not create any excitement in Heaven, but the man or woman that walks the aisle and comes forward realizing that they’re a sinner in need of the Saviour brings about rejoicing in the realms of glory!
Contentment -To be free from care because of satisfaction with what is already one’s own.
Aren’t you tired of me being The status quo christian? Doing just enough to get by in your eyes?
Jesus Christ is the standard that we strive after. And I’m so thankful that He didn’t just die for some, but for all!
Compassion – Compassion literally means “to suffer together.” Among emotion researchers, it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:” (Jude 1:21-22)
How’s your heart tonight towards the lost?
“You know what would be real good for all of us, is if God would lift the lid off of hell for about 5 seconds… and we realize what you and I deserve is that place…”- C.T. TOWNSEND
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
What’s The Difference
Today’s Passage – Leviticus 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – John 13 – 14; Proverbs 10; Psalms 51 – 55)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 34:1 – 4
Read the “0210 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” – (Leviticus 19:2)
“And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.” – (Leviticus 20:26)
In the passages we have read from Leviticus today, we see that God intended there to be a difference in the people of Israel from the world that surrounded them; or actually, would surround them when they finally entered into the land of Canaan where God was bringing them. God warns them not to be like the people of the land. God was removing them (the Canaanites, etc.) from the land because of their sinful lifestyles. God’s people would have to be different, or God would expel them out of the land as well.
In the three chapters that we have read today there are many different commandments from the Lord regarding how they were to be a holy people, set apart from the rest of the world. I will not take the time to deal with all of them, but I will mention a few here in this devotion. Think about the world we live in today as we examine these thoughts; and see if we, as Christians, are as “set apart” as we should be. Let’s take a quick look at how the children of Israel were to be different:
1 They were to be different morally. Much of chapter 20 deals with sexual sins such as adultery, homosexuality, and even bestiality. God says that the previous inhabitants of the land were all guilty of these things. The people in our world today are also very perverted in their ability to live morally pure lives. We live in the era of “if it feels good, do it.” God says that His children are to be different.
2 They were to be different in their compassion for others. They were to make provisions in their crops for the poor and the stranger. God reminds them that they were strangers at one time. He wanted them to leave the corners of their fields, and the gleanings for people who needed help. How concerned are we today about helping people? Many of us have been blessed of God with abundance. God wants us to share part of that blessing with others. I think the key here is that God wants us to remember that it all comes from him anyway. We are often like the kid who was eating with his dad at McDonalds. When his dad reached for a french fry out of his son’s meal, the son pulled them away. Not very wise considering the dad supplied the meal in the first place, and would be the supplier of many future meals.
3 They were also to be different in their faith. The people of the land were very superstitious. They worshipped all kinds of “gods” and idols. Some were even guilty of sacrificing their own children. God wanted the people of Israel to stay far away from all of that stuff. No wizards; no witches; no familiar spirits; no divination; no astrologers; no soothsayers; none of that junk. God wants his children to be wholly dependent upon Him; and He does not want to share His glory; or His worship with anybody, or anything else. We have a lot of “idols” in our society today also, don’t we. They may not be little statues, but they are there none the less. An idol is anything that comes between us and God.
4 They were to be different in their respect for the older folks. I think that we are getting away from this in our world as well. There used to be a time in America when Granddad and Grandma were the patriarchs and matriarchs of the family. They were deeply revered and respected by their children and grandchildren. It isn’t like that any more; but we need to get back to it. Today, even young children will mock their elders, and answer back to them. Christian parents need to be very careful that they do not tolerate such behavior in their children.
5 They were to be different in their business dealings. They were to be fair and honest with people; never cheating them with unjust balances and such. The world today is replete with people who will are trying to steal money away from others. There are myriads of scams out their designed to rob others. God’s people should never be involved in any business dealing that is not providing a good product or service at a fair price.
These were just a few thoughts from the passage. There are many more examples contained in the text. But how do we fare today in this present world that we live in? Are we any different from them? Or are we just like them with the exception of the “fish emblems” on our cars. As time goes by, there ought to be more and more of a striking difference between God’s people and the people of this world. Just a thought.
Posted in Thoughts from Leviticus by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Now Do I Have Your Attention?
Today’s Passage – Exodus 10 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Luke 1 – 2; Proverbs 23; Psalms 111 – 115)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Isaiah 40:31
Read the “0123 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s passage in Exodus – “Your Free To Go” and “What Can Wash Away My Sin?“
“And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.” – (Exodus 12:30-33)
Flies, frogs, locusts, darkness, hail. All of these and more sent by the hand of God in order that the Egyptians, as well as the Israelites, would know that there is an awesome and powerful God in Heaven. God’s command to the king of Egypt was simple: “let my people go”. However, Pharaoh was not too willing to heed the request of God. He seemed to be more willing to endure all of the plagues that God was sending his way. That is, all until his first born son was taken from him at the hand of God. God finally got his attention. He was finally ready to yield his stubborn will to the will of God.
There was a lot to think about in the passages of Scripture that we read this morning and I understand that there are deeper theological truths behind the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart, but I couldn’t get past the thought that sometimes God has to allow some especially painful things in our lives in order to get our attention. We are sometimes like that hard clay that the potter must soften before he can use it. I’m just wondering this morning, is there something that the Lord has been trying to do in your life that you have been resisting. Have you hardened yourself to the point where, in order for God to accomplish His will, He will have to break you. What will God have to do to get your attention? I suppose this thought applies just as much to the Christian that is fighting against God’s perfect will as it does to the lost person that is resisting salvation. Whichever your case is, the remedy is the same. Soften your heart, and yield to God’s will. Is there some sin that you are holding on to? God will do what He has to do in order to get you to repent of it and forsake it. Whatever it takes, God will accomplish His will for your life. You cannot win in a battle with God.
Posted in Thoughts from Exodus by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.