The Unloved – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passage – Genesis 29 – 30 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read –Matthew 21 – 22; Proverbs 11; Psalms 51 – 55)
Read “Four Eternal Priorities of a Renewed Church” by Pastor Paul Chappell
“Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.” (Genesis 29:27-35)
Good morning. Did you ever have the feeling that you were unloved, that nobody cared about you, or maybe that everyone hated you? Maybe it’s your fault, maybe it’s not. Leah was hated. The Bible states that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, but when the Lord looked at the heart of Jacob, He could see that Leah was hated. What did God do? He opened her womb, and she conceived. She bare Jacob his first four sons. At the birth of the fourth son she said, “Now will I praise the LORD.”:therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
Her fourth son was Judah. Judah is the tribe that the Lord chose to come to earth through: the King of Kings, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, our Emmanuel: God with us.
How do you feel about harlots? God used a harlot to hide the spies sent into Jericho, saved her and her family, then used her in the line of Jesus. Rahab the harlot was King David’s great, great grandmother (Joshua 2, 6:22-25; Matthew 1:5).
Then after a few years later, we find Ruth in the line of Messiah…
“Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.” (Ruth 1:1-6)
Moab was the firstborn of Lot and his daughter. When Israel did evil in the site of the Lord, God had then serve Eglon, king of Moab, for 18 years (Judges 3:12-14). Israel hated the Moabites; God didn’t. So God put a woman of Moab, Ruth, in the line of Jesus also. (Ruth 4:13-22).
Come to think of it, everyone in the line of Judah, up to, but not including Jesus, was a sinner: everybody who ever was and is going to be is a sinner except Jesus. He died for the Leah’s of this world, the Rahab’s of this world, the Ruth’s of this world, and everybody else who has ever lived or died in this world. And Jesus gave His life for us because He loved us…
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:14-17)
If you feel you are one of the unloved, remember that Jesus loves you. He loved you so much that He believed you were worth dieing for. Remember Leah, Rahab, and Ruth.
How do you feel about others? Do they meet your high standards or not? Remember who God chooses to use: you just may be looking down your nose at someone who will do something great for God.
Peace. (John 13:34, 15:12 & 17; Romans 13:8; 1Thesselonians 4:9; 1Peter 1:22; 1John 3:11 & 23, 4:7 &11-12; 2John 1:5)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Savoury Meat
Today’s Passage – Genesis 27 – 28
“And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.” (Genesis 27:4)
This chapter of Genesis has always been a source of irritation to me. It is one of those passages where nothing is as it should be; and every character in the story is behaving badly. I will not rehearse the story as you can surely read it for yourself; but let’s examine the bad behavior of each character, and learn something from all of this.
First, let’s consider Rebekah. She is conspiring with her younger son against her husband. Right or wrong, her husband asked the older son, Esau, to go get him some dinner so that he could bless him. Rebekah did not want to see her favorite son, Jacob, lose the blessing, so she lies to her husband and works up an evil plan to deceive him. Wives, your husband may not always be right; but it is always right for you to submit to him unless of course he is telling you to do something against the clear command of God; and besides that, it is never right for you to lie or connive in order to get your way.
Now lets’s talk about Jacob. He was also clearly wrong. Although he did not want to do it initially, he was certainly complicit in the deception. He did what he knew to be wrong. He can not claim innocence because he was obeying his mother’s will. His mother was clearly doing wrong, and Jacob knew it; and he should have refused her.
In this story the one that seems to be the most innocent is Esau. However, we have already seen what makes Esau tick. You will remember that back in chapter 25, he sold his birthright for a bowl of chili (red pottage). Here, he claims that he was tricked out of his birthright, but he wasn’t. He gave it up willingly. Now he is trying to get back some of the blessing that comes with the birthright he already gave up.
Now we come to Isaac. At first glance it may appear that Isaac is completely a victim in this saga, but let’s carefully consider some things. First, notice how many times it states in this chapter that Isaac loves savoury meat. Now don’t misunderstand, I like savoury meat also. My wife just learned how to cook a bottom round roast with a high temperature recipe that really makes the meat tender and juicy. I love it. But when the Scripture emphasizes this point, it is telling us that Isaac’s appetite was the driving force of this whole story. I love my son, and I want to bless him; but my blessing him will not be dependent on whether or not he makes me dinner. Isaac in his birth is certainly a picture of Christ, but in his old age he seems to be a picture of the flesh.
Notice also in this story that Isaac is deceived because of his feelings. He felt the fake skin on Jacob’s hands and came to a faulty conclusion. How many times in our lives to we get messed up because we make decisions based on our feeling rather than on the clear will of God. If I only did right when I felt like it, I would rarely do it. We don’t come to church because we don’t “feel” good, or we don’t “feel” like it. Kid’s don’t go to school for the same reasons. We must do the will of God out of obedience to His word, not because of our feelings. It’s great when our feelings are in agreement with the Word, but when they don’t, we should follow God, not our feelings. Notice also that Isaac was dim of eyes. Now, I am not picking on his poor eyesight, but it is a picture of spiritual blindness. Isaac knew the will of God regarding his two sons. Jacob was God’s choice. Isaac didn’t particularly like the choice God made. Isaac preferred Esau because Esau fed Isaac’s flesh with savoury meat.
There is certainly a lot to “chew” on in this chapter isn’t there? Sorry I couldn’t resist.
Posted in Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
It Was Just A Little White Lie – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passage – Genesis 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 – Matthew 7 – 8; Proverbs 4; Psalm 16 – 20
“And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.” (Genesis 12:11-20)
Good morning. Or is that ‘just a little white lie’? Good morning? It’s -2 degrees outside. I wish I would have stayed in my nice warm bed, under the five covers. Not only that, I ache from shoveling all that snow! Grumble, mumble, etc, etc. Actually, any time you can get up early and join brothers and sisters in prayer is a good morning.
I was given a neat Christmas gift, actually a New Years gift: Dr. Paul Chappell’s Stewarding Life Planner. In the planner, I needed to develop a ‘purpose statement’. I want to share with you the first part of my purpose statement…
The purpose of my life is to glorify God through preaching the gospel (John 15:8), being truthful (Joshua 7:9), and by giving Him praise (Psalm 86:12).
How do you feel about lies? Would you prefer someone to tell you a lie or the truth? I would prefer the truth. Even if it was something about a mistake I made, I would then know that I have something that needs changing: something to repair in my life.
Truth is the most solid, stable, unmovable object that you can hold onto. If you could move or change truth, it stops being truth and becomes a lie…
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in TRUTH.” (John 4:23-24)
“For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” (Malachi 3:6)
Aren’t you glad you have a God who is the Truth, and changes not? And it should be easy for you to be truthful with God when you realize that He already knows what sins you will commit tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, and you don’t. The truth of the matter is that our lies affect those around us. In our text, Abraham told a half truth, which makes it a lie, and he did it to protect his own neck. The result was that the Lord plagued all of Pharaoh’s house with great plagues.
In an effort to cover up his sin with Bathsheba, David tried to make it look like her future baby was from her husband, Uriah. When that did not work, David had Uriah killed in battle. David’s lie cost Uriah his life, also the life of the child he had made.
Of course Eve believed the greatest lie of all time, and the entire world was plunged into sin.
What can we do? Let me give you several key truths and verses to remember…
Remember that lies are sin, even the little white lie…
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
Remember where lies come from…
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
Remember God is Truth, and He does not change, so as Psalm 136 tells us 26 times that His mercy endureth forever…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9)
Remember, if you have Jesus, you have the Truth living in you…
“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in TRUTH.” (John 4:23-24)
God is looking for His people to worship Him in truth. Why not give Him what He wants in 2014.
Peace! (John 14:6)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
It Doesn’t Take Long, Does It?
Today’s Passage – Genesis 7 – 9
(Second Milers also read – Matthew 5 – 6; Proverbs 3 ; Psalm 11 – 15
Read previous posts from this passage – “A Token” and “I’m Getting Too Old For This“
Last night it snowed about 5 or 6 inches here in southern New Jersey, and when I got out this morning to take my walk I noticed two things. The first thing that caught my attention was how white and clean everything looked, which is quite the contrast from the dreary, dark browns that are the norm here in the winter. The second thing that struck me was the quiet. There were very few cars on the road, and most people were “hunkered down” in their houses. All I could hear for most of my time outside was the wind. With all of the people that populate our area, it is very rare to experience that level of tranquility. It was very cold, however, and the tiny ice particles that were still falling and blowing around were stinging my face a little; but, all in all, it was a wonderful time, walking with the Lord this morning.
Now for this morning’s thought:
“And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.” (Genesis 9:21 & 22)
In Genesis 7 we have the account of the flood. God was grieved because mankind had become completely corrupted, and their wickedness was great upon the earth. God decided to start over with a man who walked with Him, named Noah. Noah and his family are instructed to build an ark that will keep them safe during the deluge of water that is about to cover the entire earth. For forty days it rains, and everything that breathes air on the earth dies. All. that is, except Noah and his family. In chapter 8 the rain stops, and the water levels gradually decrease until, finally, the dry land appeared, and Noah and his family were able to leave the ark and start a new life for themselves.
Chapter 9 begins with God blessing Noah and his family, and God also promises that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood. He seals the covenant with the rainbow, which was to serve as a reminder every time it rains. Everything seems to be going well. Noah and his family have the opportunity to live in peace with the full blessings of God on their lives. However, when we get to verse 21, we see how quickly even godly men like Noah can mess things up. Here we see that Noah is drunk. This is the first mention of wine in the Bible. Theologians tell us about a law of Bible interpretation, which is called the Law of First Mention. This principle teaches that important clues can be gathered about a doctrine by studying the way it is first used in the Bible. Here we see the use of wine associated with drunkenness and other sins. Maybe, we should learn a lesson from this. The Bible will have much more to say in future chapters regarding drunkenness.
My point, however, is not to discuss the sin of drunkenness. I merely want to point out that man will quickly mess up a good situation. Adam and Eve did, Noah did, and we do the same thing today. It doesn’t take long for our sinful nature to reveal itself. We are two days away from the New Year. Many have resolved that this is the year that their lives are going to be different. Yet, most have already blown every resolution that they have made. We are desperately wicked people. Yet, for some strange reason, God loves us; and if we are saved, He doesn’t even see our wickedness anymore. Through the blood of His Son Jesus, God sees us, not as sinners, but as sons.
Don’t throw in the towel, however. You have blown in the past and you will blow it again in the future. Just get back up, confess the sin, and move forward. God knows your frame; He remembers that you are dust. Don’t let your failure keep you from coming back to God. He will always take you back. Get as close to Him as you possibly can. He will work in you, and make the necessary changes that need to be made in your life. He will continue to mold you into the image of Christ.
Posted in Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
In the Beginning!
Today’s Passage – Genesis 1 – 3
(Second Milers also read – Mathew 1 – 2; Proverbs 1; Psalms 1 – 5)
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” – (Genesis 1:1)
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” – (Revelation 21:5)
“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)
Isn’t it wonderful that our God is a God of new beginnings? 24 years ago, almost to the day, God gave me a completely new beginning, and charted a radically different course for my life. God gave me a chance at that time to start over again with a clean slate. The awesome thing about our God is that since He took my sins away through the blood of Jesus Christ, my slate has remained clean (at least positionally).
I thank God for this new year that we are beginning today. I always look at the New Year as a time to hit the re-set button; a time to review the successes and failures of the year before and make the necessary adjustments in order to make the most out of the coming year. It’s kind of a new beginning. Last year is gone. 2014 is brand new, and we have the opportunity to strive to make this year the best one yet. Early this morning, as I was walking, I thought about the fact that so far this year I haven’t said anything or done anything yet that would displease the Lord. I am sure, however, that it won’t be long before I break my streak, but it is a good feeling to know that the old is gone, and today is a brand new day. Let us serve the Lord with gladness this year!
Tonight, we will be studying the Bible and praying together as a church. None of us have missed any church services yet this year, so let us all be in our place, assembling ourselves together for exhortation and edification. This Sunday, in our evening service, we will be casting the vision for the new year. We will unveil the new theme, and reveal some of the changes that we will be making in order to make 2014 our most fruitful year ever. Don’t miss it; and don’t miss out on the opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to your personal life and schedule in order to make a new beginning out of your own life in 2014.
Note – Today also begins our new Bible reading schedule. Please make it a point to carve out some time daily in your schedule to read the Word and to pray.
Posted in Thoughts from Genesis by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
…And Gave Glory To The GOD Of Heaven – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:3-13)
Good morning. When I read this passage, I started thinking about Ben and Robert: two friends who went home to be with the Lord. I thought about my Uncle Frankie, he’s been eating very little and sleeping all the time. I thought about my older brother, Harry, how he was having difficulty breathing during our Christmas get-together. This March he will turn 71 (I’ll be 60 in February). We are all stamped with an expiration date that only God can change. As I look near the bottom of my computer screen, I see a picture of Melissa. I am comforted in knowing she is with the Lord, though I still miss her. But there is a great deal of comfort to be found in this passage…
Notice that there were two witnesses.
Did you know that when you have Jesus, you are never alone? Jesus is always with you. This is what the Lord told Joshua…
“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:1-9)
And according to Hebrews 13:5, God makes the same promise to us: He will never leave us, nor forsake us. So you are never going to be alone.
Secondly, notice that God had a job for them to do. He has a job for us to do also. And these two witnesses went forward with their work in the power of God. Nothing could stop them until there work was completed. What stops you? Jesus told us that without Him we could do nothing. These men went forward in the power of the Lord (Acts 1:8). When their testimony for the Lord was completed, God had another job for them to do: to die. Their work on earth was not over yet. The beast overcame them and killed them, but their lives were in the hands of the One who gave them life.
Are you sitting on the shelf, self-imprisoned? Are the devils celebrating the fact that you are no longer a threat? Do you long to get back into the Lord’s work? Have you been dead too long? It’s time to resurrect…
“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” (Revelation 11:8-11)
And we know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7), and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Then look at what happened…
“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” (Revelation 11:12-13)
Because of Jesus, we are never alone.
Because of Jesus, we have a testimony.
Because of Jesus, we have the power to share that testimony.
Because of Jesus, we can witness in death as well as life.
Got Jesus?
Peace. (1John 5:11-13)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
The Perfect Gift – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:13-17)
Good morning. My wife asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I did not know. Don’t laugh: do you know what you want for Christmas? There was a time when I could answer that question. Something would catch my eye, either on TV or in a catalog, and I thought I really wanted whatever it was. Now that I’m old, I guess I’m not impressed by the things of this world. There was a time when I was amazed at new technology. I saw a commercial the other day for a new wristwatch. One that could just about everything a smart phone could. Amazing how far LSI (Large Scale Integration) has come: cramming all that stuff into a wristwatch. Okay, maybe I’m a little impressed; do I want one? Na, I’d probably have the screen shattered within the first month. What do you want for Christmas?
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:6)
And you know what happened after that. That ‘gift’ Adam received from Eve caused the downfall of all mankind. But James 1:17 tells us…
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17)
Let me give you three characteristics of the Perfect Gift…
1) It costs the giver, not the receiver.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
2) It is perfect: exactly what you needed.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
3) It is made to be shared so others will benefit from the gift also.
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1Peter 4:10)
This Christmas, let’s try to stay focused on God’s Perfect Gift…
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Merry Christmas! (Luke 2:13-14)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Deliverance – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passage – 1 Thessalonians 1 – 5 (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 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
Scripture Memorization for December – The Incarnation
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 92:1 – 4
Read a great article by Pastor Bob Gray Sr.– “Why?“
Watch the Growth Points video by Pastor Chappell – “Pressing Into the New Year with Godly Passion“
Read the “1214 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s Bible reading passage – “What’s Your Reputation Like?” & “What’s Right With It?“
“Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Rembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (1Thessalonians 1:1-10)
Good morning. I really like how chapter 1 ends:, “…even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”; and there is a wrath coming. Seven years of the wrath of God are going to be poured out upon the earth. Maybe you’re worried about this if you don’t believe what God’s Word says at the end of chapter 4. Look at this verse from chapter 5…
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1Thesselonians 5:9)
Before God pours out His wrath on the earth, He will call His people home in the twinkling of an eye. The end of chapter 4 tells us…
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1Thesselonians 4:13-18)
If these words were not true, how could we comfort one another with them?
And also…
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Corinthians 15:51-58)
Yes, I would also be worried about the wrath of God, if it were not for the fact that He poured out His the wrath that He had for me on the Lord Jesus Christ: as He hung on a cross, and shed His precious blood for me. If you can’t believe the rapture verses, how can you believe the rest of the Bible. All of the Bible is God’s Holy Word, and if He says He is coming back in the air to receive His bride, then you better believe He is. Can you believe the following verse?
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)
God made salvation as simple as 1 John 5:12…
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:12)
I like what Jesus said about my salvation…
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40)
If we all took God at His Word – He says what He means, and means what He says – there would be more obedience to God’s Word and less arguing over it.
Sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolations share,
Till from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home, and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout while passing throu’ the air,
Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer.
Peace! (Luke 2:14)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Memories of a Friend
Today’s Passage – Colossians 1 – 4 (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 –Psalm 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)
Scripture Memorization for December – The Incarnation
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 89:1
Read a great article by Pastor Bob Gray Sr.– “Why?“
Watch the Growth Points video by Pastor Chappell – “Pressing Into the New Year with Godly Passion“
Read the “1213 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from today’s passage – “The Importance of Discipleship” and “Plugged In“
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” – Psalms 116:15
I received the news yesterday morning that a dear friend, Ben Thompson, passed away to Heaven after battling with pneumonia for the past couple of weeks. I first got word of his illness two Sunday’s ago and even though his condition was listed as critical, I was sure that Ben would pull through. Our family prayed and our church prayed, and for a time it seemed as if his condition was improving, but for some mysterious reason, the Lord chose to take him home.
I got to thinking about Psalm 116:15, which is a verse that I have quoted hundreds of times in order to try to comfort those that were hurting. I know that our loss is Heaven’s gain, and I also realize that Ben is in a “far better” place and would not desire to return to this earth again even if he could. But, I must confess that sometimes I get a little selfish and complain to God a little because the “life” of a friend like Ben is precious to me also, and even more precious to his family. Frankly, there are quite a few people that I can think of that I would like to send in Ben’s place. But, far be it for me to question God. He is always right in what he does.
When I was first saved, I used to wonder why people would get so excited talking about Heaven. Don’t misunderstand, I wanted to go there someday, and I certainly didn’t want to go to Hell; but to be truthful, life on earth wasn’t all that bad from my perspective. In fact, it was pretty good. At that point, as a young man in my twenties, I hadn’t really experienced the death of a close loved one; I knew little sickness or suffering personally, and I enjoyed many of the pleasurable things that this life could offer. As time goes on, however, I have learned that life on this earth can be very painful, and extremely sorrowful at times, and even though there are still many joys associated with living here inside the will of God, I find that more and more I am longing to go to that wonderful place where sin, sorrow and sickness will be no more. And no more death!! No more saying good-bye to people I love.
Thank you, Ben, for being a friend. I don’t use that word casually. I know thousands of people, but I only have a few that I call friends, and I really can’t spare any more. Thanks for the great conversations we had on the many, late Sunday night trips to and from Texarkana. Thanks for buying dinner for me and my son on more than one occasion at that all-night restaurant in Atlanta. Thanks for being available for breakfast or lunch every time I came back to town. Thanks for loving me and my family. Thanks for being my friend. I will miss you, and look forward to seeing you again soon.
Thank you, Thompson family, for being a consistently faithful and godly testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ. You never waiver. You were a tremendous inspiration to me when I was in college, and you are even more so to me now. You have the prayers and sympathy of my family, and our church as well. We love you!
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Passages – Ephesians 1 – 3 (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 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)
Scripture Memorization for December – The Incarnation
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 51
Read a great article by Pastor Chappell– “Making the Most of Christmas“
Watch the Growth Points video by Pastor Chappell – “Pressing Into the New Year with Godly Passion“
Read the “1210 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Saved To Good Works”
Dead To Sin
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7)
Did you ever have someone cross you in some way? Maybe they lied about you or to you. Maybe stole something or even picked a fist fight with you. How about deserting you when you really needed them the most. I guess you would say they weren’t very nice people and you would have a hard time being friendly with them again. But can I tell you, that’s exactly what we do to our Heavenly Father everyday yet He still loves us. His love for us is beyond what we could ever imagine.
We were all the children of wrath. All of our desires were under the evil one. Our spirit was dead. There was no good in us. Yet Jesus freely gave his life for us.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
We don’t have to be sinless for God to accept us, we just have to accept what His son Jesus did for us, died.
How can you describe that kind of love?
There are two thoughts I have from these passages.
First is the greatness of our Saviour’s love. If He did nothing but save my souls from Hell, I should be His slave for life. But He didn’t allow me to be a slave, He made me His child. I must strive to please Him. There is no way I could ever repay Him for what He did and continues to do for me. God don’t even remember my sin.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:12)
It’s would be like me buying a hundred million dollar home and not being able to pay for it. When the bank comes to my door to throw me out, someone comes along and pays for it in full. Most people would feel as if they owed that person their life. How much more do we owe God our life for pulling us out of Hell?
My second thought is that if God can forgive us of all our unrighteousness, why do we have such a hard time forgiving one another?
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” (Matthew 18:21-35)
Conclusion
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Ephesians by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.