Felix Trembled – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
“And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” (Acts 24:24-25)
And wouldn’t you tremble too? Good morning. Felix listened while Paul tried to reason with him. And Felix trembled. And why not? Paul was giving Felix the Word of God. The Holy Spirit was at work on Felix’s heart. It was if the Lord Himself were speaking to Felix. And Felix trembled. Paul reasoned…
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
1) Paul reasoned of righteousness. Your righteousness must be greater than the righteousness of the Pharisees…
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
And you know what God says about our righteousness…
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
And…
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10)
Only the Lord can make you righteous…
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:21)
He is our righteousness…
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
And Felix trembled as…
2) Paul reasoned of temperance. Felix, you need some self control. I’m trying to tell you about the Lord, and all you can think about is money…
“He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.” (Acts 24:26)
Temperance is also from the Lord. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit…
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26)
And Felix trembled.
3) Paul reasoned of the judgment to come.
“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:7-15)
And Felix trembled. Are you trembling? Jesus is coming back soon. Are you ready? You can be. If you have never called on the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your heart and save you, then you need to do it before it’s too late. Don’t tremble like Felix. Start rejoicing because the trumpet is about to sound!
Peace. (John 6:37-40)
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Just for Ladies by Mrs. Camille Stahl
Today’s Passages –Acts 11 – 13; (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 91 – 95;Proverbs 19)
Scripture Memorization for November – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Isaiah 51:11
Read a great article by Pastor Cary Schmidt – “Shattering Pastoral Caricatures“
Read the “1119 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Begotten from the Grave” & “The Beginning of the Journey“
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.” (Acts 12:1-7)
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Corinthians 10:13)
Peter was always getting in trouble for preaching the Gospel, but that never stopped him. He keeps going for the Lord. You would think that because he was doing God’s will that his life would just fall into place. No worries, no trials, just smooth sailing.
We too strive to do the will of God and serve him as we try hard to serve our family. As ladies, we are keepers of our home, raise our children, and serve beside our husband. But like Peter, we find ourselves in prison bound with chains. Most ladies have more on their plate then they should because of one reason or another. Our time is spent doing all we have to do and more. Satan is right there trying to defeat us. He keeps us too busy so there’s no time for us to spend with God. We then fall into a pit and there seems like there is no way out.
In l Corinthians 10:13, it says “…make a way to escape…”. God did not create us to be overwhelmed with our serving Him or our family. Let’s take a look at a few suggestions that can help us break the chains of prison Satan has us in.
First we must make time every day to spend with God. Some will say, “But I don’t have time”. This is the most important start of your day. We cannot neglect God if we expect Him to do a work in our life. Make Time.
Second, make a list of what you need to accomplish. Cross off the things that bog you down. Learn to say NO, because I am already over committed. We have complicated our lives beyond what God would have for us. Get rid of the extra stressful burdens.
Next, remember that God will always provide a way out if we follow.
“And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.” (Acts 12:8)
Peter had to follow the angel out, as we also must follow the Lord. Without the angel, Peter had to do something, he put his garments on, then followed. If Peter didn’t follow, he might have lost his way and found himself back in prison bound in the chains. We must make changes in our lives, and then follow Christ. Follow Christ.
Last, I want you to notice that Peter was on his death bed. The Bible says “…And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night…”. Herod wasn’t going to wait until after Easter, he wanted to get rid of Peter right away. But by the Grace of God, He delivered Peter at the last moment. Sometimes God waits to answer our prayer or to deliver us out of our chains. Then when He does, we can give Him the praise and the glory for what He has done.
And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. (Act 12:11)
Wait on Him.
Thank You!
John 5:13
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Mirror Mirror – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passages –Acts 4 – 6 (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 76 – 80; Proverbs 16)
“Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him , and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” (Acts 6:9-15).
Good morning. When others look at you, what do they see? When you look in a mirror, what do you see? When the men who sat in the council looked at Stephen, they saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel. And false witnesses had told the council that he blasphemed against God. Taken prisoner, forced to stand before false accusers, nowhere and nobody to run to. Trapped and about to be stoned, his face should have shown fear. His face should have shown anguish. There should have been trembling and there should have been tears running down his face. But his face was as the face of an angel.
Mirror, mirror, what do people see in my face? Do they see calm or adversity, strength in truth or cowardness in lies, angels or devils, Jesus or Satan. You can have the face of an angel if you want too.
1) Stephen was full of faith (vs 8). He must have pleased God…
“But without faith it is impossible to please him : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
2) Stephen walked with the Holy Spirit. Stephen was full of power (vs 8)…
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
3) Stephen had wisdom (vs 10)…
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
When men accuse you, will you hang your head in shame knowing they are right? Or will you stand boldly on God’s truth, and have the face like an angel? Mirror, mirror?
Peace (1Corinthians 15:58)
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At the Men’s Retreat – No Wifi
Good morning! We are at the men’s retreat at Camp Calvary. I haven’t been able to access the wifi here yet, but as soon as I am able, I will post something. I am posting this note with my phone.
Today’s Passages – Acts 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
Scripture Memorization for November – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “The Joy Killers“
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Passages –John 14 – 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 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)
Scripture Memorization for November – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 119:105
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “The Joy Killers“
Read the “1112 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “He Will Never Leave You“
Fall Pruning
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:1-6)
I don’t know about you, but I spent my Friday morning raking and blowing leaves and burning the branches that fell during the windy fall weather.
In the passages above, we see that God explains the question the disciple asked of how He will manifest (declare Himself plainly) to them and not the world.
The nutrition of a tree comes from the roots into the trunk or vine. It then goes through the branch into the fruit or flower. With out the vine the nutrition can not get to the branch to produce the fruit, no fruit.
As a child, my Dad had some fruit trees. For a couple of years, one of the apple trees was yielding little fruit and it was all rotten. Needless to say, he cut down that tree. While I was blowing and raking leaves, I also picked up many fallen branches, which I burned in our fire pit. In Texas, we rented a duplex that had a beautiful rose bush right outside the back door. It grew so big that you had to move the branches in order to get in the door, but the roses were small. At the end of the summer, I cut it back so much that I thought I killed it. Come spring, I notice the bush was budding. You would never believe the beautiful BIG roses it produced. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said ‘purgeth it’.
I wanted to expand on the purging. Because time is getting closer to Christ’s return, I believe God is warning us and trying to wake us up by purging us. So many of us are under such oppression, that we are ineffective to God, our families, others and ourselves. We must be aware of were this is coming from.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Peter 5:8)
What should we do when trials and tribulations come our way?
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
“See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thessalonians 5:15-18)
Are you weary are you heavy hearted? Tell it to Jesus – Tell it to Jesus
Are you grieving over joys departed Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do the tear flow down your cheeks unbidden? Tell it to Jesus – Tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that to men’s eyes are hidden? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Do you fear the gath’ring clouds of sorrow? Tell it to Jesus – Tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious what shall be tomorrow? Tell it to Jesus alone.
For Christ coming Kingdom are you sighing? Tell it to Jesus alone.
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus He is a friend that’s well known.
You’ve no other such a friend or brother, Tell it to Jesus alone.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Caught In The Act – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
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)
Scripture Memorization for November – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 89:1
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “The Joy Killers“
Read the “1109 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Put Down Your Stones”; and “I Am”
“Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11)
Good morning. Ever get caught in a lie, or any other sin, for that matter? Maybe you were just never caught. Having your sin exposed to the whole world (or even just a few people) is not a good situation to be in. Think about this woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Being taken in the very act, she was probably naked when the scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus. And it takes two to Tango: where was the man who was involved? There are only three explanations to the man’s whereabouts: he either escaped, or he was a scribe, or he was a Pharisee. Either way, the woman was alone, naked, and facing the fruit of her sin. Scary. The Law said that she should be stoned to death. What would Jesus say? After all, He was the Man of God, and the Pharisees were hoping to entrap Him with His own words. They all waited for the Master’s replay, and it was not what they expected. And He said unto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
Some scholars say that the word sin in Jesus’ reply refers to the sin of adultery: the same sin as the woman. I don’t have time right now to verify this, but Jesus said…
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
The Bible also says: for all have sinned. So it really doesn’t matter if it was the sin of adultery or some other sin: they all had sinned and could not cast the first stone. The only one there who could cast the first stone was Jesus. Her accusers put down their rocks and departed. All that was left there was Jesus, the woman, and her sin. And Jesus asked, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”
She said, “No man, Lord.”
And Jesus said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Do you know someone who was caught in the very act of sinning in some way? Maybe you are sinning, but haven’t gotten caught yet. What would you rather hear? “You bonehead! How could you do something that stupid?”
Or would you rather hear something like, “These things happen to the best of us. Let’s pray, and ask the Lord for help with this.”
We need to be more like Jesus, instead of running with stones and ready to kill. Our attitude should not be one of condemnation, but one of restoration: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Peace. (Romans 5:8)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Heart Burn
Today’s Passages – Luke 23 – 24 (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 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 55:17
Scripture Memorization for November – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “If I Don’t Pray For You“
Read the “1105 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)
Years ago I had a friend that loved to eat Chinese food. The problem was that it would destroy his stomach whenever he ate it. He would get the worst heartburn every time. But do you think that kept him from eating it? No! He would feast at the Chinese restaurant every chance he got. Our passage today contains an account about a different kind of heartburn. Two of the disciples of the Lord are walking from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus which was about 7.5 miles from Jerusalem. All of a sudden the Lord draws near and begins walking with them but they do not recognize Him after His resurrection. They begin to tell this “stranger” about all of the events surrounding the crucifixion that had taken place in Jerusalem just three days ago. They also recount the fact that the Lord’s body is now apparently no longer in the tomb and some of the women have claimed that He has risen from the dead. Jesus then begins reciting passage after passage from the Old Testament Scriptures that foretold that all of these events would happen, and He rebukes these disciples for not believing the Word of God.
I found it interesting that twice in chapter 24 the Lord takes the Old Testament Scriptures and uses them to teach the disciples regarding Himself. He did not perform any miracles here. He just opens up their understanding to the Word of God. I got excited about that because that is exactly what I do. I open up the Scriptures and through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I help people understand them. The disciples on the road to Emmaus stated the their hearts burned within them as he taught them the Scriptures. When was the last time your heart burned within you because of the Word of God. We almost act like God’s Word gives us the bad kind of heartburn, like my friend got when he ate Chinese food. We avoid reading and studying the Bible like it causes us pain. The Word of God is the most powerful tool that we have available to us today in the transformation of our own lives, and in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, yet we seem to be using it less and less these days. Our sermons are getting shorter and shorter, and whole services and studies are being removed from the schedule. It just seems that in practice we do not recognize the power of God’s Word to transform lives. Jesus did. He quoted Scripture all the time: when tempted by Satan, and here He is quoting Scripture to help these disciples understand His death and resurrection. We need to place the same emphasis on the power of God’s Word in our lives. Let’s get back to reading, studying, and memorizing the Bible.
Posted in Thoughts from Luke by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Faith As A Mustard Seed – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passages – Luke 17 – 18; (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 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)
Memory passage for the month of November – Psalm 95
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 119:105
Scripture Memorization for August – The Kenosis Passage – Philippians 2:5 – 11
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “If I Don’t Pray For You“
Read the “1102 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read previous posts from this passage – “Forbid Them Not”; and “Attaboy”
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)
Good morning. When the Lord returns to earth, will He find faith when He looks at you or me, or anybody? Will the Lord be pleased? Without faith it is impossible to please Him (see Hebrews 11:6). Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By faith we ask God for things in prayer, the evidence appears in the form of an answer to those prayers. God gives us something to ask Him for, then He answers by granting the request: God is the beginning and the end of our faith, and everything in between. The disciples wanted to please God, so the asked for an increase in their faith…
“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6).
Jesus compared the Kingdom of God as a mustard seed…
“And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” (Mark 4:30-32).
Consider this…
I am a mustard seed. I am nothing on my own: just a seed only 1 to 2mm in diameter. But, plant me in the ground and give me fertilizer, and water; after 3 to 10 days, I start to germinate. My roots stretch deep into the soil looking for nutrients, and water; while my leaf breaks through the surface to bask in the light of the sun. I grow from the smallest of seeds to the mightiest of all the herbs of God’s creation. I am a mustard seed.
Also, consider this…
I am a human being. I was created in God’s image, but I am nothing on my own; just a person with a soul, and a dead spirit. But, give me the gospel, and the chance to receive Jesus as my Saviour and I become a new creature. My dead spirit is quickened: made alive. My eyes search God’s Word for His will for my life. I grow spiritually. I bask in His love, and the light of His Word. I go from being dead to being alive; from being lost and now found. I am saved. I am a Christian.
We all have to start somewhere: we need to start with Jesus for without Him we could do nothing (see John 15:5). When we hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit tells us we need to believe it and be saved (see Ephesians 2:8-9, John 15:26, Acts 16:19-34). We become a new creature, a child of God (see 2Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 3:26). It is all by faith; it is all by Jesus, God the Son: He is the author and finisher of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).
So Christian, let me ask you again: will the Lord find faith when He returns to earth? As His return comes closer, and the devil’s time grows shorter, what little faith we have may be shaken. Proverbs 3:5-6 tell us to: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
God is in control. He knew about all the ups, and the downs you have had, have, or will have in your life. He already has the solution to your problems, all of them. Trust Him. Believe Him. Have faith in Him.
Peace. (Hebrews 11:6)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Passage – Luke 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 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)
Scripture Memorization for August – Revival Verses
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Five Ways To Become a Missions Minded Family“
Read the “1029 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Return To Thine Own House“
CASTING OUT DEVILS
“And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.” (Luke 8:27-33)
Ahh. A new born baby is brought home. It’s totally dependent on it’s parents for everything. As the baby gets a little older, he or she starts testing the waters of independence, aka ‘the terrible twos’. Now a child is forming their personality. Before we know it they are teens, graduating High School and going out on their own.
Today as I was reading the verses above, I thought of the young people of today are not much different then the man who was possessed. Lets take a closer look.
“Ware no clothes” – We don’t have to look to hard to see that today’s styles are showing more skin then ever. My Dad had a saying “What happened to the rest of the dress you almost have on? As soon as the weather gets warm, the clothes come off. No need to go on here.
Next, “neither abode in any house, but in the tombs”. People are consumed with the living dead. Many new TV shows are about zombies. The world is celebrating Halloween and they decorate with graveyards in the front of their houses. There is nothing fun about graveyards. Oh, just a little side note about Halloween, it is Satan’s high day. If you do some searching, you’ll find more kidnapping is done around this time of year.
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not”. The lost world does not VigRX want anything to do with Jesus, except to use His name as a curse word. They avoid the Bible and church. For them to even think they would have to stay on the straight and narrow would be torture. Satan has them believing a lie. They are entangled in the sin satan has laid out for them. They have fallen into a ditch and cannot climb out on their own.
And last, “Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked”. If unchanged, the lost individual will be tormented for life and one day wake up in hell.
“And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” (Luke 16:20-31)
What a joy it is to find a lost person and share the Gospel of salvation with them. It is a greater joy to lead someone to Christ; to be used of God to change a person from death to life; to watch God change them into His image.
“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” (Luke 8:35)
I know I blog about soulwinning often, but it’s something I believe that is close to God’s heart. Jesus didn’t ask to pray for souls to be saved, but for labors to find them.
Will you join me this week and find someone to talk to? Can you think of someone you can invite to church? Would you be willing to past out one Gospel tract? I’ll pray for you and you pray for me as we labor for souls.
Thank You
l John 5:13
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
The Curse Causeless – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
“As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” (Proverbs 26:2)
“I pledge allegiance
to the flag
of the United States of America,
And to the republic
for which it stands.
One nation,
under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
“I pledge allegiance
to the Christian flag
and to the Saviour,
for whose kingdom it stands.
One Saviour,
crucified,
risen,
and coming again,
with life and liberty to all who believe.”
“I pledge allegiance
to the Bible:
God’s Holy Word.
I will make it a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
I will hide it’s words in my heart that I might not sin against God.”
Good morning. These are the three pledges that we start every school day with. We want our students to know that (whether the Nazi-Commie-Socialist-Liberals like it or not) this is one nation under God. And that there is a only One Saviour, who is coming again with life and liberty to all who believe. Our children must also understand God’s Holy Word, and hide it’s words in their hearts that they might not sin against God. We want them to learn these things, apply them to their lives. You see, somewhere along the way, we Christians dropped the ball.
Us? We dropped the ball? Yes we did. Our verse from Proverbs 26 says…
“As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.” (Proverbs 26:2)
What this verse is saying is that if someone curses an innocent person, that person will not be cursed. The curse will just fly off like a bird. But America is cursed, and there has to be a cause. We the people have dropped the ball. We have allowed those we have elected to take the Bible out of public schools, to take the Ten Commandments out of Government buildings (maybe that’s why there is so much corruption: they no longer have any guidelines to follow). New Jersey is allowing gay couples to marry. God calls homosexuality an abomination. And this ‘marriage’ is a mockery of the love that Jesus has for His church. What about abortion? Our elected officials want to allow abortions at any time during the pregnancy. We have dropped the ball, and let them get away with reducing this once great nation into a soon to be third-world nation (no offense meant to any third-world nation).
So what can we do? The same thing God told Solomon after the dedication of the temple…
“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Chronicals 7:12-14)
Our land needs healing: we need to get back to being one nation under God (not gods).
Peace. (Luke 15:20-24)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.