HE IS – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 48 – 52 (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 – John 13 – 14; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 61:1 – 3
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “9 Marks of Excellence in Church Leadership“
Read the “0810 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1 – 6)
He is THE I AM.
“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 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. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:13 – 15)
He is THE WAY.
“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:17-22)
“Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:10-11)
“And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.” (Ezekiel 20:42)
“When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.” (Ezekiel 39:27-28)
He is THE TRUTH.
“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:35-36)
“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)
“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.” (Isaiah 46:9-13)
He is THE LIFE.
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” (Isaiah 43:10-11)
“Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:21-22)
“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:13 – 15)
He is THE GREAT SHEPHERD.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:27 – 30)
He is THE LORD.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Do You Believe HE IS?
“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)
Peace. (Psalm 46:10)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Forgiveness and Forgetfulness
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 41 – 43 (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 – John 9 – 10; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 51
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “9 Marks of Excellence in Church Leadership“
Read the “0808 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “Tired of God?”
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” – (Isaiah 43:25)
“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)
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – (Psalm 103:12)
The verses listed above are very encouraging to me. Each of these Scriptures speak of God’s forgiveness primarily to the people of Israel; but in a broader context, they apply to all who have “called upon the name of the Lord”. It is certainly a wonderful truth that God forgives our sin. Of course, forgiveness is only possible through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The wrath that we deserved was poured out upon Him. However, God goes beyond just forgiving us: He forgets our sins as well. To forgive is one thing, but to forget is another level entirely. The phrase “blotteth out” has the idea that the record of our sin has been completely expunged (removed).
Now let’s try to apply this wonderful attribute of God to our own relationships. We are supposed to be like God, aren’t we? If we are saved we are being conformed to the image of Christ, and we have God on the inside of us transforming us to be like Him. If all that be true, then we should be able to forget like God forgets. We say that we forgive someone who has wronged us, but Online Pokies we often replay mentally (or re-tell verbally) the act that was committed against us. In other words, the act has not been blotted out completely in our minds. We store the thing that was forgiven in a special compartment where we can retrieve it again in case we need it. We often pull it back out when a new violation is committed. We are keeping score in our minds. God does not do this. He removes the record altogether. Real forgiveness will lead us to blot out the act altogether; not that their will be no consciousness of the act; but it will not be allowed to be dredged back up again for some future judgment against the offender.
I have one more thought. God does not only forgive sin, and erase the record; but He also refuses to record any future violations. It is like getting a completely free pass from the penalty of your sins. Don’t believe me?
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” – (Romans 4:5-8)
Oh that we could be more like Him: forgiving, forgetting, and even determining that we will not hold against someone any future acts committed against us. We like to be the receiver of such treatment, but oh how we struggle to treat others in this manner.
God, help us to be more like you. Help us to love people like you do. Help us to truly accept the forgiveness that you offer us, and then help us to return the favor to someone else.
Perhaps as you are reading this, God has put someone in your mind that you are harboring unforgiveness toward. Why not determine to take that person out of your heart’s prison by giving them the forgiveness that God has given you.
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” – (Ephesians 4:32)
Posted in Thoughts from Isaiah by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Forsaking Future Generations
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 37 – 40 (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 – John 7 – 8; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 48:1 & 2
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Are We Reaching the Lost?“
Read the “0807 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.” (Isaiah 39:5-8)
I think that the last verse of Isaiah 39 is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. King Hezekiah who was one of the best kings that Israel ever had makes a statement here that is extremely selfish. He is told by Isaiah that because he had opened up his kingdom and welcomed the Babylonian messengers that someday Babylon would come back and take away all that Hezekiah’s family owned, and would also take his family members into captivity. We know that this prophecy was literally fulfilled in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came down and destroyed Jerusalem, and had carried nearly the entire population back with them into Babylon.
Notice, however, what Hezekiah said when he got the news: “Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.” Hezekiah was OK with the news that his children would be destroyed, as long as no destruction came while he was still alive. Very selfish indeed!
Hezekiah is not alone, however, in his selfishness. I find that many of us today are guilty of forsaking their future generations by some of the decisions that we make.
I’ll give you an illustration. Let’s say that John Smith is a lost man, living in sin, and beginning to reap the negative consequences of his worldly lifestyle. One day, he is confronted with his sinful condition, and is warned, not only of the eternal consequences that hgh first week he will face, but also the problems that his children will have because of the course that he has charted. John is convicted of his sin, and realizes that he wants something better for his family. He trusts Christ as Saviour, along with his wife, and immediately begins to make some changes in his life. He brings his family to church every time the doors are opened; he removes many of the weights and also the sinful things from his home, and serves God with a passion. His family immediately begins to reap the benefits of his decisions. God is now blessing the family. He is meeting their needs, and is even giving them some of their heart’s desires. His kids grow up, and marry godly spouses. Everything is good. However, the next generation does not know, or perhaps doesn’t remember too well, what life was like before dad got saved. They are all saved also, but they don’t seem to fear the world like dad did, and they are not quite as zealous for the Lord as the first generation. They begin to allow some of the things that dad stood against back into their homes. They are not as consistent as mom and dad were about church attendance, either; and they do not feel like they should have to serve as much as their family did when they were growing up. Gradually and slowly they begin to pull away from what dad fought for. However, for the most part, life is still good: they are prospering financially, and they seem to have well adjusted families. Their children (generation 3), however, are even less interested in the things of God than generation 2 was. They hardly go to church at all now, and their children (generation 4) will not even be exposed to the gospel so that they could be saved like their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Life isn’t so good for them. They make a lot of bad decisions, and the consequences of sin have completely ravaged their lives.
You will notice in the above example that a complete circle has been made. You will notice that in every generation there were decisions made that affected either positively or negatively the next generation. Great Granddad made some decisions that prospered his children, but unfortunately his children decided to do some things (or not do some things) that adversely affected the third generation. That is exactly what Hezekiah did. He made a decision that benefited himself temporarily, but destroyed future generations.
Parents, please be careful. The decisions that you make today will either positively or negatively affect your children and grandchildren. Don’t forsake the future generations.
Posted in Thoughts from Isaiah by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 33 – 36 (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 – John 5 – 6; Psalms 26 – 30; Proverbs 6)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 47:1
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Are We Reaching the Lost?“
Read the “0806 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
The Woman Who Anointed Jesus’ Feet
“And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:36-50)
Think with me and imagine the scene. Simon, a Pharisee, was having a dinner party. He asked Jesus to join them. Now the Pharisee’s didn’t believe in Christ, yet He accepted the invitation and ate with them. In walks a woman with a questionable background. Now I don’t know about you, but if I was home and a stranger walked in….., or was she. According to verse 39 Simon knew what this woman was. How did he know who she was and why didn’t anyone asked her to leave when she first came in? Just asking.
This woman, with a bad reputation, heard the preaching of Jesus with conviction. She realized who Jesus was and brought Him what she had. She did not approach Him eye to eye. She felt so unworthy that she humbled herself at His feet and kiss them. Her tears of joy washed the feet of Jesus. Her hair became a towel to dry them. There was no pride found in her. She anointed His feet with oil, owning Him as “The Anointed One”. Finally someone who excepted and truly loved her. The Pharisee’s also heard His preaching and yet there was no humility or conviction. They sat and watched as she touched Jesus thinking, how can He let her touch Him. If He only knew who she was. If she would have touched Simon he may have said “ …Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou…. (Isaiah 65:5)
God’s warnings are all around us. Time is short.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Timothy 3:1-7)
Sinners of all kinds will be invited by the Holy Spirit to enter into our churches to receive the “Free Love Gift” of God. Will we be willing to “rub elbows” with ALL types of repented sinners.
“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.” (Mat 22:37-39)
I don’t understand how a God so divine,
could lower Himself to a life such as mine.
And consider me worth every minute of time,
to rescue a sinner like me.
When I think of my Saviour alone on the cross,
I know without Him that my life would be lost.
If He had not been willing to suffer the cost,
to rescue a sinner like me.
To rescue a sinner like me, LORD,
to rescue a sinner like me.
He abandoned His throne and His kingdom above,
to rescue a sinner like me.
My mind is so limited that I cannot see,
the reason He died and arose just for me.
So unworthy was I, yet He came willingly,
to rescue a sinner like me.
To rescue a sinner as worthless as I,
Yet He gave me a reason to sing.
It’s so hard to believe, that it happened to me,
Hallelujah to Jesus my King!
To rescue a sinner like me, LORD,
to rescue a sinner like me.
He abandoned His throne and His kingdom above,
to rescue a sinner like me.
“But God commendeth His love toward us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Peace
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 24 – 28 (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 – John 1 – 2; Psalms 16 – 20; Proverbs 4)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Are We Reaching the Lost?“
Read the “0804 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read another post from this morning’s Bible reading passage – “Babes“
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
This is one of those passages of Scripture that has an immediate context involving the nation of Israel (or more specifically here, Judah); but it also contains a principle that can be universally applied to everyone that is trusting the Lord. Peace is something that the world is searching for, but can only be found through a deep, abiding faith in God. The peace that God gives to those that trust Him is the kind of peace that manifests itself at all times regardless of the outward circumstances. It’s the kind of inner tranquility that reminds us that no matter how badly the storm rages on the outside, we are going to be OK; because God has everything under His control. The christian today who has surrendered his life to God does not have to stress and worry about everything because he has full assurance that God is going to take care of him.
Consider priligy kostar some parallel passages in the Bible:
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Notice here it says that God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds. God does not guarantee that there will not be an outward struggle against evil; but He does guarantee peace within your own mind. I find that most of my unrest is due to worry and stress in my mind. But when I am trusting in the Lord, He assures me and gives me peace.
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Romans 15:13)
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27)
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
“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.” (Proverbs 3:5 & 6)
Do you have peace today? Is your life filled with inner anxiety and possibly outward turmoil? God can remove all of that, if you will yield your life to Him. I don’t have to worry about anything, because my Heavenly Father already is.
Posted in Thoughts from Isaiah by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Walking With God – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 19 – 23 (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 – Luke 23 – 24; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Five Ways Dads Can Redeem the Time“
Read the “0803 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Good morning. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said:
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
This is what happened to two men walking towards Emmaus in Luke 24:13-36. As they were walking, Jesus was on their minds: the trial, the beating, the crucifixion, and now someone had taken Jesus’ body from the tomb. All these things unsettled their world, and saddened them. Jesus then drew near, and went with them. The Bible said their eyes were holden that they should not know Him: they did not know they were walking with God. They explained to Jesus what had just happened in Jerusalem while they walked together. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, Jesus expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. They got excited, and ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others.
So. Are you excited today? Why are you saddened? Let me give you three praises you can praise God with today that may cheer you up…
Praise God the Father.
He loved you so much, that He sent Jesus to die for your sin and mine: every sin that is, and ever was, and will ever be; whether committed by the saved or the unsaved (John 3:16, 1:29). When you received Jesus, you were Tramadol adopted into God’s family: you are another son to Him (Galatians 4:4-7). And as a son, He will Take care of you and supply your every need (Philippians 4:19-20).
Praise God the Son.
Nobody loves you as much as Jesus does (John 15:12-13). He took all the punishment for sin that we should have received (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53, 50:6; Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:1-18; Matthew 27:27-54; Mark 15:15-39; Luke 22:63-65, 23:33-47; John 19:1-30). Jesus cared for and loved us so much that He sent us another comforter (John 14:16-18 & 26) [You should read all of John 14: there are many blessings to praise Jesus about contained within that chapter.]
Praise God the Holy Spirit.
You can praise him in times of trouble for His comforting(Psalm 51; John 16:7-14). You can praise Him for the gifts that He gives you and the fruit that you will bear (1Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23). You can praise Him for the power to witness He gives you (Acts 1:8). He even wrote a book for you and preserved it in the King James Bible for English speaking people.
So let me ask you again. Why are you saddened? Maybe you didn’t read the Bible today? How do you expect the Holy Spirit to fix what’s wrong in your life if you don’t know what He said. Let’s go back to Luke 24. Think about Jesus, here in this passage, as the Holy Spirit (remember: these Three are One). The two men are trying to walk away from there problems. It isn’t going to work: they’re still talking about what happened (vs. 13-14). Today, since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit lives in every believer. He has feelings: we can grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30), and quench Him (1Theselonians 5:19). Sometimes we take Him to places we should not be, or let Him hear things we should not hear, or see things we should not see. He is always with us. But He is concerned about us (vs. 17). Jesus had to come to these two walking down the street. We can meet with God every morning, when we open our Bibles. From there, He can rebuke us (vs. 25-26), and He can teach us (vs. 27). He will get you going in the right direction again, and be a witness for the Lord (vs. 32-35). Then do you know what happens?
Peace! (Luke 24:36)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Who Turned Out the Light?
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 9 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers Read – Luke 19 – 20; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)
Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Five Ways Dads Can Redeem the Time“
Read the “0801 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this passage – “His Rest Shall Be Glorious“
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”(Isaiah 9:2)
The verse of Scripture referenced above deals with the birth of Christ. When Christ was born in the earth, he poked a huge hole in the darkness of a world that had been without light for a long time. Christ is light, and light equals righteousness and holiness; and it is also synonymous with spiritual understanding. The Bible says of God:
“Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:” (Psalm 104:2)
“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)
Light is not something that God has or something that God can produce; it is what He is. Peter, James, and John saw a glimpse of this light on the Mount of Transfiguration. John saw it again when he was on the Isle of Patmos and given the Revelation. Paul saw this light on the road to Damascus when the Lord gloriously saved him. All of these examples were actual physical manifestations of the light of God. However, when He came, He revealed to the world more than just Physical light: he delivered to the world a spiritual brightness that many had seen and received; and many more continue to receive to this day.
My thought for the day is: if Christ came and delivered this light to us 2000 years ago, and many millions have received this light from Him via the Holy Spirit; then why is this world still very dark. Jesus told us to shine the light to the dark VolumePills world around us:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
You would think with all of the millions of lights out there that should be shining, the world would be pretty bright; yet it continues to dwell in darkness. Why? Because God’s people are not allowing the light of Christ to radiate and reflect through them to the world around them. They are covering their candles with a bushel instead of elevating it on a candlestick. Three thoughts regarding the failure of the Christian to shine the light of Christ:
1 We fail to shine the light when we fail to separate from the darkness. Instead of increasing our light, we often participate in things that are very dark: things that are inconsistent with light. Light repels darkness; they cannot dwell together. So in order for the Christian to dwell in darkness, He has to douse His light. He has to quench the Spirit of God that dwells within Him.
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
By the way, unfortunately, the verse above oftentimes applies to the Christian as well as to the world.
2 We fail to shine the light when we fail to saturate ourselves in the light of the Word of God.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130)
3 We fail to shine the light when we shield the light from reaching those around us. This has more to do with fear than anything else. We have the light, and we desire to shine it; but we are so intimidated by the world around us that we conceal it. It is time that we decide to take a stand, and decide once and for all whose side we are on. We belong to God. We owe this world nothing but the light of Christ. Get out of the way, and let His light shine through you.
“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Philippians 2:15)
Posted in Thoughts from Isaiah by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
What More Could He Do?
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 5 – 8 (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 – Luke 17 – 18; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 31)
Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Rest for the Busiest People“
Read the “0731 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Read a previous post from this morning’s reading – “Help Wanted“
“What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? … For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.” (Isaiah 5:4, 7)
Our church has a lot of property, most of which is undeveloped. Earlier this year, Kelly and Gail, a couple from our church asked if they could use a small patch of that land to plant a community garden. At first I was a little hesitant, but I agreed to let these folks plant their little garden as long as it didn’t cost the church too much money, and as long as it didn’t require any extra work from me. I have to admit, I have been fascinated watching the whole process, from the cultivation of the ground to the actual planting. In recent weeks, we have begun to reap some of the harvest. Personally, I am a big fan of the little cherry tomatoes, and so is my grandson, Jaxon. Whenever he is at the church, we always walk back to the garden to eat a few. Yesterday, I was out in the garden with Brother Kelly, and he noticed a rather large green caterpillar on one of the tomato plants, very similar to the one pictured above. After careful inspection, Kelly discovered another one on another plant. If left unchecked these pests will completely consume all vigrx pills of the plants, and our little garden will be ruined.
In our text today, we read about God’s vineyard, the Nation of Israel. God found his vineyard in ruins, and He asked the question: “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” That is a good question. What more could God have done? He gave them everything that they needed to thrive as a nation, and for a while, they did just that; but eventually sin, like those nasty caterpillars, crept in and destroyed the vineyard.
Though this passage is written for and about Israel, I believe that there are some great principles here that we can apply today. I believe applications can be made to our individual Christian lives, and also to our families, and even to the local churches. Each one of these areas are a type of vineyard that belongs to the Lord. What can we do with all that God has given us in order to thrive and produce the fruit that God wants to produce through us?
1 We must use good seed. God has given us the Word of God. Why would we want to use the corruptible seed of man’s philosophies. Years ago, I made the decision that my life was going to be established with and directed by the Bible.
2 We must weed. Weeds and pests will overtake the gardens of our lives if we allow them to. In our Christian walk, many distraction can creep in, along with sinful things and false doctrines that will steal all of our energy and redirect our focus so that we cannot produce healthy fruit.
3 We must feed. Good nutrients and plenty of water will cause a garden to thrive. As Christians, we must feed daily on the Word of God, and in our churches, we must make sure that we are providing plenyt of opportunities for church members to come and dine on a healthy diet of Bible doctrine.
If God’s vineyard fails today, it will not be His fault. He has given us all that we need to thrive and produce abundant, healthy fruit.
Posted in Thoughts from Isaiah by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage – Isaiah 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 – Luke 15 – 16; Psalms 141 – 145; Proverbs 30)
Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 4:7 & 8
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Rest for the Busiest People“
Read the “0730 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
A Study of the Women of the Bible
Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis – Unknown Workers For the Lord.
“Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord.” (Romans 16:12)
In Romans 16, we read Paul’s salutation to many co-laborers in Christ. In verse 12, Paul mentions three women friend: Tryphena, Tryhosa and Persis. We don’t know what they did to help build the Roman church, but it states they laboured in the Lord. Were they leading people to Christ? Did they suffer great persecution? Were they teachers? Paul only said they were hard workers.
When I first got saved, I remember meeting so many ladies of the church who were important to the ministry. The Sunday School teachers, the secretaries, and the bus workers. The first time I went to a ladies conference I thought how important the speaker was to God for Him to use her in that great way. I thought how special and important to God the missionary and Pastor’s wife must be. Everyone looked up semenax works to them, they were the leaders and were important to God. I wanted to be important to God, to please Him and for Him to be proud of me! I wanted my name in lights too! Not for man, but for God! Don’t misunderstand, we all want and sometimes need that little pat on the back. We all want our name called by the Preacher when credits are anounced. And God forbid if he forgets a name!! We labor long and hard for the cause of Christ. But lets be honest and ask ourselves if we are doing it for attention or would we be content if no one knew what role we play in our labor for the Lord. These three ladies just labored and yet God allowed their names to be written for all to read.
I love that God uses and remembers the unknown. Not everyone can be the “front-line person”. There are many, many people behind the scenes. They are just as important because without them the person in front could not complete their task. In eternity, we’ll meet many believers who were used of the Lord to build His Church. Are they any less important because no one praised them? God’s rewards in heaven will not short-change anyone; even giving a cup of cold water will receive its reward. So, no matter what role you play in the service to the King, be content and wait. Your reward is waiting. God is watching. He loves you more than you can imagine.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
A Wonderful Story of Love
Today’s Passage – Song of Solomon 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 – Luke 11 – 12;Psalms 131 – 135; Proverbs 28)
Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – James 4:10
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Rest for the Busiest People“
Read the “0728 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” – (Song of Songs 2:4)
I must confess that I would rather write about a subject this morning that I have a better understanding of. The Song of Solomon is a wonderful account of love and marriage, but I must confess that I do not comprehend all that is contained in this beautiful story. I know that there is a literal, earthly story here about the love between a husband and a wife. It is clear from the passage that Solomon is the husband; but trying to figure out the identity of the wife with certainty is rather difficult as we know that Solomon had 700 of them (and 300 additional concubines). It is thought by some that this beautiful woman is Abishag, the woman who ministered to Solomon’s father in the last days of his life. We know that she was a Shulamite woman (6:13). At any rate, she is obviously Solomon’s first wife, before he had sinned by marrying so many other women.
The broader implication of this book is that Solomon is a type or picture of the Lord Jesus Christ; and his bride is a picture of the Church. It was a strange thought for me when I first learned that I was part of the Bride of Christ. I guess the man in me rebels against the feminine identity; but as I have grown through the years I have learned to accept and even somewhat understand the meaning of it all. I do love my Lord Jesus. I want to grow and learn to love Him more, but in order to do so I must learn to love myself a lot less.
As I said in the beginning of this thought, I don’t understand all that this love story has to tell us; but I love the story nonetheless from both an earthly perspective, and from the spiritual picture that it represents.
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