Rule 42.20 In The Use Of A Colon – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Reading – Psalms 69 – 72 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 13 – 16; Psalms 141 – 145; Proverbs 29)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1
Read a great article from Ministry 127 by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Striving Together“
Read the “0629 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read an earlier post from this passage – “Time Is Running Out”
Good morning. And yes, I know it’s a weird title, but you need to know this. Or maybe I should rephrase this. And yes, I know it’s a weird title: but you need to know this for the key verse.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18).
Do you have a vision for the things of God? Has God given you a vision for what He wants to accomplish in your life? Do you have a vision? If you don’t, you need to get a vision before you perish. Maybe God once gave you a vision of His will for your life, and somehow you got sidetracked. This happens. It happened to me. I was recently reminded of the verse I had received as my reason to go to college. In Luke 14:21, Jesus said, “So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.”
So now my focus is back on ministering to those who are physically and mentally challenged. Where is your vision? The key is after the colon: he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Your vision of God’s will for your life is in the Scripture. You need a vision or you will perish.
Have a vision for God’s Word. King David wrote,
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.” (Psalm 119:1-8)
And God is serious about His Word. His Word is truth. God wanted the king to write out his own copy of the Bible:
“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).
Have a vision for God’s people. Jesus said,
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)
Maybe you are down on yourself. You think, how can God use me? I’m such a screw-up. If you start loving others as Jesus did, you will begin to get a vision of how God sees you. He doesn’t see you as a screw-up, He sees you as His child.
Have a vision for those who are not God’s people. Hell was created for the devil and his angels, not for people. 2Peter 3:9 tells us that God is not willing that any should perish. That’s why He commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. People need to hear the gospel. You are saved by grace through faith, and faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Those who are not God’s people need a chance to become God’s people.
If you are reading this and are not one of God’s people, you can become one. 1John 5:11-13 tells us,
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
Romans 3:10 & 23 tell us that we are all sinners and fall short of God’s glory. And God will not allow any sin to enter heaven. The good news is in Romans 5:8:
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
According to Romans 10:13, all you need to do is ask Him to save you and He will:
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Did you do that? Great! Now get yourself a vision for God’s Word, God’s people, and those who aren’t God’s people.
Peace. (Acts 1:8)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Trouble Sleeping?
Today’s Reading – Psalms 58 – 64 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 131 – 135; Proverbs 27)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0627 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “Lead Me To The Rock”
“I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” (Psalm 63:6)
Have you ever had trouble sleeping at night? It is a huge problem for many people. They toss and turn all night, thinking and worrying about all sorts of things. Thankfully, since my time in Bible college, I can honestly say that it is a very rare occasion when I don’t go right to sleep after hitting the pillow; and usually I sleep like a rock all through the night. However, every once in a while I do have some pressing issue in my mind that keeps sleep from me. I have discovered that prayer is a wonderful help during those difficult nights. I have learned that praying about these rest-robbing problems will cause me to feel more at ease about them, and will allow me to have enough peace to get some rest.
Recently I have taken this a step further. Now when I go to sleep I start praising God for who He is, and for all of the wonderful blessings He has given to me and my family. It is usually not long before I am sleeping peacefully with the last thought of the day being about our wonderful Lord. As a preacher, I often tell our people to give the first part of the day to God; but how glorious it is to finish the day with my last conscious thoughts about Him.
Tonight when you go to bed, why not try to spend those last moments praising the Lord for His goodness. I bet it will help you sleep better.
“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:2)
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
When a Friend Turns Against You
Today’s Reading – Psalms 51 – 57 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 4 – 6; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0626 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” (Psalms 55:12-14 KJV)
It is not clear exactly what the context is surrounding Psalm 55. Some have claimed that David was referring to Saul; others have suggested that it was his son, Absalom; and still others believe that it could have been Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15) who was David’s counsellor but had turned against him. A man as great as David was, no doubt, had a lot of friends, along with a lot of enemies; and I am sure that he had several friends (and even family members) that turned on him. Nothing is quite as painful as the betrayal of a friend. It hurts deeply. You expect your enemies to treat you badly, but when a friend turns on you, it often takes you completely by surprise.
What can you do today when you are betrayed by a friend:
PrayThis whole Psalm is really a prayer from David regarding the situation. He gave the problem to the Lord. Resist the temptation to talk to people about the betrayers, and instead talk to the Lord. It is OK to “gossip” to the Lord.
“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (Psalms 55:16-17)
By the way, don’t just pray for the Lord to punish your enemy; pray that God will restore your friendship. Jesus commands us to love our enemies, which includes those enemies who used to be our friends. Pray also for God to show you where you might have failed as a friend yourself. It is very interesting that the person that betrays us often feels justified in their betrayal, and perhaps sometimes they are; not that their betrayal was necessarily right, but perhaps there may have been some underlying reasons, or hurt feelings that may have motivated the betrayal.
Love – You can continue to love and “do good to them which hate you”. This is certainly not easy, but it is the best way to demonstrate the love and grace of our Lord. He loves us, even though we fail Him continually, and even betray Him at times. We may never win back our friends, but we can make it easy for a restoration to take place. Continue to be a friend to those who no longer see you as a friend.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44)
I think we all have been on both sides of this equation. I have had people that in my view have betrayed me; but I am also sure that there are people out there that would say that I have betrayed them; and I suppose there is some truth to that. We don’t always get it right, do we? But, we can strive to make things right with the people who are at odds with us.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Reading – Psalms 46 – 50 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 1 – 3; Psalms 121 – 125; Proverbs 25)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32 (slower version)
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0625 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
A Study Of Women In The Bible
Gomer, Loved By Her Husband Hosea
“The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.” (Hosea 1:2-3)
Last week we studied Leah, a woman who was unloved by her husband and stayed trued to him. Today we’re going to take a look at Gomer who was loved by her husband and was unfaithful.
It almost seems strange that God would ask a prophet to marry a faithless harlot. But God had a plan. He wanted to show Israel just what their unfaithfulness to Him looked like. So He gave His people a practical view of it by having the prophet marry a woman who would seek out other men and bear illegitimate children.
Gomer gave birth to Jezreel, which means God scatters; Lo-Ruhamah, which means not loved; and Lo-Ammi, that means not my people. Sometime after, following their birth, Gomer left her husband to live as a prostitute. After all her wild living, Gomer ended up a slave. But God commanded the prophet to love her again. Hosea was obedient to God and brought her back just as Jesus brought us out of our sin.
This past Saturday night, my husband and I went to see Cirque du Soleil in Camden, NJ. After the show we decided to ride past the home we owned in the Gloucester City, the next town over. Instead of traveling on the main highway, we went through the center of Camden. The sights were as sad as they were last time we were there. We passed several prostitutes. Then at a red light, I noticed a woman walking on the other side of the road where another car was coming from the opposit way of us. Needless to say she got in the car. This was not the first time I saw this, but this time I was angry. I could not get the thought out of my mind. Why would someone do that? I wanted to stop their car, pull her out, and smack the two guys upside the head (in a Christ like way). The more I thought about the question “Why?”, the more I realized it was because of love. There was a lack of love in her life somewhere. Yes maybe she was trying to get money for drugs or liquor, but when you come right down to it, it was love she was craving. People try to satisfy love with sex, crime, overspending, not loving self, and the list goes on. Because of the lack of love a person can become lonely, angry, critical, absorbed with self; or they try to buy love. There is nothing that can take the place of love. Where do we find this love? Jesus Christ. Only He can satisfy the true love we crave. When we look to him for love He will heal our hurting heart. He will build in us self worth. We will feel complete. We will begin to love others and forgive those who may have wronged us. Only His love will empower us to develop an intimate relationship with others and to serve them. Love is an unselfish sacrificial giving of one’s self. Hosea was like that. Inspite of what his wife did, he still loved her and took her back as the Lord asked him to do. But you ask why did Gomer go in the wrong direction and then stay there? Some people feel unworthy to be loved. Remember she came from a heathen nation. Maybe she felt unloved by the people around her. Many times people who are in a bad situation stay there because they feel stuck. They feel as if there is no way out, and they’ll do anything to be accepted.
Time is short. The return of Christ for His bride is near. I believe a great revival will take place and our churches will be filled with the “unloveables”. Busses will be full of little ones who’ll write in or tear out pages in the song books. They’ll throw paper on the floor or stop up the bathroom bowl. They’ll be disrespectful to an adult or pick a fight with their classmate. They’ll be the ones who never heard a parent say “I love you”. Maybe that was Gomer.
Will you share a little love with someone? Will you take the time to point someone to our Lord and Saviour no matter who they are?
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Golden Nuggets from Psalm 37
Today’s Reading – Psalms 36 – 39 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 John 1 – 5; Psalms 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Matthew 6:33
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0623 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” – (Psalm 37:4)
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” – (Psalm 37:23)
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” – (Psalm 37:25)
Have you ever noticed that Psalm 37 contains many wonderful verses that we often quote. I have listed three of them above, but really I could have added more. This Psalm almost reminds me of a chapter from the Book of Proverbs, but the theme seems to be the same throughout the Psalm. The bottom line to this Psalm is that God is encouraging us to trust in His promises and provisions; and to not worry about the apparent prosperity of the lost world around us. Their success and superiority is short-lived at best; but ours is eternal.
Let’s consider the three verses listed above. David says that a good man will “order” his steps according to the direction of the Lord. This means tha a good man will yield himself to the will of the Lord. Notice that both verse 4 and 23 say that this good man will “delight” in God. God then in turn not only provides the necessities mentioned in v 25, but also will grant his desires. What a wonderful and awesome God we serve. What does this world have to offer you that could possibly compare to what God wants to give to that “good” man (or woman) who delights in Him.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
She’s Just A Kid – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Reading – Psalms 32 – 35 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 2 Peter 1 – 3; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Micah 6:8
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0622 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Proverbs 22:15 says:
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
Good morning. I read something at the beginning of the week. It was an article about a 16 year-old girl who was sentenced to death and is being released now that she is 43. She pleaded guilty to the murder of a 78 year-old Bible Studies teacher. She was 15 when she sat on the old woman, and slashed her 33 times with a butcher knife. She did this while three of her friends looked on (the youngest was 14).
She was sentenced to death, and became the youngest convict on death row. Protest sprung up across America, and even Europe, against the death penalty. The Indiana Supreme Court moved the minimum age for the death penalty from 10 years-old up to 16 years-old. This young girl was then sentenced to spend the next 60 years in prison. But you need to see how the article ends…
Linley E. Pearson, who was Indiana’s attorney general when [the girl] appealed to the state Supreme Court, said research now shows that the human brain doesn’t fully mature until age 24. “So kids can do a lot of things they wouldn’t do if they were an adult,” Pearson said. [The girl’s] sentence was reduced due to her behavior in prison, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. She will remain on parole for a few years…
So who is to blame for the murder of the 78 year-old Bible teacher? Was it the girl? She was old enough to know right from wrong. She chose to do wrong. Were the parents to blame? Proverbs 22:6 tells us to, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
I don’t know what her up-bringing was like. Maybe her dad only cared about making babies, and didn’t love his wife as Christ loved the church? Was it something she learned in school? Maybe in evolution class? Did her teachers tell her how she came from a slug that crawled out of the sea, and that she was superior and stronger than a 78 year-old lady. Did they teach her that she would be doing the world a favor by killing the old woman? It did not work for Hitler, and his socialistic, superior that any other, Aryan race either. Maybe it was the government who took God’s Word out of the schools. How do the students learn right from wrong, if they are being taught to do their own thing? How can a country that is built on the Word of God function without the Word of God? It can’t. That is why we are in the mess we are in today: children killing children, drive-by shootings, home invasions all because we refuse to listen to God’s Word. Israel turned their backs on God, and started chasing after false gods, and for a while they were without a country: scattered. America has turned it’s back on God, and we are paying the price. Our freedoms are being flushed down the sewer. Soon the country that was built on God’s Word will be no more because we chased after false gods. What are our false gods? Worship of self, money, things. False gods like Allah, Buddha, Harri Krishnah, and the devil. We need to give God His proper place: Number One in our lives. 2Chronicles 7:14 says, “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.”
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but being under the rod of God’s correction is not a good place to be for our nation.
Peace. (Exodus 20:1-17)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
“Wait I say, on the Lord” by Sami Erickson
Today’s Reading – Psalms 26 – 31 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Peter 1 – 5; Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0621 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “Joy Cometh in the Morning”
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:Wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
In this day and age we have gotten used to getting anything we want immediately. If we have to wait five minutes in line we are in an uproar. We have become a very impatient people. I fear that we expect the same kind of service from our Heavenly Father as well. How many times have you prayed and asked God for something and since it wasn’t answered immediately you just gave up? I know im guilty! Sorry to say, the Lord doesn’t work like this. The Lord doesn’t do things on our time lines, He does them on His.
Wait on the Lord! No matter what the situation is, no matter how scary it may be . “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1) I know at times you may think you need an answer right away and circumstances surrounding you are saying there is no hope but “Wait, I say, on the Lord”
I have gone through times when I wondered, “does God even hear me?” “Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me:” (psalm 28:1) God is not a God of confusion. If you Wait on Him He WILL answer your prayer, or reveal His will to you. The worst thing you can do is act on what YOU think is the right thing to do, simply because you can’t wait for God to show you. There is nothing better then to know 100% that it’s all God and zero you. “Wait , I say, on the Lord.” Gerald always says “Let go and Let God” Give it up to the Lord…. Whatever it is! And WAIT on Him.
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Have a Great day!!!!
Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Mountaintop or Valley?
Today’s Reading – Psalms 21 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – James 1 – 5; Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0620 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this mornings’s reading – “Are You Teachable?”
“Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.” (Psalm 21:2)
“O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:2)
Isn’t it interesting the difference between Psalm 21 and Psalm 22. Many of these Psalms are just praises and prayers to God right out of the heart of David. In Psalm 21 everything is great. David is praising the Lord for all of the wonderful things that God has done for him. In Psalm 21 it appears that everything is going great in David’s life.
Now when we get to Psalm 22, it seems like the bottom has fallen out of David’s life. Notice in verse 2, he accuses God of not hearing him. That’s funny because in the first Psalm he said that God gave him the desires of his heart. What happened? Is there some kind of a contradiction here? No. It is just that David, like us, is viewing God through the eyes of his present circumstance. Apparently his circumstance in Psalm 22 was not as good as Psalm 21. Remember, these Psalms are expressions of the deep feeling coming straight out of David’s heart.
I find that my prayer and praise to God is much the same way. Like David, I too go through different seasons. At times, it feels like nothing is going wrong in life; but at other times it seems as if God is completely absent from my life and the devil is having a “free for all”. Do you ever feel that way? I guess maybe David was just as human as we are. I would like to some day get to the place where my praises to God are consistent regardless of the valley or the mountaintop I may be traveling through.
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Call Upon The Lord
Today’s Reading – Psalms 17 – 20 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 9 – 13; Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0619 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this morning’s reading – “My Words and My Thoughts“
“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” (Psalms 18:3)
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.” (Psalms 18:6)
“He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.” (Psalms 18:17)
“He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.” (Psalms 18:33)
“Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.” (Psalms 18:43)
“Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.” (Psalms 18:50)
When we hear the phrase, “call upon the Lord”, we tend to think about a person calling upon the Lord for salvation from Hell. It certainly is a wonderful truth to know that anyone who calls out to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith will be saved from the penalty of their sin. (Romans 10:13) The greatest day in my life was the day that I realized my need for a Saviour, and trusted Him alone to save me. His shed blood on the Cross of Calvary paid the full atonement price for my sin. Praise the Lord!
However, we also have the wonderful privilege as the children of God to call upon the Lord during times of earthly trouble. The context of Psalm 18 refers to a time in the life of King David when God delivered him from the hand of one of his greatest enemies. King Saul hated David, and was extremely insecure and jealous of the attention that David was getting from the people of Israel as they recognized God’s hand upon him. Saul became consumed with David’s destruction, and eventually spent much of his time pursuing him. What a shame. David wasn’t even a threat to Saul, and never did anything but lift up Saul, and support his authority as king. Saul wasted all his energy in his last years trying to eliminate David, but David called upon the Lord, and the Lord delivered him, by eliminating Saul.
We have many enemies in this life who are trying to destroy us as well, and we also have many trials that we will have to face. It is very comforting to know that we do not have to face these problems alone. We have a wonderful God who desires to deliver His children from the enemies, and also help him get through the struggles of this life. What are you trying to go through today by yourself in your own strength? Why not call upon God? He wants to fight your battles for you and with you, and he wants to help you go through the trials of life. Stop trying to live the Christian life on your own. Allow God to live it through you. Without Him, you cannot win; but with Him, you are invincible. Call upon the Lord.
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalms 34:4)
Posted in Thoughts from Psalms by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Reading – Psalms 9 – 16 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 5 – 8; Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“
Read the “0618 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from today’sBible reading passage – “Does God See?“
A Study Of Women In The Bible
Leah, A Woman Whose Unhappy Marriage Became God’s Blessing To Humanity
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 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. (Genesis 29:18-30)
Every young girl dreams of the day she will meet the love of her life and marry him. Leah’s dreams fell to pieces when she learned that the man she was forced to marry did not love her at all, but rather loved her sister. Against all hope she lay with her bridegroom dreading the hour of truth, the break of day. Just as she anticipated, Jacob ran to his father-in-law in a rage. Leah no doubt understood Jacob’s sense of betrayal. She knew she meant nothing to him, even though she cared deeply for him. There was no turning back now.
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 29:30-35)
Here we see God giving balance to the unbalanced family. Rachel was loved but barren, Leah was unloved but brought forth children first. She named her first son Reuben, which meant “He has seen my affliction.” Her second son was named Simeon, which meant “the Lord has heard.” Leah had a close relationship with God, and God blessed her. She did not become proud when Rachel was childless, but remained humble despite her sister’s envy.
Leah may have been the most unloved woman of the Bible. Through no fault of her own, she never had her husband’s affection, only his children. Even her conniving father didn’t care for her. But Leah shows us what God can do, even with a hurting heart. Because of Leah’s dedication to God, she was blessed with having six sons. One was in the line of Christ.
God can also take our less-then-perfect lives and make them perfect in Him. We may never get all the human love and attention we’d like, but He’ll always draw us near to His side. Isn’t that where we really want to be anyway?
Never give up – Serve Him!
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.