He That Winneth Souls Is Wise – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 13 – 15 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – John 13 – 14; Psalms 51 – 55; Proverbs 11)
Scripture Memorization for May – Romans 10
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 48:1 & 2
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Paul Chappell – “How to Choose an Accountibility Partner“
Read the “0511 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “God’s Will, God’s Way“
Good morning. Proverbs 11:30 tells us that,
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
Why are these two statements in the Bible? They go together hand in hand. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. According to Isaiah 64:6, our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. The only one who was ever righteous, is the Lord Jesus Christ. When we got saved, God gave us the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. We, those who are saved are the righteous. Not of our own righteousness, but Christ’s. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: the righteous will tell others about the salvation they received through the Lord Jesus Christ: giving life to others: bearing fruit. Jesus said, “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. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
And Jesus commands us to go out into the world and preach the Gospel: he that winneth souls is wise…
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” [They have a choice!] (Mark 16:15-16)
“Then opened he [Jesus] their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:45-49)
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21)
Jesus gave us the power to go. Acts 1:8 says, “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.”
We need to go! We must go! God made it easy for a person to get saved. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:13-17)
Do it. He that winneth souls is wise. Do it for Jesus. Do it because you love the Lord, and want to obey His command. Do it to keep people from joining the devil in Hell. Do it for yourself: Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
The whole problem is the doctrine of predestination which is found in Romans chapter 8. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:26-31)
I believe in predestination. But I had to choose. And here is what Hyper-Calvinists do not understand: because God is all-knowing, He knew that I would receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and He sent people throughout my life to tell me about Jesus. But I still had to choose.
Let me ask my Hyper-Calvinist friends out there in cyberspace, how do you know if someone is predestined to go to Heaven unless you ask them: tell them about Jesus: give them a chance to choose? And let me ask you, Christian, how are your feet: are they beautiful, or are they ugly and stink? He that winneth souls is wise.
Peace! (Romans 10:13-15)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Valiant Men
Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 7 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – John 7 – 8; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)
Scripture Memorization for May – Romans 10
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Cary Schmidt – “Stop Worrying“
Read the “0508 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father’s house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred.” – (1 Chronicles 7:2)
1 Chronicles 7 contains the genealogies of several of the tribes of Israel, and lists many of the heads of the families that were alive when the Israelites were moving into the Promised Land during and after the time of Joshua. As you will recall, this land was full of the enemies of God’s people, and they all had to be removed from the land. In addition to the above verse, four times in this passage of Scripture the phrase “men of valour” is used to describe these men. I looked up the word “valour” in the dictionary, and it defines it as great courage in the face of danger. Some of the synonyms listed in the thesaurus for the word “valour” are bravery, courage, pluck, nerve, and fearlessness. I admire men who rise to the challenge and are willing to risk their lives for a greater cause than their own personal safety. God raised up these “men of valour” in Israel at a time when the people of God were facing incredible obstacles while claiming the inheritance that God had given them.
I remember the daring assault by the US Navy Seals in Pakistan which resulted in the removal of Usama bin Laden. These Seals are incredibly brave men, who are often asked to put their lives in great danger for the cause of liberty. I am very thankful for men who will lay their own safety on the line so that my family is kept safe. In a few weeks we will be observing Memorial Day. For many years this holiday meant little to me. For the most part it was a day for hamburgers, hot dogs, and potato salad; and a time to have barbecues or picnics with friends and family. But as I get older, and I look at my children and the opportunities they have here in this great nation, my mind is forced to think about the brave men and women who made it all possible for us. I would like to thank all of you who might be reading this thought this morning, who may have served our nation in the armed forces. You are truly men and women of valour.
As I was reflecting on my admiration of the men from this passage, and my appreciation for the men and women in America who keep us free, I was also challenged to consider what my contributions have been to make our country a better place. What sacrifices have I been willing to make so that life could be better for my family and neighbors? I want my life to make a difference as well. I don’t think that I will ever be called upon to go into a physical battle against some opposing army, but perhaps I can do some spiritual battle with the forces of darkness. I can also sacrifice some of my time, talent, and treasures to help people in a tangible way. Maybe there is something that you can do as well.
Posted in Thoughts from 1 Chronicles by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 6 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – John 5 – 6; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
Scripture Memorization for May – Romans 10
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Cary Schmidt – “Stop Worrying“
Read the “0507 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “A Large Family of Ministers“
A Study Of Women In The Bible
The Proverbs 31 Woman
“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” (Proverbs 31:28)
I know, I know. Your saying to yourself, “Oh no! Not the Proverbs 31 woman!! How can we live up to her standards? She’s perfect.” Well lets take a look at her verse by verse and I think you’ll see that it’s not as hard as you think.
I want to start with verse 28. “Her children arise up and call her blessed, her husband also..” This verse is the goal. This is where we want to be. With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, we, as mothers, want to strive to do our best in raising our children. We want to keep that close relationship with our children throughout our lives. If we are not moms yet, this is a good place to start.
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (Proverbs 31:10-12)
Here we see that a virtuous woman is priceless. She is compared to a fine jewel. When owning something of great value, it’s greatly taken care of. In return, it always shines and looks it’s best. Remember, one person’s best is not anothers. Her husband trusts her. She doesn’t waste his money and takes care of the things they have. “She will do him good”. She doen’t speak evil of him but builds him up. She cares for him as an example to her daughters or other young ladies. She is proud of what he does, even if it’s not up to her standards. There you go. Three verses down. Not hard. Did you pass?
“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.” (Proverbs 31:13-14)
In Bible times, most women made clothing for their family. There were no JC Pennys or Walmarts. But even if you don’t make your clothing, (and I don’t know many who do) we still are thrifty in what we do buy. I know many women: Pastors’ wives, Missionary wives, myself and others, who go to Good Will and other second hand clothing stores. Many women exchange clothing, especially for the children. And how many of us will go to more than one food store to save on our food bill. And what about COUPONS!! How ya doin? Two more verses gone. Not as bad as you thought, right?
“She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” (Proverbs 31:15)
Now don’t throw tomatoes yet. This woman got up early and made her family breakfast and lunch. We get too busy in life that we find ourselves getting to bed late. Because of this, we are running out the door with coffee in hand and a piece of toast in our mouth. Our kids are rushing around and grab whatever, if anything. Life is like a zoo in the morning. God never intended us to be so busy that we negelect our family. If you have a tomato in your hand about now, why not examine your busy life, and get rid of things that are keeping you too busy. I do understand about women having to work. I was a single and a married working mom and I know about the mistakes of being too busy for my family. Are you still with me? Put your tomato back in the refrigerator and have it with your lunch.
“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” (Proverbs 31:16)
The Proverbs 31 woman, bought a home and took care of it. Buying the land and planting on it, made it useable and more valuable. Even if you don’t “own” it, you’re still paying for it. You thought about the cost and made sure you could afford it. She fixes and takes care of it herself, so not to go into debt. Not bad. This one was easy.
“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” (Proverbs 31:17)
Though women are known as the weaker vessel, she is made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of God. A woman should control her own spirit and know how to manage other people. She should also be a help meet for her husband. We too can get wisdom by the reading and obeying God’s word. Do you read your Bible? We manage our family members everyday. As far as controlling our spirit, that is where the wisdom of God comes in. Life can get out of hand. Something can go wrong, we get caught up in the moment and we react the wrong way. Keeping our Christian spirit can only come when we stop, think and then react. The more we learn recognize temptations of Satan, the easier it is to keep ourselves in control.
Still doing ok?
“She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.” (Proverbs 31:18-22)
These five verses have a lot to do with taking care of her family. She makes sure the things she buys are good. It doesn’t matter if your rich or not. If you buy the items you and your family needs from the best of stores or from the flea market, we all do our best. She goes to bed after the family. She makes sure all is well before she lays her head down at night. Easy. We all check on the kids. We make sure the “night lights” are on before we go to bed. I don’t think I know anyone who wouldn’t help someone in a time of need. And like the ant, we prepare for winter. We make sure everyone has their hats and gloves. We take out the heavy blanks for those cold nights. See, we really aren’t much different then the Proverbs woman are we?
“Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” (Proverbs 31:23)
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26)
I like this verse. She speaks kindness. Again I’ll say, Satan wants to keep our lives in spinning to the point that we can’t tell which side is up. When this happens we, tend to make mistakes and unkind words can find their way out of our mouths. Beware of satan. He is like a lion wanting to destroy us. Our tounges are like a knife. They can cut and destroy a person. OK. Hang in there. One more verse to go and you’ve made it. You can do it!
“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” (Proverbs 31:30)
This verse sums it all up. Fear the Lord. You can’t go wrong. No matter what anyone say or thinks, fear the Lord. Follow Him.
Well I know you all passed the test. You all got an A. Now we know we’re all Proverbs 31 Women. A daugther of the King of Kings.
Thank You, And I Pray You All Have A Blessed Mother’s Day. Enjoy Your Family.
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
His name is “Mudd”
Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 1 – 2 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – John 1 – 2; Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)
Scripture Memorization for May – Romans 10
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Cary Schmidt – “Stop Worrying“
Read the “0505 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
I must be completely honest with you and tell you that it was a little bit challenging finding a thought to write about from today’s portion of Scripture. The first few chapters of 1 Chronicles contain some very necessary information regarding the genealogical record of Israel. Though this information is important, it can also be very tedious to wade through; but we must not skip over passages of Scripture such as these. If you are searching for a nugget of truth, God will always get one to you, even in passages like this. So hang in there. By the way, eventually 1 Chronicles will become a very exciting book to read.
My thought this morning comes from chapter 2 and verse 7. In the middle of the genealogical record, there is a comment made about one of the listed men, Achar. He is called here “the troubler of Israel”. The story behind this man can be found in Johsua 7. He is called Achan there; and we find that he is the man that stole some gold and silver and a “goodly Babylonish garment” from the city of Jericho during Israel’s invasion of that city. The problem was that God told the Israelites that they were not supposed to touch anything in that city, but Achan could not resist. As a result, God’s judgment fell upon the whole nation of Israel, and they lost the next military battle with many innocent men being killed in the battle. Later, when Achan’s sin was discovered, he and his family were all put to death. The bottom line to this whole story is that Achan was probably a good man who yielded to a temptation, and the result was death and sorrow for a lot of people, and a reputation that will follow him for all eternity. His name will forever be “Mud”.
I want to challenge all of us to consider for a moment our own reputation, and the affect that our reputation will have on our family members. I understand that none of us is without sin, and I am not trying to rub salt on old wounds; but I am trying to get us to carefully consider the affect that some future sin will have on our reputations. When people here your name in the future what will they say about you? Will they say that you were a moral, honest, hard-working individual; or will their be negative thoughts that surround your reputation? By the way, if your reputation is less than perfect today, you still have time to change it.
Interesting side note on the expression “his name is mud”. It seems to have become popular as a result of a doctor named Samuel Mudd (pictured above) who treated and helped John Wilkes Booth after he broke his leg jumping down from the balcony in the Ford’s Theater, after his assassination of President Lincoln. Mudd was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, though he was later parolled by President Andrew Johnson.
Posted in Thoughts from 1 Chronicles by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Tolerance – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Good morning. In reading Luke 23 and 24 today, we see the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pharisees would not tolerate Jesus anymore. They wanted people to look at them and see how spiritual they were. Jesus had come out, and called them sinners, the same as we all are. They were not going to stand for that. They took Jesus to Pilate, and Pilate had Him crucified.
They were not going to tolerate any other way to heaven except by keeping the Law. They were not going to tolerate the truth that they were hypocrites. They were not going to tolerate the new life that Jesus had for all believers. And I’m sure, if they had a bumper on their chariot, it would have a “tolerance” bumper sticker. I’m seeing more and more of these bumper stickers on cars. I want to get one. Then underneath it I’ll place another bumper sticker that says, “BUT…JOHN 14:6!” John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Because we live in the United States of America, the land of the free, you are free to worship whoever you like. You can worship the moon god, Allah; but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. You can bow down to statues of Mary, and the saints, but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. You can worship a fat bald guy, but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Or some multi-armed figment of someone’s imagination; but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. You can be a Mormon, and worship a Jesus who is satan’s brother, or for that matter you can even worship satan himself; but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. You can worship plants, trees, and shrubbery; but Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Why you are so free that you can even bow down before a mirror and worship yourself! But Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him.
As Christians, we tolerate other religions, why is it that they do not tolerate us? Because Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by Him. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Romans 12: 1 says to make your bodies a living sacrifice, so why blow yourself up? How about those statues you bow down to? Leviticus 26:1-9 tells us: “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.”
HMMmmmm…. could that be why we are having so many problems in America? Maybe we should put the Real God first, and stop worshiping everything but Him, including ourselves. “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).
Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life, and it’s amazing how much He has tolerated us.
Peace. (1John 5:12-13)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
He Should Have Quit While He Was Ahead
Today’s Reading – 2 Kings 20 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – Luke 21 – 22; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Joshua 1:8
Read the “0503 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “Have You Found the Book“
“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.” (2 Kings 20:1)
1 Kings 20 tells us a very interesting story of the prophet Isaiah coming to King Hezekiah and announcing to him that he was about to die. Hezekiah is naturally distraught when he hears the news that his sickness will lead to his death. After all, he was only 39 years old. Who wants to die at 39? He then goes to the Lord and asks him to spare his life, and the Lord graciously adds to him another fifteen years; but I am not sure whether it was good for Hezekiah to spend that additional time on the earth. It may have been better for him, and for the nation had he gone home to Heaven when the Lord first called for him.
Consider three events that happened in the last fifteen years of Hezekiah’s life that would have not happened had he died at 39:
1 He had a son, named Manasseh, in the last 15 years of his life that turned out to be the most wicked king in Judah’s history.
“Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. … So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:1-2, 9)
2 He allowed the ambassadors from Babylon to come into Jerusalem, and he showed them all of the kingdom. Babylon would be the nation that would destroy Jerusalem later on, and they would take everything.
3 His heart became lifted up with pride:
“But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 32:25)
To be fair, I must point out that the Bible tells us that Hezekiah did humble himself after this, which would postpone the wrath that God had promised, but even though the judgment was postponed, it would still come, but not until after Hezekiah’s death.
Hezekiah was one of the greatest kings that Israel had in all of the history, but he would have been the greatest by far had his life ended at 39. The kingdom went downhill in the last 15 years.
I do not know how many years I have left, but I pray that I will be yielded to the will of the Lord for the remainder of my life. I want to finish my course by keeping the faith. I am not in a hurry to leave this earth, but when He calls for me, I want to be willing to go. I don’t want to go out fighting his will.
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Kings by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Now You’ve Crossed the Line
Today’s Reading – 2 Kings 18 – 19
(Second Milers Read – Luke 19 – 20; Psalms 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)
“Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. … Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?” (2 Kings 18:30, 33 KJV)
“It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. … Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.” (2 Kings 19:4, 28)
In chapters 18 and 19 of 2 Kings we see the city of Judah surrounded by the powerful army of Assyria, not just once, but twice. The first time they came up against Hezekiah and the city of Jerusalem, God caused the Assyrians to become distracted by news of an attack on them in another area, which forced them to temporarily pack up and leave. They soon returned, and once again promised to utterly destroy the city if the people did not surrender to them.
In a previous post on this passage, I focused on the fact that Hezekiah depended completely on the Lord for deliverance from this impossible situation, which God did. This morning, however, I wanted to consider another reason that God delivered the people of Jerusalem, and destroyed the army of Assyria. The Assyrian leader did not merely speak against the people of Jerusalem, he spake against the Lord. Rabshakeh basically said that his army was more powerful than Israel’s God. That’s where he crossed the line. Had he left God out of it, who knows what may have happened, but when Rabshakeh’s “rage” against the God of Israel was announced, God quickly moved in and destroyed him.
God destroyed the Assyrians, not only because of His love for His people, but also because of His own glory. God will not share His glory with anyone, and when the little men of the earth attempt to elevate and exalt themselves above God, He will put them in their place. Isn’t that what happened to Goliath (1 Samuel 17). He “cursed David by his gods”, and he challenged the God of Israel. God took out that giant with a boy and his slingshot. God does not like it when you mess with His children, but God will really get angry when you attack His glory.
“For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.” (Isaiah 48:11)
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Kings by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
I Warned You!
Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 16 – 17
(Second Milers Read – Luke 17 – 18; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)
“Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,” (2 Kings 17:5-7)
In 2 Kings 17, we see the destruction of the city of Samaria along with the rest of the northern kingdom of Israel, and the carrying away of God’s people into the land of Assyria. God had warned the people literally for centuries that if they continued to reject Him and His Word, judgment would come. In this chapter we see that God’s patience with these northern tribes had finally come to an end. The warnings were over, and the punishment had finally come.
The passage goes on to explain the sins of the nation. So, God warned them many times not to do these things, and when they didn’t listen, God admonished them to stop and turn back to Him (v 13), but they did not listen (v 14), and then finally He punishes them through the nation of Assyria; and now, to be crystal clear, He explains why He was forced to punish them.
What were they guilty of?
1 They feared other gods (v7) – God was clear that the people were to put no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3), but Israel had tolerated and even encouraged the worship of many false gods. Along with this are many of the other sins listed in this passage including idol / image worship; burning incense in the high places; etc.
2 They walked in the statues of the heathen. (v 8 ) God had given them moral, ceremonial, and civil statutes (laws) to follow, but instead they followed the laws of the heathen nations around them. Israel was set up as a theocracy – a nation governed by the laws of God, but they had thrown God off of the throne, and they were now governing themselves. The immoral customs of the heathen nations became the accepted practice of the day.
3 They sacrificed their own children. Children have a very special place in God’s heart, and when the nation began to promote the sacrifice of children (v 17), God became very angry with them (v 18).
The nation of Israel had everything they needed to live a blessed, prosperous existence in the land that God provided for them, but instead “they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord” (v 17).
I wonder what God will do to America. We were a nation tremendously blessed of God, but we too have forsaken Him. We have thrown Him out of our schools and our government, and we have allowed all kinds of immoral filth to permeate our society. We have also promoted and tolerated the sacrificing of our own children. Over one million babies are sacrificed every year through the abominable practice of expedient abortions. God is warning our nation to repent, but His warnings are falling on deaf ears. I fear His patience is running out on us just as it ran out on Israel. Wake up America!
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JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL
BONDWOMAN BORN AFTER THE FLESH OR FREE WOMAN BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT?
Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 13 – 15 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – Luke 15 – 16; Proverbs 30 – 31; Psalm 146 – 150)
Scripture Memorization for March – John 1:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Paul Chappell – “How to Develop Friendships with Co-Laborers in the Ministry“
Read the “0430 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from today’s Bible reading passage – “He Gave Them A Saviour“
A Study Of Women In The Bible
“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.” (Galatians 4:22-23)
“Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.” (Galatians 4:31-31)
When looking at being free or bound, we can compare it to being saved or lost. We can also look at it as being saved, but following in the steps of a free or bound women. In today’s blog, we’re going to look at it both ways, so let’s recap some of the past blogs.
Anna: Freewoman and stayed free. She stayed devoted to God even when life turned wrong.
Athaliah: Bondwoman and stayed bond. She encouraged her son Ahaziah, to do wrong and later wanted to kill her grandchildren.
Delilah: Bondwoman and stayed bond. She deliberately betrayed her husband.
Miriam: Freewoman turned bondwoman. She was greatly used of God but then overstepped her boundaries by trying to usurp her authority over Moses.
Sarah: Freewoman turned bondwoman. She walked ahead of God and made the wrong decision. She also lied for her husband, laughed at God heartless to her husband’s other son, Isaac.
Rahab: Bondwoman turned free. She was a woman with a questionable profession to having her name mentioned in Hebrews 11 “Heroes of the Faith”.
Ruth: Bondwoman turned free. She was a Moabite born out of incest who later followed the God of Naomi.
When taking a closer look at the women in the Bible, we can only come to the conclusion, that being, or following, the steps of a free woman is always a better choice. It’s the one that pleases the Lord. Which are you? If you haven’t accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you are a bondwoman. Or you could be a bondwoman because your not wholly following Him. Both make you in bondage to sin. Satan wants us in bondage and he wants us to stay there. I urge you bondwoman, accept Jesus as your Saviour. He will free you from sin. He paid the price. Only through Jesus Christ can you be free. Our church’s website will guide you in the way you need to go to be truly free. If your saved and struggling with something, seek the Lord. He has the answer. Turn from going in the wrong direction. It will only turn to destruction, not only in your life, but also in the life of others. Confess your wrong and seek Godly counsel. God will forgive you.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalms 103:12)
And for you ladies who are free and remaining free, beware. Satan is watching and waiting for you. Put on your armour everyday.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1Peter 5:8)
Thank You
1 John 5:13
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Windows of Heaven
Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 7 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Luke 11 – 12; Proverbs 28; Psalms 136 – 140
Scripture Memorization for March – John 1:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read a great article by Pastor Pastor Paul Chappell – “How to Develop Friendships with Co-Laborers in the Ministry“
Read the “0428 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.” (2 Kings 7:2)
In today’s passage we see the the city of Samaria surrounded by an overwhelming army of the Syrians. This massive host from Syria had the city surrounded for some time, which caused the Israelites to run completely out of food on the inside of the city; with no way to get out to get more food. Things got so bad the people were actually buying and selling dove’s dung to eat. Some had even killed and ate children. Pretty hopeless situation.
Along comes the man of God and tells them that at the same time the next day the situation would be reversed, so much so that food that was very expensive the previous day would be sold for next to nothing on the next day. But one of the lords (princes) of Israel doubted the Word of God through the mouth of the prophet, and stated basically that this is impossible, even if God were to open the windows of heaven.
You can read the story for yourself; but God did exactly what he said he would do. The Syrians heard the sound of chariots, and assumed that their enemies from Egypt or maybe the Hittites were coming to help Israel by attacking them. They flee, leaving all of their food and goods behind. Israel discovers that the Syrians have left, and they come out of the city and spoil the camp of the Syrians.
It looks like God truly opened up the windows of heaven. We have a promise from the word of God regarding those same windows in heaven:
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10)
God has promised us that if we will keep him first in our lives that he will keep those windows open. He doesn’t promise that we will all live in mansions on this earth and eat caviar; but praise the Lord, we won’t have to eat dove’s dung either.
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