Gun Control – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Good morning. If you’ve listened to talk radio at all, you know the main topic lately has been gun control. Law-biding citizens have been buying guns for fear that their right to bear arms will be taken away. Can you blame them? It’s for protection. There’s nothing wrong with that is there? Wanting to be safe? Do you really need an automatic weapon? If I was only able to get off one shot at an intruder and missed, what would happen? I’m more likely to obliterate the intruder, and the furniture, and the wall behind him, with an automatic. And I know he would not survive to take me to civil court and sue me because he broke into my house and I shot him.
Gun control will probably come. There is an example in the Bible. The Philistines saw to it that Israel could not rise up and take back control as a nation: as a free people.
“And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.” (1Samuel 13:17-22)
Two swords and some sharpened farming instruments are no match for the army of the Philistines. The Philistines would eventually catch up with Saul and Jonathan, and kill them in battle. But today, Israel is a nation. Where are the Philistines? Here are a few basic thoughts from the events of the past week.
1) Gun control could not have prevented the tragedy in Connecticut. If a person wants to kill, he can use anything from a knife, a club, or even his bare hands. If you take away the guns from the people, only the criminals will have guns. (And that includes a godless Socialistic government that will STEAL your rights, right out from under your nose.)
2) Life is eternal: it does not stop at death. Everyone has an appointed time at which he enters into an eternity with God in Heaven, or in a Hell that was prepared for the devil and his angels. (Hebrews 9:27, Matthew 25:41).
3) I’d rather be correct than politically correct. Do you know why our country is the way it is? Romans 1:28-32 says, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”
Homosexuality runs rampant. Children kill children, and innocent bystanders on the streets of our cities. God is removed from our schools, our government. Since 1973, 30 million abortions have been performed. When the first murder occurred: when Cain murdered his brother Abel, God said to Cain, “What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:10).
Can you imagine all the cries going up to Heaven from spilled blood these days?
4) Despite all this, there is hope. This hope starts with us. “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.” (2Chronicles 7:14).
It’s time we got the file out to sharpen our pitch forks, our goads, and our mattocks. We dropped the ball in getting the gospel out to the lost. But if my people, which are called by my name: Christian. Called by my name: Christian. If you call yourself a Christian, then you, me, and the others, need to humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our our wicked ways of which complacency is number one on the list. Then God will hear from Heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. Our only hope should be in the Lord. In God we trust.
Peace. (2Chronicles 7:14).
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Of Whom the World Was Not Worthy
Today’s Passage – Hebrews 10 – 11; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46
Read a previous post from this passage – “Living by Faith”
“And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” – (Hebrews 11:36-40)
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” – (2 Timothy 3:12)
Hebrews 11 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. In it we learn all about the men and women of the Bible who walked by faith. We learn what it means to have faith:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – (Hebrews 11:1)
We also learn that without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord:
“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)
The first 35 verses of the chapter give us examples of many of the acts of great faith from men and women of the Old Testament. People like Abraham, Moses, and Noah. This chapter has been called the “Hall of Faith”, because it mentions all of the great heroes of faith. Great victories were wrought by the Lord through these men and women of great faith who believed God, and because they believed Him, they obeyed Him; and God rewarded them greatly: some of them receiving their reward beginning in their earthly lives, but all of them receiving it in that “heavenly country” that they looked for.
An interesting thing happens in verse 36, however. God begins to describe what others had to endure because of their faith. Notice in vs. 36 – 40, that these men and women suffered terribly because of their faith; but they endured, and remained faithful, even unto death. These, too, are great heroes of the faith, and though the world was not worthy of them, in Heaven they are recognized and greatly rewarded by the Lord.
I must confess that I would rather be part of the first crowd in chapter 11. I would prefer to demonstrate my faith through great spiritual victories on the earth that do not involve pain and persecution. I would like to be a part of some future “Hall of Faith” for being a faithful pastor, who was used of God to build a great church; but I fear that these last days that we are living in are going to get tougher and tougher, and I believe it is very possible that even the Christians in America could begin to see persecution to the degree that some may be imprisoned, and others may even be put to death for their faith. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I really hope the Lord will come back for us before things get that bad here; but I am preparing for the cold reality that our nation is becoming more and more intolerant of biblical Christianity. It is my prayer that if my faith is ever put to the test like it was for the men and women mentioned in this passage, that I will be able to pass the test.
Posted in Thoughts from Hebrews by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Moving On
Today’s Passage – Hebrews 5 – 9; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Deuteronomy 32:4
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” – (Hebrews 6:1-2)
The foundation of a house is very important. In fact, it is the most important part of the house because if it is not strong, the rest of the structure will not be able to stand for very long. However, if we are going to have a complete house we must build on top of the foundation. So, in order to have a house, we have to build beyond the foundation.
Kindergarten and grammar school are also foundational in the process of education, but if a student is going to learn all that he needs to know in life, he will have to enter into middle school, then high school, and possibly even higher education. Now this does not mean that we will never re-visit the things that we learn in grammar school, for those truths are the building blocks for everything else that we are going to learn in life. A knowledge of basic mathematics is necessary in order to do algebra, geometry, calculus, and accounting. Similarly, the basics of grammar and word building are necessary in order to effectively and intelligently communicate on an adult level. My grandson, Jaxon, who is only about a year and a half old, likes to play with pretty simple toys. He can even content himself with spoons and spatulas, and pots and pans. However, he won’t enjoy these things for very long as he will want to move on to bigger and better things. His world will enlarge. He will move beyond the confines of the house, and begin to explore the back yard, and eventually he will enter into the world; exploring and learning about all that is out there. He will not stay a baby forever.
The passage above from Hebrews chapter 6 teaches us this same principle, but the application regards our spiritual life. Too many Christians never grow up beyond the foundational truths of salvation. Now don’t misunderstand me, I love thinking about my salvation, and I re-visit those foundational truths often, but I also moved on beyond those foundational principles. At the end of chapter five, Paul rebukes some of his readers for their lack of growth:
“For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” – (Hebrews 5:12-14)
Don’t stay a baby Christian. Grow up. Take those foundational principles of Christianity and incorporate them into a deeper walk with God. The only way that you will be able to do this is to be daily in the Word of God, and weekly in the services at your church where the Bible is preached and taught. Don’t miss any opportunity that comes your way that will help you grow up in the Lord. Take advantage of chances to participate and serve in the ministry. By serving, you are exercising and putting into practice what you learned in the classroom. There is no excuse for not growing, especially if you are part of a church that is flooding its members with opportunities to serve and grow. Get involved. Grow up in the Lord. Move on to bigger and better things spiritually.
PS – I need to warn you about one more thing. If you do decide to grow up and move on in your spiritual walk, you will be leaving behind some of your friends that will not choose to take that journey with you. That’s OK, though. You will find many more friends that will share your vision as you move further down the road. Don’t let anything or anybody hold you back from the journey of faith that God wants to bring you on.
Posted in Thoughts from Hebrews by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage – Philemon – Hebrews 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 –Psalms 86 – 90; Proverbs 18)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 4:7 & 8
A Study of the Women of the Bible
Elisabeth – A Woman of Character
“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.” (Luke 1:5-13)
“And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:39-45)
Elisabeth was a remarkable woman. She was the wife of a priest. Priest’s were only allowed to marry a woman who’s behavior was blameless. Elisabeth was such a woman. She was a descendant from the tribe of Aaron. Elisabeth and her husband Zacharias, were both righteous before God. Life was good to her as she served God, but her childlessness must have been painful to her. Every Jewish woman since Eve who conceived, thought she might be the mother of the Messiah. Yet Elisabeth suffered the humiliation of being childless. She must have question God “What’s wrong with me? Why hasn’t God answered my prayer?” Maybe she drew strength from the lives of Sarah, Rebekah and Hannah, who were also without children for a long time. But life is full of surprises, Elisabeth, who also waited many years, finally had a son who would be greatly used of God.
Elisabeth’s life could be characterized by humility and modesty. These were shown when a family member, Mary, visited her during her pregnancy. Rivalry was foreign to Elisabeth. Rather than talk about herself, she gave attention to Mary. She knew now that she was the mother of John, the preparer of the way, in the presence of the mother of the Messiah, whose way must be prepared. Elisabeth acknowledged this with great humility and modesty. She was not jealous at all. She had no problem calling Mary the mother of the Lord and “Blessed among women.”
With writing “Just For Ladies” each week, I can’t help but compare my life with the ladies I blog about. I want to share what I learned about myself from Elisabeth. I hope this will help you also.
With Christmas getting closer, I find myself very depressed and not much in the Christmas spirit. I try to stay out of stores as much as possible, but when there, I can’t help see parents getting excited about buying Christmas gifts for their children. I’m jealous and very angry that I no longer have my child, to celebrate Christmas with. Elisabeth could have reacted in the same way and said, “Why was Mary chosen to bare the Messiah, and not me……” She didn’t. She drew all her attention to Mary and her babe. Her eyes and heart were on the Lord and not herself.
In today’s society, we seem to look at others and want what they have. We secretly are jealous of someone’s marriage, child or possession. You name it. Think of Potipher’s wife and what she did because she wanted Joseph. Paul asked God to take away the thorn in his flesh and His response was “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. ”
As hard as it is to admit, I wish I could take matters into my own hands, like Potiphar’s wife, and get what I want. But I know the answer God gave Paul, is also the answer for me. How about you? Take a good hard look at your life. Ask yourself, what am I jealous about or covet?
As hard as it may be or even if we don’t like it, we should follow the example of Elisabeth. Remember, the only way, is God’s way.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 3 comments.
Christian Growth
Today’s Passage – 1 Timothy 4 – 2 Timothy 2; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 76 – 80; Proverbs 14)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
Read another post from this passage – “Where Would Our Church Be Without the Young People”
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” – (2 Timothy 2:2)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – (2 Timothy 2:15)
“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.” – (2 Timothy 2:23)
I believe there are a lot of factors involved in the spiritual development of a Christian; but I think 2 Timothy chapter 2 shows us three keys to Christian growth:
1 A Christian must be steadfast in his faithfulness. (v 15) When we refer to this verse, we often use it to teach that the church must be concerned about teaching the doctrines of the faith, and training the disciples of the Lord. We would certainly not dispute that those are two very important functions of the local church. However, I would like to draw attention to the fact that the teaching and the training can only be done with faithful men. When I first trusted Christ as my Saviour twenty years ago, I did not need anybody to beg me to come to church and get involved in the things of the Lord. I had a desire on the inside to grow and serve. I certainly was not perfect by any means, but I was faithful. I just needed somebody to show me the way. We often blame the church for not teaching and training as it should, but I believe that if there is a hungry soul out there in the pew, that there God will supply someone to train them. The bottom line to this point is that if you are going to grow in the Lord, you have to stay faithful and thirsty for the things of God.
2 A Christian must be studious. Studying is a lot of work, and it must be done on purpose. If spiritual growth is going to take place in the life of a believer, he must diligently apply himself to being a student of the Bible. Obviously, this will include attending all of the services and studies in the local church, but it also means that personal reading, meditation, and study must be done on a daily basis.
3 A Christian must not get sidetracked. On the surface this may not seem too important, but I have seen more Christians go down the tubes because of this than anything else. Lack of study will cause a slow and steady decline in growth, but getting sidetracked will bring about a swift demise. What do I mean by getting sidetracked? Well, it could mean getting distracted by something in the world, but it also often happens because the believer starts pursuing one particular issue of the faith. They become a one-issue Christian, and by doing so they lose balance, and balance is important to Christian growth. Paul said that he declared “all the counsel of God”. People who lose balance tend to major on minor issues and thereby lose sight of the bigger picture. They can become argumentative in their support of their pet issue. Be careful that you don’t get sidetracked.
It ought to be the goal of every Christian to continue to grow spiritually until the Lord takes him home to Heaven. By observing these three keys, you will find that growth will come slowly and steadily , which will result in a more effective and fruitful ministry for the Lord.
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Timothy by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Follow You? – Where Are You Going?
Today’s Passage – Philippians 1 – 4; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalm 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Micah 6:8
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.” – (Philippians 3:14-17)
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” – (1 Corinthians 11:1)
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” – (Hebrews 13:7)
Have you noticed that there are a lot of people out there in this world who are trying to get you to follow them. They want you to follow them on Facebook, or on Twitter, or on some other social media site. Some people want you to follow them politically. Some people want you to follow them as they perform for you in athletics, or in the entertainment world. But, where do these people want you to follow them to? Just where are they going? Did you ever stop to think that the people you may be following are going in a direction that you do not want to go?
Paul exhorted several different groups of people in the Scriptures to follow him also, but Paul was very careful to point out that people should only follow him as he was following the Lord. I do not have a problem with following the example of other men (or women), as long as they are going the same direction that I am going:
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” – (Amos 3:3)
The Apostle Paul was going in the right direction. He was pressing toward the mark. What was his mark? What was He aiming for? Where was he going? He wanted to get close to Christ:
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” – (Philippians 3:10)
Paul was following hard after the Lord. He was, as A.W. Tozer would put it, “in pursuit of God”. I can follow a guy like the Apostle Paul. I can also follow some men that are alive today that are also pursuing God, and are a little further down the road than I am. I must be careful though: my goal is not men, but Christ; and if one of my mentors veers off of the path, I must forsake him, and keep my focus on the Lord. Paul teaches us this principle also in Philippians 3:18 – 19
“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)” – (Philippians 3:18-19)
We need to be careful who we are following. Many of the leaders in Christianity are not going in the right direction.
I also need to keep in mind that I have an obligation to the ones who may be following behind me. I need to lead them in a straight path to the Lord. I need to be the right example. Paul admonished Timothy that he needed to be the right role model for the people who followed him:
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” – (1 Timothy 4:12)
So we need to be careful to only follow those who are leading us to the Lord, and then we must also make sure that we are being the right example to those who are following after us.
Posted in Thoughts from Philippians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passages – Ephesians 4 – 6; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 51 – 55; Proverbs 11)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11
Read “7 Steps to Christmas Peace” by Pastor Paul Chappell
The Study of Women in the Bible
Jael, A Heathen Woman Used By God
There are many Bible people in the Bible that we know much about. Some people are the subject of Bible studies and may even have whole books or chapters written of them. Which ever, they all have lessons we can learn from them. There are other people mentioned in the Bible about whom we know very little. They may only be mentioned in passing or are found in one or two places in the Bible. Often these people are overlooked, yet they appear in our Bibles for a reason. II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that everything in the Bible is from God and is for our learning.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:17 – 17)
In Judges Chapter 4, is the account of the Israelite rebellion after the death of the judge, Ehud. God allowed Jabin, king of Canaan to oppress Israel through Sisera, the king’s general. After twenty years, God allowed Deborah, a prophetess and judge, to lead with Barak an attack against the mighty Sisera. Barak was hesitant to follow God’s command to attack Sisera, and agreed to go if Deborah would go with him to battle. Because of no faith, Deborah prophesied that the victory, the death of Sisera, would be given to a woman instead of Barak. This prophecy was fulfilled by the hand of a woman named Jael.
Towards the end of the battle, Sisera knew that he was defeated, and fled to save his own life. He came to the tents of Heber the Kenite. Heber and his family were related by marriage to Moses (Numbers 10:29-32). When he arrived, Jael greeted Sisera and invited him into her tent. There she offered him a cover, a drink, and a place to rest. Sisera asked Jael to stand at the door and deny his presence to any who may inquire. While Sisera slept, Jael took a tent stake and hammer and killed Sisera by pounding the stake through his temple into the ground. Jael then went out to meet Barak who was pursuing Sisera and showed him the what she did.
What made Jael a murderer? We can only guess. We do know that through her God fulfilled Deborah’s prophecy that God would hand Sisera over to a woman.
You may wonder what lessons are learned through Jael? Murder? God forbid, but lets look at the bigger picture. We can be certain, God was and still is, in control of protecting His people.
Today we are influenced more by the world then by His word. We can see by the tragedies happening today that God is sending His warnings to us to turn back to Him. The world is trying to push God, more and more, out of our lives, and is winning the battle. Through the persecution, no matter how strange or dangerous, we can be sure God has not left us or forsaken us. As we obey Him, He may even use a Jael to bring blessings into our lives. Whenever we truly trust in Him, we are safe in His hands. Do you trust Him no matter what?
God used an unknown heathen woman, to protect Israel, and you can be sure that He will protect you too!
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
WE’RE ALMOST THERE
Today’s Passages – Galatians 4 – 6; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 41 – 45; Proverbs 9)
Memory passage for the month of November – Luke 1:26 – 38
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15
Read a previous post from this passage – “Don’t Shoot the Messenger”
Check out “The Grading Key of a Pharisee” by Pastor Paul Chappell
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)
As a child I was very impatient. I would tire of things very easily. Sometimes my family would pack up the car and travel up to Cornwall, New York to visit my Aunt Francis. The ride was really only a little over two hours, but for me it seemed like it took forever to get there. My mom and dad would always try to encourage me by saying, “we’re almost there”. As I grew, some of that impatience stayed with me. I get bored easily. I am always looking for something new to do, and often have a difficult time simply finishing some of the projects that I have started. Paul encourages this church in Galatia to keep going also. When the church was new, they were doing great; but somewhere along the line they became influenced by those who attempted to put them back under the law again. Paul reminds them in this letter that they were no longer to live according to the traditions and ceremonies of the law; but instead were to live by faith, following the leadership of the indwelling Holy Ghost of God. He encourages them to not be weary in well doing, meaning that they were not to get tired of doing right. They were on the right path, and they needed to stay on it.
Sometimes it is not easy to live a life of faith, especially in this world that we live in. The world around us does not understand that we who belong to Christ have a Person in us and with us Who desires to guide us and teach us to walk in a way that glorifies God, and points others to Christ. This life of faith is an abundant, fruitful, and fulfilling life; but it oftentimes goes against what our flesh wants to do. I must confess there have been many times when I have yielded to the desires of my “old man” rather than choosing to “walk in the Spirit”. God has always managed to get me back on track, but I have always had the feeling of regret when I have yielded to my will instead of God’s.
So my advice to you is to keep going, we’re almost there. Don’t be weary in well doing. Don’t give up trusting the direction of your life to the will of God. Don’t be weary in loving people. Don’t be weary in shining the light of the Lord to the world around you. Don’t be weary in serving in your local church. Stay with it! Don’t quit! Keep going! Keep running the race until you have reached the finish line. We will all (Christians) be out of here soon, and I do not think that we will be weary when we get to Heaven.
Posted in Thoughts From Galatians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Wish You Were Here – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
I dreamed I got a greeting card,
From a loved one on vacation.
It read: Lots of rest and relaxation.
Having a wonderful time.
Wish you were here.
The music is playing, the people are singing.
I just love the gift of joy they are bringing.
Having a wonderful time.
Wish you were here.
The temperature’s perfect.
The sky is blue.
I really miss the both of you.
Having a wonderful time.
Wish you were here.
I’m sorry now, but I have to go.
Our Saviour comes on the street of gold.
The trumpets sound!
The people cheer!
But all I can say is,
Wish you were here.
For Melissa
December 6, 1975 through eternity (John 10:28).
Peace. (1Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
And Be Ye Separate
Today’s Passages – 2 Corinthians 6 – 10
(Second Milers also read –Psalm 26 – 30; Proverbs 6)
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” – (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
We have gone too far. Christianity has become too much like the rest of the world. We have somehow seriously misinterpreted and misunderstood the doctrine of separation. We have flooded our homes with worldly philosophies, through television, social media, and other forms of entertainment. The results of our lack of separation are evident everywhere we look within the churches: we dress like the world, and we act like the world. Our churches are replete with immoral behavior and all other kinds of sins, and we just pretend its not happening. We need to wake up! We are living in complete disobedience to a crystal clear commandment of Scripture. The Bible is perfectly clear – we are not to love the world (1 John 2:15 – 17); yet we are completely infatuated with all that the world has to offer. We need to make an “about-face”; we need to get turned back around.
I am not advocating that we isolate ourselves in an “Amish” type of culture, but I must confess that there is much about the lifestyle of “plain” people that I admire. I do believe we need to simplify our lives, and I also think it is imperative that we remove many of the influences that have permeated our homes. Preachers used to preach against television and the movies, but now these things are a big part of our lives. Think about it: the average Christian spends, at best, a few hours per week in spiritual exercise and activity, but may spend several hours per day in front of the television or computer. The world is flooding in, when the Word of God is only trickling in. It has slowly changed the way we think, and instead of being transformed into the image of Christ, we are subtly being conformed to this world’s mindset. I don’t know if I have all of the answers, but I know we need to do something to get back to where God wants us to be. It’s no wonder that the church has lost its power and influence in the community. We are no different than they are. Just a thought.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – (Romans 12:2)
Posted in Thoughts from 2 Corinthians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.