Reflections – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl
Good morning! Do you know why your eyes are still filled with sleep when you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, and then stumble into the bathroom? If you could focus and see yourself in the bathroom mirror, you would probably scream and give up the ghost for fright. Then you take a shower, steaming up the mirror, looking at yourself through a fog. So you get dressed, brush your teeth, and put on your Right-Guard (don’t forget the left side – remember, you haven’t had your coffee yet!). By this time, the fog on the mirror, and the sleep in your eyes has cleared. You can see your face. Not too bad. Then you go on your merry way. James said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” (James 1:22-24) Sometimes we need to be reminded what manner of men we were. When we see a brother or sister fall, does pride lift us up to the point of kicking the fallen when they’re down? Or do we extend a hand to the fallen to help them back to their feet? I think about the woman caught in adultery. The Pharisees threw her down at the foot of Jesus. They boldly, and un-compassionately told Jesus that the Law and Moses said she should be stoned. Then they asked for His opinion. Jesus agreed, but added a stipulation to their bloodthirsty plan: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
One by one, they dropped their stones and left. Jesus turned to the woman and asked, “…Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” (John 8:10-11)
Seeing the eyes of the condemning mob, and then looking into the forgiving eyes of the Saviour must have been unforgettable. What do you see when you look into the mirror? Do you see the face of Jesus, or the face of a Pharisee? As the days draw closer to his demise, the devil is working harder to cause people to stumble and fall. The devil uses others too. He makes sure there is someone near to do the kicking. Remember Jesus’ story of the Pharisee, and the publican? Luke 18: 10-14 says: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
The Bible is the greatest mirror that you can look in . The Bible will show you exactly how you look. There is one passage in the Bible that would make me cringe as I read it. It lists seven abominations which the Lord hates: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. These are listed in Proverbs 6, verses 17 through 19. You see, I’m guilty of all these abominations. When I got saved, I did not cringe at the reading of these anymore. I look at them now as a reminder of mire that the Lord lifted me up from. “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”, Jesus says. Shouldn’t we show the same compassion towards others?
If we are truthful with ourselves, we know that we are no better than the guy standing next to us. As God put on flesh, let us put on Jesus, and show His compassion to others.
Peace! (Ephesians 4:21-32).
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Farewell
Today’s Passages –Acts 20 – 22; (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 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)
Memory passage for the month of November – Psalm 95
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25
Read – “2 Practical Thanksgiving Admonitions” – by Pastor Chappell
Read a previous posts – “Happy Thanksgiving” & “Truly Blessed”
This morning I was torn between writing a post from the passage, or one regarding Thanksgiving. I decided that I would share a little of both. There are also links above to three other blog articles regarding Thanksgiving.
Last night, we had Pastor and Mrs Siebold from Open Door Bible Baptist Church from Howell, NJ with us. Pastor Siebold has been in the ministry for nearly forty years, and he did a wonderful job preaching on the subject of “Causing People To Be Thankful For You”. It was perhaps the greatest Thanksgiving service I had ever participated in. God was certainly with us. I am thankful for “Rev’s” (Pastor Siebold) testimony of faithfulness to the Lord. I am also very thankful for our church family, who came out in large numbers on a very busy night, and sang their hearts out, and also testified of the greatness of our God!
Now for some thoughts from today’s passage:
“And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.” (Acts 20:25)
In Acts chapter 20 we have the account of the Apostle Paul on his way back to Jerusalem from his third recorded missionary journey. He wants to make it to Jerusalem for Pentecost so he doesn’t have time to visit Ephesus personally. However, he knows that there is great potential for problems in Jerusalem, and that he will most likely not be able to get back to Ephesus, so he wants to say good-bye to them. So this is a farewell visit with people who he loved dearly, and had ministered to for almost three years.
While reading this passage I was intrigued by four reflections that Paul had regarding his ministry to the Ephesians. The interesting part about these remembrances is that they refer to what Paul did not do rather than what he did.
1 He didn’t withhold from them anything that was profitable.
Paul was a giver. He gave all that he had in order to meet their need. There was no part of his time, talent, or treasure that was hoarded for himself.
“And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:20 & 21)
2 He didn’t walk away from the will of God when the pressure was on.
He didn’t move. Too many men of God jump ship whenever the going gets tough. I know how it feels as I have been close to throwing in the towel myself. We must learn to endure hardship as a good soldier. We must learn to be steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work; in season and out of season.
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24)
3 He didn’t wait to declare all the counsel of God.
Previously, we mentioned Paul’s time, talent, and treasure. Here we see that Paul held nothing back as far as doctrine was concerned. He showed them from the Scriptures how to be saved; but he also declared unto them all the counsel of God, so that they could completely fulfill God’s will for their lives. Paul wasn’t lazy.
“Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:26 &27)
4 He didn’t want any of their money or stuff.
Paul was a giver, not a taker. He didn’t demand that others meet his needs, he worked so that, not only his need, but also the needs of others were met.
“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:33 – 35)
These four reflections would be good “don’ts” for all of us who are in the battle trying to serve the Lord.
Posted in Thoughts from Acts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Mentoring
Today’s Passages –Acts 17 – 19
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)
“And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” – (Acts 18:24-26)
“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)
In our text today we read about a man named Apollos, who was a bold witness for the Lord Jesus in the synagogue in Ephesus. The Bible tells us that this man was eloquent in the Scriptures, and had some knowledge of the Scriptures, but he had not yet been taught all that he needed to learn in order to be the most effective witness for the Lord. When Aquila and Priscilla find him, they take him under their wings, and “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly”, meaning they gave him instruction and guidance that would help him to better serve the Lord.
2 Timothy 2:2 says that we are to take what God has given us, and “commit” them to faithful men. I thank God for the men who mentored me when I was a young Christian. These folks not only taught me Biblical principles, they also helped polish and refine some of my rough edges. They invested in my life and ministry, and now I am better equipped for the Lord’s work as a result. Even today, though I have been saved for over twenty years, and have been pastoring for eleven, I still find myself drawn to some of the older pastors, who can continue to instruct and guide me along the way. I recently went on a men’s retreat with Pastor Charlie Horton, a man in his 80’s who has been serving God full-time for over half a century. Our church also just had Dr. Paul Fedena, who is also near 80 years of age, in to preach for our Harvest Banquet. I can learn much from these men. They have had a lot more experience than I have had, and they have also gleaned much knowledge through the years that I can put to use in my ministry. I would be foolish not to welcome their counsel.
My challenge to you younger Christians out there is to find someone who has been saved, separated, and serving Jesus longer than you have, and latch on to him (or her). Glean what you can glean, learn what you can learn. Don’t ever get to the place where you think that you no longer need to grow and learn more. I am always looking for people who are a little further down the road than I am so that I can follow and learn from them as they follow the Lord.
My challenge to you older Christians is to find a young believer, and invest some time and energy in him. Pay back a little of what others have given you to help get you where you are today. There is no greater blessing than to mentor a young, eager servant of the Lord.
Posted in Thoughts from Acts by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passages –Acts 14 – 16; (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)
Memory passage for the month of November – Psalm 95
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46
The Study of Women in the Bible
Tamar – A Woman Who Knew How To Get What She Wanted
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. (Genesis 38:6-26)The laws of the tribe to which Tamar now belonged prohibited a childless woman from remaining a widow. Onan, Er’s brother, fulfilled his duty and married her, but in appearance only. He prevented his new wife’s pregnancy which resulted in his death by God for his sin. While waiting for the youngest son, Shelah, to grow up, Tamar went home to her parents. Years later Tamar’s circumstances did not change. She knew she was not going to be blessed with a marriage to Shelah. She decided to take matter into her own hands. She took off her mourning garments and put on the garments of a harlot. We know her clothing was convincing because Judah did not recognize her.
With the upbringing Tamar had, Judah would have never suspected her to be wearing the garments of a harlot. We are partly known by what we wear. What we are on the inside, shows on the outside.
Lets look at how our world went from dressing modestly to the nudity we see today.
THE DOWN FALL OF DRESSING MODESTLY
1600 to 1900:
Women were content with the role God had given them. Keepers of the home, submitted to their husbands and had no desire to be unfeminine in any way.
Their outward appearance was with long hair, covered neck-lines, arms and legs.
This outward appearance was a reflection of their inner feeling of modesty, femininity and submission to God.
1900 to 1910:
Before the turn of the century, women generally made their own clothes.
Then the styles changed. 1907 the peek a boo shirt was introduced.
Eyelet embroidery on sleeves showed the flesh of the arms.
The length of the skirt got shorter.
Women were taking jobs and that demanded simpler clothing.
Women were now more concerned about their jobs then the home and family.
1910 to 1920:
Now women were enjoying their new roles in the work place. Birth control was the new best thing.
Smoking, drinking and short hair was the new fad for many women.
Until 1910, swimsuits of both men and women were very modest. It covered most of the arms and legs, and all of the shoulders. They were also non-clinging.
Then in Milwaukee women’s swimming team wore their revealingly swimsuits.
A cartoonist in the a newspaper depicted a woman of 1615 sitting in a chair reading her Bible and another in a suit from 1915 slouched in a chair smoking a cigarette reading a fashion magazine.
1920 to 1930:
More and more women were cutting their hair short.
The V-neck shirt and dresses above the knee were becoming popular.
Women were now in bars, smoking, drinking and dancing.
The younger generation were questioning the older.
There was a decline of the students in colleges. Going on dates, getting drunk and having sex.
Hollywood movies were copied by their exotic sex and revealing costumes. The actors became idols.
The motto was “ EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY”
1930 to 1940:
Brenda Frazier started the fad of penciled eyebrows, bright colored lipstick and strapless gowns.
Marlene Dietrich, her movies, made pant wearing popular. She also wore men’s trousers, shirts, ties and hats.
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. (Deuteronomy 22:5)
By the end of the 30’s, halter tops and shorts were the fashion which reflected the low moral standards. Divorce and remarriage swept the country.
MODESTLY DRESSED
(1Timothy 2:9) In like manner also, that women (1.) adorn themselves in (2.) modest (3.) apparel, with (4.) shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; (1Ti 2:10) But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
1. kosmeō = kos-meh’-o – to put in proper order, that is, decorate (literally or figuratively); specifically to snuff (a wick): – adorn, garnish, trim.
2. kosmios = kos’-mee-os – (in its primary sense); orderly, that is, decorous: – of good behaviour, modest.
3.katastolē = kat-as-tol-ay’ – a long dress. Kata meaning down – a garment flowing down; and Stole – a long garment, covering or wrapping.
4. aidōs = ahee-doce’ – (as a negative particle) and (through the idea of downcast eyes); bashfulness, that is, (towards men), modesty or (towards God) awe: – reverence, shamefacedness.
The definition of modesty involves both one’s manner of dress and inward qualities. Biblical modesty starts within a person, but is ultimately demonstrated by their outward appearance.
What you wear is between you and God, so I’ll just ask you one question. What would Jesus think if he looked into your clothes closet?
Thank You
1 John 5:13 – 14
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Beginning of the Journey
Today’s Passages –Acts 11 – 13
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)
“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” – (Acts 13:2)
Here in Acts 13 we see the beginning of the missionary journeys of Paul. In this passage a local church, Antioch, lays hands on Barnabas and Saul (Paul), and sent them out to start New Testament churches in Asia Minor, and later in Europe. This was the beginning of what would later be labelled by Paul’s critics as a movement that “turned the world upside down”. But it all started with a local church that trained and authorized a couple of missionaries to bring the gospel from a place where it was preached to a place where it was not preached.
It is the mission of every New Testament church to bring the gospel to the people who have not heard it. We are responsible to get the good news of salvation to the people that live in our geographic area through soulwinning outreaches; but we are also equally responsible to get the gospel to the people that live outside of our area. We do that through church planting, and missions. We are to plant churches in areas that are nearby, and also send out missionaries from our churches to areas that are far away; and we should also help support the missionaries that are sent out from other churches. My personal responsibility is to go, or give: if I cannot go to some foreign place to preach the gospel myself, I must give to those who will.
Posted in Thoughts from Acts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
They’re All Precious In His Sight
Today’s Passages –Acts 9 – 10;
“And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. … And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.” – (Acts 10:13-15, 45)
In Acts, chapter one, Jesus told the disciples that after they received the Holy Ghost the gospel was going to go forth into all Judaea, Samaria, and into the uttermost part of the earth. I suppose the disciples at first thought that even though the gospel was to spread out geographically, it was still intended only for the Jewish people. These Jewish disciples were slow about sharing the good news of the gospel with other people groups. We have previously seen in this book the great revival in Samaria, but the people that lived there had at least some Jewish blood in them. We have also read about the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch who was clearly a Gentile, but was also apparently a convert to Judaism. Here in chapter ten, however, we see the first completely Gentile convert to Christianity since Pentecost. God had to clearly demonstrate to Peter through the vision he received on the rooftop in Joppa that it was His will to save the Gentiles. Those “creatures” that were let down in the sheet in Peter’s vision represented the Gentile people groups of the world.
The little ones sing the song, “Jesus Loves the Little Children”; but the truth contained in that song is applicable to saints of every age. God loves people – all people. He loves Americans, but He also loves the billions of people who live outside of our borders. Sometimes we get a little “tunnel-visioned” in our approach to ministry. There are all kinds of people in our world, and God wants all of them in Heaven. Our churches today need to be a representation – a sample – of the demographic of Heaven. I am glad that we have all kinds of people at our church: many colors, many cultures; but all coming together for the common bond that holds us all together – Christ. They are all precious in His sight!
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Don’t Lose Your Head – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Good Morning! It would be even better if we woke up in Heaven this morning. But it is a day that the Lord made: rejoice and be glad in it. Revelation 20:4 tells us, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
During the Great Tribulation, if you take a stand for Jesus, you will be beheaded. Which makes sense when you consider the violence in the world today. Governments will look for a more ‘humane’ form of execution. The guillotine is a good choice. Think about it. The executioner pulls the rope, the blade falls, and your spinal cord is severed almost instantly. No time to feel the pain as you are thrust into the presence of the Lord. A great way for Antichrist to get rid of those pesky Christians. But you don’t have to lose your head.
How did we get here? Let me show you a verse from Ezekiel…
“Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:13).
When Gog and Magog invade Israel, the young lions are going to protest. Many Bible scholars believe that the young lions refer to the United States, Australia, and any other country that came out of England, whose symbol is the lion. The Socialist President-elect wants to cut military spending. This is what we may be reduced to: protesting with no show of might. Again, how did we get here, a nation built on the Word of God? Congress would pray and ask God for guidance at the beginning of every session. All these prayers have been recorded in the minutes of the meetings. There were great revivals across our great land. Then we got full of ourselves and turned our backs on God. We started going to Uncle Sam for help instead of God. The government will supply our every need – who needs God? We do! Today everyone is turning to the government for a free handout. But you don’t have to lose your head.
Identity theft is on the rise. But if you have a RFID chip implanted under the skin of your right hand or in your forehead, you won’t have to worry about being robbed of your identity, your cash, your credit cards, anything. Big government can fix it, and make it all better. All you need do is receive the mark. Just a small chip, the size of a grain of rice. It won’t hurt a bit.
“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brim‐stone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11)
But you don’t have to lose your head. There is only one real choice that leads to life: Jesus. You can take the mark and not lose your head, but death and the lake of fire is where you will end up. If you refuse the mark, then you will lose your head. But you don’t have to lose your head. Before all this happens the Lord will return in the air and receive His church. 1Thessalonians 4:15-18 says, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
I feel sorry for those who do not believe in the rapture of the church. How can we comfort someone with these words if they don’t believe them. But you don’t have to lose your head. All you need do is know that you are a sinner (Romans 5:12, 3:10 & 23). Know that you cannot save yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9). Know Jesus paid the price to get you into Heaven (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). Then call on Him and ask Him to forgive you and save you. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
You don’t have to lose your head.
Peace! (Philippians 2:5-11)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Do You Love Me?
Today’s Passages – John 20 – 21
(Second Milers also read –Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:17)
I love this account of Peter being restored to service by the Lord. Let me make some observations:
Jesus first asks Peter if he loved Him “more than these”. The “these” of that question were the fish that Jesus had just prepared for the disciples. Peter had made the decision to go back to his old occupation of fishing. Peter was discouraged because of his previous failure of denying the Lord prior to His crucifixion. Peter thought that his service for the Lord had surely come to an end. Peter thought there was no way that the Lord would still want to use him after what he had done. God knew Peter would deny Him when He called him to follow Him, and He was still willing to use Peter even after He had failed. I think it is very interesting that the Lord did the very same miracle here at Peter’s restoration that He did very early in His earthly ministry where He first called Peter to serve Him.(see Luke 5:1 – 9) Both times Peter was fishing, and was not really getting anywhere. The Lord called Peter away from His fishing business in Luke 5, and He is now reminding Peter that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance”. Jesus had not changed His mind about Peter, though Peter certainly was not sure about himself.
The second observation that I would like to make is that Peter was certainly changed through the experience of denying the Lord. Formerly, Peter boldly asserted his love for the Lord stating that he would die for Him. Now, after failing that test, he is no longer self-confident. He does not make the same bold claims that he had previously made. The Lord use the word “agapao” when he asked Peter if he loved Him the first two times. Agapao is a deep, abiding, unconditional love. Peter replied that he “phileo” – loved the Lord. Phileo is the word for affection. Peter’s answer told the Lord that he had a fondness for Him, but he was no longer boldly declaring that he loved Him unconditionally. Peter was certainly humbled by his previous failure. Peter is no longer boasting that he would die for the Lord, but the Lord goes on to tell Peter that he (Peter) would someday die because of his love and devotion to Him.
The third observation that I would like to make is that the Lord is very patient with His servants. He knows our frame, that we are but dust. He knows that even though we may be willing in spirit, we are still weak in our flesh. Praise God for second chances. I can’t count the number of times that I have blown it, yet God never gives up on me.
Peter certainly did go on to feed the Lord’s lambs, and he did get many more opportunities to demonstrate his love for Jesus. After the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, Peter preached the first great “church age” revival with 3000 saved and baptized. He had a boldness now that did come from his flesh, but that flowed mightily through him from the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.
How about you? Maybe God called you to do something for Him, and you have forsaken that call. Why not come back to the Lord humbly, and see if He won’t put you back in the game like He did with Peter.
Posted in Thoughts from John by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Just For Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passages –John 17 – 19; (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 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)
Memory passage for the month of November – Psalm 95
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
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A Study of Women in the Bible
Potiphar’s Wife, A Woman Swayed By Sex
“And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.” (Genesis 39:1-20)
Potiphar’s wife, an Egyptian, had everything a woman of that day could want. She had a husband in a position as an officer to Pharaoh. She lived in a nice home, had plenty of food, nice clothing, house servants. You name it. She was spoiled. It seems on the outside, Potiphar’s wife had everything, but inside she was empty. Maybe her husband’s job took much of his time which meant less time for her. She was looking for love, but in the wrong place. Her husband’s servant, Joseph, was a very good looking man, but his heart cleaved to his God. Potiphar’s wife enticed Joseph more then once. She wanted the satisfaction of love and attention through sex. She did not realize that true love and attention, could only be obtain through marriage.
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
Without marriage, these feelings are lust; which consumes and degrade a person to an animal level. It will lead a person to loneliness and shame. Finally the results lead to desolation and becomes a vicious cycle of misery. Whether you are married or single, immorality is a deadly weapon straight from the pit of hell. It will destroy a person. Joseph knew this because he walked with God, and he knew it would displease Him.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1Corintians 6:19)
This unnamed woman warns us that sex is not a game. If married and lacking in an area, seek what you are looking for through your husband, not another man. Not married, go to God. He loves you more than you know, or seek godly council.
Some warnings to heed are these: be careful on how you conduct yourself around other men; never be alone anywhere with a man that is not your husband. Yes, even if you are older and dating, have a third party with you. Be careful about how you dress, don’t reveal too much skin. Remember, men are attracted by the eye, women by the heart. Ask yourself, “would I be embarrassed if I were standing before Jesus?” Don’t use sex as a game piece. You can’t get a guy’s love by making an offer. Don’t accept any offer, either. If he takes or makes an offer for sex, he really doesn’t love you, he’s just making or accepting the offer. THINK ABOUT IT!!
The world we live in today would read this account in the Bible and say what’s wrong with that?
“Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)
Even after all that mess, Potiphar’s wife still was empty. Let’s not look to man’s way of satisfying our needs, but look to God instead.
Thank You
I John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Servant Leadership
Today’s Passage – John 12 – 13
“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)
When I was in Bible College, I worked for Super One Foods, a supermarket chain that operated in the Ark-La-Tex area. They had a philosophy for management that was not common for many companies that I had been associated with before. They believed that the managers should work alongside of the employees, instead of just directing them. I was eventually promoted to a grocery department manager, which basically meant that I was the overseer of the night stockers. In order to get that position I had to demonstrate that I could stock as well or better than the other men on the night crew. Once I received the promotion, I still had to stock along with the crew as much as I could. There was nothing that I expected them to do that I was not willing to do myself.
Jesus taught and lived servant leadership. He did not separate Himself from His disciples, except when He was praying privately with His Father. He lived with them, ate with them, ministered with them; and most importantly, He served them. Here in this passage, He is washing their feet. It is interesting that none of the disciples thought about washing each other’s feet. The water was there, the towel was there, and the need was there; yet only the Lord had enough humility to get down on His knees and clean off the filth from the world that had accumulated on them.
I wonder, how many of God’s servants today are truly servants. Both words, “minister” and “deacon”, have as their primary meaning the idea of serving others. There are too many preachers out there that want to be ministered to, instead of ministering to others. Every once in a while I hear about preachers that have a list of demands that must be met in order for him to come and minister to a church. The list might include first class flights, a certain brand of hotel, minimum amount of love offering, etc. Now I am certainly not opposed to giving “double honor” to the men that come to preach for us; but I can’t in my wildest imagination think that Jesus or Paul would have such a list of demands. We need to get back to serving people. All kinds of people: rich ones and poor ones; educated ones and ignorant ones; all cultures; all races; even the ones with very dirty feet.
Posted in Thoughts from John by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.