Thankful for the Crumbs
Today’s Passage –Matthew 14 – 15 (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 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)
Scripture Memory for October – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read “Characteristics of a Healthy Sunday School Class” by Pastor Chappell
Read another post from this passage – “Keeping Your Focus in the Storm”
“But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” – (Matthew 15:26-28)
What a great truth from the Scripture this morning. While Jesus was walking with His disciples in the area of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile woman persistently begged the Lord for help with her devil-possessed daughter. Jesus at first ignored the woman, and then told her and the disciples that he was sent only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. The woman would not give up, but continued to seek the Lord’s help. He finally told her that it wasn’t meet (suitable, right) to take the children’s (meaning the Jews) meat and cast it to the dogs (meaning the Gentiles). The woman then made a remarkable statement. She basically told the Lord that she recognized that she was totally unworthy of His help, but she knew that it would be a very small thing for an all powerful God to slip a scrap of help under the table. Jesus commented on the woman’s great faith. There was another similar incident in the Bible, where another Gentile (the Centurion in Matthew 8 and Luke 7) recognized the power of the Lord. The Lord also remarked about his faith, saying that it was greater than any He had seen in Israel. It is very interesting that these strangers to the faith of Israel could see something that many of the Jews could not.
I would like to pull a couple of thoughts about this woman’s faith. First, I like the fact that she recognized her unworthiness. The Lord actually called her a dog. I do not think that the Lord was trying to hurt this woman. He knew exactly what He was doing, and He knew exactly what the woman would do. He was using this event to teach the disciples and us a very important lesson. This woman gets an A for Humility 101. She recognized her unworthiness. The fact of the matter is that the disciples were also totally unworthy and undeserving of all that the Lord had done for them; and we are also undeserving. It is amazing to me how pompous we are. We think that we somehow are entitled to all that we have. The truth is that we really deserve Hell and nothing more. It is only by the grace of God that we are blessed the way we are.
The other thought that I want to bring out is that because this humble woman recognized how small she was, she was able to see how big Jesus is. Until we deflate our egos, we will never fully understand the power and magnificence of God. This woman knew that she was asking the Lord to something miraculous, but she also understood that the miracle that she was asking for would be nothing for an omnipotent God to perform. How big is your God? What problem do you have that only God can fix? Why not make yourself small, and come to a big God and ask him to throw down a few crumbs from His table.
Posted in Thoughts from Matthew by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage –Matthew 12 – 13 (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)
Scripture Memory for October – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17
“Freeze” or “Get Over Here Now!”
“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1Kings 19:12)
I would like to take a different approach to this week’s Ladies Bible Study. As I stated last week, before I start the blog, I pray and ask God to use a situation from the week before. This week’s blog is from an experience I had from selling at another yard sale.
On Friday I was with two of the ladies from church. The house we were at was on a busy road. Of course, no one did the speed limit. Anyway, one of the ladies was baby sitting an eighteen month old boy, which she does for a living. Some of the time he was sitting in his stroller, but at other times he was walking around being carefully watched. Later during the day, we played ball with him, rolling the ball on the ground, and then he’d get it and return it to us. At this point I’m thinking, ‘what will happen if he starts to walk in the wrong direction? We’ll have to get up real fast to get him’. Well don’t you know he started walking towards the house. His baby sitter said freeze, and he stopped, turned around and came right back to her. Wow!! No yelling, just one word. How many eighteen month old kids do you know who would do that? I thought of how much time and patience had to go into training him to do that. Because of the relationship he had with his baby sitter, he obeyed immediately. Just a side note, he was in no danger at anytime.
Now lets go to Saturday morning at the yard sale. Mom, Dad, and a daughter about eight years old park across the street to come to the sale. They all get out and the mom starts yelling at her daughter. The little girl stayed by her parent’s side as they crossed the road. When they all got into the yard, the little girl was attracted to the dolls and toys while the parents were looking at the things that they were interested in. Again, mom was yelling ‘get over here now, don’t touch anything……’. The girl didn’t seem to be doing anything wrong other than ignoring her mother. She was in the yard, not anywhere near the road or in any danger, but the mom continued to shout at her.
Sometime later I notice the little girl sitting on a child’s chair that was for sale, playing with some toys that were purchased for her. Mom and Dad were talking with the ladies who were running the yard sale holding the items they bought. There was no more yelling. Mom didn’t say anything about her daughter not being by her side. As a matter of fact, Mom didn’t seem concerned where her daughter was, as she had her back towards her as she was talking. What changed? When it was time to go, Mom yelled “Let go” and at first the little girl just sat there. Mom yelled again, but she still stayed seated. Then it was Dad’s turn. He politely called her name and said “its time to go”. She got up, and walked across the street with them as Mom yelled at her “get over here and cross with us”.
I know by now your asking yourself where is she going with this. Lets take the babysitter. Much time, effort and patience (long suffering) went into training the baby to listen. But the end results was obedience. It’s like our relationship with God. Got has not only given us time, effort and patience, He’s given us His life. We have the Bible, God’s instructions. It teaches us to ‘freeze’ when we need to, to get us to walk in the right direction, and stay out of danger. The Bible also tells us how much He loves us. There are many examples from the Bible of people who obeyed God. Lets take a look at a couple. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the first woman who comes to mind.
“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”(Luke 1:26-28)
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.” (Luke 1:30)
“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35)
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:38)
Mary could have thought ‘what are you crazy? I have a wedding to prepare. I don’t have time for this…. and went on her way ignoring the words of the Angel. But she obeyed (freeze) and was blessed.
Next is Mary Magdalene.
“And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,” (Luke 8:2)
Mary wanted to stay close to Jesus not only to protect her from the ‘Evil One’, but to change her life from darkness to light, from the power of satan to the power of God. Because of her faithfulness to the Lord , she was the first one to witness the resurrected Christ. And there are others. Do we have what it take to obey Him like a little child?
On the other side, we have someone who wants the same results, but does not want to put the time and effort into the training. That’s the way Satan treats us. He wants us to ‘get over here now’ into a danger zone, away from God’s will. If we don’t listen, he’ll continue to hound us through trials and tribulations (get over here now!). When he has us, he’ll let us play in our sin until it’s time to move away from God again. An example of this is Eve: she ate of the fruit that God said not to eat (get over here now!). Job’s wife said, ‘Curse God and die’. Herodias disobeyed through revenge and murder. Sapphira also listened to Satan, which resulted in death, (get over here now!). There are many other examples.
So the question for today is will you ‘freeze’? The Bible instructions us when to freeze, and which way to turn. Or, will you turn a deaf ear (get over here now!). Will you join me in prayerfully resisting the devil, and walk side by side,day by day with Christ. He loves you and is waiting to take your hand.
Thank You
(1John 5:11-13)
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.
What Is Your House Built Upon?
Today’s Passage –Matthew 7 – 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 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” – (Matthew 7:24-27)
I so enjoy reading these familiar passages from the New Testament. Frankly, there are so many great truths contained in these passages that I have a tough time deciding what to write about. I opted this morning to jot down some thoughts about the concluding verses in “The Sermon on the Mount”, where Jesus likens the wise man to a man that builds his house upon a rock. He goes on to explain that a foolish man will build his house upon the sand.
The simple principle being taught here by the Lord is that we need to build our lives and our families upon the solid principles found in the Word of God. God knows what is best for us. When we listen to Him, and yield our lives to His will and His Word, we will live fruitful, blessed, and abundant lives; enjoying the marvelous protection and provision that only He can give. There are so many other Scriptures in the Bible that support this truth, but I will just share one other passage with you:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – (Psalm 1:1-6)
Why is it that so many of God’s people don’t ever get a hold of this truth? I am not talking now about lost people: they don’t know any better. But, why is it that so many Christians choose to build their lives on the sinking sand produced by the philosophies of this world? Years ago, when my wife and I first started out in our Christian life, we determined that we were going to do the best that we could to build our home according to the principles found in the Word of God. Many of our friends thought that we were a little extreme with some of the things that we did, but I can honestly say that we have no regrets. As the song says, God has blessed our lives “beyond measure”. In fact my only regrets are that there were times that we could have followed the Lord a little more closely.
How about you? Are you building your house upon the rock of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you daily tuning in to the broadcast from Heaven; or are you content to listen to all of the babble coming from the talking-heads of this sin cursed world? I choose God. He has never done me wrong yet; and I know that I can trust Him to keep my house standing until until I have finished all that He has for me to do here on the earth.
Posted in Thoughts from Matthew by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Not Guilty – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Good morning! Are you glad you’re saved? Whenever I read Proverbs chapter 6, I always thank the Lord for my salvation. You see, there are three verses in this chapter that would make me cringe. Those verses are Proverbs 6:17 through 19. They contain a list of our attributes that the Lord hates. God’s Word says: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 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.” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Before July 23, 1995, I was not 100% sure that when I died I would go to heaven. Every time the sixth day of the month would roll around, I would dread reading this chapter. If I was standing before a judge, and the charges were read, it would have sounded a little like this…
“You have been found guilty of the following charges. Of having a proud look – GUILTY! Of having a lying tongue – GUILTY! Of having hands that shed innocent blood – GUILTY! Of having a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations – GUILTY! Of having feet that are swift in running to mischief – GUILTY! Of being a false witness – GUILTY! And of sowing discord umong the brethren – GUILTY!”
Do those verses in Proverbs chapter 6 make you cringe whenever you read them? Are you 100% sure that you are going to heaven? Let me give you the best advise ever given to me. This advice came from Dr. Bob Gray, at the invitation after the evening service on July 23, 1995. I had asked him a question about my salvation. The simple advice he gave me has stuck with me all these years. This is what Dr. Gray told me. He said, “I can’t tell you whether or not you are saved, but if you are not 100% sure, you need to take care of it now.”
And that’s what I did. Our salvation, where we will spend eternity is something we all need to take care of. Twice in Ezekiel chapter 18, God plainly tells us that the soul that sinneth, it shall die. And we all have sinned. Romans 3:10 and 3:23 tell us this: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” and “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”
And then we have to deal with 1John 1:10, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
This just means that if you say you are not a sinner, you just called the only Righteous, True, and Holy God, a liar. That would make you the liar. Revelation 21: 8 tells us, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
But Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, including the sin of telling lies. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
And this is the promise that Jesus gives us… “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40).
You are not guaranteed tomorrow. The Bible tells us that now is the time of salvation (2Corinthians 6:2). Tomorrow may be too late to call on the name of the Lord and ask His forgiveness. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).
Then, when the devil points his crooked finger at you, and with a sinister voice cries, “Guilty! Guilty!”; you can here Jesus say, “My blood paid for that.”
Then God the Father will pronounce your sentence: “Not guilty. Enter thou into the the joy of thy Lord!”
Peace. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Stout Words
Today’s Passage –Malachi 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 16 – 20; 02 Proverbs 4)
Scripture Memory for July – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31
Read “Harvest Days” by Pastor Chappell
“Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.” – (Malachi 3:13-15)
As I was reading this morning, the phrase, “your words have been stout against me”, caught my eye. That word “stout” is not a word that we use often in our vernacular. In the context of this passage, the word means strong or bold. God was telling Israel that they have been very bold about what they had to say about God. The passage goes on to speak about the pride of the people. It is always a dangerous thing when God’s people become large in their own eyes. Remember what the prophet Samuel told King Saul:
“And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” – (1 Samuel 15:17)
Saul had become too big for his breeches. He started to call his own shots; he didn’t need God any more. The people of Israel and Judah had the same problem in Malachi’s day. They were proud and boastful; and they no longer feared the Lord.
Our society today is much the same way, and perhaps even worse. We are a proud people. We boldly live a godless lifestyle, and almost dare God to do something about it. We shake our fists in the face of God, and proudly declare our independence. We say with our words and our actions, “We don’t need you God – stay out of our lives. We will live as we please.” Our words and actions are “stout” against God. Even in the church their is a haughty attitude of independence. God help us. We need to get back to fearing God again. God needs to be magnified in our sight, and self needs to be minimized.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Posted in Thoughts from Malachi by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Look and Live
Today’s Passage –Zechariah 10 – 14 (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 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)
Scripture Memory for July – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15
Read – “Touchdown!” from Zechariah 14
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” – (Zechariah 12:10)
“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” – (Zechariah 13:1)
“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:” – (Romans 11:25-26)
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” – (Numbers 21:8)
The Bible makes it very clear in the Book of Romans that Israel, as a nation, is right now blind to the Truth of the gospel. They just can’t see that Jesus was and is their Messiah. This does not mean that there will not be individual Jews that will trust Christ as Saviour, but as a whole they have been blinded because they rejected Christ when He first came to them:
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” – (John 1:11)
There is coming a day, however, when the blindness of Israel will be taken away, and they will be able to recognize “me whom they have pieced”. The verse goes on to say that they will mourn, “as one mourneth for his only son”. In chapter Zechariah 13:1, the Scripture goes on to say, “in that day there shall be a fountain opened … for sin and for uncleanness”. The day referred to in this verse is the same day that Israel looks upon and mourns for the One whom they pierced. Cleansing for sin only comes after we recognize our sin, and our rejection of the Saviour.
This is the exact same process that God uses to cleanse us from our sins today. God opens our eyes so that we can see the one whom we have pierced, because it is our sin that put Him on that cross. When we see our sinful condition, and realize that Jesus took all of that sin upon Him on the cross, our eyes begin to open; and when our eyes open, so does that fountain of cleansing that removes the stain of our sin from us. What an awesome God we serve!
“There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.”
Posted in Thoughts from Zechariah by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage –Zechariah 6 – 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 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)
Scripture Memory for July – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read “Are You a Curse Among the Heathen?” from Zecharaiah 8
The Study of Women in the Bible
JEZEBEL, A VERY WICKED WOMAN
“And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.” (1Kings 16:29-31)
“And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” (1Kings 21:4-7)
“And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” (1Kings 21:23)
After rereading the life of Jezebel, I wondered what kind of childhood she had that would make her so evil. With not much thought, it was from serving pagan gods instead of the One True God. She was a Zidonian princess who married King Ahab of Israel. As leaders of Israel, God’s people, one would think they would be serving God. But Ahab did more to provoke the Lord then all the other kings of Israel before him. King Ahab allowed Jezebel to kill God’s prophets. Not even after knowing about the fire God sent down from heaven, she would not believe in God. In fact, she was so mad that she wanted to kill Elijah, but God protected him.
Later we see Ahab in the corner sucking his thumb sulking because he didn’t get what he wanted, Naboth’s vineyard. This enraged Jezebel even more. She comes to her husbands rescue and takes charge, by falsely accusing Naboth, and having him stoned to death. God then sent Elijah to the Jezebel to inform her of her bleak future. In a battle with Aram, Ahab died, but Jezebel stayed powerful for another 10 years by manipulating her sons Ahaziah and Joram. They were as wicked as their father Ahab. Elijah’s prophecy came to pass when God raised up Jehu to kill off Ahab’s family. With Jehu as the new king, he had her thrown out of her window where she was trampled by horses. When the men went to bury her, there was little to bury.
What a sad ending to a Queen of Israel. How much better her life would have been if she just excepted the God of Israel. I’m sure she heard the profits teachings, but rejected it. Her heart was hard. Her life was filled with anger. She loved to manipulate people. She was an overbearing wife and one who wanted to be in control.
Do you know someone like that? They are all around us. You know that person who when they walk into the room, the hair on your neck stands up. They are as lost as Jezebel was. How do you treat them? Have you tried to share the love of Christ to them? When I sit down to write a blog, I ask the Lord to take a situation from the previous week to use and give me a woman for the example. Believe it or not God gave me Jezebel. Let me explain. This past Saturday my husband and I were selling items at the Galloway Community Yard Sale. I had a negative run-in with a male customer. Later he came back and motioned me to pick up an item we had on the ground. I did, and gave it to him. He then threw it back on the ground and walked away. I was so angry, to my shame, I wanted to spit in his face. I knew he wasn’t saved (reason, I will not share). Now, I am so mad at myself for not giving him a John and Romans booklet with a church track. Why? Pride and prejudice. His blood is on my hands. He was my Jezebel. An unloved typed of person. Christ died for him too. Will you join me in looking for today’s Jezebels and share the “Good News of Salvation”? I blew it more than many times. Now I am sending you a warning so you don’t blow it to.
VOICES – By Harvest
Voices in the cities, Voices in the Streets, Voices in each home across the land. Voices in the churches, saying peace be still, but where are all the voices in my fields. – Millions and millions are dying, millions and millions are crying, millions and millions don’t know who I am. – Children on the highways, children on the run, mothers in the ally ways, their killing off their sons. The world is blinded in darkness, I’ve given them the way, but where are all my voices who’ll lead them out today. – Millions and millions are dying, millions and millions are crying, millions and millions don’t know who I am. Where are the millions who love me, and where are the millions who say they know me, where are the millions who stand and follow me. – Millions of people. Hear them crying. See them dying.
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1John 5:11-13)
Thank You
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Apple of His Eye
Today’s Passage –Zechariah 1 – 5 (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 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)
Scripture Memory for July – Matthew 5:1 – 16
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 121
Read “You Can’t Touch Him” from Zechariah 3
“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” – (Zechariah 2:8)
In Zechariah 2, God is reminding us that He will someday make Jerusalem, and all of Israel the very center of His eartly Kingdom. When Christ returns, He will reign on earth for 1000 years, and “will dwell in the midst of [Jerusalem]” (v 11). In the middle of this passage God refers to the nations that have attacked Israel through the years, and describes His anger toward them. He says that they have “touched the apple of his eye”. We still use this phrase today to describe people who we love dearly. God was making it clear that he loved Israel, and His people that live there.
As a New Testament Christian, I know that God also loves me dearly. There is nothing about me that is loveable, yet because of the relationship that I have with Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, He loves me anyway. I am His child, and He is my Father. I am not always an obedient child, and I don’t always love Him as I should, but I am still the apple of His eye. Amazing. I understand a little how He feels, because I have children of my own. They are not always obedient either, but I cannot stop loving them.
Another application that we can take away from this passage is that since God loves Israel, we ought also to love Israel; and since God loves other Christians, so should we. I may be the apple of His eye, but I am not the only apple He has His eye on.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
A Bag With Holes
Today’s Passage –Haggai 1 – 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 – Revelation 21 – 22; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 30)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 119:105
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. …Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that iswaste, and ye run every man unto his own house.” (Haggai 1:6 & 9)
Haggai is writing to the children of Israel that have returned to the land after their time spent in captivity in the land of Babylon, and later Persia. Upon returning, they had done well in the beginning: they immediately began to re-build the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. However, after some opposition came along (and it always does), they put aside the building of God’s house and began working on their own houses and farms, etc. The problem was that God was not blessing them in their work. In many respects they were spinning their wheels. They were working hard, but God wasn’t helping them, simply because they were no longer putting the Lord first in their lives.
I see a lot of parallels of this passage with Christians today. There has never been a time in the history of America when we are as busy as we are now. Many families have both husband and wife working with some folks working two and three jobs. It is very common to hear people say that they would like to attend all of the church services, but they always have to work. After all, they have to take care of their families, don’t they? Now, I understand that people need to work. Work is good. The Bible says that men need to work in order to eat; but when our work replaces God, or seriously interferes with our worship of Him, something is wrong. And I wonder if God isn’t doing to us what he did to those Israelites of old who had misplaced priorities. Do you miss church regularly due to work? I’m not saying it always wrong, but you have to ask yourself and the Lord if your missing services is OK with Him.
The same could be said about our giving. We would like to give, but money is tight. We justify our lack of giving due to the fact that we need to care for our families. But did you ever think that by taking matters into your own hands, you are forsaking God and removing His blessing upon your life. God said that their wages were going through a bag filled with holes. I have often felt that my money was going into a bag like that as well. Have you stopped giving your tithes and offerings because money is tight? You can expect it to get even tighter.
The problem is that we are often blind to this condition. We don’t see where we have put something above God in our lives. Ask yourself honestly. Have you put something in front of God: your job; your children; your pleasure? What is causing you to miss the full blessing of God in your life. We need to put God back where He belongs in our lives. He deserves and demands first place. After the Israelites repented and starting working again on the temple, God said, “I am with you”. I want God to be with me in my life, and He will be as long as put Him in His rightful place. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that God is with you, that His hand of approval and blessing is on every aspect of your life?
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – (Matthew 6:33)
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” – (Colossians 1:18)
“I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.” – (2 Corinthians 8:8)
“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. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.” – (Malachi 3:10-11)
Posted in Thoughts from Haggai by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Perilous Times – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
The headline was buried on the Internet, but I found it. I had watched in horror, the events happening on the news the night before. The headline read: “Teens Laugh While Recording Violent Beating Of Woman In Chester.”
This bothered me to no end because the woman was reported as being ‘mentally challenged’. All five years of my college experience was working with the mentally challenged. And believe me, looking back, I would not have wanted it any other way.
America is reaping what it sowed, in taking the Bible out of schools. They teach children that they evolved from a blob of goo that slithered out of the ocean instead of being created in the image of God. Well, there’s your proof of evolution, except the scientists have it reversed: mankind starts out in the image of God, and then evolves into a godless animal. “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.” (Romans 1:28-32)
The Apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy tells him the same thing about the end times. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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.” (2Timothy 3)
Paul instructs Timothy with one simple instruction: continue in what you have learned from the Word of God, all of God’s Word: from “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” to “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Peace. (Revelation 22:20)
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