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)
Posted in Guest Posts by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Revive Thy Work
Today’s Passage –Habakkuk 1 – 3 (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 16 – 18; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1 – 4
“O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.” – (Habakkuk 3:2)
I recently read an article posted by a pastor’s wife in Colorado – “Revival, Do We Really Want It?” I posted it on this blog a couple of days ago, but If you have not yet read it, it would certainly be worth your time.
In our passage, Habakkuk is writing to a nation that had also forsaken the Lord. They had turned their back on God’s law, and had become an pleasure seeking, idolatrous, and gluttonous culture filled with drunkenness and all kinds of immorality. Sounds like America doesn’t it? We know from the vantage point of history that God did bring revival to this nation, but only after the nation experienced God’s judgment. It was the judgment of God that caused Judah (Israel) to turn back to Him.
I fear that it will also take the judgment of God to cause America to wake up. I know that in my own life it often takes the chastisement of God to get me to see that I am drifting from Him. I have been asking God to do whatever it takes in my life to get me to where I need to be. I want to “know Him”; I want to serve Him; and I want my life to be fully yielded to Him. I want God to revive me. I am His workmanship. I want Him to break up the fallow ground in my life, and mold me into something that He can use for His glory. I want that for my family as well, and for the people in our church. I hope that we don’t have to experience too much chastisement and trial in order to get there; but if that’s what it takes, so be it.
Posted in Thoughts from Habakkuk by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Whose Side Are You On?
Today’s Passage –Nahum 1 – 3
“God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.” – (Nahum 1:2)
“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” – (Nahum 1:7)
The Book of Nahum is all about God’s judgment against Ninevah. I have not studied this paticular minor prophet at length, so I can’t be sure about all that the book deals with; but there are some things that I do know. First off, Ninevah was the capitol city of the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians were the world power back around 700 BC. They were the enemies of Israel, and eventually conquored all of the northern Kingdom of Israel. They also attacked the southern Kingdom of Judah, and threatened Jerusalem back in the days of King Hezekiah, but God intervened, sparing Judah. Ninevah is also the city that Jonah cried against, and God spared them at that time because they repented of their evil, and turned to Him. In Nahum, however, there does not seem to be any plea for Ninevah to repent, just a pronouncement of judgment for their rejection of God.
Notice the contrast in the two verses above that I have taken from Nahum, chapter 1. The first one demonstrates the wrath and fury of God upon those who refuse His mercy and grace; and the second one speaks of God’s protection for those that belong to Him. The interesting thing is that neither of these groups of people are any better than the other. They are both just people: sinners; and they are both deserving of the judgment that God speaks of in verse 2. However, the group in verse 7, will receive mercy because they have placed their trust in the Lord.
Whose side are you on? Which group do you belong to? Have you placed your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you belong to Him? Does He know you? Jesus gives a pretty strong rebuke in the New Testament to some people that were religious, but they were not His. He didn’t know them:
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” – (Matthew 7:22-23)
In order for Him to know you, you will have to first receive Him as your Saviour:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” – (John 1:12)
Will you be the sinner that receives the wrath of God, like the folks in Nahum 1:2; or will you be the sinner that receives God’s mercy and grace like those in Nahum 1:7? The choice is yours. Pick a side.
For information regarding salvation read “Why Jesus?”
Posted in Thoughts from Nahum by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
A Simple Recipe – Do Right, Love People, Walk with God
Today’s Passage –Micah 5 – 7 (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 10 – 12; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 26)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89:1
Read an outstanding article posted at independentbaptist.com – “Revival, Do We Really Want It”
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8) (Click on the verse to hear it sung by the Clark Family)
A simple but very profound verse of Scripture from the Book of Micah. Do you want to know how you can be right with your God? There is a simple three point outline here in verse eight of chapter six that explains just how to do that. Notice, however, that this verse is written to a people that already know God, so in order to make the application to yourself today you would have to have already begun a relationship with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. If you have already trusted Him as your Savior, then this verse is for you:
1 Do justly – this has as much to do with our relationship with others as well as our obedience to God. We need to strive to be in a right relationship with others; and do the right thing by them. If we have wronged somebody, let’s try to get it right. “Do the right thing”.
2 Love mercy – this has to do with forgiving others who have wronged you. Are you bitter against somebody today? Why not release him from the debtor’s prison in your heart; and forgive him. Look at how God (and others) have forgiven you. Loving mercy could also apply to your love for the souls of men.
3 Walk humbly with God – We need to see ourselves for who we really are – nothing; and see God for who He is – everything. Do you have a walk with Him? Are you spending time daily in prayer, and in the Word? Are you living your life in submission to His will.
Living in a right relationship with God is not all that mysterious or difficult. Jesus said that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light. But if we refuse to submit ourselves to His Lordship, holding on to our own will and desire; walking with Him will be impossible. I’m not talking about perfection here: we all blow it at times; but when that happens, we must confess it to God, get back up, and move forward again in our walk with Him.
Posted in Thoughts from Micah by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Just for Ladies by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage –Micah 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 – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 121 – 125; Proverbs 25)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 61:1 – 3
The Study of Women in the Bible
JOBS WIFE
Then something remarkable took place in heaven. Job was the subject of a conversation between God and satan. God was pleased that Job, a man on earth, loved Him voluntarily. Job was fulfilling the purpose for a which God had created him, fellowship. Then satan, the accuser approaches God. Satan felt that the reason Job was devout was that he was prosperous and suggested that if prosperity was withheld he would turn from God.
One blow after another. Job lost all his wealth. But the greatest catastrophe of all satan destroyed all of Job’s children. Everything Job had built over many years was gone in one blow. The richest man in the entire East was suddenly poor and without children. All that was left to him, besides his home, were four servants and his wife. Satan had done his work thoroughly, but he still hadn’t achieved his purpose.
Satan and God talked again about Job. Let me touch his body to see if his faith will still hold. Satan cursed him with boils. Then came the worse blow of all. His wife turned against him. Job’s help meet turned for the worse. Job needed her more now than ever before. Job’s wife’s reply was “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.”
We criticize Job’s wife for turning on her husband and wanting to die, but can you feel her pain? Everything she had plus all her children were taken form her. Losing one child is hard enough, but ten all at once. Now don’t misunderstand, she was wrong in what she said, but can you feel for her? She failed to go to the only one who could ease her pain.
Like many, she had been blinded by satan. She failed to understand that trials and troubles come to all. From these trials and troubles comes greater faith if we don’t give in to satan.
When satan throws his fiery arrows of temptation, use your faith like a shield, stopping them. Job proved that no one is tempted more then they can handle and that God does give a way to escape in the midst of every temptation.
In the times we are living in today, it can be very trying. With the prices of everything, and families losing their children to the world, troubles are inescapable.
Will you keep the faith and cry out to God for help or will you curse Him and die? God loves you and and wants to grow your faith. He want to doubly bless you as He did for Job and his wife.
In the critical hour of her life, Job’s wife said no to God. How about you?
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Doest Thou Well To Be Angry?
Today’s Passage – Jonah 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 – Revelation 4 – 6; Psalms 116 – 120; Proverbs 24)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 55:17
“…and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.” (Jonah 3:10b – 4:1)
I thoroughly enjoy reading the little book of Jonah. This was one of the first Bible passages that I ever read or learned about as a child; but it still helps me today. I got to thinking about how Jonah is not much different than me a lot of times. I get rather apathetic toward the things of God; and sometimes even get hardened toward His people, losing my compassion for them. As I read today, I thought about three ways that you can tell that you are a backslidden preacher. By the way, this does not just apply to preachers in the pulpit, any Christian can make these applications.
You know you are a backslidden preacher when:
1 You avoid and even run away from opportunities to serve God.
Jonah was given a unique opportunity to serve God by preaching to the Ninevites: a people that God loved, but Jonah despised. Millions of others were bypassed, and God chose Jonah; but he refused; he rebelled; he ran away from the will of God. Preachers and Christians today often do the same thing. It may be something as big as running from a ministry; or it may be something as small as not volunteering to serve in the nursery. Either way, an opportunity was there to serve the God of Heaven, to make a difference in His Kingdom; but it was refused.
2 Your life ceases to be a blessing to those around you; but rather, you become a burden.
If Jonah was on board the ship on his way to fulfilling the will of God, the sailors would have been helped along the way by the blessings of God. Notice also, that it took the storm to get Jonah to even mention God to the sailors.
3 You fail to rejoice when God saves a soul. You even get angry in the midst of revival.
I remember when I was in college. We used to see literally hundreds of people saved and baptized every week. At first, I was excited as I saw the the people lining up for baptism, but after I had been there for a while it got old and I wondered to myself “when will the service be over. I want to go home.” The thought of people getting saved didn’t thrill me like it used to. Now I am here in New Jersey, and I don’t see nearly as many saved as I used to; but I got my excitement back. God gets excited over one sinner that repents. We have become hardened to the true spiritual victories that God gives us. We would be thrilled if somebody gave us something tangible, but we have lost our zeal over the spiritual blessings.
Have you found yourself becoming like Jonah? Do you get angry about the trivial, when God is doing great things in the eternal realm? Ask God to re-kindle the flame of revival in your heart; and re-ignite a passion for people.
Posted in Thoughts from Jonah by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
Spiritual Famine
Today’s Passage – Amos 6 – 9; Obadiah 1 (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 1 – 3; Psalms 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)
Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 51
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: (Amos 8:11)
Amos is writing concerning Israel about a time where there will be an absence of the Word of God among the people. But that famine of Bible instruction and principle comes as a result of the lack of desire among the people of Israel for hearing the Words of God. The people of Judah and Israel had their fill of God. They no longer desired to hear what He had to say; they no longer desired to live in by His precepts. They simply felt that they no longer needed God or His instruction.
I feel that America today is in the same boat. There is no famine here. There may be preachers out there who water down the Word of God; and there may be a lot of compromise out there; but there is certainly available to nearly every person in America a copy of the Word of God, and a church where the Bible is being preached and taught on a regular basis. The problem is not the availability of the Word of God. Rather, the problem is a lack of desire of most America for instruction from God. We have loosed from the moorings of our Biblical heritage and are floating in the sea of secular humanism. We are shouting to God from our culture, “Get Out!”. We don’t need you and we certainly don’t want you. I don’t think it is too far fetched to think about a day in the near future when our authorities try to stop the distribution of the Word of God altogether.
God will not stay where he is not wanted. In fact, the only thing holding back the judgment of God is a remnant of people in America who love the Word and the God who wrote it. So what is the solution? Can this tide of apathy and antagonism toward God be stopped, or even slowed? I am not sure. But my instructions are still to “preach the Word”, even when it is out of season. Christian, it matters not what the world thinks about our God and our Bible. We need to keep obeying God by sowing the seed of His word to the world around us. Some day soon, our job will be done; but for now it is still our responsibility to reach who we can with the glorious gospel of Christ. There are still people out there that hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Posted in Thoughts from Amos by Phil Erickson with 2 comments.