Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

May 13th Let The LORD Do – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 19 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 17 – 18; Psalms 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)

Read the “0513 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.” (1Chronicles 19:10-13)

Good morning. Joab was in a tight spot: he had the enemy armies in front of him and behind him. But Joab knew who he was fighting for, and who would give him the victory… “and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.”

Joab could be valiant and courageous because he was fighting for God’s people and God’s cities. What are you fighting for? What ever it is, the only way to get the victory is from God.

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Corinthians 15:57)

God holds all the victories. Joab would have know this because king David wrote a Psalm about it…

“A Psalm. O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.” (Psalm 98)

Even when confronted with his sin off numbering the people, David put his trust in the LORD…

“And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.” (2Samuel 24:10-15)

But it says that 70,000 men died, how is that merciful? Let’s step forward in time to see God’s mercy. September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center is attacked by Muslim terrorists. 3000 souls was the death toll. That’s just 1.5% of the 200,000 people who pass through the buildings on any given day: 911 could have been much worse, but the true, living God is a merciful God.

The whole thing is that God holds your victory in His hands. We should be doing things that are pleasing in His sight.

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:5-6)

If you trust God with whatever it is you are doing, He will give you the victory and He will be glorified in that victory. By the way, the LORD supplied the rest of the money to finish the addition to the our church: God gave us the victory! Let the LORD do His work through you, and the victory will come.

Peace.

May 6th The Four Requests Of Jabez – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 3 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 3 – 4; Psalms 26 – 30; Proverbs 6)

Read the “0506 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” (1Chronicles 4:9-10)

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Good morning. Growing up. did you ever watch your dad work and were amazed by his knowledge and skill in getting the job done? I was. I had broken the shift return spring on my Yamaha 500 Enduro. I watched as he fashioned a new one from an old wire coathanger. It worked, and I never had any problem with it ever. The foundation in the house we lived in was starting to settle. A crack in the wall near the ceiling started to open. My dad installed several rods and turnbuckles in the attic fastened to a joist and a rafter. Using house jacks to lift the settling end, he tightened the turnbuckels and the crack was pulled back together. Amazing. We have a heavenly Father who tells us to call on Him, and He will show us great and mighty things. We will be amazed: they are great and mighty things which we do not know. Jabez called on the Lord and made four requests which God granted…

1) He asked that God would bless him.

2) He asked that God would enlarge his coasts.

3) He asked that God’s hand would be with him.

4) And he asked that God would keep him from evil, that it would not grieve him.

In researching this passage, I found that many were using this and repeating the prayer over and over as part of the prosperity gospel movement. You can have prosperity, but Jesus said…

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John16:33)

There will be times of tribulation, maybe all through your life. Doesn’t sound too prospering. But there is prosperity in tribulation when you know Jesus. In the world ye shall (it’s going to happen) have tribulation: but be of good cheer. Why? Because you have Jesus, and Jesus has overcome the world. Dr. Lester Roloff said, “Don’t sing to me songs in the light if you can’t sing to me songs in the night.”

The Bible says…

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

In times of trouble…

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1Corinthians 10:13)

The Lord told Jerimiah while he was in prison…

“Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.” (Jeremiah 33:1-9)

Prosperity gospel? Knowing that Jesus is with you through the good times and the bad – that’s prosperity.

Peace.

Apr 29th Subtil Jehu – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 10 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 13 – 14; Proverbs 29; Psalms 141 – 145

Read the “0429 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

2Kings 10:18-19 – “And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much. (19) Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal.”

Good morning. If only the Baal worshippers knew what was coming. But they didn’t. They may have had some kind of bible, but they didn’t have the Word of God. Their god was one of stone. Their god had stone eyes that could not see, stone ears that could not hear, and a stone mouth that could not speak. We have the One and Only Living God.

Now everyone loves to go to a party or BBQ. Jehu called for a great sacrifice to Baal. He was trying to get all the Baal worshippers together in one place.

2Kings 10:21 – “And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one end to another.”

2Kings 10:24-28 – “And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the life of him. (25) And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of Baal. (26) And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. (27) And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. (28) Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.”

It was almost like the Psychic Network: how come they didn’t see the bankruptcy coming? The priests of Baal didn’t see Jehu’s men coming in with their swords and slaughtering them. Jehu got the job done. Today, when you look at the government, you need to know your Bible: THE Bible: the Word of God. Does your party support the killing of babies? Abortion is nothing but modern day Baal worship…

Luke 17:1-2 – “Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! (2) It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”

Does your party support Transgenders, homosexuals, lesbians, and letting little boys decide if they are girls, and little girls if they are boys. And the devil just laughs. God is THE Perfect God. He made you a boy or a girl. If you try to change that, you are saying that THE Perfect God made a mistake, and God Almighty does not make mistakes.

Genesis 1:31 – “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

The time has come to get our country right with God. We should be voting for politicians who live and act and support the Word of God. They will lead our country in the right way we should go.

Peace.

Apr 22nd Now By This I Know – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 15 – 17 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 15 – 16; Proverbs 22; Psalms 106 – 110

Read the “0422 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

(1Kings 17:17-24) “And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. (18) And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? (19) And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. (20) And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? (21) And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. (22) And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. (23) And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. (24) And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.”

Good morning. Here we have the account of the widow woman, the widow’s son, and the man of God: Elijah. We see in verses 17-18, that the widow’s son got sick and died. We see that the child died because verse 17 tells us that there was no breath in him; and verse 21 tells us that the soul of the child had left him: the widow’s son was dead. The widow woman blamed herself and Elijah. Did Elijah bring up the woman’s sins before God? Probably not, God’s Word does not say. But the Word of God does tell us that Elijah took the widow;s dead son, and laid him on the bed where he slept. The man of God prayed, and the widow’s son revived. He then presented the widow woman with her son, alive again!

(1Kings 17:24) And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.”

The Word of God also says…

(2Corinthians 5:18-21) “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. (21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

How are you perceived as a Christian? Do others come to you with their problems? Do you go to the Lord on behalf of that person? Do others recognize you as a man of God? Is the Word of God in your mouth? Are you an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ? Just something to think about. Maybe you are looking for a place to start…

(1John 5:12) “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

Peace!

Apr 15th And Seventy-thousand Men Died – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 2 Samuel 23 – 24 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 1 – 2; Proverbs 15; Psalms 71 – 75

Read the “0415 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

2Samuel 24:16-25: “And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. (17) And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house. (18) And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. (19) And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. (20) And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground. (21) And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. (22) And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. (23) All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee. (24) And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. (25) And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”

Good morning. King David screwed up royally, if you pardon the pun. He numbered the people who were able to go to war without God’s permission. God gave him a choice of three punishments. King David wanted to rely on God and not fall into man’s hands. God heard David’s prayer and sent a plague. Seventy-thousand men died. I thought about Achan who took the Babylonish garment, and some gold and silver. Because of Achan’s sin, 36 men were killed when the fought against Ai. A drop in the bucket compared to David, and the seventy-thousand me who died because of his sin. All Israel stoned Achan to death. But David was greatly affected by the seventy-thousand…

2Samuel 24:17: “And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.”

Notice, when we sin it affects others around us. It has been that way since Adam sinned…

Romans 5:12: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

But also notice that Achan hid his sin among his stuff, burried in his tent, but David confessed that he had sinned. God forgave him.

1John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When we sin, we need to come to the LORD and confess it. Accept His forgiveness, get up and continue your walk with Him. Remember what Jesus said…

John 6:37-40: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) 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. (40) 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.”

Peace!

Apr 8th And They Mourned, And Wept, And Fasted – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 2 Samuel 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 15 – 16; Proverbs 8; Psalms 36 – 40

Read the “0408 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed? And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.” (2Samuel 1:5-16)

Good morning. After reading this passage, I had to confess and ask forgiveness for the things I said against President Biden. After all, the Lord did put him in the office as the President of the United States: he was the Lord’s anointed. Look at Saul. Saul had started out good, but then got away from the Lord. When Saul died, he went to the same place Samuel – the man of God – went to…

“And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.” (1Samuel 28:8-19)

We are living in the age of grace, but the wages of sin is still death, even for the Christian. You are bought with a price, and ye are not your own. When you got saved, you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to live inside of you, and He saved us forever. All our sins, past, present, and future are forgiven. That does not give us the right to sin, and to do whatever we want to do. We are told in God’s Word not to grieve the Holy Spirit (that’s by doing the things we should not) and not to quench the Holy Spirit (that’s by not doing the things we should). Obedience to God living in us is a much more rewarding life…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” (Galatians 5:22-26)

Maybe it’s time to look at that face in the mirror, and mourn, and weep, and fast.

Peace.

Apr 1st Vain Things – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 12 – 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mathew 1 – 2; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1

Read the “0401 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.” (1Samuel 12:20-22)

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Good morning. In 1974/75 a group of people followed a man down to South America. Four years later, in 1978, almost 1000 died from either poison or gunshot (over 300 were children) in Jonestown, Guyana. If you look up Jonestown on Wikipedia, they have the final recording of Jim Jones’ speech he gave before the mass suicide.

Twenty-six years ago, on March 26, 1997, thirty-nine members of the Heaven’s Gate cult had committed mass suicide, believing their souls would be transported to a spaceship trailing the Hale-Bopp comet.

On September 11th, 2001, another group who were following another man, flew 2 airliners into the World Trade Center in New York. Thinking they were going to go to heaven and receive 70 virgins each. They have been living in a fireball, like the one that destroyed the plane, for almost 22 years now.

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1)

Because they don’t have Jesus. Turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; and turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. It’s sad to say that many people do not read the Bible. The Bible will tell them…

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Jesus said…

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

Jesus also said when Peter asked Him what shall this man do…

“Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:22)

If more people would follow Jesus, and what He says in His Word, there would be more peace in the world. If you know Jesus, that’s good.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19)

But, does Jesus know you?

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 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 7:21-23)

“If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 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 5:9-13)

Peace.

Mar 25th His Soul Was Vexed Unto Death – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Judges 14 – 17 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – 2 John, 3 John, Jude; Proverbs 25; Psalms 121 – 125

Read the “0325 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web. And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.” (Judges 16:14-21)

Good morning. The devil will use whatever he can to destroy you. Here we find him using the whinny voice of Delilah…

“You don’t love me anymore… You won’t tell me what gives you your great strength… Three times you lied to me…” and on and on and on. No wonder Samson’s soul was vexed unto death. The devil broke him down till finally he told Delilah – cut my hair. And the Philistines did just that.

But notice the next verse…

“And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” (Judges 16:20)

The LORD was departed from Samson and he did not know it. It was all in the Nazarite Vow…

“All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.” (Numbers 6:5)

The cutting of the hair marked the end of the vow. Samson was separated unto God for His use. When they shaved his head, the LORD departed from Samson. And Samson did not know that the LORD left him. Maybe it was because Samson had gotten too close to the world that he did not notice God had departed from him. The devil can use others to break down our defenses like he used Delilah. Most of the times we may not notice the constant hammering. We need to walk in God’s Word…

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:7-8)

[JESUS SAID] “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)

“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” (Psalm 119:165)

Maybe Samson should have replied to her constant nagging, “Sorry Babe, I love you, but there are some things between me and the LORD that I will not discuss with, or tell you. You are not my wife. I shouldn’t even be here. This isn’t right. I’m leaving. Goodbye.”

And he walks out the door to fight the Philistines some other way, God’s way, the right way. But he didn’t. Samson let Delilah get to him. He broke down and told her. He lost his strength. He lost his freedom. And he lost his eyes. When we take an alternate route other than the one God has provided for us to walk in; when we take our vows to God lightly, you can expect problems and troubles to arise. But God always provides a way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. It starts with prayer…

“But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” (Judges 16:21-30)

Is your life getting in the way of you serving God? Why not receive the life that He has for you? His yoke is easy and His burdens lite.

Peace.

Mar 18th All Came To Pass – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Joshua 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Philemon – Hebrews 4; Proverbs 18; Psalms 86 – 90

Read the “0318 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:43-45)

Good morning. I sometimes wonder if Israel fully understood that God had fulfilled His promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel had become a great nation. They finally had rest. They were in the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey. All came to pass. Off course the time would come when Israel would turn their back on God, and God would raise up nations to punish Israel. Eventually God would remove them from the promised land. In 70 A.D., the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem, and the Jews were scattered throughout the world. In 1948, God restored the nation of Israel and started bringing His people back into the land.

America has found it’s way to a different situation. Psalm 9:17 says…

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)

Our nation has tried to blot out God. They have tried to get people to forget about God. The godless Liberals have been working hard. They had the Bible taken out of schools. They had the Ten Commandments taken out of government office buildings. They have legalized murder in the abortion industry. They made boys to think they should have been girls, and girls to think they should have been boys: teaching that God must have made a mistake. God doesn’t make mistakes. There was a time when Homosexuality was a crime. America has legalized what God calls an abomination…

“And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.” (1Kings 14:21-24)

There were good kings also…

“And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.” (1Kings 15:9-15:14)

“Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.” (1Kings 22:42-46)

Many times we think if we have a Christian president and vice-president that all will be well. The liberals want to renew their license to sin, and be able to freely do their abominations again. When we had the team of Trump/Pense, every time they tried to do something good for the country, the God rejecting Socialists would block it. We need to keep our leaders in prayer that they don’t fall into the hands of the devil. The Lord may give America more time, however, most scholars will tell you that America, in the end times, is not in the Bible. Everything revolves around God’s city and the nation of Israel. As a nation, and as individuals, we can turn our backs on God and Israel, or we can turn and fight for God and Israel.

“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Chronicles 7:14)

“…all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45)

Peace.

Mar 11th Moses’ Epitaph – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Deuteronomy 32 – 34 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Colossians 1 – 4; Proverbs 11; Psalms 51 – 55

Read the “0311 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12)

Good morning. Inscribed here, by God, at the end of the book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ epitaph. An epitaph is an inscription, usually on a tombstone like: R.I.P., …He was a good father and husband, …a loving son or daughter; things like that. Supposedly, the epitaph on the grave of actor W. C. Fields reads: “All things considered, I’d rather be here than in Philidelphia.”

But Moses did not have a headstone for his epitaph, so the Lord put an epitaph here at the end of Deuteronomy. There are three characteristics we can glean about Moses from his epitaph.

1) Moses knew the LORD face to face: he had a personal relationship with the Loed Jesus Christ.

“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face…” (Deuteronomy 34:10)

Moses met the Lord when he went to see the burning bush. And the Lord was with him all the way through his death and burial. Moses will not hear what many so-called “Christians” will hear…

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 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 7:21-23)

Jesus said…

“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)

The LORD knew Moses face to face, and He would never leave him nor forsake him. The second characteristic we can glean from Moses’ epitaph is that…

2) He did the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us…

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Moses walked in the good works that God ordained for him to walk in. Moses had to show God’s strong and mighty hand before Egypt would let God’s people go. Moses had faith that God would resue them even when they had their backs to the Red Sea, and watched as the Egyptian chariots came closer to them. God stopped them with fire, and then parted the sea so Israel could escape. A mirical of faith…

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

An impossible situation at the Red Sea. An impossible situation getting water from a rock. An impossible situation that Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry land. An impossible situation that non of their clothes or sandles wore out while wondering through the wildernes for forty years.

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Maqtthew 19:26)

We have good works that God has ordained for us to walk in. I wonder how many I missed because of a lack of faith… how about you?

The third characteristic we can glean from Moses’ epitaph is…

3) He was an example to his people.

“In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:11-12)

As the Bible said in Ephesians 2:10, that God ordained good works for us to walk in. Just like Jesus, we are to be an example to others…

“So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:12-17)

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy…

“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 3:14-17)

What kind of example do we put forth to the people God has given us. If you look at Moses, and this is a great example that he put forth, every time Israel sinned, Moses would be on his face begging God to forgive them. What kind of example do we put forth? Makes me wonder what my epitaph will say. How about you?

Peace.