Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 8th I Am The LORD – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 41 – 43 (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 – John 9 – 10; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)

Read the “0808 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Malachi 2:2)

Good morning. God wants His glory and praise. And rightly so: He is the only One who deserves it.

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

Praise means to give credit. Giving glory to God is acknowledging that He did something to, or for you. God is responsible for everything that comes into your life, whether we see it as good or bad. If it is bad, though, it was probably caused by us: we brought it on ourselves. We may perceive something as bad, but it could be the correcting hand of the Lord trying to get us going back in the right direction. That would make it good. Good or bad, we need to glorify God by thanking Him, and Him only. God will not give His glory to another. But what did man do?

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:18-23)

And Uncle Sam is bending over backwards to make this country stink with everything that is abominable to God. Now they say that our children will be taught and exposed to homosexuality as early as kindergarten? Is lowering the age of consent to twelve the next thing on their agenda? Many years ago, Dr Jerry Falwell from Thomas Road Baptist Church showed hidden videos taken inside a convention of Sodomites. One of their agendas was to get the age of consent dropped to twelve years old. It was shocking back then, but in the America we live in now, it could become law. They need to read Luke 17…

“Then said he [JESUS] unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 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.” (Luke 17:1-2)

When it was discovered that Achan had stolen silver, gold, and a Babylonish garment, which caused Israel to loose 36 men in the battle for Ai, Joshua said to Achan…

“And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.” (Joshua 7:19)

The United States of America will someday have to give glory to the LORD God of Israel: the Lord of lords and King of kings. We can’t hide it from Him: He knew what would happen from the beginning of time. We will have to confess that Homosexuality is sin. Abortion is sin. Kicking God out of His nation is sin. Making Israel give up the land that God gave it is sin. And others too numerous to print here…

“Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.” (Isaiah 34:1-3)

But…

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

Peace. (Revelation 22:1-6)

Aug 1st But His Hand Is Stretched Out Still – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 9 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio)

(Second Milers Read – Luke 19 – 20; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Read the “0801 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” (Isaiah 9:8-21)

“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” (Ezekiel 33:1-6)

Good morning. I’ve asked several pastors, and missionaries if they had ever heard of “The Harbinger”, or “The Mystery Of The Shemitah” by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. They had not. And I don’t think that it is a coincidence that our reading today contains a key passage dealing with this.

I always wondered why, in Revelation, during the Great Tribulation, how the people could see and know that God was allowing all these troubles to happen to them, and yet they would not repent: they shook their fists at God. Seeing America rolling down hill at an ever increasing pace, I can see this now. People would rather believe in false gods, idols, no God at all, or even seeing themselves as a god. But God’s hand is stretched out still.

Before I go any further, I just want to clarify that a harbinger is a warning from God. Shemitah basically means to let fall. It is also the seventh year of a seven year cycle (1994, 2001, 2008, 2015 etc.). And despite the warnings, Israel turned their backs on God. And the results are shown in 2Chronicles 36…

“And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” (2Chronicles 36:15-21)

In our hay-day, the U.S. Dollar is what many countries around the world traded in, and did business with. We have had warnings, harbingers, ourselves directly affecting our economy. As mentioned above, 1994 saw the great Bond Market crash. The Bond Market lost over $1 Trillion. In 2001, the bricks were fallen down with the destruction of the World Trade Center by terrorists. That shook Wall Street; six days later on September 17, 2001, the stock market crashes 684 points. Seven years later, 2008, there is another crash. When all is said and done, the stock market loses 777 points. Add 7 years to 2008, and that brings us to 2015. America is due for another great shaking. But even after the previous shaking’s, we still legalized same sex marriage, called good evil and evil good, shook our fists at God. And God, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. He has given us a warning. Just like Jonah…

“And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)

September 13, 2015 coincides with the Hebrew day Elul 29th, the end of the Shemitah year. God doesn’t have to do anything: He is the Righteous Judge: He is still in control: He is still Lord of all – will always be.

“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.” (Jonah 4:5)

Now you can sit on your rump like Jonah, waiting to see what will become of the United States. Or you can reach out with the gospel. Remember JOY: Jesus, Others, You. This is what you can do. 1) Pray: seek God:seek JESUS. 2) Get the gospel out to OTHERS. Many still have to make the decision to receive or reject the gift of eternal life given by our Saviour. And 3) Prepare YOUrself. You may want to stockpile some extra food, get right with God, stock up with extra water, get right with God, make some “care packages” to give to others when whatever goes down goes down. And get right with God. And God, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Peace? (2Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name [CHRISTIAN – THAT’S YOU AND ME], shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways [YES, THAT’S YOU AND ME TOO: WE ARE THE ONES WHO MUST GET RIGHT WITH GOD]; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.)

Jul 25th He That Increaseth Knowledge Increaseth Sorrow – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Ecclesiastes 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 – Luke 5 – 6; Psalm 119; Proverbs 25)

Read the “0725 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18)

“And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalm 14:1)

Good morning. The United States of America has been around since 1776, that’s 239 years. You should, when you have time, take a look at Wikipedia’s Timeline of US History. It will take you up to 2014. (Cut and paste the link into your browser.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history

Here are a few highlights, although some may not be on this timeline.

1789, April 30, after being sworn in as our first president, Washington dedicates the new nation to God.

1830 The Second Great Awakening for revival in the United States.

1963 The Supreme Court ruled ending official Bible-reading in American public schools.

2004/2005 The Supreme Court ruled: Thou shalt not display the Ten Commandments in any government building or court.

2015, June 26, Gay marriage is legalized by the Supreme Court.

If you look at the timeline, you can see the many great things accomplished by Americans. In 1977, Commodore introduced the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) home/personal computer. This was the first home computer. That was only 38 years ago, and now, in 2015 we have smart phones. And smart phones go back to 1992 with the IBM Simon: 23 years ago. Information technology has certainly advanced quickly these days. A tremendous increase in knowledge: for in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. And we have much sorrow. Why? Because in our search for wisdom and knowledge, we have left God out. And God will judge…

“And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

What can we do?

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)

Here is a question for you, Christian: something to ponder. You are saved. You have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have iniquity (a wrong, especially moral) are we defiling God’s righteousness that He gave to us? Just something to think about. Where have you gone with the Lord’s righteousness lately? What knowledge are you getting? Will it make you more like the Lord Jesus Christ? Or will it make you more like the world? In the place of righteousness (your’s) in iniquity found? I don’t have to try smoking to know it is bad for me. I don’t have to mix alcohol and drugs to know that they can kill me. I have God’s Word that tells me about these things. Principle number 3 from Reformers Unanimous fits perfectly in this: “It is easier to keep the heart clean than to clean it after it has been defiled.”

With and increase in knowledge (of sin) is an increase in sorrow.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

Increase your knowledge of the Lord, and allow God to make you more like Jesus. There is no sorrow in that.

Peace! (2Peter 2:20-22)

Jun 27th God Is A Refuge For Us – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Reading – Psalms 58 – 64 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Revelation 7 – 9; Psalms 131 – 135; Proverbs 27)

Read the “0627 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” (Psalm 62:1-8)

Good morning. Have you ever noticed that most people are basically ROTTEN!? It seems like it is getting harder and harder to trust others these days. In Psalm 62, David cries out, “How long will ye imagine mischief against a man?” Jesus said in John chapter 13, and verses 34 and 35…

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

I’ve heard it said that living here on earth is as close to hell as a Christian will get, and likewise, this is as close to heaven as a lost person will get. Should we, as Christians show more love for others, or make Heaven and Hell look just about the same to a lost and dying world? When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied…

“…The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31)

Have you been hurt? Go to God first.

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” (Psalm 62:5-8)

Have you hurt someone? It would be best if you went to that person to get things right before God hears their weeping and has to correct your hardheartedness. We could have a little more heaven on earth. David wrote…

“A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Psalm 133)

Peace. (Galatians 5:14)

Jun 13th Kindling: Shallow Cuts Cut Deep Too – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Reading – Job 30 – 32 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – 1 Timothy 1 – 3; Psalms 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)

Read the “0613 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.” (Job 31:38-32:3)

Good morning. The words of Job ended in chapter 31. For twenty-nine chapters Job had to listen to his friends tell him that somewhere along the line, he sinned. And Job’s friends had to listen to Job tell them it was not sin that caused his current condition. Then Elihu, a fourth friend, adds kindling to his wrath. Why? He was mad at Job because Job justified himself and not God. And he was mad at Job’s three friends because they could not find an answer, but condemned Job anyway. Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be ye angry, and sin not. And I did not see the name of Elihu mentioned in Job chapter 42 and verse 7…

“And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.” (Job 42:7-9)

Rather than sit around and discuss the problem in deep theological thought, Job’s friends should have helped him. The Bible says in James chapter 3…

“Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” (James 3:3-10)

The tongue can be a powerful tool for both good and evil. The tongue can sooth and uplift a person, or it can gossip and destroy a person. The tongue does a good job at kindling a fire. It does no good to talk about people who talk about you. You need to go to that person and get things right. Jesus said…

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

If we are to do this for our enemies, shouldn’t we do the same for our brothers and sisters in Christ? Continuing in Job chapter 42, verse 10…

“And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.” (Job 42:10-17)

To quote a well know celebrity, “Remember, only you can prevent forest fires!”

Stop adding kindling to the fire.

Peace! (John13:34-35)