Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Feb 22nd SATURDAY MORNING POST BY CAMILLE STAHL

Today’s Passage – Numbers 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 – Acts 25 – 28; Proverbs 22; Psalms 111 – 115)

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

“Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.” (Numbers 20:24-26)

God had clearly instructed Moses to only speak to the rock so the children of Israel could drink.  Moses didn’t obey God and struck the rock with his staff.  God still kept His word and the rock brought forth water.  But as a result of Moses disobedience, Moses and Aron were not able to go into the promise land.

We must be very careful in the decisions we make.  We always say things like ‘I can do whatever I want because I’m not hurting anyone.’  Or ‘It will only effect me.’  But we see throughout the Bible that the consequences of sin effects many.  Eve is a perfect example.

Here are a few suggestion on how to avoid the temptation of disobedience.

Study and Memorize the Bible.  Every time Satan tried to tempt Jesus, Jesus quoted scripture.  We can defeat Satan the same way, but we need to know verses.  The more you understand the promises of God, the easier it will be to throw Satan down.  Just remember,

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

With studying the Bible, learn what God would have you to do. When a situation arrives, you’ll already know how to respond no matter what is going on around you.  Daniel was a great example of this:

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” (Daniel 1:8)

Be Honest With Yourself.  Satan tells us that what we are about to do is not so bad, go ahead it will be ok.  Call sin what it really is, sin.  If you’re in doubt, just don’t do it.  If you know in your heart that God is telling you no, walk away and don’t look back.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7)

Fellowship with Positive People.  Moses was surrounded with negative people.  They complained about everything all the time.  Be careful who you let into your life.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Pray.  Ask God to show you His direction.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:” (Matthew 6:13a)

Thank You

1 John 5:13

Feb 15th Does This Mean I Can Retire?

Today’s Passage – Numbers 3 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click hereto view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 4 – 6; Proverbs 15; Psalms 76 – 80)

Scripture Memorization for February – Missions

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Psalm 55:17

Read the “0215 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read “Ten Ways to Extend Grace to Hurting People” by Pastor Paul Chappell

“All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Numbers 4:46-49)

Good morning. I am 60 and 4 days old today. I like it that way: each day brings me closer to my going to be with the Lord. In our text, God told Moses that those from thirty years old to fifty years old are to do the service of the ministry. Does this mean I can retire? No. I’ll retire when the Lord takes me home. There are dangers to quitting. Here are a few verses to consider…

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29)

Since the gifts God gives us are to edify others, we both suffer if you quit. And if God’s calling is without repentance (He will not change His mind), well, just look at Jonah and watch out for great fishes…

1) Quitting not only affects you, but others also.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8)

“There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.” (John 21:2-3)

Peter, and those who followed him, went fishing and caught nothing…

2) Quitting does not glorify God.

“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.” (1Kings 19:1-4)

“And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.” (2Kings 2:9-14)

3) Quitting could end in an untimely demise.

What if? Let me give you this ‘what if’ here. What if Elijah would have kept going, and the Lord performed a few more miracles through Elijah, say five more. Elisha saw Elijah depart, and Elisha did get his request granted and performed twice as many miracles as Elijah. This would mean that there would have been ten more miracles done by Elisha. Considering quitting? Consider the consequences it will have on you and on others.

Peace. (Luke 22:41-44)

Jan 25th The Wilderness Of Sin

Today’s Passage – Exodus 16 – 18 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 5 – 6; Proverbs 25; Psalms 121 – 125)

Scripture Memorization for January – Joy in Serving Jesus

Listen to this morning’s Scripture Song – Micah 6:8

Read the “0125 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this morning’s reading passage – “Remember Sunday?” and “Sound Advice“

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Walking Through The Valley“

“And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 16:1)

Good morning. Did you know Sin was a real place? It’s located between Elim and Sinai. Sin is a real place: we wander around in it all the time. It’s not a fun place to be. It’s an easy place to get to, but sometimes a very hard place to get out of. And Israel was faced with the wilderness of Sin right in front of them. And they stepped into Sin.

“And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:2-3)

As soon as they entered the wilderness of Sin, the sin started. The children of Israel murmured about those in charge. You blame them or others for your troubles, but it was your walk into Sin. So, number 1, Sin brings Sedition.

Number 2, Sin does not bring Satisfaction. When all of Israel were in Sin they were hungry. Sin does not satisfy, and that added to their sedition.

1) Sin brings Sedition

2) Sin does not bring Satisfaction

And thirdly, Sin brings Sacrilege…

“And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.” (Exodus 16:8)

Israel did not have to murmur. Israel did not have to walk around hungry. Israel did not have to blaspheme God. But they did. And God loved them enough that He took care of their needs by giving them quail, and manna to eat. They didn’t have to do all those things. All they had to do was ask God and He would have fulfilled their needs.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

Just ask…

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

The next time you decide that you want to take a walk in the wilderness of Sin: DON’T! Just remember…

1) Sin brings Sedition

2) Sin does not bring Satisfaction

3) Sin brings Sacrilege

Peace. (Matthew 12:31)

Jan 18th Forgiveness: It Does A Body Good

Today’s Passage – Genesis 45 – 47 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 7 – 8; Proverbs 18; Psalms 86 – 90)

“Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 45:1-8)

Good morning. How many times in your life has someone done you wrong? Now, how many times have you forgiven their wrong? Too many of us hold a grudge against the many wrong-doers in our lives. We fail to realize that it may be part of God’s will: we may need to be hurt, so we will not hurt others. Look at what Joseph said, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

God had a bigger reason for allowing Joseph to be sold as a slave in Egypt: bigger than satisfying the hatred of his brothers: to preserve life. Joseph was able to see this, and forgave his brothers for what they did to him. Sometimes we are not sure of what God is doing, and should be tolerant of those times we are under attack: look at King David fleeing Jerusalem…

“And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.” (2Samuel 16:5-12)

Peter asked “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”, and Jesus told him, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Stephen said, before dieing from the stones that were thrown at him, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”

Our Example, the Lord Jesus Christ, asked the Father from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Being angry or upset with someone cannot end in anything good, unless it ends with forgiveness. Let’s strive to be a little more, and forgive as Jesus did. Jesus died for their sins as well as yours.

Peace. (Mark 11:25-26)