Living by Faith
Today’s Passage – Hebrews 10 & 11
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:38)
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
“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)
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Hebrews chapter 11 is the great “Hall of Faith” chapter of the Bible. In it, God gives us example after example of men and women who lived by faith. They may have stumbled, and some may even have fallen a time or two in their lives, but for the most part their lives were characterized by their faith in God. What does it mean to live by faith? What exactly is faith? These are questions that few people in our world truly understand the answers to. Is faith just a mere acknowledgement of the fact that there is a God out there somewhere, or is our faith supposed to be more tangible than that; more substantive?
Faith begins with God, and is strengthened by the Word of God. God puts something inside all of us that draws us toward Him. He begins the process. He reveals Himself to us in a variety of ways: through creation, through the testimony of others, through a vacuum in our soul that somehow we know can only be filled by Him. If we are truly drawn to God, then we will also be drawn to His Word. His Word will strengthen our faith in Him. I have never seen God. Everything I know about God, I have received from His Word, and something inside of me tells me that His Word is true. I know that not everyone will receive this work of faith in their life. Most will resist and reject the clear evidences of Himself that God places in and around them.
Now once that I have received the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, I must also choose to walk by faith; live by faith. All this means is that I trust the principles, prophecies, and promises contained in His Word, and I regulate my life around them. For instance, God’s Word tells me in Hebrews 10 that I am to assemble together with my brothers and sisters in Christ. If I am walking by faith, than I will yield my life to that principle because I believe God and want to obey His will. The degree to which we obey God seems to be directly related to the degree to which we believe God. Now the alternative to a life of faith is a life that is lived according to our own human reasoning. The problem with reasoning is that it is constantly changing, and when it is in disagreement with the principles found in God’s Word (which it often is), it will lead to error and heartache.
Christian, as we approach this new year, let us resolve to strengthen our faith through time spent with God daily in His Word, and then let us yield to the principles that He gives us to live by. I think you will find that by doing so, not only will you see more fruit in your life, but you will also find more fulfillment. Through the years, I have learned to trust God; to live by faith. I remember that there were times in Bible College, and in the pastorate, that my faith in God was tested; but God always came through. He always provided for my family, and He always did everything that He promised that He would do; and each time I trusted Him, my faith was strengthened. Sometimes, people never get to the point of having great faith because they fail to trust God in the little things of life. All I can say to these folks is that you can trust God. He will deliver. He will bless you far more abundantly than you can even imagine; but you have to come to Him in faith, because it is the only thing that pleases Him.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from Hebrews by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Ministry – An Awesome Priveledge
Today’s Passage – 2 Thessalonians 1 – 3; 1 Timothy 1 – 3
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;” (1 Timothy 1:12)
So Much More Than Just Preaching
I have always been very fond of this verse. Paul knew that he had been given an awesome privilege when God called Him into the ministry; and I am very conscious of the fact that my calling is just as special and important as Paul’s. I notice also from this verse that Paul didn’t say that God called him because of his qualifications, except for the one thing that God found in him, which was faithfulness. God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called, and He will call those who are faithful.
What does it mean to be in the ministry? What does a minister do? Is it just getting up in front of people and yelling for 45 minutes on Sunday morning? My friend, it is so much more that that. Let me share with you some thoughts regarding what the ministry entails:
1 The Ministry Is About People – People have all kinds of problems and needs. A true minister of God does not see people as a means to fulfill his desires or goals; rather a minister recognizes that he is called of God to serve the people; to give the people what they need in order to have the very best of God’s blessings upon their life. A minister does not try to be God to the people, but rather tries to bring the people closer to God.
2 The Ministry is About Prayer – I must confess right now that this area is the weakest part of my ministry for the Lord; and it is number one on the list of things that I would like to improve in the new year. Actually, as of now, it is the only thing on the list. According to Acts 6, the apostles felt that their primary duties were “to give [themselves] continually unto prayer. and the ministry of the word.” That would be a pretty good starting point for preachers today. We need to pray for our people, our churches, our communities, and our country.
3 The Ministry Is About Perspiration – There is work to be done. The Bible says that the office of a Bishop is a good “work”. Many full-time servants of God are lazy. They get up late, eat too much, and go home early. It will take a lot of work to be effective as a minister. There is soulwinning, visitation, hospital visits, administrative work, counseling, cleaning, planning, building, etc. Preachers ought to be up early and on the job before the world get’s up. Satan never stops working to advance his agenda.
4 The Ministry Is About Preparation – The pastor should spend hours in the study, preparing to feed the flock that God has entrusted them with. His people deserve fresh bread from Heaven that came directly out of time spent with God in study and in prayer. Sometimes, it is easy to get lazy in preparation. We can quickly throw some “fast food” together to serve our people; but God expects more out of His ministers. Work, pray, and study so that God’s people will be fed gourmet meals from the pulpit each week.
I hope that you can see now that the ministry consists of so much more than is visible on the surface. What a privilege it is to serve such an awesome, wonderful, omnipotent, and merciful God. What has God called you to do? If you have been called to a ministry, it is because He found you to be faithful; but are you still faithfully fulfilling what God has called you to do?
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
What’s “Right” With It?
Today’s Passage – 1 Thessalonians 1 – 5
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
It seems like it is getting harder and harder in these perilous times that we are living in to promote Biblical separation. Christians, especially in America, have become very worldly. It is very difficult to spot a Christian in the crowd today as we just do not stand out like we used to. Christians today ask the questions, “what’s wrong with this or what’s wrong with that?”, but maybe we really should be asking “what’s right with this? or what’s right with that?”. The verse above reminds us that we are not supposed to be just inside the fence when it comes to abstaining from sin, but we are really supposed to be way inside, as far away from the fence as possible. We are not supposed to be anywhere near things that may even appear to be evil. It is often not a decision between right and wrong; but between good and best. Christians ought to be willing to take the higher path; go the second mile.
Now, before you start attacking me, I am well aware that we are not under any law, but are under grace. I also know that we are saved by faith in Christ alone, and not because we live a separated life. I also know that God loves carnal Christians just as much as He loves separated Christians. But, make no mistake about it, it is God’s will for us to be a people, not only separated from things that are clearly sinful, but also things that even appear to be wrong. Why do you think that is? I have given this subject a lot of thought through the years; but I believe it has to do with our purpose for living here on the earth. We are here to glorify God. We are His ambassadors. If we would be completely honest with ourselves, we would have to admit that when we partake in things that are wicked, or even close to the line, we are doing so to gratify our own fleshly desires. We are certainly not doing these things because we feel that they will help us lead more people to the Lord.
Christian, be careful. God wants to live through you. God wants to reveal Himself to the people around you through your life. Be careful about how you represent Him. The things you do; the things you say; the clothes you wear (or don’t wear); the entertainments that you partake in; your faithfulness to church services; etc. All of these things should be considered. Remember, it is not about you; it is all about the Lord, and the people the Lord wants to reach through you. I think we would all do better with this if we would all spend a little more time asking the Lord, “what’s right with it?” should I wear this? should I go here? should I participate in this? If God gives you the green light, than go ahead; but if you don’t have peace about it, refrain. Remember, the peace and blessing that God will give you will far exceed any temporary pleasure that comes from a wrong decision.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts from 1 Thessalonians by Phil Erickson with 4 comments.
The Importance of Discipleship
Today’s Passage Colossians 1 – 4
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6 & 7)
Perhaps the biggest problem in our churches today is the lack of grounded Christians in them. We have many people who will receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, but precious few who will get plugged in all the way, enough to where they mature in the faith. That is why so many today are being beguiled with enticing words (v 4); and spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit (v 7). We need to somehow get our converts to be “stablished in the faith”.
Discipleship is the key. Of course, I believe the best discipleship program is Sunday School, Sunday Morning, Sunday Night, Wednesday Night, and Soulwinning. If a young Christian was to participate in all of these services and activities, they would certainly grow in the Lord. However, I also believe that a good discipleship curriculum is also helpful. We have used a variety of discipleship material through the years, but now we use a program called “Daily in the Word” which is produced by Missionary John Honeycutt, and is published by Striving Together Publications. It is very thorough, and is designed to be done “one on one”; although, at times, we have done it in small group settings. However, I must confess that we have had a difficult time keeping people in the program. We have had many start it through the years, but few have finished it. It really depends upon the dedication to the Lord by the disciple; as well as the love and commitment of the discipler. The discipler must care a great deal about the disciple, and must be willing to sacrifice much in order to help the disciple “finish his course”.
I know that there are many people in our church that read this blog regularly, who have never completed the discipleship program. I want to make a promise to you: if you will make it a resolution in this year to make every effort on your part to learn and grow in the Lord; then I will make every effort to see to it that you get a discipleship coach that will love you, and set aside time every week to teach you the foundational principles of Christianity, and will help you in your walk with Christ. I promise you this also: if you will do it and complete the course, your life will never be the same. God will take you and your family to new heights.
Let me know if you’re interested. If you attend another church, and you are interested in discipleship, talk to your pastor. I am sure that your church would be glad to provide you with the tools that you need in order to grow in the Lord.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
The Mind of Christ
Today’s Passage – Philippians 1 – 4
I apologize for not posting on Friday. I was “down for the count” with a bad tooth from Thursday until last night. Praise the Lord, I am much better today.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:5)
“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)
I just want to jot down a quick thought from the Scriptures this morning that, I hope, will be a blessing to you. Jesu is God. As God, He is equal with the Father in everything. Jesus is omniscient, meaning that there is nothing that He does not know. There is nothing that escapes His mind, unless He chooses to not remember it. But here in our text, the Bible is not referring to omniscience, but rather it is referring to Christ’s attitude. He had the mind of a servant; not the knowledge of a servant, but the humility of a servant. As God, He could have demanded that all of humanity bow the knee to Him. He also could have demanded that every creature in the universe should serve His every desire. But that is not what He did, is it?
It is funny how little, sinful man who is a servant, and has no right to boast at all, is always trying to magnify himself; trying to make himself look better in the eyes of other men. Yet Jesus, who deserves all of the glory, humbled Himself, even unto death. Why, because He loves us. If He demonstrated His love through a form of humility, ought not we do the same thing. We are so full of ourselves. God tells us here that we should have the same mind; the same humble attitude that Christ demonstrated when He came to this earth to be born of a woman; to live a selfless life of service to men; and finally to die a horrible death on the cross in order to atone for your sins and mine.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl
Today’s Reading: Ephesians 4-6.
Ephesians 6:10-20: Pray For Me
Good morning. Are you ready to take on the world today? It’s a battle we face every day. Our war starts with the flesh. Our flesh is either too tired, or it’s too cold and wants to stay warm under the covers. Eventually your body does drag itself out of bed, takes a shower, gets dressed, and has breakfast. Now it’s ready to face the world, right?
Wrong!
Take a look at the passage in Ephesians 6 about putting on the whole armour of God. If I had a favorite punctuation mark it would the colon found at the end of verse 17. This little colon is going add explanation to putting on God’s armour. What was missing from the scenario above? Prayer. Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…”
We should always start the day with prayer. Would you go to work naked? Could you drive to the store without a car? How do you think you can face the world without prayer? You can’t, and neither can I. You need your prayer, all the saints need your prayer, and I need your prayer. Start your battle with the world today (and every day) in prayer.
Then pray for me. Pray for me what Paul requested: “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)
This is how we all ought to speak. Will you join me? Please pray for me this morning while you are putting on the whole armor of God.
Peace. (Ephesians 6:23)
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
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Today’s Passage – Ephesians 1 – 3
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with no comments yet.
We’re Almost There
Today’s Passage Galatians 4 – 6
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9)
As a child I was very impatient. I would tire of things very easily. Sometimes my family would pack up the car and travel up to Cornwall, New York to visit my Aunt Francis. The ride was really only a little over two hours, but for me it seemed like it took forever to get there. My mom and dad would always try to encourage me by saying, “we’re almost there”. As I grew, some of that impatience stayed with me. I get bored easily. I am always looking for something new to do, and often have a difficult time simply finishing some of the projects that I have started. Paul encourages this church in Galatia to keep going also. When the church was new, they were doing great; but somewhere along the line they became influenced by those who attempted to put them back under the law again. Paul reminds them in this letter that they were no longer to live according to the traditions and ceremonies of the law; but instead were to live by faith, following the leadership of the indwelling Holy Ghost of God. He encourages them to not be weary in well doing, meaning that they were not to get tired of doing right. They were on the right path, and they needed to stay on it.
Sometimes it is not easy to live a life of faith, especially in this world that we live in. The world around us does not understand that we who belong to Christ have a Person in us and with us Who desires to guide us and teach us to walk in a way that glorifies God, and points others to Christ. This life of faith is an abundant, fruitful, and fulfilling life; but it oftentimes goes against what our flesh wants to do. I must confess there have been many times when I have yielded to the desires of my “old man” rather than choosing to “walk in the Spirit”. God has always managed to get me back on track, but I have always had the feeling of regret when I have yielded to my will instead of God’s.
So my advice to you is to keep going, we’re almost there. Don’t be weary in well doing. Don’t give up trusting the direction of your life to the will of God. Don’t be weary in loving people. Don’t be weary in shining the light of the Lord to the world around you. Don’t be weary in serving in your local church. Stay with it! Don’t quit! Keep going! Keep running the race until you have reached the finish line. We will all (Christians) be out of here soon, and I do not think that we will be weary when we get to Heaven.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts From Galatians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
We Are Free
Today’s Passage – Galatians 1 – 3
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
The letter to the Galatians was one of the earliest of the epistles written by the Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the God. In the very early church, there was evidently a problem with legalism. Legalism is the attempt to put people who are saved by faith back under the law. I need to explain here exactly what I mean by “under the law”. In Old Testament days the people of God (the Jews) lived according to the law of Moses which contained three different types of laws: civil law (government), which helped them live in a peaceful society; moral law, which taught them what was right and wrong morally speaking; and ceremonial law, which were the particular laws that had to do with their system of worship. These ceremonial laws legislated their holy days, their assemblies, and their feasts, etc. The Jews created a system of rules that was impossible for anybody to keep perfectly. That’s why Paul says later in this letter to the Galatians that the law was our “schoolmaster”, in that it taught us that we were sinners in need of mercy. Christ is the only man who fulfilled all of the law, meaning He never was guilty of violating any command of God in any of the three categories.
Now when God says in the New Testament that we are no longer “under the law”, and that we have been freed from the bondage of the law, He is not saying that we are free to commit moral sin; or that we are free to break the laws that government creates in order to keep the peace, unless, of course, those man-made rules disagree with God’s rules. We are, however, free from all of the ceremonial laws that the Jews lived by, and there were a whole lot of them. By the way, not being “under the law” also means that we have been freed (saved) from the penalty of not keeping the law. The people of Galatia were “bewitched” into attempting to combine the doctrine of salvation through faith alone with the keeping of the Jewish law. By doing so, they just frustrated the concept of grace. Christ fulfilled the law, and He died for us who could not keep the law. We are free! Free from the penalty of sin; free from the bondage of a myriad of rules and regulations that are impossible to live by anyway; and free to love and serve God according to the dictates of our own consciences and understanding of God.
I feel compelled to make one final comment here. The term “legalism” has often been used in reference to standards and convictions. I am not a “legalist” if I have a personal standard in my life that I believe God is pleased with. Having some Biblically based guidelines in my life to live by does not make me a legalist, unless I believe that adhering to these rules somehow saves me. I am not saved by how I live my life, but I do try to live a life that glorifies God because I am saved.
Posted in Devotions, Thoughts From Galatians by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.
Examine Yourself
Today’s Passage – 2 Corinthians 11 – 13
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? ” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
The Apostle Paul loved the people of Corinth. He had travelled to Corinth on his second missionary journey and had stayed with them for eighteen months preaching the Word of God. As a result, many were saved and a new church was established. However, after Paul’s departure the Church at Corinth began to have a lot of problems. As we have read through these two letters to the Corinthian Church we have learned what some of these problems were. This church was a very carnal church. They had problems with morality and idolatry, which Paul rebukes sharply in these letters; but we also discover that this church had a problem receiving preachers and teachers who were false prophets, so much so, that many of the people of Corinth were turning against Paul. Now this puts a preacher in a difficult position. No spiritual man likes to defend himself because in doing so he feels like he is lifting himself up in a prideful way. Paul very carefully reminds this church of his credentials, and he also reminds them of what he has already done for these people.
By the end of 2 Corinthians, Paul makes the statement which seems to explain the root of all of the problems that existed in Corinth. He tells them to examine themselves to see whether they were really saved. I believe many of the people in Corinth were in fact genuine in their faith, but there must also have been many that were perhaps sown in by the devil to cause trouble. By admonishing them this way, he is causing them to carefully look into their lives to see whether or not the Holy Ghost of God is really in them. The bottom line is that the only thing that clearly explains the trouble with the Corinthian Church is that there were many unconverted people in the church, as well as many carnal believers.
How about you? Would you pass the examination? Are you really saved? I will list here a simple three question quiz that you can give yourself in order to verify that you are in fact a child of God:
1 Do you have a testimony? Can you point back to a specific time and place where you remember acknowledging your sin to God and accepting the payment of God’s Son on the cross for it? Is there a time in your life when you asked the Lord to save you? Nobody was born saved. You may have been born to a good home with a godly influence, but there has to be a time in your life when you personally receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
2 Has there been a transformation? You may remember a couple of days ago I shared some thought on the subject “What’s New” from 2 Corinthians 5:17. Are you a new creature since you have been saved? Has anything in your life changed? I trusted Christ as my Savior twenty years ago, and my life has never been the same since; and it is still changing, transforming into the image of Christ. Don’t misunderstand, I still have my struggles and flaws, but Christ is chipping away at them as I grow in Him.
3 Can you pass the Bible tests? Here are some of them:
Do you have a better understanding of the Bible? (1 Corinthians 2:14) Now none of us understands everything about the Bible. I am learning new things every day from passages that I have read dozens of times before. God gives me the truths that I need in my life today; but He is teaching me.
Do you have a love for the brethren? The Bible says that people will be able to see that we are disciples by the love we have for each other. (1 John 3:14)
Do you have a desire to obey God’s commandments? (1 John 2:3 – 5) None of us will be perfect, and I suppose we all have particular areas where we really struggle; but how do you feel when you sin. If you can sin without feeling any conviction at all from within, something is seriously wrong. If you are God’s child the indwelling Holy Spirit of God should be constantly reminding you when you do wrong.
I am not trying to get anybody to doubt there salvation, but I am concerned that there may be many people within our churches that profess to know God, but have not truly been born again. How did you do on the test? Did you pass? Do you have full assurance of your salvation? If not, go to the “Are You Saved?” page on this site, and find out how you can be gloriously saved.
Posted in Devotions by Phil Erickson with 1 comment.