Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

May 10th The Saturday Morning Post – What Would You Do For Your King?

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 11 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 11 – 12; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Read the “0510 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD, And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.” (1Chronicles 11:17-19)

Good morning. Many of you know, me and Camille live in an RV. During the winter, we have to chase warmer weather. Well, in October of 2024, we arrived in Quartzsite, Arizona. Our first time in the desert. It was near 117 degrees. That’s hot, but without the humidity of New Jersey. In that heat, you start to evaporate. You get thirsty, and drink lots of water to stay hydrated. It can get hot in Israel. Galilee, and the southern region, can reach 104 degrees, while the desert areas can climb to over 110 degrees. That is hot, and you will get thirsty…

King David was thirsty. He told those around him how much he longed to drink the water from the well at Bethlehem. Three of his mighty men heard this. The three loved their king: they wanted to serve him, and please him. They left the safety of their camp, broke through the Philistine guard at the gate to Bethlehem. Quickly they drew the water from the well, and quickly they returned to king David. They put their lives in jeopardy to please their king. These things did these three mightiest.

The King of Kings was thirsty, and everyone in the sound of His voice knew that Jesus longed for something to drink…

“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:28-30)

Vinegar was used to quench your thirst in the time of Jesus. How many times have we tried to please our Saviour by giving Him vinegar to drink?

Remember Jesus and the woman at the well? He asked her for a drink of water…

“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” (John 4:6-10)

Jesus will give us Living Water, and all we need do is ask. What would you do for your King?

Peace.

May 10th Just a Cup of Cold Water

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 11 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 11 – 12; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 47:1

Read the “0510 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “God Spotted Him First“ and “Double Heart.”

“And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,” (1 Chronicles 11:17-18)

Today’s passage reveals all of the mighty men that labored and served alongside of David, both before and after he became king. These men were with him as he was on the run and hiding from King Saul, and they continued to serve with him as he was given the kingdom of Judah, and then later when he became king over all of Israel. These men were faithful to David and to the Lord, and because they were in the will of God fighting the Lord’s battles, God blessed them mightily. It is amazing to see what these men were able to do in God’s strength.

Verses fifteen through nineteen tell a strange story regarding when David and his men were fighting against the Philistines. The likely account of this battle is found in 2 Samuel 5:17 – 21 and is the first victory David had after being made king over all of Israel. David was “in the hold,” the cave of Adullam, and he had enemy forces entrenched around him in the Valley of Rephaim. He makes a strange request, probably to no-one particularly; he was likely just thinking out loud. He expressed his wish for some of the water from the well back home in Bethlehem. He wasn’t asking or expecting that somebody would actually do it, he was just longing for some of that good water back home. Maybe there was no fresh or good water where he was, who knows.

Three of his faithful men, however, hear David’s request, and risk their lives to make it happen. David is doubtless shocked that these men would do this for him, but he is also very appreciative of their love for him. He does not accept the gift, but rather “poured it out to the Lord,” as an offering. I often wondered why David would not take the gift, especially after his men risk their lives to give it to him. However, David wasn’t about to enjoy that good water while the rest of his men were thirsty. He recognized his unworthiness for the gift, and he offered it instead to the Lord. This is reminiscent of Uriah the Hittite, who would not go to enjoy the company of his wife while the rest of Israel’s army was out fighting a battle (See 2 Samuel 11:11 – 13).

There are two thoughts from this passage that I would like to share. First, I appreciate these men who took great risks to express their love and devotion to their king. David was their leader, and he was the one whom God had chosen to be the king. And he was a good king. He loved his people, and served right alongside of his men. Our King is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we ought to be willing to do anything to please Him. But, we also ought to get better at expressing our appreciation for the people who are important to us. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many found creative ways to express their thanks to all of the necessary workers, especially those health care workers who were at the highest risk of contracting the virus. It is interesting that Jesus actually used the illustration of giving a cup of cold water as being deserving of a reward (See Matthew 10:42).

My second thought concerns David’s reluctance to take the gift. There are many leaders of men who would have selfishly demanded a lot more than just a drink of water. They see themselves as better than other men, deserving of more honor. They expect others to serve them, but are reluctant to be “servant leaders” themselves. David didn’t see himself this way. He considered himself completely unworthy of all that God had done for him. You and I are completely unworthy of all of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us as well.

May 9th The Death of Saul

Today’s Reading – 1 Chronicles 9 – 10 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – John 9 – 10; Psalm 41 – 45; Proverbs 9)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:6

Read the “0509 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “Who are the Nethinims?“ and “Too Big for His Britches.“

“13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)

“19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:19)

Chapter nine concluded the genealogical chapters of 1 Chronicles. Beginning in chapter ten, the historical narrative portion of the book dealing with the kingdom of David begins. The chapters that remain in this book as well as 2 Chronicles all contain information that is covered also in some of the other historical books of the Bible. For example, 1 Chronicles 10 discusses the death of Saul and his three sons and this information is also given in 1 Samuel 31. The information in the following chapters in 1st and 2nd Chronicles can also be seen in 2 Samuel and 1st and 2nd Kings. There is a lot of overlap, but as was pointed out in a previous post, much of the information in Chronicles is unique, meaning that it contains some information that the other historical books exclude. If you were to really do a deep dive into any of the events contained in the remaining chapters of 1st and 2nd Chronicles, you would need to compare what Chronicles has to say with the other historical passages that deal with them also. The event discussed here in 1 Chronicles 10 can also be found in 1 Samuel 31:1 – 13. Note – if you follow along on Blue Letter Bible (see link above), you will notice that links are provided for the parallel passages.

It is important to note that outside of three mentions of Saul within the genealogical section of 1 Chronicles (chapters 1 – 9), chapter ten is the only chapter that discusses Israel’s first king, and then only speaks of his death. 1 Samuel, however, devotes many chapters to King Saul. The books of the Chronicles are primarily focused on David and his descendants who will occupy the throne of a united Israel and then following the split within the kingdom, the kings that sit on the throne of the southern kingdom of Judah.

Regarding the reasons given here in the chapter for Saul’s death, besides the fact that he was killed in a battle with the Philistines, the Bible states plainly that God was responsible for Saul’s death. The Philistines could not have gotten near Saul had God not permitted it. Saul’s usefulness as king had run its course. David later encouraged his son Solomon regarding the guarantee of God’s protection as long as he was fulfilling God’s will:

“20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.” (1 Chronicles 28:20)

According to 1 Chronicles 10:13 – 14, Saul was not fulfilling the will of God. Two examples are mentioned in the passage. The first was when Saul ignored what God had told him to do with the Amalekites (see 1 Samuel 15). He was ordered by God to destroy all of them, including the women and children, and even all the livestock that they owned. Granted, for any sane man possessing compassion for people, this would be a difficult order to obey. No normal person wants to kill the innocent and even though nobody is entirely innocent before God, children are certainly more innocent than the adult male Amalekites who were responsible for God’s wrath. Saul disobeyed God, not out of compassion for the people or pity upon the animals, but for political reasons. He spared the king and saved the best of the livestock, which he stated would be used for sacrifices. The prophet Samuel confronted Saul about his failure to obey. He told Saul: “… thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel” (1 Samuel 15:26).

The second reason given in the passage for God’s judgment on Saul was because Saul consulted a witch in order to talk to the prophet Samuel, who had already died (see 1 Samuel 28). God had long since stopped speaking to Saul (1 Samuel 28:6), and the prophet Samuel was gone, so Saul resorted to witchcraft so that he could get advice from the grave. God did allow Samuel to appear to Saul, not because of the witch’s power, but because God would use this scenario to reveal to Saul that he was about to die, and that David would be succeeding him as king. What happened to Saul here in 1 Chronicles 10 was exactly what God told Saul would happen through this event regarding the witch and Samuel :

“15 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. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 17 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: 18 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. 19 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.” (1 Samuel 28:15-19)

What happened to Saul was a real shame. He started out humble and dependent upon the Lord, but eventually became very prideful and insecure. He was far more concerned what the people thought about him than he did the will of God. His pride destroyed not only destroyed him but negatively affected his family for generations to come. 

May 5th Why We Should Read the Genealogical Passages

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

(Second Milers Read – John 1 – 2; Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 18:3 & 46

Read the “0505 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read a previous post from today’s passage – “His Name is Mudd”

“1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. … 28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. 29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,” (1 Chronicles 1:1-4, 28-29)

“12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, 13 And Jesse begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, 14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh:” (1 Chronicles 2:12-15)

“17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.” (1 Chronicles 5:17)

The words “genealogy” or “genealogies” are found only twenty-four times in the Bible and fifteen of those times are in the two Books of the Chronicles, which is full of genealogical records of many people associated with Israel’s history but primary they trace the lineages of the kings of Judah. It is really a miniature of Israel’s history from Creation through the Babylonian and Persian captivity period. The temptation is to skip over these passages of Scripture as they tend to be dry reading without a lot of excitement but that would be a mistake as there is a lot that can be gleaned from these passages.

The Books of the Chronicles were originally combined together into one book. The name of the book means “annals” or “happenings of the days.” The author of the book is not named but is traditionally thought to have been Ezra the priest who compiled his information from prophetic records, such as the Books of Samuel and other official records of Israel. It had to have been written after the Babylonian captivity and after about 450 BC. Although there is considerable overlap from Chronicles with the Books of Samuel and Kings, there is also much new material. According to MacArthur:

Over 55 percent of the material in Chronicles is unique, i.e., not found in 2 Samuel or 1 and 2 Kings. The “chronicler” tended to omit what was negative or in opposition to the Davidic kingship; on the other hand, he tended to make unique contributions in validating temple worship and the line of David. Whereas 2 Kings 25 ends dismally with the deportation of Judah to Babylon, 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 concludes hopefully with the Jews’ release from Persia and return to Jerusalem.^[1]

The purpose of 1st and 2nd Chronicles was to remind the returning remnant from Israel of both the successes and failures of their past. The successes came when they were obedient to the Lord. These books also served to encourage Israel regarding the wonderful promises regarding their future that God had given them and would surely fulfill.

Why Should We Not Skip Over These Genealogical Passages?

• Though these passages contain many names that are unknown to us, they are not unknown to God and to the people who are concerned about history. 

God knows all of these people intimately. That serves to remind us that God knows us intimately. God not only knows our names, but He knows everything about us, even the seemingly insignificant details. Jesus said:

“7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.“ (Luke 12:7; also Matthew 10:30)

• The People of Israel were very concerned with remembering, revering, and learning from the previous generations.

The contemporary culture does not seem to be overly concerned with history, or even just remembering and revering the generations that immediately preceded them. We can learn a lot from both the successes and failures of the previous generations. The Apostle Paul admonished the Church at Corinth to learn from the recorded history of their forefathers. He said:

“6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. … 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 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.” (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11-13)

Our forefathers got some things right and we ought to appreciate that. They also got some things wrong and we need to learn a lesson from their mistakes. By the way – don’t be too hard on the previous generations for the things they got wrong. Give them some grace and then maybe the next generation may give you some grace as well for your mistakes.

• In these genealogical passages there are many little nuggets of truth. Nestled within these seemingly endless names are truths that cannot be found elsewhere in the Bible. The example that comes to mind is the passage about Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:

“9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 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.” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

• These passages also contained technical information that help us understand the connections between people dealt with in the more familiar portions of the Bible.

For example, 1 Chronicle 2:16 and 17, we learn that David had sisters, named Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah had three sons (David’s nephews), Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Each of these play an important part within David’s kingdom. Abigail had a son named Amasa who also is an important historical figure. Amasa was actually killed by his cousin Joab. Knowing from Chronicles the familial ties enriches the understanding of the history.

Don’t skip over the genealogical passages. Pray and ask God to reveal a truth to you from these passages that will help you as you serve Him today. This whole devotion started out with a prayer and a rather dry and sometimes tedious reading from the first two chapters in 1 Chronicles.

^[1] John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 563–564.

May 3rd The Saturday Morning Post – The Words Of This Book

Today’s Reading – 2 Kings 20 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Luke 21 – 22; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Read the “0503 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” (2Kings 22:8-13)

“In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Saviour gave to the world was communicated through this book.” – Abraham Lincoln

The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts. – John Jay – First Chief-Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Education is useless without the Bible. The Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields. God’s Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct. – Noah Webster

Good morning. Have you seen the news this morning? Don’t bother, it’s all bad. Just 11 years ago we saw fathers suffocating crying babies so they can play video games. Two Alaskan police officers killed by a teen. Home invasions, murder, rape; what is this world coming to? The end.

According to 2Kings 22:2 , King Josiah did what was right before the Lord without wavering. Then the Scriptures were found while repair work was being made on the temple. Upon hearing the Scripture read, Josiah tore his clothes; his nation was in trouble with the Lord. Why? He was doing what was right before the Lord, walking in His ways, wasn’t he? Why would the Lord be angry with Judah?

“…because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.” (2Kings 22:13)

Today, in America, sin is running rampant. Look at the quotes by three of our early leaders, and what they said about the Word of God. Things have changed. Maybe we need to rent our clothes, drop to our knees, and humble ourselves before God or has America fallen too far? Josiah was concerned with doing right, when confronted by the Word of God he could see the corruption of the past kings would evoke the wrath of God. Josiah humbled himself before the Almighty God, and God told him, he would die in peace. Is there still time for America? Jesus said…

“…with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

And to quote another great American…

“It ain’t over till it’s over.” – Yogi Berra

There is always hope through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is written in the Words of this Book – The Bible.

Peace.

Apr 26th The Saturday Morning Post – Precious

Today’s Passage – 2 Kings 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 – Luke 7 – 8; Proverbs 26; Psalms 126 – 130

Read the “0426 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

“And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight. And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.” (2Kings 1:13-15)

Good morning. King Ahaziah was on his death bed. He sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub (his name means lord of the flies). I like what Wikipedia has to say: “Jewish scholars have interpreted the title of “Lord of Flies” as the Hebrew way of calling Ba’al a pile of dung and comparing Ba’al followers to flies.”

Needless to say, that is who Ahaziah sent messengers to ask if he would recover. The messengers met Elijah on the way, who told them to tell the king he would not recover, but die. Upon hearing this, Ahaziah sent a captain and his fifty men to take Elijah and bring him to him. Ahaziah had to do this three times being that the first two came and ordered Elijah to come down in the name of the king: them and their fifties were burnt up with the fire of God from Heaven. The third captain had an attitude change. He cared for the fifty men put under his charge, and humbled himself before the man of God. He saw that the other two before him were consumed by the fire…

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

“The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.” (Proverbs 19:23)

Fear is a good feeling to have. And with the fear of the LORD is wisdom and life. I was reminded of a passage in Hebrews…

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:23-31)

Even Jesus warned…

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

[Something to notice here: Jesus said body and soul: not spirit. If you are not saved, your spirit is already dead and has been dead since you were conceived. You must be born again to have spirit quickened (given life) by the Holy Spirit.]

The third captain of the fifties asked for mercy from the man of God for himself and his men. He may have went there with the same attitude as the first two captains, but after seeing the two burn marks on the ground he changed his attitude, and humbled himself: he received mercy. God told Elijah it was okay, there was no need to fear. And he went with the third captain to the King Ahaziah and delivered the Word of God in person.

You are precious to God…

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

You were worth enough for God to leave His throne in Heaven, and be crucified, receiving the punishment for your sins. Sometimes, as Christians, we need to be reminded of this. For those who never received Christ, or are trusting some religion, you need to know this…

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

One day we will all stand before God to give an account. Isaiah said our righteousness is as filthy rags. We can not get to Heaven with our own righteousness. The Bible says…

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

And…

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. 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. 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. (2Corinthians 5:17-21)

We need the righteousness of God. There is no way we can work our way to Heaven…

“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)

We need Jesus, and Him alone…

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18)

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

Why would God the Son leave Heaven, be born of a virgin, be crucified, and then raise from the grave in triumph? Because you are precious.

Peace.

Apr 19th The Saturday Morning Post – The Temple And Prayer

Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 8 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 9 – 10; Proverbs 19; Psalms 91 – 95

Read the “0419 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.” (1Kings 8:26-30)

Good morning. How is your prayer life? Have you ever noticed that when your prayer life goes down, so does everything else? Your Bible reading slows down or comes to a halt. You stop telling others about Jesus. Is it that you don’t want fellowship other believers anymore, you just want to be left alone? Does your life seem to be getting hard? Is it because your “elected officials” in Washington taking more, and more of your money? Could it be that you don’t pray anymore?

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” (James 4:1-2)

Were you cheated by someone, or did someone do you wrong? Pray…

“If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house: Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.” (1Kings 8:31-32)

Remember…

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)

Were you having a rough time because the United States had been over run (or should that be run over) by a bunch of God-less Socialists? Then pray…

“When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;) That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.” (1Kings 8:33-40)

“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)

Maybe you have sinned against God somehow, and that sin has carried you away as the enemy nations carried Israel away?

“If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them: For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron: That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee. For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.” (1Kings 8:46-53)

Sin will bring us to places where we do not want to go. The prodigal son found himself in a pig pen when he came to his senses…

“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:14-20)

If you are in the pig pen – pray! David said…

“Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” (Psalm 51:9-13)

“Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name. If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.” (1Kings 8:41-45)

The unsaved will hear the gospel and be converted: we will be back to fighting the good fight, and our already defeated enemy will suffer more loss one soul at a time. Pray.

Peace.

Apr 19th Forgive

Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 8 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 9 – 10; Proverbs 19; Psalms 91 – 95

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 92:1 – 4

Read the “0419 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “When God Moves In.”

“And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.” (1 Kings 8:30)

“Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.” (1 Kings 8:34)

“Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.” (1 Kings 8:36)

“Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)” (1 Kings 8:39)

“And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:” (1 Kings 8:50)

Did you notice all the references in 1 Kings 8 to the word “forgive?” Five times in this chapter, in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the newly constructed Temple, he prays that God would forgive His people when they sin against Him. Solomon understands well the human heart and the tendency that people have of messing up and turning away from God, but he also knows of the compassion and mercy of the Lord who is quick to forgive those who turn to Him in repentance and faith.

This is exactly what Jesus prayed when He was on the Cross. He also knew well that people often do things, evil things that don’t make any sense, and they need God’s forgiveness. Of course, forgiveness could only be given because Jesus went to that Cross and paid for the sins of mankind through His atoning shed blood.

“34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34)

Now here is the tough part. God expects us to forgive others who have wronged us, just as we expect God to forgive us. Just as we have our frequent moments of temporary insanity where we get away from God’s will and sin against Him, the people in our lives will also do things at times to hurt us. We must be willing to forgive them because God is willing to forgives us.

“4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” (Luke 11:4)

“32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Apr 18th Solomon’s Temple

Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 6 – 7 (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)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1 – 4

Read the “0418 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read a previous post from this passage – “Use Your Gifts for the Lord.”

“11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.” (1 Kings 6:11-14)

The Construction of the Temple is also found in 2 Chronicles 3.

The date is approximately 966 or 967 BC. The month “Zif” (later name was Iyyar), which is the second month and corresponds to April – May. This is 480 years after they came out of Egypt (1 Kings 6:1).

The temple is a wonderful picture of the grace of God and how God can work all things together for good. He can even take our worse sins and do something with them. What were the two worse sins that David committed? Numbering the people and his adultery with Bathsheba. Solomon was the child born out of David’s relationship with Bathsheba, a relationship that began in adultery (2 Samuel 11). And the Temple Mount, Mount Moriah, was what David purchased from Araunah the Jebusite so that he could build the altar and offer a sacrifice so that the Lord would be intreated and stay his hand from destroying the people of Israel (2 Samuel 24).

In today’s reading in 1 Kings 6 – 7, we are given the dimensions and construction details of the temple, which took seven years to build. Chapter seven also discusses the construction Solomon’s house, which took thirteen years to build, and also the “House of the Forest of Lebanon,” and the house that Solomon had built for Pharaoh’s daughter. See the images below to get an idea of what these building possibly may have looked like.

In the middle of these construction details, we are told that God appears to Solomon for the second time (1 King 6:11 – 14).

You will notice here that God makes a promise to Solomon, but it is a conditional promise. Some of God’s promises are unconditional, and some are based upon the performance of the person being promised. God promised Solomon and Israel that if they remained faithful to Him and continued to follow His commandments, then He would not forsake them.

God made a similar promise to Israel when they were about to enter the land of Canaan after their four hundred years of bondage in Egypt and their forty years of wandering in the wilderness (See Deuteronomy 28). 

This is the second time that God spoke to Solomon. The first was when Solomon received wisdom back in chapter three. God will appear to Solomon again and warn him about turning away from God’s will (1 Kings 9:1 – 9). Unfortunately both Solomon and Israel do not heed God’s warnings and spend much of their history suffering from the consequences of their choice.

Also, in today’s reading, we learned about a man that was gifted and equipped by the Lord to help Solomon build the Temple and these other buildings:

“And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.” – (1 Kings 7:13-14)

In this passage, we see Hiram, a man from Tyre, who was uniquely gifted by God to make all of the works of brass that were to be used in the Temple. Back in the Book of Exodus, we saw two other fellows. Bezaleel and Aholiab, who were also uniquely filled with wisdom (gifted) to build the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. As far as we know, these men never taught the Scriptures; they were not priests, or prophets; but they were greatly used of the Lord.

We have many people in our churches today who have also been uniquely crafted by the Lord to fulfill His purpose. They may be builders, like the men referenced above. They may be men or women that have a knack for cleaning, or landscaping. These are all very necessary and important jobs in the service of our churches today. As I read this passage today, I thought of a man in our church who was used of the Lord to build our platform in the auditorium along with the sound booth. He did a wonderful job, and our church building is much more beautiful and functional as a result of his using his gifts for the Lord. We also have some folks in our church that like to cook, and when we have a dinner of some kind, these people go to work, preparing delicious food for the rest of us to enjoy. They work mostly behind the scenes, but their work is very important to the Lord.

God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12: “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” – (1 Corinthians 12:18)

Not every member is an eye or an ear: some are hands, some are feet. Not everybody is a preacher or teacher; and those that are gifted in areas other that teaching are just as important to the work of the ministry as those who teach or preach.

What is your gift? What is your sweet spot? The thing that you were born to do. Hiram was born to make brass, and he did it very well. God will be well pleased with your life if you find the thing that He has equipped you to do, and then do it for His glory.

Apr 17th Use It Or Lose It

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

(Second Milers also read – Mark 5 – 6; Proverbs 17; Psalms 81 – 85)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 89:1

Read the “0417 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read previous posts from this passage – “Wisdom” and “Almost Heaven.”

“1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David. 2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. 5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name. 6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.” (1 Kings 5:1-6)

These passages in 1st Kings are very familiar to the people of our church as we have been studying this book on Sunday evenings. I have previously written devotions on the subject of Solomon’s wisdom but for this blog I want to examine this topic again from a slightly different perspective. Studying King Solomon’s life has always been very frustrating to me because it is mind-boggling to think that somebody with so much divine wisdom and potential for success in leading God’s people could eventually get to the place where he is making very unwise decisions. By the time Solomon’s reign as king ends, the nation of Israel has enemies again, both from within and without, and they are on the brink of a civil war.  

In the beginning of Solomon’s reign he wanted only to please the Lord and serve the people, which is how he got the wisdom in the first place. God gave it to him because Solomon’s main request in life was to be able better serve God’s people. He asked God to: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?” (1 Kings 3:9). As long as Solomon was using God’s wisdom to fulfill God’s will, he continued to make good decisions. Unfortunately, we know that somewhere along the way Solomon veered off of the path.

As I was contemplating this passage, I wondered when exactly it was that Solomon strayed away from the will of God. Could it be that it was after he had completed the Temple? In the text above from chapter five, we see Solomon very busy coordinating the purchase and delivery of some of the necessary materials for constructing the Temple. During those negotiations, Hiram from Tyre commented on how wise Solomon was:

“And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.” (1 Kings 5:7)

As long as Solomon was fulfilling God’s will for his life, his wisdom was being put to good use. However, it is possible that Solomon’s unwise decisions began after he had completed the construction of the Temple. In other words, when he was no longer putting his wisdom to good use, doing something for the Lord, his godly wisdom went away. I am not saying that Solomon was no longer intelligent; he obviously was a brilliant guy, but he was no longer applying that intelligence to the service of God, and he became unwise. Since he was not using his wisdom for good, God took it away.

David also made a very unwise decision when he was out of the will of God, not staying busy doing what he should have been doing. 2 Samuel 11 records that the sin with Bathsheba took place while David was idle on his rooftop in Jerusalem, instead of being with his men on the battlefield. Some have argued that David was forbidden by his men to actually be on the front lines as he was too valuable a man to lose in a battle (2 Samuel 21:17). This may be true but David could have been behind the lines somewhere running his armies. He even could have been taking an active role in the battle from the capital of Jerusalem, but he should not have been hanging out seeking pleasure at his house. Even Uriah the Hittite knew better than that. When he was called home and had the opportunity to spend pleasurable time with his wife, he refused because Israel was at war. 

Here is the application. You are less likely to make life-altering and unwise decisions when you are busy doing something productive for the Lord. You should be fighting something like David should have been doing, or you should be building something like Solomon was doing before he got himself into trouble. The summer is approaching, and summertime is a time, at least for me, when the schedule eases up a bit. I have a lot more time on my hands and have plans to do some pleasurable things with my wife and family. I will be taking some vacation time. This is all good and right, but I also need to be careful that when I am not doing some scheduled recreational or even restful things, that I still stay busy serving the Lord. There are a lot of good things that I could and should be doing; things that will advance the cause of Christ. My fear is that if I am not using the wisdom and energy that God has given me for His glory and for the good of God’s people, He may take it away.

Retirement is also a dangerous time. Retired people need to stay busy and productive. If you are retired, you should have more time to serve the Lord. You may not have the energy or health to be able to do all that you used to do, but you can certainly do something. Stay busy for the Lord. Use that wisdom, energy, and time that the Lord has given you in the twilight of your life for Him, or you may just lose them.