Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Sep 2nd Rebellion: As The Sin Of Witchcraft – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 10 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 2 Corinthians 5 – 8; Psalms 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)

Read the “0902 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

(Ezekiel 12:1-2) “The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, (2) Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.”

Good morning. When Obama was president, he announced that the United States was no longer a Christian nation, I laughed and said wanna bet? The Alliance For Religious Freedom said…

“On April 30th, 1789, America had a Constitution and a newly formed government. On that day, the government, the House, and the Senate gathered for the Inauguration of our first president, George Washington. In his Inauguration Address, Washington gave a prophetic warning: “We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and the right which heaven itself has ordained.” Washington’s warning was, if we would begin to depart from God, He would remove His blessings, His prosperity and His protection from our nation.”

And now take a look at America. Just like Israel, America has become a rebellious house. You can see the rebellion in the youth, brought up to believe that there is no God. You can see the rebellion in the laws that allow you to kill unborn babies. You can mention any little ‘g’ god, but don’t mention God or Jesus Christ: the only true living God. (Just a thought: the world would probably forgive you for saying their names if you stub your toe, or hit a finger with a hammer. That’s the way the world is – they want nothing to do with God.)

(Revelation 16:7-21) “And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. (8) And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. (9} And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. (10) And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, (11) And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. (12) And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. (13) And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (14) For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (15) Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (16) And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (17) And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. (18) And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. (19) And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. (20) And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (21) And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

As we see in the passage above, they blasphemed God because they would not give Him the glory He deserves. And they also blasphemed God because they repented not of their deeds. What’s going to happen to them.

(Revelation 20:10-15) “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Can you see them shaking their fists, and blaspheming the only one that can save them? And now they have to stand before Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, and be judged. This is the direction that America is heading. The people have eyes, but will not see. They have ears, but will not hear. WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! Or maybe it is.

Peace.

Sep 1st God Was Broken?

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 5 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – 2 Corinthians 1 – 4; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25

Read the “0901 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from today’s reading – What Do You Do in the Dark?

“And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.” (Ezekiel 6:9)

The prophet Ezekiel was also a priest (Ezekiel 1:3), and was part of the group that was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC, which was the second of three deportations from Judah into Babylon. The first deportation took place in 605 BC where Daniel, Hannaniah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) were taken. The final deportation took place in 586 BC when the Temple and the entire City of Jerusalem was destroyed. Chapters one through twenty-four of Ezekiel were written prior to the final destruction of Jerusalem, but Ezekiel was already in captivity and was settled at a place called Tel-abib near the Brook Chebar (Ezekiel 3:15). Chebar was likely an irrigation canal that came out of the Euphrates River (and flowed back into the Euphrates) and provided water for an area near the City of Babylon. Throughout our reading today, Ezekiel is prophesying about the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Though, Ezekiel and Daniel were already taken captive, the final act of Nubuchadnezzar against Jerusalem was still in Ezekiel’s future.

My thought for today comes from Ezekiel 6:9. God states through Ezekiel that He was broken because of the idolatry of His people. What does that mean? Well, I do not think it means that God was limited in any way, otherwise He would have been less than God. What it means is that God was hurt, His heart was broken because of the sin of His people. The idolatry and immorality that was rampant and unrepented of in Judah, even after many warnings for decade after decade. The people just did not care what their sin was doing to God. But, what about us? Do we care about how are sin affects God.

I recently did a study on what caused Jesus to weep. There are at least three places in the gospels that reference Jesus being moved to tears:

• The Sheep Without a Shepherd

“36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

• The Suffering of the Saints

“33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!” (John 11:33-36)

• The Sin Upon His Shoulders

“And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” – (Mark 14:32-36)

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” – (Luke 22:44)

I do not believe Jesus was not crying because of the physical pain that He would endure on the Cross, but He was moved to tears because of the sins of the world that were about to be put upon Him. He knew what was coming. His Father would have to turn His eyes away from Him because of that sin because He is “of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:3). Jesus would cry out from the Cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

My sin did that. Yours as well. God is still broken by our sin. Let’s keep that in mind and let’s also consider how much He loves us and what He was willing to do to atone for that sin. The love that Christ has for us ought to constrain us to want to stop sinning.

Aug 27th Heartache, Failure, and Disappointments by Pastor Matthew Swiatkowski

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 49 – 50 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

Read a previous post from today’s passage – “A Word to the Shepherds.”

(Second Milers also read – Romans 13 – 16; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 27)

Read the “0827 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

This article was originally published in the Gospel Light Baptist Church Newsletter (08/19/2023).

For this story, we will refer to the young man as Paul. And at this point in his high school years, he is deeply in love with a girl we will call Linda. To everybody who could see from the outside, they made a perfect couple. He was a good-looking young man with a great sense of humor, a slim, muscular physique, and instead of attending a regular high school, he opted to enroll in a technical school. This decision allowed him to receive an education and gain a trade that he could utilize after graduation. She was a pretty girl with brown hair parted in the middle, feathered in the style of the day, and pretty, blue eyes. This much I can say is true–that Paul loved her with all his heart. His brothers knew how he felt about her, and they were glad that he was happy and maybe even a little jealous.

Everyone has a best friend, and his closest friend, whom we will call Tom, was always there to support him, or so it seemed. Tom was a good-looking young man. You might even say he was Hollywood handsome. Tom always seemed to attract a crowd of girls wherever he went. By now, you might guess where this is going, and yes, Tom and Linda began to have a fling behind Paul’s back. One day, Paul’s youngest brother walked in on Linda and Tom as they were embraced in each other’s arms in the clubhouse in the backyard of Paul’s home. Sadly, his youngest brother was too young to understand what was taking place, and maybe that’s a good thing. Knowing his younger brother as I do and his anger issues at the time, if he were older, there would be bloodshed. Eventually, the ugly truth was revealed. To say Paul was hurt would be an understatement; he was devastated. He lost the first girl he truly loved and lost his best friend. This is not the first time this has occurred to someone in history, and it wouldn’t be the last. Five years later, it happened to two friends of mine. I told the one he shouldn’t do that behind his friend’s back. He didn’t listen, and it got ugly. By the way, God gave Ten Commandments, and #9 is not to covet thy neighbor’s wife. The whole idea is not to covet what belongs to someone else.

Back to Paul. Losing the one you love, or a best friend is often difficult, but losing both in this manner can be a challenging hurdle to overcome. It would take Paul a long time to restore his emotions. To complicate matters, his father was of no support. His dad was the type of man who would constantly criticize and put you down. Paul’s confidence was shattered on every level, as infidelity often destroys a person’s self-worth and self-value. If nobody is there trying to help you put the pieces back together, the healing process will be very long. 

Fast forward 30 years, Paul and I talked, and he told me how he had come across Linda one day. He said they had a pleasant conversation. I stood there listening as he spoke. He said, “Well, I’m finally over her”. Puzzled and with a halfway smile, I asked why. He said, “Well, I’ve met her many times since we broke up, and this is the first time my heart didn’t hurt.” That first cut goes deep and often takes a long time to heal. 

Many people have suffered heartache from others. Infidelity, divorce, and constantly being put down or ignored affect an individual’s self-worth. The sad reality is that when one suffers this type of pain, it usually leads to a misstep that causes another heartache. 

The question often asked is how you overcome painful hurts and bad episodes in your life. The answer is, dealing with our pain with scripture. The above story with Paul. Linda and Tom have been played out untold times in the course of history. Books, poems, songs, and movies have told its ugly story. When I think of it from time to time, I am reminded that everyone involved lost something and nobody gained a thing. The fling between Tom and Linda did not last long. Remember for everything you win there is something lost. 

Any counseling that does not involve God and His Word is useless. Dealing with emotional pain and mental anguish with medication will never bring healing, never. 

I have several historical events in the gospels that I love and never grow tired of reading and studying. 

The first is the woman at the well (John 4:1-42). The second we will discuss next week.

The woman at the well presents us with a worst-case scenario—a very immoral individual. In the story of the demoniac, we have another worst-case scenario, it’s bad on every level, with Peter denying the Lord another worst-case scenario and Saul of Tarsus the same thing. God tells us these stories to remind us he is in the saving business. The next time you think you are too rotten for help, remember your bible.

In our story above, it would be effortless to say that if Paul had been in church and serving the Lord, he would not have had this heartache and emotional damage. That’s a cheap answer, and when we study the life of our Saviour, it’s something He never said to anybody.

Imagine Him meeting with the woman at the well, and He said something like this: “You know, if you had just followed what I said in the Bible, you wouldn’t have those five loser husbands, and you wouldn’t be shacking up with this individual right now!” The conversation would have gone nowhere, and there would have been no conversion and no city coming to faith. Telling someone they should not have done it after the heartache is idiotic. So, how did the Master deal with this woman?

First, He treated her like a human. The day’s culture was to think of her as inferior because of her gender; She was also of mixed race, which was another strike. She had five failed marriages and no doubt lived in an immoral way between marriages. Christ came to her knowing all this, yet He still talked with her and was there to help her.

Second, He brought up her relationships, but He didn’t dwell on them and beat her up. The point of it was to expose her need and to reveal Himself. If you miss that last one, you miss the whole story.

Third, the conversation turns spiritual from here, and the Master tells her He is the Messiah. This, of course, leads to her salvation.

Human nature never changes; how people feel now is how they felt 2000 years ago. This dear lady was lonely and hurt by all the wrong choices and pain others inflicted upon her. There is no doubt that she had been hurt by someone in her life, and she, in turn, probably hurt others. There is something inherent in our sinful nature that when we are emotionally damaged by someone, we seek to hurt them back. In the case of adultery, too often, the victim will go out and commit the same sin to get back at the one they love. Sadly, too often, people will afflict themselves and often blame themselves for why the one they love did what they did. 

Nowhere in this does the Saviour tell her, you need to move on, you need to go forward, you have great worth, you are awesome. He does something better. He saves her soul, and that will lead to a changed life. She did have worth, and it was in her changed life. She had to choose where she wanted to live: in the past, where all her defeats and pains were, or to walk in the newness of life and the value Christ had placed upon her; thus, she could look at herself in her mirror or see herself through the lens of scripture, where she is a justified, blood-bought child of God.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2)

I do not doubt that this lady told her live-in boyfriend about Christ, and if he did not believe, he was looking for a new place to stay that night.

The Apostle Paul, who was once Saul of Tarsus, the killer of Christians, wrote through the Holy Spirit this way:

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Philippians 3:12-15)

Aug 26th A Full End? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 46 – 48 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Romans 9 – 12; Psalms 120 – 125; Proverbs 26)

Read the “0826 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

(Jeremiah 46:27-28) “But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. (28) Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

Good morning. Did you know there are over 5 million Jews living in the United States, driven here by God where they could be free for a while. In the verses above, God says He will make a full end of all the nations whither He has driven His people. America too? It would be nice to see all of America shoot for the sky at the rapture of the church, but after seeing all the rioting in places across our country, I just think that there are many unsaved living here. There is nothing about the United States in the end times: after the rapture. However, when Russia and it’s allies invade Israel, Ezekiel 38:13 tells us that Sheba, and Dedan (Saudi Arabia), and the merchants of Tarshish (Europe), with all the young lions (nations that came out of England: Australia, Canada, the United States?) thereof, are going to protest the invasion. In a weakened state, that may be all we can do. After the rapture, all hell will break loose. Tearing down a statue is not going to change history. A bunch of idiotic white supremacists are not going to erase the memory of the six-million Jews murdered by trying to re-institute the Nazi Party. Unfortunately, it is all part of the end times…

2Ti 3:1-13 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, (7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (8) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (9) But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (10) But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (11) Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. (12) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (13) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

My friend Nick went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 12, 2017. His family and church had a memorial service for him on Aug. 17. I met his parents for the first time. His dad was black, and his mom was white. After seeing all the garbage in the news, it was great to see both blacks and whites gathered together to say goodbye to Nick. He influenced and affected many people because of the love of Jesus in him. And he showed, to all he met, that love. And that’s the way it should be…

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

People need the LORD before a full end.

Peace.

Aug 23rd The Rechabites – Faithful to the Lord and Their Family Heritage

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 33 – 36 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 25 – 28; Psalms 111 – 115; Proverbs 23)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32

Read the “0823 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Bible Burning.”

Before I jump into my main thought for this morning’s devotion, take a look at Jeremiah 33:1 – 3:

“1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:1-3)

Jeremiah was “shut up in the prison” but he was still communing with the Lord. He was not pouting about his living conditions and complaining about how unfairly he was being treated. He was praying to and receiving word back from the Lord. Notice that the Lord invites Jeremiah to keep calling to Him and God promises that he will shew him “great and mighty things” that he could then encourage the nation with. The remainder of the chapter reveals some wonderful things that God has in store for his people in the future. The description of blessing and prosperity given goes beyond just the return of the people from Babylonian captivity, it reveals a glimpse of what life will be like for Israel in the Millennial Kingdom when the “Branch,” the Lord Jesus Christ will be reigning from Jerusalem, the city which will also be called “the Lord our righteousness” at that time.

Now for my main thought:

As you read through chapter thirty-five, you learn about the Rechabite Family. This clan was actually descended from Moses’ father-in-law and was not part of one of the tribes of Israel (1 Chronicles 1:16). In the Book of Judges, we read about these people dwelling among the tribe of Judah (Judges 1:16). One of the heads of this family in previous generations was Jonadab (Jeremiah 35:6, 14). He is also mentioned in association with Jehu in 2 Kings 10:15 & 23 where he is called Jehonadab. According to our text in Jeremiah 35, he was the one who commanded his family to abstain from wine and live a very simple and separated life. Their obedience to refrain from wine is reminiscent of the Nazarite vow, but it appears that the descendants of Jonadab were not choosing on their own to enter into a vow of separation, they were just obeying the commandment of their forefather. God commands Jeremiah to offer them wine, which they refuse because of their obedience to the command of Jonadab, which was made over two hundred years prior to Jeremiah’s day. It is important to point out that the commandment of Jonadab was in no way in disagreement with any command of the Lord; it actually exceeded God’s basic requirements.

The Lord uses this story of the Rechabite family as an illustration to Israel. He states that these Rechabites have been faithfully following the commandments of their father, Jonadab, but in contrast, Israel was unable to be faithful to the commandments of their Father, God. God commends the Rechabites for their faithfulness to their father, and states that they “shall never want a man to stand before [God] forever,” meaning that there would always be somebody from Jonadab’s family that would be serving the Lord in some capacity. Israel, on the other hand, would be punished for their unfaithfulness to God.

God’s prophecy regarding the Rechabites was proven to be fulfilled later in the Scripture. We read of a Rechabite serving the Lord with Nehemiah some 150 years later (Nehemiah 3:14), and according to the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, Psalm 71 “was addressed for use by the sons of Jonadab and the earliest captives.”^[1]

What is the application for us today? We can be faithful to the Lord, and also to our family name, even in the midst of perilous times when everyone else seems to be forsaking them.

^[1] MacArthur, John, Jr., ed. 1997. The MacArthur Study Bible. Electronic ed. Nashville, TN: Word Pub.

Aug 20th Thank You! … by Wesley Clayton

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 23 – 25 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 16 – 18; Psalms 96 – 100; Proverbs 20)

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

Read the “0820 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.” (Jeremiah 25:3-4)

Jeremiah had a tough ministry. 23 years and no one turned to God, but he kept preaching. I have been blessed to have had many men and women of God in my life who have influenced me through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, and I just want to say thanks. From the bus worker/driver that was faithful to drive 15 minutes out of their way to come pick me up all those years; to the many Sunday school teachers who spent countless hours praying and preparing on how to keep my attention; to the youth pastors and pastors, evangelist, and missionaries that followed God by faith to get to where I was; and finally to all the godly laymen and women that simply showed the loved of God to me and kept me coming back: THANK YOU. Without them I don’t know where I would be or where I would be headed.

And, in regards to chapter 24, I don’t know what basket I would be in. So why don’t we all purpose in our heart to go to someone who made a godly difference in our lives and simply tell them thanks for having a Jeremiah-like faithfulness during the hard times and not quitting. Because, without them, there is a possibility things could be very different in your life and mine. 

Aug 19th He That Has An Ear Let Him Hear – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 18 – 22 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 13 – 15; Psalms 91 – 95; Proverbs 19)

Read the “0819 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.” (Jeremiah 22:1-5)

“Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.” (Jeremiah 22:20-21)

“O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 22:29)

Good morning. Have you heard God’s Word lately? No, I mean, have you really heard God’s Word lately? If you really, truly heard what God is saying in His Word, why have you not obeyed? Obedience is the best way to show that you heard God’s Word. The Word of God should be one of the most important things in our lives. The Word of God will get us saved…

“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)

And…

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

But if you don’t hear the Word of the LORD, and then obey the Word of the LORD by receiving Jesus as your Saviour, how else can you get saved? You can’t: no Word, no faith. Once you get saved, though, the Word of the LORD takes on a whole new life. God’s Word gives life…

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

The Word of God will help keep you out of trouble…

“BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” (Psalm 119:9-16)

Already gotten yourself into financial trouble? Hear the Word of the LORD…

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:8-12)

I am a witness to Him supplying my every need: I will not stop tithing or giving. God has proved Himself to me many times: God is true to His Word. But you have a choice to make: are you going to hear the Word of God and do it? Will you believe God and take Him at His Word? Will you be like Peter?…

“And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33)

Jesus didn’t let Peter drown, why should He let you sink for being faithful to His Word?

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:17-25)

“O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 22:29)

Peace.

Aug 12th Who Turned Out The Lights? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 58 – 62 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – John 17 – 18; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)

Read the “0812 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

(Isaiah 60:1-3)”Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (3) And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Good morning. Arise and shine. You are representing the Lord today. You will reflect His light and those around you should see this light. What’s that? You say you haven’t had your coffee yet, and your light’s a little dim? Folgers, Dunkin’, Starbucks, and yes, even Wawa coffee will not fill you with the Light. What? You didn’t even have breakfast yet? Dr. Bob Bowen, one of my teachers at Texas Baptist College, would say, “You’re sitting at your desk, your Bible is open, you have a hot cup of coffee, and a glass full of ice and apple juice. Later, the coffee is cold. The ice is melted. You’re there with the Word of God: it was a good breakfast.”

(Matthew 5:14-16) “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

What can you do to change things. How do you brighten a dimmed light? You can fall in love with Jesus again. After all, He did for us. He has given us eternal life, supplied all our needs, and gave us His Holy Spirit. We should love Him because He first loved us.

(Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

(1John 4:16-21) “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (19) We love him, because he first loved us. (20) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (21) And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

(John 14:15) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

And what had the Lord commanded? He commanded you to be a soul winner.

(Matthew 28:18-20) “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

(Mark 16:15) “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

(Luke 24:46-48) “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: (47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (48) And ye are witnesses of these things.

(John 20:21-23) “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (23) Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

The Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to seek and to save that which was lost. That’s what He commands us to do. Remember what Jesus said?

(1John 4:20-21) “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (20) And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

If you love your brother, you don’t want him to die and go to Hell. And we are brothers to the lost also: all our ancestors could be traced back to Noah. And the only way to find out if a person is saved is to ask them. You need to start sharing the Gospel. Our job is to give out the Gospel. God’s job is to convict their hearts so they will receive Jesus as their Saviour…

(1Corinthians 3:4-15) “For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. (8) Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. (10) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. (11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (14) If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Another gem I learned from Dr. Bowen is that it takes 23 days to create a habit. If for the next 23 days, you tell someone about Jesus, or hand them a tract, it will become a habit. I’m not sure if Dr. Bowen said this one also, but if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time. I would like to have a crown to cast at the Saviour’s feet. Do you? Find the light switch and turn it on.

Peace.

Aug 5th He Made Me Not – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 29 – 32 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – John 3 – 4; Psalms 21 – 25; Proverbs 5)

Read the “0805 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

(Isaiah 29:8-16) “It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. (9) Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. (10) For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. (11) And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: (12) And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. (13) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: (14) Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. (15) Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? (16) Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?”

Good morning. Is it? What if you woke up this morning after dreaming about Heaven, and found out that while you slept, laws were changed: you could not read your Bible and you could not pray in public. When you went to go see your pastor, he wasn’t at home. The church had been boarded up, and your pastor was nowhere to be found. It could happen if the church is not awake and on it’s watch. Remember when you could freely witness, show people from the Bible how to be saved from an everlasting Hell? Considered a hate crime, you would be arrested on the spot. And just think: it all started with evolution: there is no God, you evolved from an ape. Even Bible scholars (?) jumped on the band wagon with the “Gap Theory.”

So between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 there was a gap of time, billions of years, in which evolution took place. Wrong. On the first day God created earth and light. On the second day God created the earth’s atmosphere, separating the waters. On the third day God created the dry land and the plants. On the fourth day God created the sun, moon, and stars. On the fifth day God created the water creatures, and the birds. On the sixth day God created the animals, man, and woman. On the seventh day all creation was complete, so God rested (stopped creating). Fast forward to the future, and man cries out: He made me not. And the world we have now is shown in Romans chapter 1…

(Romans 1:18-32) “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Rather than teach Creation along with Evolution as the law allows, teachers cram evolution down the throats of our children. They come out brainwashed saying, “There is no God, He made me not.”

Because there is no God, there is no law. Because there is no law, I am free to do whatever I want: free (to sin) to fulfill whatever I lust after: there is no eternal punishment in Hell. Why even today, if you’re a man who thinks your a woman; or a woman who thinks you’re a man, you can change your God given sex…

(Isaiah 29:16b) “…or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?”

Here is some understanding…

1) (Proverbs 14:34) “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

2) (Ezekiel 18:4) “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

3) (Romans 3:10) “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” AND (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

4) (2Peter 3:9) “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

5) (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

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

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

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

9) (John 6:37-40) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (39) And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. (40) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

10) (1John 5:12) “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

He made me not?

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

He made me!

Pray that God would convict the hearts of the homosexual and will be ashamed of their sin. And also pray that God would convict your heart of the abominations that you have committed. For all have sinned.

Peace.

Jul 29th Mistaken Identity – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Song of Solomon 5 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 13 – 14; Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 29)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1

Read the “0729 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.” (Song Of Solomon 5:4-7)

Good morning. Have you ever been mistaken for somebody else? When I had my last pair of glasses, people would say I looked like Drew Carey. I should send him a picture of myself and say this is what you will look like at 69. Wouldn’t that be a shock? My friend Bo, from Texas, posted a picture of himself on Facebook that made him look like Huntz Hall from the Bowery Boys, and the East Side Kids. Now +I’m really dating myself: Google it. Getting back to our passage here; one of Solomon’s 1000 loves went looking for him late in the evening. The watchmen mistakenly took her to be a prostitute and beat her. She did have her face covered with a veil…

“Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.” (Genesis 38:11-15)

And Judah had her, not knowing it was his daughter-in-law…

“And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.” (Genesis 38:24-26)

Tamar was in her right mind when she did what she did, but what about being mistaken for a drunkard?

“And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth. Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.” (1Samuel 1:10-17)

There is one more example of mistaken identity in the Bible, and it has to do with you and me…

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1John 3:1-3)

When others look at you, do they see you or do they see Jesus? What do you have to do to show Jesus to the world?

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:17-32)

If the world acted more like Christ, or even if Christians acted more like Christ, the world would not be in the sad shape that it is in today. All you have to do is avoid the works of the flesh, and allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in you.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16-25)

I would rather be mistaken for Jesus than Drew Carey any day. Who will you be mistaken for? I hope you purpose in your heart to make it Jesus.

Peace.