Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Mar 2nd Life’s Walls – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Deuteronomy 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 – 1 Corinthians 13 – 16; Proverbs 2; Psalms 6 – 10

Read the “0302 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. And the LORD said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining. And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.” (Deuteronomy 3:1-5)

Good morning. Let me ask you a question: Is your God powerful enough to bring down a wall that you came up against? In our passage here we see that the Israelites came against sixty cities, all fenced with high walls, gates, and bars. There were also a great many unwalled towns too. Many times in our lives, walls spring up and block us: keep us from our goal. Moses told Joshua…

“And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:21-22)

Have faith. God will fight for you. Let’s fast forward to Joshua at Jericho. If someone told you that you had to march around Jericho for six days, once each day; and then on the seventh day march seven times around, and shout so the walls would fall, you would look at them kind of strange. But Israel did it by faith in God, and the walls came tumbling down.

Wait for God. He is probably waiting for you to obey. Think about Naaman the leper. Naaman’s wall was his leprosy. What could he do?

“So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2Kings 5:9-14)

Have faith, wait for God and…

Watch God work. Peter was chained up in prison. His problem was the prison walls: and his freedom was right on the other side of those walls.

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.” (Acts 12:1-11)

The church was praying for Peter, and Peter saw first-hand God working. Sometimes God will test our faith. Sometimes we have to wait for God. And sometimes we have to just hold our place and watch God work. Our wall, or problem, can be our own worst enemy. Sometimes we have to ask the Lord to take it away. Paul said…

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2Corinthians 12:7-9)

God gives us grace in dealing with our walls. Without the walls in our lives there would be no need for His grace to make the walls tumble down. Praise the Lord for the walls in your life.

Peace.

Feb 29th In the Morning

Happy Leap Day!

Note – today is that extra day in the calendar that comes every four years in a leap year. There is no scheduled reading for today. Read your favorite passage or use the time to get caught up if you have fallen behind. For you second milers, however, there are quite a few extra passages to read as February is a short month.

Today’s Passage – read your favorite passage

(Second Milers read – Proverbs 29 – 31; Psalms 141 – 145; Psalms 146 – 150)

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

Read this morning’s Evening and Morning devotion by Charles Spurgeon.

“8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” (Psalm 143:8)

As I was reading through these second miler passages this morning, I noticed that the psalmist, David, had the same philosophy that many of us do when it comes to carving out some time early in the day to get alone with God and hear what He has to say to us. Really, you could say that these verses sum up the purpose of this devotional blog. We want to get alone with the Lord early in the morning, before all the cares of the day confront us, and we want Him to remind us of His lovingkindness toward us and to show us the way that we should walk in our day. These moments with God in the morning are very precious. At my house, the mornings are usually very peaceful. I am an early riser, and I love the quietness of the morning. I usually sit in my chair in front of the fireplace and do my devotions, along with my buddy Jack (our Corgi).

David certainly liked to spend time with God in the morning:

“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” (Psalm 5:3)

“But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.” (Psalm 88:13)”

Jesus also was a fan of the early morning hours:

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

The morning is certainly not the only time of the day that we should get alone with the Lord. David also said:

“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)

Paul stated that we should: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which means all times of the day.

I once heard an evangelist say that we should get God on the phone in the morning and shoulder the phone throughout the day. 

I want to encourage you to find a time in your day when you can get alone with the Lord and listen to what He has to say to you. For many of us, it may be in those early morning hours, but for some, it may be another time in the day. Whatever works for you – just do it. It is amazing what a difference it makes in our lives when we take the time to hear His voice – in the morning.

Feb 24th The Greatest Weapon An Army Can Have – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Numbers 25 – 26 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Romans 5 – 8; Proverbs 24; Psalms 121 – 125)

Read the “0224 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.” (Numbers 26:1-2,51)

Good morning. Six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty is a great army to have. And Israel had it. But this army was no good to Israel unless it was armed. Israel was armed with the greatest weapon they could have against their enemies – God. All they had to do was obey the orders that God gave them, and He would take care of the rest. Jesus said…

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5)

It would be a terrible thing if you loose your only weapon that will defend you against your enemy.

“And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” (Isaiah 10:3-6)

You can see in the battle of Jericho that when Israel obeyed God. Israel did what God told them to do, and He brought the walls down (see Joshua chapter 6). Jericho was defeated. The next city was Ai, a small city, but one man of Israel sinned at Jericho. He did not obey God. When Israel went up against Ai, Israel lost 32 men, and retreated from the men of Ai. Ai was used by God as he would us Assyria to punish Israel for their disobedience. God pointed out to Joshua that there was sin in the camp. Joshua needed to take care of it. He did. And the next time Israel attacked, Ai was defeated (see Joshua chapters 7 and 8). You can have the greatest army in the world, but without God, it is nothing: it has no 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)

Are you in God’s army. Does God’s Holy Spirit dwell in you. Will you allow God to bless you as you take a stand for Him? Remember…

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:28-39)

Peace.

Feb 17th Carry Your Burden – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Numbers 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Acts 10 – 12; Proverbs 17; Psalms 86 – 90)

Read the “0217 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none [CARTS]: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.” (Numbers 7:9)

This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it…” (Numbers 4:4-5)

“And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.” (Numbers 4:15)

Good morning. Do you remember what you read in the Bible this morning? Being old, I have trouble too, remembering that is. Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit who will bring all things to light: He’ll help you remember when the time comes. After reading about the burden of the sons of Kohath, I thought about king David, and how we all mess up. Did you know the king had to write a copy of the Bible. Not only that, he had to read it daily…

“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

So what happened here…

“And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.” (2Samuel 6:2-8)

David should have known. David should have had the sons of Kohath carry the ark. The oxen wouldn’t have shaken it, and Uzzah would not have had to grab the ark to steady it. But David didn’t, and Uzzah died. Yes, David should have known that when we sin, it affects others. Adam and Eve. Eve believed the lie of the devil, but Adam knew the truth and willfully took of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…” (Romans 5:12)

When we sin, it affects others. Jonah, when he ran from God…

“Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.” (Jonah 1:1-5)

The captain lost the cargo he was carrying which equated to what may have been a small fortune. Because of Jonah’s sin, others suffered. How about Pharaoh? He hardened his heart and rebelled against God by not letting God’s people leave Egypt. As a result Egypt was ruined, and the people suffered with the death of their firstborn.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)

When we sin, it hurts others. Moses sinned, and was not allowed to enter the promised land when he smote the rock to get water, instead of only speaking to it. He ruined God’s picture of Jesus and how we can come boldly before the throne of grace.

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

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16)

God provided a way to forgive us through the Lord Jesus Christ…

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1John 1:7-10)

When we sin, it affects and hurts others. Have you opened your eyes to see what your sin has done to others? The Lord will forgive your sin, but unfortunately, the results of that sin still remain. It is sometimes very hard to make up for the damage done to others. Just something to think about when you’re tempted to sin.

Peace.

Feb 10th The Saturday Morning Post – Ye Shall Be Holy

Today’s Passage – Leviticus 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – John 13 – 14; Proverbs 10; Psalms 51 – 55)

Read the “0210 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:1-2)

Good morning. Are you holy? Our passage here says, “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy”

There are a few words translated into English as holy: sanctify (to make holy), a sanctuary (a consecrated place or thing), or in the case here: sacred. Ye shall be sacred: for I the LORD your God am sacred. The secular definition of sacred is to be dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity. And we should be set apart for God to use…

“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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

If you are saved, God has already prepared good works to use you in as you walk in them. You are holy, sacred to God, to be used by Him. What about God? For I the LORD your God am holy [sacred]. Is He set apart to be used by you?

“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, Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:1-3)

“Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.” (Joshua 10:12-14)

Has God answered any of your prays? He didn’t have to, but He is Holy, He is Sacred. He did answer your prayer when you called on Him. And why wouldn’t He: He loves you…

“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 3:16-18)

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1Peter 1:13-16)

Peace.

Feb 3rd Jesus: God’s Sacrifice For Us – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Leviticus 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 23 – 24; Proverbs 3; Psalms 16 – 20)

“And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” (Leviticus 1:1-4)

Good morning. Six years ago, A&E premiered Waco: Madman or Messiah. If you are saved and you know your Bible, you also know that David Koresh was not the Messiah. They even showed his bronze grave marker, and I can tell you his grave is not empty like the borrowed tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to reports David Koresh died from a single bullet to the head. And when they recovered his burnt body, they discovered his skull was also crushed: it took several days to piece his skull back together. God’s Word says that not a bone of the Messiah would be broken. Over 80 souls, including about 24 children lost their lives in the compound fire. All I could think was: if they only knew the LORD. If they only knew the Bible. If they only knew the Truth.

TRUTH 1) Let him offer a male without blemish.

“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 5:18-21)

Jesus knew no sin. Jesus was without blemish. Jesus was born of a virgin: He was not conceived in sin like everyone else. David Koresh was born Vernon Wayne Howell, on August 17, 1959, conceived by flesh and blood parents: he carried the seed of sin passed down to all of us from Adam. Should I mention the adultery or his sin as a pedophile?

TRUTH 2) Jesus is the Lamb of God.

Jesus was introduced by John the Baptist in this fashion…

“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

Jesus is the Sacrifice that God provided to take away the sin of the world: THAT’S EVERYBODY! All you have to do is receive Him as your Saviour.

“And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” (Leviticus 1:4)

TRUTH 3) Jesus is still at work today.

As I mentioned before, David Koresh is still buried in his casket, under the ground. The tomb that Jesus laid in for 3 nights and 3 days like the prophet Jonah is empty (as is the fish’s belly of Jonah). But Jesus is risen. The sacrificing of innocent animals was a continuing thing, because mankind was always sinning. But just before Jesus died on the cross, He proclaimed that it is finished: the final Sacrifice for the sin of the world was made.

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)

TRUTH 4) When Jesus comes to earth again, He is not coming as someone else (no rev. Moon, no David Koresh, no Jim Jones), He’s coming as the Lord Jesus Christ: King of kings, and LORD of Lords.

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” (Revelation 19:11-21)

TRUTH 5) Jesus: there is no other name given by which we must be saved.

“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)

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

Without Jesus, we are nothing. We all sin…

“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)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…” (Romans 5:12)

But, there is a but…

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

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

Eternal life in Heaven is one of God’s free gifts to you. All you need do is reach out and receive it…

“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)

“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)

The choice is yours. You can meet the Lord as He sits on the Great White Throne of Judgment and only leads to the Lake of Fire. Or you can meet Him in the air when He returns to catch His bride away. As Paul told the Philippian jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Peace.

Jan 27th The Saturday Morning Post – They Met With The LORD

Today’s Passage – Exodus 22 – 24 Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click hereto view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 8 – 9; Proverbs 27; Psalms 126 – 130)

Read the “0127 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them. And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exodus 24:9-18)

Good morning. Have you seen God? Did you meet with Him? Just wondering. God told Moses when he said straight out, “Show me Thy glory.”

“And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” (Exodus 33:20)

Jacob saw God when he wrestled with a Man…

“And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (Genesis 32:30)

Even Gideon…

“And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.” (Judges 6:11-23)

These people got to see Jesus. Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel saw Jesus. But to the rest of the nation of Israel waiting at the bottom of the mountain…

“And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” (Exodus 24:17)

We are fortunate to have God the Holy Spirit living in us. We may not be able to see Him, but we can feel His presence with us, as He comforts us and guides us.

“Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

And we are blessed. But, do you want to get closer to the LORD? Talk to Him in prayer. Confess your sins to Him. You don’t need a priest, he can’t forgive your sins, only God can. Once you’re saved, once you are born again, you can come boldly before the throne of grace. Then allow Him to talk to you by reading your Bible. When you read something about what you’re doing, and it’s leading you in the wrong direction, the Holy Spirit will let you know, and get you back on the right path. You can also start memorizing Scripture…

“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)

Wait a minute, this all is a Walking With God quiet time: your daily devotion. All you need do is pick a block of time in your busy schedule and divide it into four equal parts: 1) Read your Bible; 2) Study your Bible; 3) Pray; and 4) Memorize. The Lord is waiting to hear from you…

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Peace.

Jan 25th Murmuring

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

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

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 34:1 – 4

Read a previous post from this passage – “Sound Advice” and “Remember Sunday.”

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

“1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:1-3)

Murmuring, griping, complaining, bellyaching. Whatever you may want to call it, people sure do a lot of it. We gripe about almost everything. Human beings seem to struggle with both contentment and problem solving which causes them to just complain when things are not going the way they would like them to go. 

The people of Israel were no different. They had already been miraculously delivered by God from Egypt and even saw God part the Red Sea for them and drown their enemy, the Egyptians. Yet, every time they faced a new obstacle, they resorted to griping and complaining. Here in our text, they were murmuring for food. I get it, when I am hungry, I can also be downright difficult to get along with, but rarely do I go too long without eating. God graciously takes care of their need for food by providing manna in the morning and meat in the evening. It is interesting that God only gave them enough manna to last them for a day. The only exception to this was that they could gather double in preparation for their Sabbath. But God met their needs daily.

In chapter seventeen, they were grumbling again for water. Water is important; people need water to survive. I can understand that the people were concerned about where they were going to get water, but to just immediately resort to murmuring was not going to solve anything. Once again, God came through and met their need just as He met every one of their needs as they wandered through the wilderness on their way to Canaan.

We must remember a couple of things about the Lord and His provision for our needs:

• God knows what we need.

“31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:31-34)

• God promises to provide what we need as we serve Him.

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

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)

• If God allows you to go through a challenging period with problems or difficulties, or if you really need something, don’t complain – pray!

“6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6)

13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. … Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:13 &16)

• Learn to be content. As much as we want everything to be more than perfect or ideal in our lives, there are still going to be problems. This is not Heaven. We are living on a sin-cursed earth for the purpose of glorifying the Lord and leading other people to the Lord; lost people laden with more problems than us. God is good. Learn to appreciate and be grateful for all the wonderful blessings that He gives us every day. And then, look forward to Heaven which will be beyond anything we could ever dream of.

“11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)

“6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6)

Jan 20th The Saturday Morning Post – It’s Still Murder

Today’s Passage – Exodus 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 – Mark 11 – 12; Proverbs 20; Psalms 96 – 100)

Read the “0120 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.” (Exodus 1:13-17)

Good morning. Did you know that America has aborted over 58 million babies since Roe v. Wade? A few years ago, in a blog, I mentioned that the count was just over 52 million. Our children have been lied to, and now believe what was actually a baby is just a blob of goo. At only 2 months after conception, your baby has its own fingerprints, your baby can urinate, make a fist, and feel pain.

Jeremiah 1:5 says…

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

God had already had a plan for Jeremiah’s life. Does that make you think something like, “I wonder, out of the 58 million aborted babies, which one God ordained to have the cure for cancer? Or the solution to the food shortage? Or the solution to the pollution of the earth?”

Even Isaiah…

“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.” Isaiah 49:1)

Count the cost. The cost of an abortion is around $500 for the first trimester, and $2000 for the second trimester. Do the math: 58 million abortions (and we’ll just say they were all first trimester) times $500 equals $29 TRILLION DOLLARS! Somebody’s making a lot of money. Even back in the days of the prophet Amos…

“Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border…” (Amos 1:13)

I don’t think that God likes abortion.

“Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

And in Proverbs 6…

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Children are a reward for you, not a burden, or an inconvenience.

Psalm 127 says…

“A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psalm 127)

Going back to Exodus chapter 1, look what the LORD did for the midwives…

“Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.” (Exodus 1:20-21)

If you have had an abortion, it will not keep you out of Heaven, however, depending on what you do with Jesus will…

“Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” (Matthew 12:31-32)

We all sin…

“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)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…” (Romans 5:12)

But, there is a but…

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

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

Eternal life in Heaven is one of God’s free gifts to you. All you need do is reach out and receive it…

“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)

Ask Jesus to forgive your sins, come into your heart and save you. And He will. And do you know what you will find?

Peace.

Jan 17th The Joseph Principle

Today’s Passage – Genesis 43 – 44 (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 92:1 – 4

Read the “0117 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from today’s reading passage – “Bereaved Again,”  “Passed the Test,” and “People Can Change.”

“And the famine was sore in the land.” (Genesis 43:1)

Back when I was in Bible college in Texas, our pastor would teach a principle and refer to it often when he was counseling people regarding finances and stewardship. He called it the “Joseph Principle,” which basically teaches that money needs to be saved in the plentiful years so that there will be enough to last during the lean years. In these chapters that we have been reading here in Genesis, God miraculously revealed to Joseph through the dream of Pharaoh that there would be seven very plenteous years where there would be an abundance of food produced in Egypt and the surrounding area, which included the land of Canaan where Joseph’s family lived. Unfortunately, those seven very good years would be followed by seven very bad years when the crops would fail and food would be scarce. Note – the story of Pharaoh’s dream and the plan of Joseph is found in chapter 41. The implementation of the plan and the results of the famine are in the following chapters including the portion for today.

Joseph came up with a plan that would dramatically increase the strength and prosperity of Egypt through those lean years. He advised Pharaoh to purchase as much food as he could during the plenteous years, when it was cheap, and then store it up for the lean years. When the abundance ran out in the land, people were then forced to go to Joseph and purchase food from him at a much higher price, and then when their money ran out, they were forced to turn over their land to Pharaoh in return for food. The wealth of Egypt increased while all others who were unprepared suffered tremendous losses.

The very obvious stewardship principle that we should learn from this story is that we also need to store up wealth and other resources when it is abundant so that we will have enough when the lean years come. Right now, in America, we are still experiencing incredible prosperity. God has blessed this nation abundantly. I know that we are in a period of inflation and that interest rates have increased somewhat recently, but there are still plenty of jobs out there and much income to be earned for people who are willing to work hard. As a matter of fact, in this lazy culture that we are living in, if you are willing to be diligent and work hard you will be an absolute hero at your workplace and will likely advance very quickly. There is really no excuse today for people to be struggling, unless they have health issues, etc., that are hindering them from being able to work.

But during these prosperous times, you must prepare for the lean years that will surely come our way in the future. You cannot squander all that God supplies you with today. You need to save some of it for tomorrow. My recommendation to you who are able to work and earn income for your family is to earn as much as you can today while still maintaining your family and spiritual priorities. In other words, don’t spend so much time working that you are neglecting your time with your family and your service to the Lord.

Once you have a good source of income, you need to budget your money carefully, making sure that you are giving back to the Lord. I am a believer in giving at least a tithe to the Lord’s work as well as offerings to special projects. You also need to be saving for the future and for the rainy days that surely will come. There are a lot of great Christian resources out there that can help you in the area of stewardship, but one in particular that we have used to help the folks in our church is Ramsey Solutions, a ministry headed up by Dave Ramsey that has helped many people get out of debt and prepare for their future. There are other good resources available as well.

Don’t put off preparing for the future. If you start now, you will be in a strong position when the times get hard and you may even be able to help others who are not as prepared as you are. The Joseph Principle is a great nugget of wisdom that all of us should put into practice before it is too late.