Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Nov 28th Put Ye On The Lord Jesus Christ – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – Romans 11 – 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 – Psalms 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)

Read the “1128 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this passage – “Be Ye Transformed“; “What’s The Difference“

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:8-14)

Good morning. One of the singers from the Cathedral Quartet, had an album called “Hotel Halliluh” after one of the songs. There was another song on the album called “Time’s Winding Down.” There is a verse in the song…

Have heard the radio? Have you seen the TV?

Well Jesus said if possible, they would deseive you and me.

O Lord I never dreamed I’d see the day when it’s all commin’ down.

Our great God is commin’.

Times winding down…

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Jesus is coming back soon. What kind of person do you think you should be? Are those who see us throughout the day seeing us, or seeing Jesus? Can they see the love of God flowing through you towards them? Like our passage says, it’s time to wake out of our sleep. While we were asleep, new corrupt bible versions have crept into churches. The government has kicked God out of the schools, out of the courts and other government buildings, and out of the lives of the American people. Our children have been taught that they evolved from pond scum and were not created in the image of the True, Living God. They believe there is some sort of define being, and because the church has dropped the ball, they are turning to the false god of Islam, Allah, who is really a modern version of Baal: he wants human sacrifices. He wants you to be a sacrifice, strap on some explosives, and blow you and whatever “infidel” is nearby up. But the only True, Living God wants wants you to make yourself a living sacrifice. He wants you to get the gospel out to the unsaved. It’s time for the church to wake up and start telling people about Jesus. If you get arrested for doing so, then tell those who are there with you in prison. We have a great commission to live out…

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Peace! (“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:27-29))

Nov 14th Is Your Cup Half Empty Or Half Full? – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passages – John 20 – 21

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do ? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” (John 21:15-22)

After filling in Peter on what he would go through, Peter asks what shall this man (John) do? Jesus basically told him, it shouldn’t matter to you, you follow Me. There are way too many critics in this world, we need more Christians to pick up their crosses and follow Jesus. Take the new Christmas cup from Starbuck’s. You can yell an scream because there’s nothing about Jesus on it. Or you can show someone, see this emblem? It’s green just like money…

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

But look at the rest of the cup, it’s red. Just like the shed blood of Jesus.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Romans 5:8-9)

I guess some people just can’t see the good in anything. Instead of tearing down, maybe we should be building up. Jesus told us, “You follow Me.”
Peace. (“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1))

Oct 24th Truly This Man Was The Son Of God – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Mark 15 – 16 (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 – Psalms 116 – 118; Proverbs 24)

Read the “1024 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.” (Matthew 15:39)

Good morning. It is mind boggling sometimes when I think about how could the Jews have missed their Messiah? He is right there, from Genesis 1:1, all the way through Malachi. Genesis 3:15 says…

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

This happened at Calvary, the bruised heel was from the nail holding His feat to the cross. And satan, that old serpent received the death blow to his head because of what Jesus did on the cross. Truly this man was the Son of God.

How about Isaiah 9:6-7…

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

And that child was born of a virgin…

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

And Immanuel means: God with us. Truly this man was the Son of God.

Zechariah 11:12-13 tells us just how much we value God…

“And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.” (Zechariah 11:12-13)

“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.” (Matthew 26:14-15)

“Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value…” (Matthew 27:3-9)

Truly this man was the Son of God. How do you value Him. Is He worth 30 pieces of silver to you? No, He is not worth 30 pieces of silver to me: how can you even put a value on God? He is everything, and He is worth everything. Think about this: the only True, Living God put on flesh, came to earth being born of a virgin, only to be tortured, crucified, and die for your sins and mine. What does Jesus mean to you: thirty pieces of silver, or everything and more? Isn’t it time to die to self and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and work through us? Truly this man was the Son of God.

Peace.

(“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))

Oct 10th And He Healed Their Sick – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Matthew 14 – 15 (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 – Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Read the “1010 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“When Jesus heard of it [THE BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST], he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:13-14)

Good morning. Aren’t you glad that God does not change. He is constant. His Word does not change. His salvation is always by His grace. And because He is all-knowing, He doesn’t need to change His mind: everything is going according to His plan. But one of the greatest features in His plan is to show His mercy. God’s mercy shows itself many times when we prayerfully, and humbly come to to God for the mercy that only He can give. God told Solomon…

“And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” (2Chronicles 7:12-15)

Think about Jonah and that wicked city called Ninevah…

“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.” (Jonah 1:1-2)

“So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.” (Jonah 3:3-10)

Now let’s take a look back at Matthew 14:13 and 14…

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:13-14)

The first thing to notice is that when the people found that Jesus was in a desert place, they followed Him: they were seeking Him.

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:13-14)

Also notice that those seeking Jesus were a great multitude: there were many coming, We’ll see why in a minute, but this multitude did something to Jesus…

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:13-14)

The multitude coming caused Jesus to be moved with compassion toward them. There were those among the multitude who were sick, and Jesus healed their sick.

Our nation is very, very sick. As Christians, we have the only hope for sick people. The gospel needs to go out to the sick…

“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)

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

I’m sure some of the multitude wanted to see Jesus in person (think the pope’s visit to Philly, except this multitude was going to see the only true, living God, who put on flesh to become the only acceptable sacrifice for sin). But there were some of the multitude who were there because of what Jesus could do for others. They brought their sick, and Jesus healed them all.

Here is the problem: do you care about others enough to give them the gospel? Do you see how the Sodomites are gaining victory after victory in the laws being passed? Do you understand what Romans chapter 1 says?

“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: 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. 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; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 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.” (Romans 1:26-32)

You look at the world today as apposed to 100 years ago, and tell me that “evolution” made things better. That’s what the evolutionist thinks: things improve with time. Yeah, tell me about it. That’s why you have ISIS destroying everything in it’s path; our kids don’t know the true, living God, and run away to worship the “moon god.” There are drive-by shootings. Idiots who go into schools and kill students who may not even know what the cause of this lunatic is. They are without natural affection. Mothers injecting their teenage daughters with heroine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen children alone on the walkway alone while one or both parents are on the casino floor playing the slots. While they look at their machines, making sure nobody steals their money, I can almost guarantee that there is someone with evil intentions eying up the kids. Evolution? Sounds more like De-evolution! Well Christian, well America, you reap what you sow, and by the extremely low standards of today it is obvious we have not done much sowing. Is it too late? It will be too late when the Lord calls us home. But while we still have breath, Jesus commands us to go…

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 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.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

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

“And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:46-49)

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21)

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Peace. (“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Ezekiel 33:1-9))

Sep 12th Toxic Waste Part 2 – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 41 – 43 (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 – 1 Timothy 1 – 3; Psalms 56 – 60; Proverbs 12)

Read the “0912 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.” (Ezekiel 43:1-7)

Good morning. In chapter 40, Ezekiel is taken on a tour of the wall and the gates that surround the temple. In our reading today, chapters 41 and 42, Ezekiel is given the grand tour of the temple. But his greatest sight is in chapter 43, seeing the glory of the LORD come through the eastern gate, and fill the house. And the spirit took him to the inner court where the LORD spoke to him, declaring that this is where He would dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever. And the LORD also declares that His Holy Name would not be defiled by them any more.

Let me take you on a tour of God’s temple…

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1Corinthians 3:16-17)

You are God’s temple! Let’s start our tour with your heart. Jesus said…

“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” (Matthew 15:19-20)

But…

“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.” (Romans 10:9-10)

What kind of heart do you have? The signals that our next stop, the mind, receives depends on your heart…

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Romans 8:6-7)

Is your mind carnal? There is a cure…

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

The apostle Paul told us…

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” (2Timothy 1:7-11)

And it is your mind that is going to send it’s signals to the body to tell it’s members what to do. Your soul is who you are. The works of your body parts (your mouth, your hands, your feet, etc.) makes up a great portion of who you are. So, who are you? Are you a child of the King? Are you joint heirs with Christ? You can be who you should be by following Jesus’ instructions in Matthew 22…

“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:35-40)

If your heart and mind and soul are focused on loving God, He will clean up the toxic waste that is in your life.

Peace!

(“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2))

Aug 22nd Everlasting Love – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 30 – 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 – Acts 22 – 24 ; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)

Read the “0822 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God.” (Jeremiah 31:1-6)

“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy…” (Psalm 107:2)

Good morning. Jesus said, “…I have loved thee with and everlasting love…”

This passage reminded me of my favorite passage from Ezekiel…

“And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.” (Ezekiel 16:3-8)

The Lord has done a lot for us, even everything, because of His everlasting love. He gave us eternal life (John 3:16, 6:37-40). Our sin left us polluted in our own blood (Romans 3:10 & 23, 5:12, 6:23a), but Jesus paid the price of sin for us (Roman6:23b, 5:8; Psalm 22:14-18, Isaiah 53:1-10). We are washed clean by the blood of Jesus…

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Did Jesus do this for you? All you need do is realize you are a sinner, and that because you are a sinner there is no way for you to get into Heaven…

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

…and then pray, and ask Jesus to forgive your sins, invite Him to come into your heart and He will. Romans 10:13 says…

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

Did you receive His everlasting love? If you did then let the redeemed of the LORD say so: tell somebody about what His everlasting love did for you.

Peace! (Proverbs 11:30)

Aug 8th I Am The LORD – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 41 – 43 (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 9 – 10; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)

Read the “0808 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Malachi 2:2)

Good morning. God wants His glory and praise. And rightly so: He is the only One who deserves it.

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.” (Psalm 24:7-10)

Praise means to give credit. Giving glory to God is acknowledging that He did something to, or for you. God is responsible for everything that comes into your life, whether we see it as good or bad. If it is bad, though, it was probably caused by us: we brought it on ourselves. We may perceive something as bad, but it could be the correcting hand of the Lord trying to get us going back in the right direction. That would make it good. Good or bad, we need to glorify God by thanking Him, and Him only. God will not give His glory to another. But what did man do?

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 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: 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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 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.” (Romans 1:18-23)

And Uncle Sam is bending over backwards to make this country stink with everything that is abominable to God. Now they say that our children will be taught and exposed to homosexuality as early as kindergarten? Is lowering the age of consent to twelve the next thing on their agenda? Many years ago, Dr Jerry Falwell from Thomas Road Baptist Church showed hidden videos taken inside a convention of Sodomites. One of their agendas was to get the age of consent dropped to twelve years old. It was shocking back then, but in the America we live in now, it could become law. They need to read Luke 17…

“Then said he [JESUS] unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.” (Luke 17:1-2)

When it was discovered that Achan had stolen silver, gold, and a Babylonish garment, which caused Israel to loose 36 men in the battle for Ai, Joshua said to Achan…

“And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.” (Joshua 7:19)

The United States of America will someday have to give glory to the LORD God of Israel: the Lord of lords and King of kings. We can’t hide it from Him: He knew what would happen from the beginning of time. We will have to confess that Homosexuality is sin. Abortion is sin. Kicking God out of His nation is sin. Making Israel give up the land that God gave it is sin. And others too numerous to print here…

“Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.” (Isaiah 34:1-3)

But…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9)

Peace. (Revelation 22:1-6)

Aug 1st But His Hand Is Stretched Out Still – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 9 – 13 (Click on the references to listen to the audio)

(Second Milers Read – Luke 19 – 20; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Read the “0801 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.” (Isaiah 9:8-21)

“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” (Ezekiel 33:1-6)

Good morning. I’ve asked several pastors, and missionaries if they had ever heard of “The Harbinger”, or “The Mystery Of The Shemitah” by Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. They had not. And I don’t think that it is a coincidence that our reading today contains a key passage dealing with this.

I always wondered why, in Revelation, during the Great Tribulation, how the people could see and know that God was allowing all these troubles to happen to them, and yet they would not repent: they shook their fists at God. Seeing America rolling down hill at an ever increasing pace, I can see this now. People would rather believe in false gods, idols, no God at all, or even seeing themselves as a god. But God’s hand is stretched out still.

Before I go any further, I just want to clarify that a harbinger is a warning from God. Shemitah basically means to let fall. It is also the seventh year of a seven year cycle (1994, 2001, 2008, 2015 etc.). And despite the warnings, Israel turned their backs on God. And the results are shown in 2Chronicles 36…

“And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” (2Chronicles 36:15-21)

In our hay-day, the U.S. Dollar is what many countries around the world traded in, and did business with. We have had warnings, harbingers, ourselves directly affecting our economy. As mentioned above, 1994 saw the great Bond Market crash. The Bond Market lost over $1 Trillion. In 2001, the bricks were fallen down with the destruction of the World Trade Center by terrorists. That shook Wall Street; six days later on September 17, 2001, the stock market crashes 684 points. Seven years later, 2008, there is another crash. When all is said and done, the stock market loses 777 points. Add 7 years to 2008, and that brings us to 2015. America is due for another great shaking. But even after the previous shaking’s, we still legalized same sex marriage, called good evil and evil good, shook our fists at God. And God, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. He has given us a warning. Just like Jonah…

“And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4)

September 13, 2015 coincides with the Hebrew day Elul 29th, the end of the Shemitah year. God doesn’t have to do anything: He is the Righteous Judge: He is still in control: He is still Lord of all – will always be.

“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.” (Jonah 4:5)

Now you can sit on your rump like Jonah, waiting to see what will become of the United States. Or you can reach out with the gospel. Remember JOY: Jesus, Others, You. This is what you can do. 1) Pray: seek God:seek JESUS. 2) Get the gospel out to OTHERS. Many still have to make the decision to receive or reject the gift of eternal life given by our Saviour. And 3) Prepare YOUrself. You may want to stockpile some extra food, get right with God, stock up with extra water, get right with God, make some “care packages” to give to others when whatever goes down goes down. And get right with God. And God, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Peace? (2Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name [CHRISTIAN – THAT’S YOU AND ME], shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways [YES, THAT’S YOU AND ME TOO: WE ARE THE ONES WHO MUST GET RIGHT WITH GOD]; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.)

Jul 25th He That Increaseth Knowledge Increaseth Sorrow – The Saturday Morning Post

Today’s Passage – Ecclesiastes 1 – 4 (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 5 – 6; Psalm 119; Proverbs 25)

Read the “0725 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18)

“And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalm 14:1)

Good morning. The United States of America has been around since 1776, that’s 239 years. You should, when you have time, take a look at Wikipedia’s Timeline of US History. It will take you up to 2014. (Cut and paste the link into your browser.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_history

Here are a few highlights, although some may not be on this timeline.

1789, April 30, after being sworn in as our first president, Washington dedicates the new nation to God.

1830 The Second Great Awakening for revival in the United States.

1963 The Supreme Court ruled ending official Bible-reading in American public schools.

2004/2005 The Supreme Court ruled: Thou shalt not display the Ten Commandments in any government building or court.

2015, June 26, Gay marriage is legalized by the Supreme Court.

If you look at the timeline, you can see the many great things accomplished by Americans. In 1977, Commodore introduced the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) home/personal computer. This was the first home computer. That was only 38 years ago, and now, in 2015 we have smart phones. And smart phones go back to 1992 with the IBM Simon: 23 years ago. Information technology has certainly advanced quickly these days. A tremendous increase in knowledge: for in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. And we have much sorrow. Why? Because in our search for wisdom and knowledge, we have left God out. And God will judge…

“And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

What can we do?

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)

Here is a question for you, Christian: something to ponder. You are saved. You have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have iniquity (a wrong, especially moral) are we defiling God’s righteousness that He gave to us? Just something to think about. Where have you gone with the Lord’s righteousness lately? What knowledge are you getting? Will it make you more like the Lord Jesus Christ? Or will it make you more like the world? In the place of righteousness (your’s) in iniquity found? I don’t have to try smoking to know it is bad for me. I don’t have to mix alcohol and drugs to know that they can kill me. I have God’s Word that tells me about these things. Principle number 3 from Reformers Unanimous fits perfectly in this: “It is easier to keep the heart clean than to clean it after it has been defiled.”

With and increase in knowledge (of sin) is an increase in sorrow.

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

Increase your knowledge of the Lord, and allow God to make you more like Jesus. There is no sorrow in that.

Peace! (2Peter 2:20-22)