Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jun 23rd Guilty – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning. Guilty in 45 of the 48 counts against him. That’s what the news said. Psalm 37, verses 1 and 2 cry out a warning: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

Jesus warned, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” (Matthew 18:6-7).

I have a hard time even imagining what it was like to stand before a judge and hear the gavel slam down on the bench saying, “Guilty! Period! No if, ands, or buts!”

A good deterrent for crime is knowing the consequences. The wages of sin is death. Do you believe the truths of the Bible: God’s Holy, Infallible Word? Just like Adam and Eve, when we sin, we die inside: spiritually. Physical death will come later. Do we believe that the wages of sin is death?

Read all of Psalm 37: this is a great Psalm. Within this Psalm, there are five directions given. Give heed to them. Understand them. Do them.

Verse 3 tells us to TRUST in the LORD.

Verse 4 tells us to DELIGHT in the LORD.

Verse 5 tells us to COMMIT OUR WAY unto the LORD.

Verse 7 tells us to REST in the LORD.

Verse 34 tells us to WAIT on the LORD.

It is better, when the gavel comes down, to hear: “Not guilty! Case dismissed!”

Peace. (Psalm 37:37-40)

Jun 16th And I Caused The Widow’s Heart To Sing For Joy – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! My wife was listening to, and reading, her Bible a few days ago. It’s good to have a wife who loves God, and loves His Word. As I listened, Job chapter 29 was being read. The narrator said, “…and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.”

Now losing a child is the second devastating event that could happen to a person. If you lose a child, you don’t go through that pain alone. But, if you lose a spouse… that has to be the number one bummer of a lifetime. But Job caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Chapter 29 gives us a little glimpse of the type of man Job was. Verses 12 through 17 tell us, “Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.”

God called Job, His servant. How the Lord described Job is found in Job 1:8: “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”

There was nobody like Job. He was complete, and upright. He feared God, and hated evil. How would God describe you? Would He call you His servant? I think about the example that Jesus gave us in John chapter 13, “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:4-17).

We should be more like Job, who caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. We should be more like Jesus in our attitude towards others: our servitude. Can you imagine what the world would be like if Christians cared about each other? Lifted each other up? Edified each other? There would be an abundance of hearts singing for joy.

Peace. (John 13:17).

Jun 9th Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness Part 6: Getting Enabled – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning. In our quest for personal holiness, we learned to treat everyone the same. We learned to be thankful. We learned we should obey God. In part 4, we learned that we should choose our words wisely. And in part 5, last week, we learned that we should believe God’s truth, and not the devil’s lies: it’s a sin, not an alternate life-style. Today, I want to wrap this series up; but we may re-visit Amos again in the future.

Be ye holy, for I Am holy. God said to do that. If God said to do that, which He did, don’t you think we should do that? You can see that Amos was enabled when He spoke to Amaziah…

“Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD…” (Amos 7:10-16).

Amos was enabled. We can read this today because he was enabled. 2Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

The one who enables is the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the Power that God has given us (Acts 1:8). The Holy Ghost is the one who will enable us to be holy. But the choice is still up to you. The Scriptures tell us that we can grieve the Holy Ghost (Eph. 4:30) in doing the things we should not be doing, and we can quench the Holy Ghost (1Thes. 5:19) by not doing the things we should be doing. You have a choice when it comes to sin: you can say no. You have a choice when it comes to obedience: you can say yes. You see if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). We can be holy for God. The choice is yours.

Peace. (Eph. 4:30)

Jun 2nd Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness Part 5: Victims – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! Happy second day of LGBT month. Here is a verse from Amos: “I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.” (Amos 4:11).

Here is another good passage: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (Isaiah 5:20-23). Our nation is in a heep of trouble. And no, this isn’t a Gay-bashing blog. Sin is sin in the eyes of God. God forgives all sin (except for the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost) through the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 21:8 says, “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.”

Sin is sin in the eyes of God, and even those who told that little white lie, who rejected the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, will find themselves cast into the lake of fire. Our nation is in trouble – big time!

Five times God calls to Israel in Amos chapter 4, “…yet have ye not returned unto Me…”

I sent famine, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Amos 4:6).

I sent drought, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Amos 4:7-8).

I sent heat and mildew, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Amos 4:9).

I sent pestilence, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Amos 4:10).

You got ‘burnt’ from the sins of others, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. (Amos 4:11).

Have you seen the price of food lately? How about the mild winter? What is this green stuff I have to power-wash off my trailer twice a year? And look up Chagas on the internet if you want pestilence. It’s a little parasite released by bugs that bite, and draw blood. When you scratch the bite, the parasite enters your body and can cause enlarging of the heart and intestines, then death. More than 8 million people have already been infected, mostly in Latin and Central America. But, there are over 300,000 in the United States. And what can I say about being burnt? When we sin, it not only affects us, but those around us. Just ask Pharaoh (Gen. 12:10-20) or Abimelech, king of the Philistines (Gen. 26:6-11). Think about those who are trying to turn our ‘one nation under God’ into an atheistic socialist country. What’s wrong with socialism? I don’t know. Ask someone from the USSR: the Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republic (the Communists). Or you can ask a member of the National SOCIALIST Party (the Nazis). Remember to vote on Tuesday. If we think about the consequences before we sin, and think about those who may be affected by our sin, we may decide it isn’t worth the price we, and others, have to pay. Those of the LGBT don’t need to be fenced in and die off, they need Jesus just as much as you and I do (see Romans chapter 1). You see, we are all sinners: you, me, Billy Graham, the Pope: everybody (Rom. 3:10 & 23). And the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23a), but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23b; John 3:16). And if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (see 2Cor. 5:17).

Peace. (1John 5:12-13).

May 26th The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness Part 4: Words

Good morning! I have a riddle for you…

Once they’re out, they can’t come back.

Of their weight, there is no lack.

People use them when they’re sleeping.

People use them when they’re weeping.

Some use them to make a pitch.

Others dig themselves a ditch.

Some are bad, and some are good.

They should all be used as Jesus would.

What are they?

That’s right – words.

Verse one of chapter one starts off with, “The words of Amos…” After that, he uses the phrase – “saith the Lord” – forty-three times. Amos chose his words wisely: God showed him what to say and he said it. We need to be wise in what we say: think before you speak. Proverbs 29:20 tells us, “Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” And Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Choose your words wisely.

In James, chapter 3, the apostle wrote, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.  For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” (James3:5-10)

These things ought not so to be; choose your words wisely. 1Thesselonians 5:11 through 18 give us some insight on our lives which should be reflected in our words. “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thesselonians 5:11-18).

Our words should be a comfort to others (2Corinthians 1:3-4).

Our words should edify others (Romans 14:19).

Our words should admonish, that is, gently reprove. How did Jesus talk to the woman at the well who was ‘shacked up’ with a man she was not married to? (Colossians 3:16).

Our words should be peaceful (Proverbs 15:1).

Our words should be warning others (Ezekiel 3:18).

Our words should be supportive: you can encourage, or you can discourage with your words: be an encourager (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

Our words should show patients with others (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

Our words should be rejoicing (Philippians 4:4).

Our words should be prayerful (Psalm 55:17).

And our words should be thankful (Psalm 26 (in particular verse 7, but read the whole Psalm: it’s all good)).

Your words reflect who you and what is going on inside you. If you are saved, they should reflect Jesus, so choose your words wisely.

Peace. (Psalm 19:14).

May 19th Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness – Part 3: Obedience – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning. In our quest for personal holiness from the Book of Amos, we learned in part one that we should treat everyone the same: we are all sinners. You may look down your nose at those who have not reached your level of holiness, but look up: there are others looking down at you: you haven’t reached their level yet. And if you look past them, you will see a level that you will never reach until you’re transported those pearly gates. God is looking down at you, but with love. That is the way we should be looking at others.

In part two, we learned to be truthful. And since Jesus is The Truth, and also told us that, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth, we should be truthful.

In part three we will look at being obedient to God. In Amos chapter 7, the priest Amaziah trying to get Amos to leave Israel…

“Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD…” (Amos 7:12-16).

Amos was obeying God’s appointment, by warning Israel of the coming judgment. When we do our own thing, rather than the things which the Lord has commanded us to do, it is sin. That’s what happened with king Saul in 1Samuel 15…

“And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1Samuel 15:13-23).

Two contrasts: Saul being disobedient to the Word of God, and Samuel obeying the Word of God by telling Saul where he stood. And what about our model, our example, the Lord Jesus Christ? Philippians tells us that He was obedient unto death…

“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. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11).

God wants only the best for us. We can trust Him with our lives. Our lives may not go in the direction that we wish them to go, but God will use our lives for His glory. Are you obeying God? Be ye holy? Are you allowing Him to make you more like Jesus, or are you rebelling? The choice is up to you.

Peace. (1Peter 1:15-16)

May 12th Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness – Part 2: Truthfulness – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”

Good morning! Last week was kind of an introduction to the Book of Amos. We saw that God said in Leviticus 11:44 God said, “For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy…”

If you are saved, God is in the process of conforming you to the image of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And since Jesus said that I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and also told us that, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth; truthfulness should be one of the traits we look for in ourselves. Don’t look for it in anyone else: this is personal between you and God.

There was a priest at the time of Amos, whose name was Amaziah. Amaziah did not like to hear the truth. Like so many others who do not like to hear the truth, they try to keep others from not hearing the truth also. In Amos chapter 7, verses 10 thru 13, we see what Amaziah did to try and hinder the warning from God’s prophet…

“Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.”

Amaziah did not want to hear what God had to say, but Amos was going to give him the truth anyway. In verses 14 thru 17, the Bible says…

“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.”

Truth is the only thing that is stable: it can not be bent or reformed. If truth is modified in any way, it is no longer truth, it is a lie. In America, we have been being fed lies for a long time. Evolution, there is no God, god is in everything so hug a tree, it’s okay to abort a baby because it’s just a blob of goo, and the list goes on and on. Adolf Hitler said that if you tell a lie often enough, it would be believed as truth.

Jesus said in John 8:32. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

And Jesus is the truth. The Words given Amos to speak to the nation of Israel, and write in a book, they are truth. In our search for personal holiness, we must be truthful. Truthful to God (He knew what you would do. He knew all about you before you ever existed). Truthful to others. Truthful to yourself. Examine yourself (remember this is all between you and God). Peter pointed to the disciple whom Jesus loved, and asked what that man would do. Jesus saith unto him, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”

Peace. (John 4:24)

May 4th Amos – The Last Call To Personal Holiness – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! Come with me on a little adventure. I’m trying something a little different with the SMP: a Bible Study on the Book of Amos. One of the things that triggered this was a news article about a group called Freedom From Religion, who are trying to get a cross removed from a war memorial that has been there for 91 years. I remember seeing this group in an interview a few years ago: I can’t remember when. The group was started by a woman who belonged to a religion that was forcing her to do this, that, and the other thing. She should use her group to get others out of a works religion, and get them into a KJV Bible believing church. A church where they believe Ephesians 2:8-9: “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.”

Unfortunately many confuse God with the church in their priorities. Your priorities should start with God. He should be your number one priority. Your second priority is that of your family, and because you love your family, and want a good house with food on the table, and clothes on their backs; your job should be in here somewhere. Your third priority is your church. Fourth: everything else.

Romans 14:1 thru 15:7 (and I promise we will get to Amos) tells us that, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

One day we will all give account to God. This is a call to personal holiness. In 1Peter, chapter 1, Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44: “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.” (Romans 14:1-15:7)

And Peter knew this is personal between him and the Lord. Jesus told Peter, straight out, the way it is. John 21:20-22 tells us, “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.”

Don’t worry about the other guy, you follow what God says in His Holy Word.

In the Book of Amos, time had run out. The nations did not listen or care to do what the only true and living God said to do. God’s people were about to be judged for turning their backs on God. The nations that surrounded Israel and Judah were about to be judged for what they did to God’s people. The nations of Syria, Palestine, Edom, Ammon, and Moab hurt God’s people. They were threshed by the Syrians. Threshing is a process in which the chafe and the grain is removed from the stalk. Then the grain is separated from the chafe. God’s people were torn apart by the Syrians. God’s people were sold as slaves by the Palestinians. Edom, the descendants of Esua, had no pity on their brother, Israel, and fought with God’s people. God’s people were attacked by the Ammonites. They ripped up the pregnant women (genocide) to enlarge their borders. It did not matter to them that they attacked the children of Abraham, their father’s uncle. Moab was going to be punished for attacking the other son of Abraham: Isaac’s son Esau. God is a righteous God, and wrong is wrong, whether it is delivered by the hand of an enemy, or the hand of a friend. And God’s people, Israel and Judah, turned their backs on the God who loved them, who chose them to be His bride, who led them out of captivity. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Scarey.

Did you ever play chess? The best players are always thinking several moves ahead. Amos was giving these people a vision of what was going to happen to them. God gave them a peek at what was going to be a few moves ahead. They could either repent, change their mind about the direction they were going, or just keep going further and further away from God. Remember that the wages of sin is death, even for a Christian. But God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Your life is between you and God. He purchased you with His blood. Maybe the time has come for some self examination, and a life that reflects a closer walk with God.

Let me encourage you to read the Book of Amos this week. But before you do, ask God to open your eyes to being holy; and to keep you from falling. And when you do fall, remember 1John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Peace (Isaiah 43:5-12)

Apr 28th Why Me? – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Psalm 136…

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Why me? I’ve asked this question many times, but I never got an answer. I’ve asked that question so many time that I’ve stopped asking. There is no answer to: why me. Why? I know now that His mercy endureth for ever. You and I need to thank God that His mercy does endure for ever. Our lives are Psalm 136: sandwiched between verse 1 and verse 26. He feeds us. He protects us. He supplies our every need. That’s everything between those two verses. That’s our lives, and we should thank God that His mercy endureth forever.

My daughter is in Heaven: for His mercy endureth for ever. She has no more pain from the arthritis and cancer: for His mercy endureth for ever. My wife didn’t need a triple bypass, only stents: for His mercy endureth for ever.

Our lives will show us God’s mercy if we look for it. There will always be something we can give thanks for, even in the darkest hours. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Peace. (Psalm 135:1)

Apr 21st Count Your Many Blessings – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good Morning! Have you counted your blessings from God so far this morning. If you’re alive and breathing, that’s one. If you are reading this post, that’s another (I hope). Did you have breakfast? Count your life a blessing from God. Both the good things and the bad things – real life is a blessing from God.

In Psalm 103, verses 1 and 2, David tells himself: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…”

What’s David doing? He’s telling his soul to thank God for everything with all that he has in himself. In doing so, he list twelve actions in which God blesses us…

1: He forgives our iniquities (vs 3).

2: He heals our diseases (vs 3).

3: He saves us from going to Hell (vs 4).

4: He shows us His loving kindness, and tender mercies (vs 4).

5: He feeds us (vs 5).

6: He gives us justice (vs 6).

7: He gives us His Word – the Bible (vs 7).

8: He is patient with us (vs 8-11).

9: He pardons our sins (vs 12).

10: He loves us like a Father (vs 13).

11: He knows us better than we know ourselves (vs 14-16).

12: And knowing all about us, He still uses us to do His will (vs 17-22)

God gives us life, and that more abundantly. He gives us the good times, and what we perceive as the bad times. The perceived bad times are for His purpose and glory: they are for our good. Take a look at your life, it may not be as bad as it seems. “Count your many blessings, see what God has done!”

Peace. (Psalm 104)