Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Sep 8th (No Title)

Today’s Passage – Ezekiel 28 – 31 (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 – Colossians 1 – 4; Psalms 36 – 40; Proverbs 8)

Scripture Memory for July – Philippians 2:1 – 18

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17

Sep 1st Just A Thought – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl

“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.” (John 3:16)

Last night, at the church, we held our Back To School Rally. 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. There were close to, or more than, two-hundred kids in attendance. 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. If asked, I could not give you the amount of time, or money, that had gone into the preparation for this day: the book bags, the school supplies, the video, the candy, the give-away prizes, the food, the music, the preaching, and especially the prayer for God’s blessing that would make the rally a night to remember. 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. This rally was a memory builder for all involved. 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. At least two souls came forward, at the invitation, to receive Christ as their personal Saviour. 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.

Was it worth it? What everyone did to make the rally a success is a mere pittance when compared to what Christ did on the cross. 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.

Peace. (John 3:16)

Aug 24th Refrigerate After Opening – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! Have you ever seen the warning on a jar of food, warning you to “Refrigerate After Opening”? You would think that with all the preservatives used in processed food today, they would last forever. Preservatives like Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Nitrite, and Butylated Hydroxyanisole.

Yummy! (As a rule of thumb: if you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it).

Refrigeration is a good way to preserve food. Although, when that big storm blew through and knocked out power for a week, I was told that my house smelled like Armageddon. And when we got home, we found it did! All the food in the refrigerator needed to be thrown out. I guess some of these man-made preservatives did not work too well under extreme conditions.

There is only one perfect preservative. He is the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

If you could lose your salvation, it would not be a perfect salvation, it would not be God’s salvation. It would be a salvation based on what I do, and not on what Christ did. Look at what King David wrote, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121).

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

“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.” And, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (John 3:16-18 and Romans 10:13).

What kind of preservative do you have?

Peace. (John 19:27-30)

Aug 18th A Poem – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Hurting People

by Ted Stahl

There are hurting people in the pew.

Exactly now, what will you do?

Shake a hand and talk a few?

Simply start: “How do you do?”

There are hurting people in the pew.

Exactly now, what will you do?

Turn the blind eye? Never wave goodbye?

Still hurting, they leave, and you just sigh.

There are hurting people in the pew.

Exactly now, what will you do?

What would Jesus say when He sees?

You didn’t do it to them, you didn’t do it to Me.

There are hurting people in the pew.

Exactly now, what will you do?

Pray that you are not like these?

Or pray for mercy and shed some tears?

There are hurting people in the pew.

Now you know. What will you do?

In Acts chapter 15, Elymas the sorcerer was blinded for only a season for perverting the right ways of the Lord. It’s a new season. It’s time we opened our eyes and see… There are hurting people in the pew. Now you know. What will you do?

Peace. (John 3:16)

Aug 14th THE STUDY OF WOMEN IN THE BIBLE – By Camille Stahl

Pharaoh’s Daughter

  “And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”     (Exodus 2:1-6)

 Today in the worlds eyes being important, and well known, is everything. But is it really? Pharaoh’s daughter was educated, powerful, and well known in her time. She had all that anyone could ever have. Wealth, servants, beautiful clothing…. Her father was the ruler of Egypt. He just commanded, that all Hebrew boys 2 years old and younger be drowned in the Nile River. When she saw the baby, the Bible says she had compassion on him. She was brave enough to disobey her father and kept the baby. She would later raise Moses in the house of Pharaoh. The education, and training, helped Moses in many areas of his life; and God used him in a mighty way.

Even with the important role she played, and what she did, no one knows her name. The Bible doesn’t say if she came to know the God of the Hebrews, but God placed the right woman in the right place at the right time.

How many people do you know that may be unsaved that performs good deeds? A coworker, a family member, your friends. God can use the unsaved to fulfill his will in our lives. God can use different people to fulfill His goals. However, He never forces them to have faith in Him.

There are many daughters of Pharaoh living among us. They are guided by God and doing His will but lost. We see them and think all is well. They have it all, as Pharaoh’s daughter, and yet they have nothing.

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

 Will you reach out to one today? Will you give them a track or invite them to church? We can all rejoice when they come to know Jesus too!

 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.   (Matthew 9:37-38)

People Need the Lord. Listen to this link.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg&feature=related

 Thank You

1 John 5:13

Aug 11th Warning Signs – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

“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

Good morning. Someone once said that confession is good for the soul. According to 1John 1:9, it is. King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then had her husband, Uriah, killed to hide her pregnancy. Eventually the sin was exposed, and the baby died. David poured out his heart to God in Psalm 51 for forgiveness. Something that we should consider when we think about sinning is that you can’t hide anything from God: He already knew you were going to sin before you were born. David gives us some warning signs that should direct us to the Lord when we see them in our lives.

WARNING: Verse 7: Do you feel dirty? Unless your conscience has been seared with a hot iron, or you are not saved, the Holy Spirit will not let you be ‘comfortable’ with your sin. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

WARNING: Verse 8: How’s your hearing? Can you still hear the wonderful sounds of joy and gladness? “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.”

WARNING: Verse 10: Do you have an attitude problem? Go to the Lord, He can fix it, or do you like being miserable? “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

WARNING: Verse 11-12: Are you feeling alone: not able to fit in with the world, or with Christians? Have you lost the joy of your salvation? God promises that He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. He is patiently waiting for you to come to Him. “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

WARNING: Verse 13: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30). How is your soul winning? “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

WARNING: Verse 14: Do you have a frog in your throat, maybe like Pharaoh may have? How is your singing? The Bible says to make a joyful NOISE! Can you manage a noise that is joyful? God can fix that too. “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.”

WARNING: Verse 15: Can you give God praise for anything that He is doing in your life. He prepared a gourd to give shade to an angry Jonah. “O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.”

Seven warning signs. Do you see any of them in your life? It may be time to sit down, or kneel down, and talk to the Lord about it. Accept His forgiveness for any wrongs you may have done. Then you will be clean. You’ll rejoice with others. Your fellowship with the Lord will be restored. You will once again give the gospel out to a lost and dying world. Your voice and your mouth will send forth praises. (And if your voice squeaks, just tell people you invented a new note!)

“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:16-17).

Peace. (1John 1:9)

Aug 4th Cleaning House – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning. Does your shed look like mine? I just cleaned it out a few weeks ago. It’s just a little cluttered. I mean you CAN walk around in it if you pull a few things out. Sometimes we get too bogged down with clutter. Not just in our sheds, but in our lives too. The clutter in our lives can cause us to loose focus on the things of life that are really important. Jesus was great at removing clutter. We find this in John chapter 2…

“And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” (John 2:13-17)

Sometimes we just need to clean house, clean the temple that God gave us to be a steward over. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Cor 6:19-20)

What can we do? Clean house. We need to get rid of the garbage, the clutter which has crept into our lives…

SPIRITUALLY. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

MENTALLY. Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

PHYSICALLY. In Philippians 4:9 Paul wrote, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Peace. (Philippians 4:6-9)

Jul 28th Decisions – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning! This week we went camping again. It was in the driveway of Evangelist Joe Kieser’s house. We were there for the Northeast Vision Summit at Solid Rock Baptist Church,  in Berlin, NJ. We got to see many old friends, and some new ones. My job schedule only allowed me to be there Wednesday night and all day Thursday. Camille got to see David Gibbs. He is such a great story-teller. We also got to see and hear Pastors Doug Fisher, Jack Trieber, and Paul Chappel from California. Bruce Frye was also there to sing for us.

On Wednesday night, Bruce Frye sang a song about a boy’s love for his unsaved father. The dad was hidden behind a newspaper, his son behind a box of Cheri-o’s, and the mom wanted to go to church. The dad said he wasn’t going, that he would end up in the place were people like him go (hell). The mom asked the son to go, and the son told the mom, no, he wanted to go where his daddy was going, because he loved his daddy.

I had to praise the Lord for that song because I was faced with a similar situation in 1984. We had just moved into our first house in the Birchwood Park section of Brick Township, NJ. Our daughter Melissa was at the playground when she was approached by a woman out visiting on her bus route. Jackie Ferrara invited Melissa to go to church on Sunday. She followed my wife and daughter to our house, and told them about the church. Just to give you a little insight into my life, I was raised Pentecostal, my wife was Roman Catholic. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum! I get home from work and Camille says, “Guess where we’re going Sunday.”

“Where?”, I asked.

“To church!”

“Church? What church?”

“Ocean County Baptist Temple. It’s in Toms River.”

“Baptist! That’s hell-fire, damnation stuff!”

What should I do? We had never been to church as a family. Well, it was a church, and we got a free bus ride. We went. This was the first time I heard the Bible preached and taught clearly as it should be taught.

But, what if I had said no, I’m not going? Would that have kept my wife and daughter from going? Would I have been a dis-courager instead of an en-courager? I have to praise the Lord for helping me make the right decision to go.

How do we love and care for our families? I think about what Job did.

“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.” (Job 1:5)

Jesus sacrificed His life for us. Shouldn’t we show that same love for our family? Doesn’t the Bible tell us in Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it…”

The only thing that could possibly get in our way is pride.

By the way, the song had a happy ending: they all went to church and the dad got saved.

(P.S. If anyone knows the title of this song, and/or the name of the album, let me know: I’d like to hear it again. Thanks and..)

Peace. (Mark 9:50)

Jul 7th O Taste And See That The LORD Is Good – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Listen to Pastor Charlie Horton’s message to the men at our Men’s Breakfast – “God’s Will In Your Life”

Good morning! Vacations are nice, but it’s always better to get home. God’s hands were all over our vacation in Lancaster, PA. Thursday was our last day there, and we went to Sight and Sound’s production of Jonah. I think this is my favorite so far. I walked out of the theater wanting to study the book of Jonah in depth (no pun intended).

But the best thing to happen to us on our vacation, happened at Red Lobster. We had Melissa’s gift card with us, which we thought was still loaded with $50. A bad assumption. Our waiter came back and told us there was only $10. So I dug the VISA (sorry Dave) out of my wallet, and handed it to him. A few more minutes passed, and our waiter returned with my card. That’s when he told us the two ladies, who were seated across from us, picked up the rest of our tab! He said, “They told me to tell you that Jesus loves you.”

Yes He does. And I told you all that to tell you Psalm 34:8a, “O taste and see that the LORD is good…”

Like I said, God’s hand was all over this vacation. Then we came home and saw what happened in our little trailer park. Many trees were down from the storm that came through early last Saturday morning. The transformer on a telephone pole was struck by lightning, and was now the same color as the pole. God protected our house, and many others.

Even though our daughter lies buried, and her soul is in heaven, taste and see that the LORD is good.

Even though my wife had a heart attack, and needed three stints put in, taste and see that the LORD is good.

When the LORD gets you through the storms of life, O taste and see that the LORD is good.

When blessings fall like the leaves from a tree, O taste and see that the LORD is good.

When times look bright, and when times look dark, O taste and see that the LORD is good.

If you don’t know the LORD, I invite you to taste and see that the LORD is good. He loves you so much. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13). He laid down His life to save you from hell because He knew you could not save yourself: (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. Just agree with God that you are a sinner: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one… For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God… (Romans 3:10 and 23). Then call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save you, and He will. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13).

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalm 34:8)

Peace. (1Chronicals 16:34).