A Penny For Your Thoughts

Today’s Passage -Psalms 90 – 95

Second Milers also read – Matthew 7 – 8; Psalms 16 – 20; Proverbs 4

“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” – (Psalm 94:19)

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” – (Proverbs 23:7)

“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.” – (Philippians 4:8)

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” – (2 Corinthians 10:5)

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about thinking lately. I am discovering that our thought processes have a great deal of impact on our overall happiness. In our reading passage today, in Psalm 94, David is confronted with all of the negatives that life could dish out. He had many enemies that were trying to destroy him, and he had his critics that seem to always know how the job could be done better. Yet, David chose not to dwell on all of these discouraging factors. Instead, his thoughts turned to God. David was pretty good at this. Remember when the Amelekites took David’s family captive, and the families of all his men? His men were so upset with David that they spake of stoning him. What did David do? Well, he eventually went out and got his friends and family back, but first he got encouragement from God. How did he do that? He remembered God’s promises. He thought about his relationship with God, and chose to think about what God had done for him in the past, as well as what God said he would do for him in his future;  and this thought process caused David to take action. But it all started with a thought process. David’s circumstances did not change at all before his encouragement came. His encouragement came simply from looking at his circumstances from a higher perspective; and then the actions that resulted from the encouragement changed his circumstances, which, of course, encouraged him more.

Many people I know, are constantly living in a state of discouragement. Their minds are a playground of negativity, which results in a defeated attitude. This further causes them to live in defeat, blaming everything and everybody for their problems and failures. The Bible says that we need to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. These negative thoughts attack what we believe to be true about God and our relationship with Him, which makes God’s image and power appear smaller in our mind. We are supposed to magnify the Lord, not make him smaller.

As I have observed people through the years, I have noticed two root causes for negativity and discouragement in God’s people:

The first reason for their discouragement is that they are not busy enough. They have too much time on their hands to think, and the direction of their thoughts is often about their circumstances. Instead of taking the appropriate actions necessary to improve their situation, they wallow in self-pity, waiting for somebody to come along and fix the problem for them; and when he never comes, they go into an even deeper discouragement with blame and criticism added to it directed toward the people that should have cared enough to help. Busy people, however, tend to not have time to dwell on anything. They are too busy. Their minds are active, and are constantly being used to solve problems, rather than dwell on them. Did you ever notice in the Psalms written by David, that he never looks to anybody but God to solve his problems.

The second cause for discouragement is that when people do have time to think, they let their thoughts control them, rather than choosing and controlling the thought pattern. The Bible commands us to “cast down”, and to “think on these things”. These two imperatives make it clear that what we think about is, at least to some degree, a matter of our own choosing. I ask again – what are you thinking about? Is your mind filled with criticism and complaint about other people? Is it polluted with corruption and filth from sin? God wants you to think about good things. God wants you to control what you think about. Think about Him; read His Word; memorize passages of Scripture; sing the songs of God; spend some time remembering God’s promises, and praising Him for what He has done in the past.

If you and I could stay busy, and then when we do have time to think, control the direction of our thoughts, we could then encourage ourselves like David did, and then we could get up and do something, which will make our lives, and the lives of others better, which then makes us feel even better.

Just a thought.

By the way – Happy Birthday America!


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The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Praise Ye The Lord

Psalms 150 says,

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”

I have breath, so I must praise the Lord. As I sit here in my camper, at Country Acres Campground, in the heart of Lancaster, PA, I can’t get over what God has done in getting us here. For those of you who are not familiar with driving in Philadelphia, it’s an un-natural disaster. Tune into any morning show and watch the traffic reports. It’s insane! God set this up, and I praise Him for that. We were going camping for the week of July fourth. My sister Ruthie wanted to give us a vacation after all that had transpired in the first half of the year. We chose Lancaster. Here is what God did. We wanted to leave when I got home from work Friday morning. God was there and arranged me to be scheduled to work overnight at the Sicklerville store. We started our camping trip a day early. I brought Camille and the camper to Sicklerville that night. Now remember the traffic? God supplied me and my boss Joe with another worker. We were able to finish the resets, and get out of there around 4:00 am. Do you know how the traffic is at four in the morning? There isn’t any. We drove through Philly with no problem, right into a nasty thunder storm. God’s timing, of course, is perfect. We only had to drive through a few down-pours. The lightning lit up the early morning sky. It was beautiful. Streaks of high voltage travelling horizontaly across the sky, and vertically as it struck the ground. Then we saw the results, but God protected us from them. There were many branches from trees blocking the outside lane. There was no traffic arround when I swerved to avoid hitting a pile. Praise God that the trailer did not flip, and that we were not damaged by the fallen debree. The Lord got us safely to the campgrounds at 6:30 am. I still have breath, so I praise Him for that. Also the campground is very well kept, and peaceful. Normally, about this time, we would still be hearing the music blaring, the people partying, and loud, foul voices would fill the air. This is a nice, peaceful place. I was going to say a piece of Heaven on earth, but since when is Heaven peaceful? We’ll be shouting praises to our Lord and Saviour. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Peace (Psalm 150:2).


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Thirsty?

Today’s Passage – Psalms 40 – 45

Second Milers also read – Revelation 4 – 7; Psalms 116 – 120; Proverbs 24

Scripture Memory for June – Psalm 139

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” – (Psalm 42:1-2)

I remember when I was a boy, the neighborhood that I grew up in was involved in an unorganized baseball league and we would challenge other neighborhoods in our town to play us. I remember one very hot, summer afternoon we were playing Lake Riviera, our arch rivals.  The temperature was in the 90’s with high humidity.  It was a real scorcher.  I don’t remember who won or lost that game, but I do remember that out of all of the dozen or so guys on our team only one had enough sense to bring water.  I recall he had one of those Coleman jugs that contained about a half gallon or so of water.  At first he did not want to share; but under the threat of death from his teammates, he finally yielded and shared his treasure.  It was as close as I ever came to identifying with the rich man in Luke 16, who desired just a drop of cool water.

In the passage referenced above the Psalmist tells us that he had that kind of a thirst, not for water, but for the things of God.  Jesus said, “…if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37), and “blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  Amos referred to a thirst for the “hearing of the words of the Lord”. (Amos 8:11)

We tend to get thirsty when we have been without hydration for a while.  America is dehydrated spiritually, and I bet there are a lot of folks out there who are thirsting for God; and they may not even realize what they are thirsting for.  They have been drinking from the wells of this world for a long time, but have not found satisfaction.  The people of God are not helping the situation because they too have abandoned the well of the Word of God and have been sipping at the fountains of the devil.

Are you thirsty?  As God’s people, our desire should be for God’s will and God’s Word.  We should thirst after it.  How long has it been since you took a good, long, satisfying drink from God’s well?  How long has it been since you offered a cup of God’s Spirit to the thirsty people of the world around you?


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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)


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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).


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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)


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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).


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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).


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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)


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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)


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