Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

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)

Apr 14th But Some Doubted – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

What! Excuse me, I mean good morning. ‘What’ is in reference to what I just read. Matthew 28:17 says, “And when they saw him, they worshipped him: BUT SOME DOUBTED.”

What! This was the eleven! But some doubted? Was this a reference to Thomas? This was on a mountain in Galilee, not the upper room in Jerusalem where Jesus met them a second time, and told Thomas to touch the nail prints in His hands, and put his fist into the wound in His side, “and be not faithless, but believing.”

But some doubted. If the apostles who were with Him through all the years of His ministry could doubt, I guess we could doubt also. This is just another tool that the devil has in his little bag of tricks. If the devil can make us doubt, he can ruin our lives. God does not want us to doubt. Where is our faith if we doubt? Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” And also Matthew 13:58, what I always refer to as one of the saddest verses in the Bible: “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” From these two verses we can already see that when we doubt it is not pleasing to God, and we hinder His work in our lives.

Sometimes discouraging things happen in our lives. These things can cause us to get depressed, discouraged, and doubtful. If we harden our hearts, it’s just as if we blame God for our troubles. Our real problem is the devil. Satan is the one to blame. He is the destroyer of anything and everything that is good. He is after you and me because we are made in the image of his enemy: God. The devil hates us whether we are saved or not. But God loves us more than we could ever imagine, and sent His Son to die on a cross to pay for our sins, the sins of the world. James 1:17 tells us that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Do you know what that means? It means that whatever God allows the devil to do, is a good gift, and He will use it for His glory. If you are having money problems, it could be God is teaching you to be a good steward of what He has given you. The death of a loved one. God can use that to show how He can meet your special needs: He can love and comfort you when you are hurting. And God can do these things if we do not doubt.

There are two things we can do for our faith. They come from Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

You need to hear the word of God. Read the Bible. Make sure you go to church and Sunday School for the preaching and the teaching. Do the Bible. If you hear the Word of God then you will be doing the Word of God. If you hear and don’t do, the Word of God flows in one ear and out the other.

And here are some verses from the Bible you should know…

Know the truth – John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Know the Holy Spirit – John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Know about the troubles in life – Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Know that you are saved – 1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Peace. (John 13:17)

Apr 7th I Don’t Know – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Mar 31st Restored – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

On a museum tour, the guide told us, “That chair goes back to Louis the 16^th.” That’s nothing, I have a couch that goes back to Sears on the 15^th.

In driving all over south Jersey, going to work, I see a lot of furniture sitting near the street, waiting to picked up by the garbage trucks. When a piece of furniture is worn out or damaged, it appears that the majority of people will throw it away and buy a new one to replace it. I wonder how many people considered restoration? Maybe they think the old, worn item is not worth the trouble. It is just not worth the effort. We should be glad that God isn’t like that. He is in the restoration business. But God does not make things ‘like new’, He makes them new!

John saw it in Revelation 21:1-7: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

And in 2Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

In this morning’s schedule, we also read about this happening to Saul. Samuel had told Saul in 1Samuel 10:5-6, “After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.”

In verse 22 we catch a glimpse of the old Saul. When Samuel was going to introduce Saul as Israel’s new king, they could not find him. They had to ask the Lord to show them where Saul was. “And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.”

But in chapter 11, Saul went from fear to freedom. God gave Saul boldness as he went up against the Ammonites. “Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. [God took away the fear.] And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand. And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they were glad. Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.” (1Samuel 11:1-11).

God is not finished with us yet. It takes time for us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Samuel told Saul that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon him and he would become a new man. As we yield more to the Holy Spirit, and less to ourselves, the new man that God wants us to be is going to shine through.

Peace. (Galatians 6:15-16)

Mar 29th Eli Didn’t Correct His Children

Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 1 – 3

(Second Milers also read – Revelation 11 – 14; Proverbs 29; Psalms 136 – 140)

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

“Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.” – (1 Samuel 2:17)

“For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” – (1 Samuel 3:13)

In these beginning chapters of 1st Samuel, we see the miraculous birth of Samuel; and the downfall of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Often, when I reflect on this portion of Scripture, I am drawn to the subject of Samuel and how God answered the prayer of Hannah (his mother) by giving her a child. However, this morning I am thinking about the two evil sons of Eli – Hophni and Phinehas. The first reference above tells us that the sin of these men was “very great before the Lord”, because it actually caused the people of God to hate coming to the Temple to give their offerings. These priests were not only corrupt in their handling of the offerings of the people, but they were also immoral with women who came to the Temple. These men had to go. God’s patience with them was running out. God was further angered by this situation because their father, Eli, the high priest, knew about what was going on, and he didn’t do anything to stop it.

This passage of Scripture admonishes me in two areas. First, I must remember that as a leader in God’s service, I bear a tremendous responsibility to deport myself well. My actions will affect others. If I become corrupt or immoral I will not just be impacting my own relationship with God, but I will become a big stumbling block for others. This idea is especially important for people who are leaders in the church, but it applies to all Christians. People are watching us. We must be careful that we are not leading them astray. We have an obligation to “adorn the gospel”, which basically means we are to make God look good.

My second thought from this passage regards parenting. We are to restrain our children, which must begin when they are very young. If we can instill in them the fear of God at a young age it will not depart from them when they are old. It is obvious from this passage that Eli did not discipline his boys when they were young. Again, this applies to every parent, but it is especially important for preachers, deacons, and other leaders who are commanded to have their houses in order. Parents need to stop trying to be their children’s “buddy”, and they need to start being parents; and parenting involves love, instruction, and correction.

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” – (Proverbs 13:24)

“Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.” – (Proverbs 19:18)

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – (Proverbs 22:6)

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” – (Proverbs 23:13-14)

“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” – (Proverbs 29:15)

“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” – (Proverbs 29:17)

Mar 17th Heal Our Land – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Good morning. I just read a little news blurb on the internet. It said that England was ready to pass a bill okaying gay marriages. And guess who one (or rather two) of the supporters are. Ben and Jerry, of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. If they are supporting gay marriage over there, they are probably supporting it over here. Marriage is between a man and a woman.

God did not make them that way. Homosexuality is not a disease, it’s a decision just like any other sin. Romans chapter one calls it vile affection. They decided that they did not want to retain God in their knowledge. Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, and 1Kings 14:24 call it abomination. How could the sodomite make the right decision if he doesn’t know the truth. If he does not know the truth, how can he be expected to make the correct choice? Proverbs 6 gives us seven other abominations. Ever tell a lie?

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

When you look down your nose at someone who does not know any better, or a person lost in sin, remember what Jesus said, “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).

You see there is only one sin not covered by the blood of Calvary. Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation…” (Mark 3:28-29)

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1John 1:10).

All I’m saying is that when you start to judge somebody, remember where you came from. Homosexuality and telling a “little white lie” are both abominations to God. We are all sinners (Romans 3:10 & 23). But Jesus loved us enough to take the punishment that was made for us on Himself (John 3:16 & Romans 5:8).

Our government is in trouble. Everyone one is trying to be politically correct, and not God correct – truthful. We need God’s help. A good prayer for our nation is brought forth from Psalm 85…

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.”

Yes, truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. But, best of all, He will set us in the way of His steps.

Peace. (2Chronicles 7:14).

Mar 10th CHOOSE LIFE – THE SATURDAY MORNING POST BY PASTOR TED STAHL

Good morning. If you choose wisely, you will choose life. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). Deuteronomy 30:20 tells us that the Lord is our life and the length of our days. By choosing life there are three actions we display in our lives…

We will love the Lord. A lawyer asked Jesus what the great commandment in the law was. 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 22:37-40). And “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1John 4:19). Many times our love for the Lord will manifest itself in the love we have for others. This love will also lead us to the second action we show in our lives. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)…

We will obey the Lord. We learned through Saul, the first king of Israel that obedience is better than sacrifice. (1Samuel 15:13-24). And the Lord has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us in the way we should go. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16). When our lusts, or the whiles of the devils try to get us to stumble, our lives will show the third action…

We will cleave to the Lord. The word cleave is an action word in itself. Cleave means to catch by pursuit. In pursuit, and catching, we draw close to the Lord.

HOW TO CHOOSE LIFE.

Realize you are a sinner. Romans 3:10, and 3:23 tell us that, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” and “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…”

And because you are a sinner, you cannot save yourself: you need a Saviour. Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” You see, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30). Choose life.

Peace. (John 14:27)

Mar 3rd More Than Conquerors – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

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

We are more than conquerors. If God be for us, who can be against us? Nobody can stand against God. We can go forward for the cause of Christ and nothing can stop us. Why don’t we? We trust the Lord for our salvation, why not His cause? I think it’s fear. Remember when twelve, one from each tribe of Israel went to check out the promised land. All but two, Caleb and Joshua, gave a bad report that discouraged Israel from going over Jordan. They feared the giants in the land. And then what happened? God had Moses lead the children of Israel through the wilderness, for 40 years, until all that rebelled were dead. Only then was Israel allowed to cross over into the promised land. They didn’t believe that God would go over before them to fight, that the battle was His.

We all reach a point in our lives when we either trust Christ with our lives, or don’t trust Him. Our Lord only wants the best for His children. Are you going to be like Joshua and Caleb, or like the other ten; an encourager, or a discourager? If you want to be an encourager, the Lord has laid on our preachers heart to knock on a multitude of doors today. We’re meeting at the church, and leaving at 11:00 am. Be an encourager: be there – early.

Peace. (Romans 8:15)