Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 10th HE IS – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 48 – 52 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – John 13 – 14; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)

Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 61:1 – 3

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “9 Marks of Excellence in Church Leadership“

Read the “0810 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1 – 6)

He is THE I AM.

“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:13 – 15)

He is THE WAY.

“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” (Exodus 13:17-22)

“Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:10-11)

“And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.” (Ezekiel 20:42)

“When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.” (Ezekiel 39:27-28)

He is THE TRUTH.

“Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” (Leviticus 19:35-36)

“Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)

“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.” (Isaiah 46:9-13)

He is THE LIFE.

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.” (Isaiah 43:10-11)

“Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:21-22)

“Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:13 – 15)

He is THE GREAT SHEPHERD.

“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)

He is THE LORD.

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

Do You Believe HE IS?

“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.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Peace. (Psalm 46:10)

Aug 3rd Walking With God – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Passage – Isaiah 19 – 23 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 23 – 24; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)

Scripture Memorization for June – Pre-Tribulation Rapture Passages

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 25

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Five Ways Dads Can Redeem the Time“

Read the “0803 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Good morning. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said:

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

This is what happened to two men walking towards Emmaus in Luke 24:13-36. As they were walking, Jesus was on their minds: the trial, the beating, the crucifixion, and now someone had taken Jesus’ body from the tomb. All these things unsettled their world, and saddened them. Jesus then drew near, and went with them. The Bible said their eyes were holden that they should not know Him: they did not know they were walking with God. They explained to Jesus what had just happened in Jerusalem while they walked together. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, Jesus expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. They got excited, and ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others.

So. Are you excited today? Why are you saddened? Let me give you three praises you can praise God with today that may cheer you up…

Praise God the Father.

He loved you so much, that He sent Jesus to die for your sin and mine: every sin that is, and ever was, and will ever be; whether committed by the saved or the unsaved (John 3:16, 1:29). When you received Jesus, you were Tramadol adopted into God’s family: you are another son to Him (Galatians 4:4-7). And as a son, He will Take care of you and supply your every need (Philippians 4:19-20).

Praise God the Son.

Nobody loves you as much as Jesus does (John 15:12-13). He took all the punishment for sin that we should have received (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53, 50:6; Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22:1-18; Matthew 27:27-54; Mark 15:15-39; Luke 22:63-65, 23:33-47; John 19:1-30). Jesus cared for and loved us so much that He sent us another comforter (John 14:16-18 & 26) [You should read all of John 14: there are many blessings to praise Jesus about contained within that chapter.]

Praise God the Holy Spirit.

You can praise him in times of trouble for His comforting(Psalm 51; John 16:7-14). You can praise Him for the gifts that He gives you and the fruit that you will bear (1Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:22-23). You can praise Him for the power to witness He gives you (Acts 1:8). He even wrote a book for you and preserved it in the King James Bible for English speaking people.

So let me ask you again. Why are you saddened? Maybe you didn’t read the Bible today? How do you expect the Holy Spirit to fix what’s wrong in your life if you don’t know what He said. Let’s go back to Luke 24. Think about Jesus, here in this passage, as the Holy Spirit (remember: these Three are One). The two men are trying to walk away from there problems. It isn’t going to work: they’re still talking about what happened (vs. 13-14). Today, since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit lives in every believer. He has feelings: we can grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30), and quench Him (1Theselonians 5:19). Sometimes we take Him to places we should not be, or let Him hear things we should not hear, or see things we should not see. He is always with us. But He is concerned about us (vs. 17). Jesus had to come to these two walking down the street. We can meet with God every morning, when we open our Bibles. From there, He can rebuke us (vs. 25-26), and He can teach us (vs. 27). He will get you going in the right direction again, and be a witness for the Lord (vs. 32-35). Then do you know what happens?

Peace! (Luke 24:36)

Jul 27th Somebody Cried – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Passage – Ecclesiastes 9 – 12 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Luke 9 – 10; Psalms 126 – 130; Proverbs 27)

Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses

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

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Rest for the Busiest People“

Read the “0727 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Psalm 126 says,

“When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Good morning. Well, it’s all over till next year. I wonder how many thought that thought when they left Solid Rock Baptist Church, and the 2013 Northeast Vision Summit? I feel sorry for you if you did. I have been to The Soul Winning Clinic (and served in) at Longview Baptist Temple, Longview, Texas. I have been to Pastor School at First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. I have been to The Spiritual Leadership Conference at Lancaster Baptist Church in Lancaster, California. But, I will never forget my Payday Loans three days at the 2013 Northeast Vision Summit.

Somebody cried. I know somebody cried. Solid Rock, and many other churches have been praying for this conference. Somebody sowed in tears, but we all reaped in joy. It isn’t over till next year. If you did not go home without getting something from the Word of God, the music, or the fellowship with old and new friends then it’s your own fault. Praise the Lord for everything we experienced there.

Most of you who know me, and/or read this blog, know that our daughter died a year and a half ago. I still have trouble sometimes in dealing with it. Praise the Lord for Pastor Doug Fisher (Lighthouse Baptist Church, San Diego, California) who gave us God’s Word on suffering. It was personally a great help to me, and will always be. Thank you, Pastor Fisher for preaching God’s Word.

If you walked away without the Lord touching you somehow, then I would seriously consider praying that God would help you with your heart of stone, and show you what you must have missed at the summit. Tuesday night’s video of the summit (all 5 hours!) is on the website (www.northeastvision.org). Hopefully the Wednesday and Thursday will be up soon. Watch them again. Allow the music to fill your heart with gladness as you rejoice in the Lord. Allow the Word of God to reach you, and heal you from the burdens of this world. Somebody cried for you, help them to reap in joy.

And thank you Pastor Clark for following the “Northeast Vision” that God has given you.

Peace. (Psalm 29:11).

Jul 21st Home Away From Home – The Saturday Morning Post – On Sunday

Today’s Passage – Proverbs 19 – 21 (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 – Mark 13 – 14;Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)

Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31

Read a great article by Brother John Goetsch – “Uncola Christianity – 7 Ingredients To Add To Your Faith“

Read the “0721 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Wine Is A Mocker“

Good morning. Psalm 100 says:

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

God’s truth endureth to all generations. God’s truth. We found God’s truth in North Carolina! Imagine that. Camille and I were going to a campground in what amounted to be the middle of nowhere. When we were about ten miles out, we started looking for churches along the road. We saw about 4 or 5 Baptist churches along the way. It was not until we were about 1/2 mile from our destination that we saw the sign out in front of Derby Baptist Church. There in the middle of the sign, in large letters, easy to read as you cruise by, was what caught my eye. The sign read: K J Bible. That was enough to let any Fundamental, Independent, King James Bible believing Baptist know that they found the right church.

Pastor Ben Garrison, a veteran missionary to Alaska, has been at the pulpit there for about a year. It was great to hear God’s Word, God’s Truth, preached Sunday morning, Sunday and Wednesday nights. The body of Christ there has about 25 members, and they support around six missionaries.

On Sunday night, we heard the testimony of many in the congregation. They freely praised the Lord, and gave their testimonies how the Lord had saved them. One man grew up in a Pentecostal church like I did. Another, a woman, recalled how only a short distance away, she was saved. That was 58 years ago! Another woman had lost a daughter in a car accident. It always amazes me when I find that God has put me in a place I need to be. Derby Baptist Church will be my fondest memory of this trip to North Carolina. It was a home away from home for me. By Wednesday I was homesick for Jersey Shore Baptist Church, but I can’t wait to get back to Derby. Please pray for this oasis in the wilderness.

Derby Baptist Church

Pastor Ben Garrison

2178 Derby Road

Ellerbe, North Carolina 28338

And if you find yourself in North Carolina, stop in and drink from God’s truth.

Peace. (Proverbs 3:6)

Jul 13th SICK OF SIN – THE SATURDAY MORNING POST BY PASTOR TED STAHL

Today’s Reading – Psalms 140 – 145 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 25 – 26; Psalms 61 – 65; Proverbs 13)

Scripture Memorization for June – Great Commission Verses

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 61:1 – 3

Read a great article by Brother Rick Houk – “Keeping It Fresh – Summer Bible Study“

Read the “0713 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from today’s reading – “Draw Me Nearer“, and “Are You Happy?“

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:1 – 3)

Good Morning! Have you ever been stuck in that horrible pit of sin? After you were saved? Some of us are living there now. It’s a horrible pit. The word horrible in this verse means uproar. Inside the devil’s bag are many tricks. One of them is distraction. The devil gets many things going in our lives that we lose focus on what God wanted us to do. He causes an uproar in our lives, a horrible pit. Our world is turned upside down. We start relying on our own power to get out of this mess when we should have relied on the Lord to get us out. After all, Romans 14:23 does tell us: … for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And where does faith come from? “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). Even Jesus, when He was tempted by the devil, used Scripture to battle him. That is what we need to do: use Scripture.

The first action you need to take is to stop. They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). Scripture tells us in Psalm 40:2 that God is the one that brought you out of the horrible pit, set your feet upon a rock, and established your goings. God will lift you out in His timing.

Your second action is to allow the Lord to bring you up one step at a time. He brings you out, sets you a solid foundation: The Rock. Then He gets you going again in the right direction, and puts a new song in your mouth. Don’t worry about what is going to happen tomorrow. Jesus said, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Your third action is to praise God for His deliverance. “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:3). Just as verse 16 of Psalm 40 says. “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.”

Peace. (Psalm 4:8)

Jun 29th Rule 42.20 In The Use Of A Colon – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading – Psalms 69 – 72 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Revelation 13 – 16; Psalms 141 – 145; Proverbs 29)

Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 John 3:1

Read a great article from Ministry 127 by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Striving Together“

Read the “0629 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Good morning. And yes, I know it’s a weird title, but you need to know this. Or maybe I should rephrase this. And yes, I know it’s a weird title: but you need to know this for the key verse.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18).

Do you have a vision for the things of God? Has God given you a vision for what He wants to accomplish in your life? Do you have a vision? If you don’t, you need to get a vision before you perish. Maybe God once gave you a vision of His will for your life, and somehow you got sidetracked. This happens. It happened to me. I was recently reminded of the verse I had received as my reason to go to college. In Luke 14:21, Jesus said, “So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.”

So now my focus is back on ministering to those who are physically and mentally challenged. Where is your vision? The key is after the colon: he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Your vision of God’s will for your life is in the Scripture. You need a vision or you will perish.

Have a vision for God’s Word. King David wrote,

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.” (Psalm 119:1-8)

And God is serious about His Word. His Word is truth. God wanted the king to write out his own copy of the Bible:

“And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).

Have a vision for God’s people. Jesus said,

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

Maybe you are down on yourself. You think, how can God use me? I’m such a screw-up. If you start loving others as Jesus did, you will begin to get a vision of how God sees you. He doesn’t see you as a screw-up, He sees you as His child.

Have a vision for those who are not God’s people. Hell was created for the devil and his angels, not for people. 2Peter 3:9 tells us that God is not willing that any should perish. That’s why He commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel. People need to hear the gospel. You are saved by grace through faith, and faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Those who are not God’s people need a chance to become God’s people.

If you are reading this and are not one of God’s people, you can become one. 1John 5:11-13 tells us,

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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.”

Romans 3:10 & 23 tell us that we are all sinners and fall short of God’s glory. And God will not allow any sin to enter heaven. The good news is in Romans 5:8:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

According to Romans 10:13, all you need to do is ask Him to save you and He will:

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Did you do that? Great! Now get yourself a vision for God’s Word, God’s people, and those who aren’t God’s people.

Peace. (Acts 1:8)

Jun 22nd She’s Just A Kid – The Saturday Morning Post By Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading – Psalms 32 – 35 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – 2 Peter 1 – 3; Psalms 106 – 110; Proverbs 22)

Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Micah 6:8

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell – “Everyday Legacy“

Read the  “0622 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Proverbs 22:15 says:

“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”

Good morning. I read something at the beginning of the week. It was an article about a 16 year-old girl who was sentenced to death and is being released now that she is 43. She pleaded guilty to the murder of a 78 year-old Bible Studies teacher. She was 15 when she sat on the old woman, and slashed her 33 times with a butcher knife. She did this while three of her friends looked on (the youngest was 14).

She was sentenced to death, and became the youngest convict on death row. Protest sprung up across America, and even Europe, against the death penalty. The Indiana Supreme Court moved the minimum age for the death penalty from 10 years-old up to 16 years-old. This young girl was then sentenced to spend the next 60 years in prison. But you need to see how the article ends…

Linley E. Pearson, who was Indiana’s attorney general when [the girl] appealed to the state Supreme Court, said research now shows that the human brain doesn’t fully mature until age 24. “So kids can do a lot of things they wouldn’t do if they were an adult,” Pearson said. [The girl’s] sentence was reduced due to her behavior in prison, where she earned a bachelor’s degree. She will remain on parole for a few years…

So who is to blame for the murder of the 78 year-old Bible teacher? Was it the girl? She was old enough to know right from wrong. She chose to do wrong. Were the parents to blame? Proverbs 22:6 tells us to, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I don’t know what her up-bringing was like. Maybe her dad only cared about making babies, and didn’t love his wife as Christ loved the church? Was it something she learned in school? Maybe in evolution class? Did her teachers tell her how she came from a slug that crawled out of the sea, and that she was superior and stronger than a 78 year-old lady. Did they teach her that she would be doing the world a favor by killing the old woman? It did not work for Hitler, and his socialistic, superior that any other, Aryan race either. Maybe it was the government who took God’s Word out of the schools. How do the students learn right from wrong, if they are being taught to do their own thing? How can a country that is built on the Word of God function without the Word of God? It can’t. That is why we are in the mess we are in today: children killing children, drive-by shootings, home invasions all because we refuse to listen to God’s Word. Israel turned their backs on God, and started chasing after false gods, and for a while they were without a country: scattered. America has turned it’s back on God, and we are paying the price. Our freedoms are being flushed down the sewer. Soon the country that was built on God’s Word will be no more because we chased after false gods. What are our false gods? Worship of self, money, things. False gods like Allah, Buddha, Harri Krishnah, and the devil. We need to give God His proper place: Number One in our lives. 2Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but being under the rod of God’s correction is not a good place to be for our nation.

Peace. (Exodus 20:1-17)

Jun 1st Daddy – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading –  Nehemiah 8 – 10 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – 1 Corinthians 13 – 16; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Scripture Memorization for June – Verses Supporting an Unlimited Atonement

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Joshua 1:8

Read a great article by Pastor Cary Schmidt – “The Power of Biblical Affirmation“

Read the “0601 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Read a previous post from today’s reading – “We Will Not Forsake the House of Our God“

Good morning, and happy first day anniversary to Roni and Mike. They tied the knot last night in a beautiful ceremony. It was good to hear Roni sing again, as she sang a love song to Mike. Cheyenne (Roni’s daughter) looked very pretty in her gown. There was one thing I noticed about Cheyenne, as she walked into the sanctuary, she was nervously chewing her bottom lip. A thought came into my mind: I wonder if she understands that this is a new life for her too: that she is getting a new daddy?

Memories started flooding my brain. I remembered when I got back together with Camille. Then I remembered Melissa asking her, “Can I call him daddy yet?”

I had to grab onto the sound booth to steady myself, as I felt the tears swell up in my eyes. I thought about our wedding in the office of the mayor of Brick Township. I believe it was Mayor Kinievy (I’m not sure of the spelling). Camille was crying. She held my hand tightly, as we swung them nervously back and forth, while listening to the Mayor speak. We said our “I do’s”, and it was done. When I married Camille, I was agreeing to take Melissa too, as my own daughter. …To love and to cherish, till… I remembered before Melissa got the arthritis. I raced her from the parking lot, to the entrance of Monmouth Mall. She fell and skinned her knee. We were looking in a few stores, when we realized that Melissa wasn’t with us. PANIC! We ran back to the last store we were in, and there she was, sitting on the floor, with a security guard putting a bandage on her scraped knee.

I remembered the arthritis, which would eventually cause her to have both hips, both knees replaced, five or six cervical vertebrae fused, and her head attached with wires and screws. Her wrist was humped like a camel’s back. Two rods were inserted in her wrist to make it straight again.

I remembered the one-month stay Melissa had at the Children’s Seashore Hospital in Atlantic City. It was there we met Debbie, a little girl with Spinal Bifida. She would later become part of the youth group at The Christian Bible Church. Thinking of Debbie made me think about the two ladies, with child, in our church. What if their child is born with arthritis or Spinal Bifida? The Bible says in the end times that people will be without natural affection. Will they still care for, and love their defective children? I’m sure that these two ladies would. God would not trust them with such a precious cargo if they would not.

She went home to Heaven on Thursday morning, February 16, 2012, 1:15am. This is something I would have a hard time forgetting. God blessed us with Melissa for 36 years. Parents: love your kids. You don’t know how long they will be with you. Make some memories with your children. You may have to thank God one day for those memories.

I hope that this blog will help someone. Things happen in our lives, but God gives us gifts to help others. I hope this will edify. 1Corinthians 14:26 says, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”

Peace. (Revelation 21:5)

May 25th A Prayer From Psalm 119 – The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading –  2 Chronicles 32 – 33 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers Read – Romans 1 – 4; Psalm 119; Proverbs 25)

Scripture Memorization for May – Romans 10

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Matthew 6:33

Read a great article by Pastor Paul Chappell– “Launch Out“

Read the “0525 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Good morning. Did you ever have trouble praying? I mean in not knowing just what to pray for. David wrote in Psalm 119:1-8, (ALEPH.), “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.”

King David was a man of prayer who loved God’s Word. Here are some gleanings from Psalm 119 that you may want to ask for before reading God’s Word…

1] BETH. Verse 11. Ask for help in memorizing Scripture.

2] GIMEL. Verse 18. Ask for an understanding of the Scripture.

3] DALETH. Verses 25,28, and 32. Ask to be strengthened from the Scriptures.

4] HE. Verses 33 and 34. Ask for help in keeping God’s Word.

5] VAU. Verses 41-48. Praise God for what He has already shown you from His Word.

6] ZAIN. Verses 49 and 50. Ask for hope and comfort from the Scripture.

7] CHETH. Verses 58 and 59. Ask for His mercy and forgiveness when you are convicted from the Scripture.

8] TETH. Verses 66, 68, and 71. Ask God to teach you from His Word.

9]JOD. Verse 80. Ask God to help you stand on His Word.

10] CAPH. Verse 82. Ask for comfort in affliction.

11] LAMED. Verses 89-91. Thank God for His Word.

12] MEM. Verses 97 and 98. Ask God to give you wisdom from His Word.

13] NUN. Verse 105. Ask for guidance from the Scriptures.

14] SAMECH. Verses 113-120. Ask God to keep you from worldly influences.

15] AIN. Verses 121 and 122. Ask the LORD to give you something to protect you from your enemies.

16] PE. Verses 133-135. Ask God to teach you from His Word.

17] TZADDI. Verses 138-140. Thank God for His Word.

18] KOPH. Verses 145-149. Plead with God to hear your prayer according to His Word.

19] RESH. Verses 153 and 154. Ask for deliverance from your afflictions according His Word.

20] SCHIN. Verse 164. Thank God again, and praise Him, for what He has done, and will do according to the Scripture.

21] TAU. Praise GOD with your body (verses 171-172), mind (verses 173-174), and soul (verse 175) because of what God has done through His Holy Word.

Peace. (Proverbs 15:8)