The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl

Today’s Reading: Philemon 1 – Hebrews 4

The Prisoner – Philemon 1:1

Good morning? Hope so. I would assume it all depends on what prison you are in. Maybe money is your warden. Will you have to work 80 hour weeks in the new year to pay for Christmas gifts because you are spending money like the government? Is time your warden? Are you a prisoner of time? I’ll be 57 in February (the 11th – mark your calendar). That means I may have only 13 years left on earth. Any time after that is borrowed. What about friends and family? Does family keep you confined from doing what you could, or should, be doing? I now about a person who would like to attend church service, but the spouse wants them home. That person only attends Sunday school. Maybe you are a prisoner of the church you attend. Are you there to see friends or worship God? Are you there to learn the latest gossip, or learn more about Jesus? Who’s prisoner are you?

Philemon 1:1 says, “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ…”

Being Christ’s prisoner is so much better than being a prisoner of the world. Think about it. Think about a real prison. You get your 3 meals a day, a bed, a roof over your head, and 4 walls to hold everything in, including you. As a prisoner of Christ, we have LIBERTY! We are FREE! The only walls that contain us is God’s will. Even then when we try to escape over that wall, the Lord knows exactly what to do to get us back in. To be a prisoner of Christ, He supplies our every need. And, just like a prisoner who is waiting for his release date, we are also looking forward to that day, when we get to meet the Lord face to face. Because of God’s grace, we have a life-time sentence that we are serving. Even though we are confined sometimes by the cares of this world, we will be totally, absolutely, 100% free, one day. So when the cares of this world, the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, and anything else get’s you down, run to the Warden, there is freedom and liberty in Christ Jesus. Become a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Peace (John 14:27)

The Prisoner by Pastor Ted Stahl

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Phil Erickson

Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married for 34 years, and have four children and eight grandchildren. His oldest son, Phil Jr., and wife, Katelyn, are serving the Lord at a church in Paradise, TX. His oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in South Carolina. Samantha, his third child is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord here at the church in Galloway. Hannah is the youngest and is a sophomore at Vision Baptist College while also serving the Lord at Jersey Shore Baptist Church.