Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Aug 16th The Saturday Morning Post – Going Down

Today’s Passage – Jeremiah 7 – 9 (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 – Acts 4 – 6; Psalms 76 – 80; Proverbs 16)

Read the “0816 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.” (Jeremiah 8:5)

Good morning. Here are some statistics for you to read while having your breakfast. These are approximate, and for the United States, in 2022…

There were 630,000 deaths from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (5,000 in 2012).

There were 22,820 deaths from Homicides (16,238 in 2012).

There were 49,300 deaths from Suicides (30,000 in 2012).

There were 1,048,710 deaths of Aborted Babies (1,210,000 in 2012).

There were 13,000 people killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, which represents over one-third of all driving fatalities (10,322 in 2012).

There were 107,000 deaths from drug overdoses (41,502 in 2012).

And there were 1,200,000 deaths by Natural Causes (1,480,000 in 2012).

Well, praise the LORD there was a decrease in abortions. And there is a decrease in death by natural causes, but that is only because STD deaths, Homicides, and Suicides have increased. America is on a downward spiral. It is going down, getting further away from God and closer to Hell. Why? For the same reason Jerusalem did: because of their perpetual backsliding: they hold fast to deceit, and refuse to return to God and His ways. But…

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

But we hold fast to deceit, and refuse to return to God. There are 630,000 deaths from Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Did you know that the virus that causes AIDS is so small that it can easily slip through the pores of your “protection?” It also is possible for the AIDS virus to live outside the body for several weeks. Although no AIDS cases have been linked to outside body contact, it would be better to be safe than sorry. The Bible says…

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God…” (1Thesselonians 4:3-5)

There are 22,830 deaths from Homicides. And we can see by what the Bible says about the first Homicide, the murder of Able by his brother Cain. Cain wanted to worship God with the works of his hands, Able worshiped God with a blood sacrifice…

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” (Genesis 4:3-8)

Cain refused to return to the ways of God, and in his anger, murdered his brother. Maybe if we as parents, here in the USA, discipline our children the way we should, and train them up in the way they should go, they would understand that there is a penalty to pay for their rebellious actions.

There are 49,300 deaths from Suicides. All over America, millions were saddened by the death of Robin Williams in 2014. Maybe if someone had told him about Jesus he would not have been in such despair as to take his own life. Jesus said…

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 1633)

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

There are 1,048,710 deaths of Aborted Babies in the U.S. per year. One is too many. Babies are not just a blob of flesh turning into a baby inside of you. They are living human beings,

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:39-44)

And then there are 1.2 million deaths by Natural Causes in 2022. This is the only one that should exist: all the others are brought on because of the the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. Death by natural causes is because we are all sinners; and the wages of sin is death…

“Wherefore, as by one man [ADAM] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned…” (Romans 5:12)

If you do not fall victim to any of the crimes mentioned above, you will die of natural causes: sin. There is only one cure for sin: the Lord Jesus Christ. What you do with Him will determine where you will spend eternity.

“And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 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.” (1John 5:8-13)

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

America does not have to go down, but it chooses to do so by holding fast to deceit, and refusing to return to God and His ways. But there is always hope. As Yogi Bearer said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

God 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.” (2Chronicles 7:14)

Peace.