Share The Good News – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Passage – Psalms 78 – 79 (Click on the references to listen to the audio; Click here to read the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Proverbs 1; Psalm 1 – 5; Mathew 1 – 2)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 40:31
Read the “0701 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.” Psalm 78:1-4
In a few days we will be celebrating our country’s independence. The country which was founded on the word of God. Its Constitution was written with the Bible in mind. We stood for what was right. Her laws were also written to protect the freedom to worship the God of Heaven. Public school’s used the Bible to teach children right from wrong and to read.
In Psalm 78, the writer was concerned about the next generation knowing about what God has done for His people. They prayed for four- hundred years to be free from Egypt. God protected them when Pharaoh chased after them by parting the Red Sea. God also destroyed the Egyptians by drowning them in the sea. He gave them food and water in the wilderness. God was there guiding them by a pillar of fire at night and a cloud covering by day. What a wonderful God we serve. All these things were taught to the children.
So what happened to our generation? We’ve taken the Bible and prayer out of schools and other public places. Our children are learning to read by books like “I Have Two Mommies”. We’re no longer standing for what is right. Many church members have one foot in the world and one in the church. Some just quit. People no longer want to hear the name Jesus unless it’s used as a curse word. And yet our Lord and Saviour still is with us and loves us. But what will our children and grandchildren praise the Lord about?
America, it’s time to take a stand. Let’s grab our Bibles and gospel tracks and get our nation back. Let’s make ‘the old stories’ so the next generation will have something to praise the Lord about.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by admin with no comments yet.
One Nation Under God – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Reading – Psalms 65 – 68 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Revelation 10 – 12; Psalm 136 – 140; Proverbs 28)
“To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.” (Psalm 67)
Good morning. July 4th is almost upon us. It doesn’t seem like Independence Day. It seems more like Dependence Day: having to rely on big government to supply our every need, and not the LORD. (Can you hear the devil saying, “I will be like the Most High.”?) When we become self-sufficient, we have no need for God. That’s the attitude in America today, even as we entered the 21st century. God even warned Israel about this…
“And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12)
They’ve taken the Bible out of the schools. They’ve taken God’s commandments out of our courtrooms. They’ve tried to remove God from everything that is America. They’ve even tried to remove “In God we trust.” from our money. God continues the warning…
“Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy 6:14-15)
George Washington, our first president of the United States, had a dream. This is the last part of the dream…
“Then once more I beheld the villages, towns, and cities springing up where I had seen them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard he had brought in the midst of them, cried with a loud voice, ‘While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth, so long shall the Union last.’ And taking from his brow the crown on which was blazoned the word “Union,” he placed it upon the Standard, while the people, kneeling down, said, ‘Amen.'”The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before, said, ‘Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, passing which the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land, and the Union.’ With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat, and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States.”
“Such, my friends,” Anthony Sherman concluded, “were the words I heard from General Washington’s own lips, and America will do well to profit by them.”
I found this interesting: from 1861 through 1865; 625,000 were killed on American soil in the Civil War.
From 1918 through 1919; 675,000 were killed on American soil by the Flu Pandemic; an estimated 30 to 50 million were killed world wide.
Were these the first two perils our nation would face? I don’t know: I’m not a prophet nor an interpreter of dreams. If it is a true vision by George Washington, then there is a third peril on the horizon that is coming. Will another 600,000 + Americans die on American soil? I’m not one for visions of angels or dreams, but this I know…
“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)
America is in trouble, and only turning back to God can heal our once great nation.
Peace. (Revelation 21:5)
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 1 comment.
The Pits
Today’s Reading – Psalms 40 – 45 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 2 John, 3 John, Jude; Psalms 116 – 120; Proverbs 24)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32
Read the “0624 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read previous posts from this morning’s reading – “God Wants To Hear You Sing” and “Thirsty?”
“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.” (Psalms 40:2-3)
Psalm 40 was written by King David of how God lifted him out of a pit. It does not state if it was a literal pit but nevertheless, a pit. He is expressing a great truth that he realized, one that we all must realize. Whatever kind of pit we find ourselves in, God can lift us out of, and we can praise Him.
The first pit God can bring us out of is the pit of hell. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your final destination changes from hell to heaven. If that was the only pit God pulled us out of, that would be reason enough to praise Him. But He is willing to pull you out of any pit.
There are pits of sorrow, loneliness, finances, lust, loss and all others. Just follow him and He will guide you right out.
“The light of Jesus Christ is stronger than any deepest darkness.” (Quote from Corry ten Boom)
When He pulls us out of a pit we should praise Him for it. It’s not only a way to worship Him, but a way to thank Him. It’s also a testimony for others of what God did for you.
Why would God pull us out of a pit? There are many people who are in pits and God wants to use you to pick others up. God does not pick you up just so you can feel good about yourself, even though that may be a part of it. God picks you up so that you can be His instrument in the lives of others. We are all blessed so that God can use us to share His blessings with others.
God has picked you up and calls you to be His instrument to pick others up also. God picked up David out of the “pits” in his life and he praise God. God picks you up.
Let God use you to pick up those in need that are near to you ‘in your home, your work, your school – and in this community.
Let God use you to pick up those in need.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by admin with 2 comments.
An Eulogy For Uncle Frankie – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Reading – Psalms 26 – 31 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – 1 Peter 1 – 5; Psalms 101 – 105; Proverbs 21)
“In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.” (Psalm 31:1-5)
We buried my Uncle, Franklyn Lyons, yesterday. I think that these five verses from Psalm 31 will give you a glimpse of how Uncle Frankie was. In my eyes, He was a man of God. And there are three facts that Uncle Frankie would want you to know about his life and death.
The first is that Uncle Frankie is not laying in the coffin. His soul (who Uncle Frankie is) is safely in the hands of Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote in his second epistle to the Corinthian church…
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (2Corinthians 5:8)
And Jesus had told one of the two thieves who was hanging on the cross next to Him, “…To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
What you see in the coffin is the aches and pains of old age. What you see in the coffin is the gangrene and cancer. What you see in the coffin is the diabetes. But Uncle Frankie wants you to know that is not him. Last Sunday, around 5:00 pm, He entered Paradise: he is in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ.
The second fact that Uncle Frankie would like you to know is that he is in Heaven because of God’s grace, and nothing else. Uncle Frankie dropped out of school after 8th Grade to help support his family. He served his country during World War 2, in the Army Air Corp, stationed in England. He took care of his mother till she died. Uncle Frankie would take me, Grandma, and my mother to church at the Assembly of God, in Toms River every week. He would balsa wood planes and give them to his nieces and nephews. When he retired, Uncle Frankie would read his Bible through, cover to cover, several times a year. And Uncle Frankie knew that all those things would not get him into heaven, only God’s grace…
“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
He needed Jesus. As a child, or young man, someone told him about Jesus, and he asked Jesus to save him. And Uncle Frankie wants you to know that he is in Heaven by God’s grace.
The third fact that Uncle Frankie wants you to know is that life on earth is not forever. Heaven and Hell are forever, and he would like to see you again one day in Heaven. Jesus said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
And the Bible tells us how. Realize you are a sinner.
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one…” (Romans 3:10)
AND
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)
And because we are sinners, we need a Saviour: we cannot save ourselves.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Jesus shed is precious blood to pay the price for our sins…
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
He took the hard part and gave us the easy part…
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
If you are saved, if you have received Jesus as your personal Saviour, then one day you will see Uncle Frankie again, or meet him for the first time. Jesus said…
“…I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…” (John 11:25)
Peace! (Matthew 5:16)
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 1 comment.
Not For Ladies Only – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Reading – Psalms 1 – 8 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers also read – Philemon – Hebrews 4; Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Read the “0617 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read previous posts from this passage – “A Recipe for Success” and “Kiss the Son“
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalms 1:1-2)
King David, the writer of the majority of Psalms, was a talented poet. His writings were bold and personal with God.
In verse one and two we see David talking about getting counsel. And his counsel comes from the Word of God.
In life we have many trials and testing. There are so many self-help books, TV and radio shows, and other worldly advisors. Verse one warns us about this kind of counsel. My friend, the best self-help book is the Bible, and the best group session to attend is church.
How should I dress?
It seems like women are showing more and more skin. But the Bible says,
“In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.” (1Timothy 2:9-10)
How should I treat my husband?
Just watch most TV programs. The wife will put her husband down and try to take his place as the head of the house. She shows no love or respect towards him. The Bible says,
“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22)
Men, this is for you.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” (Ephesians 5:25)
Who should I marry?
The world would tell you that you don’t need to marry. Or you can marry anyone you want. If it does not work out, leave. The Bible says,
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
I could never forgive ….. for what they did.
The way of the world would tell you to spend all your time and energy on getting even. The Bible says,
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” (Col0ssians 3:13)
God loves you. He is your Heavenly Father. He will guide you in all things. His counsel is the only truth. Together, let’s follow David’s advice and seek God’s counsel.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by admin with no comments yet.
HIS Righteousness – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Reading – Job 33 – 35 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – 1 Timothy 4 – 6; Psalms 66 – 70; Proverbs 14)
Read the “0614 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read previous posts from this passage – “That Which I See Not“ and “Multiplying Words“
“He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.” (Job 33:26)
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:18-21)
Good morning. How are your works going? Are they good or are they bad? Are they drudgery or a labor of love? Why do I ask? Because, by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16): because the good we do, our own righteousnesses, are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter Heaven. So what can we do? God provided a way: the Way: The Lord Jesus Christ…
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:21)
How do we get God’s righteousness? It is the free gift for us to ask God for: Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved .”
We will have righteousness that is greater than that of the Pharisees because it is the righteousness of God…
“He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.” (Job 33:26)
Not only did Jesus give us His righteousness while bearing our sins on the cross, but He made us this promise…
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40)
Peace. (Psalm 4)
Posted in The Saturday Morning Post by Pastor Ted Stahl with no comments yet.
Hush, Listen and Pray – by Camille Stahl
Today’s Reading – Job 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – Colossians 1 – 4; Psalms 46 – 50; Proverbs 10)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 55:17
Read the “0610 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Read a previous post from this passage – “The Words of My Mouth“
“They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?” (Job 21:13-15)
After several conversations with his friends, Job seems to be getting angry. Jobs tells his friends if they want to help him just listen and then they could mock him.
Job had lived a good life. He had many animals, and many children. He was a good man. But thieves had taken his animals, and his children were dead. In the middle of it all, his wife told him to curse God and die. But Job stayed faithful to his God. He knew the advice his friends were giving, was not true.
Job described the good life of some evil people, and knew they enjoyed their lives. Their power, they believe, came from their own doings. These people did not want to serve anyone, especially God. They only cared about their own pleasure. They didn’t pray because they said, ‘We will not benefit if we pray. Prayer is a waste of time.’
Job did not behave like they did. He was glad to serve God. He would pray even if he didn’t received benefits from it. He didn’t care if evil people lived a better life than him. He would not listen to wicked people’s advice. Job respected God, and Job loved God. God mattered more to Job than Job’s wealth.
Throughout the Bible we read about so many people whose lives changed because of seemingly bad times in their life. When Noah, who was mocked by the people for building a boat on dry land, was saved, him and his family, from the flood. When the male children were to be drowned in the Nile, God had His hand on Moses. Moses later freed the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joseph’s brothers sold him to be a slave. Later in life, Joseph saved his people from the famine. There are so many other examples. But they all had one thing in common, they relied on God when the times got ruff. Jesus himself, in His darkest hour, was praying and drawing closer to our Heavenly Father.
Testing will come to all believers. If God is allowing it, we must remember it’s for our good and He is in control over everything. We must trust. If we know someone going through a trial, let’s remember to be a great friend and listen and pray.
Like Job, God may be saying to Satan, “Have you considered my servant,” and put your name there.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by admin with 1 comment.
With Friends Like These… – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Reading – Job 8 – 11 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – Ephesians 1 – 3; Psalms 31 – 35; Proverbs 7)
“Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?” (Job 8:1-3)
“Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?” (Job 11:1-3)
Loosely translated, Bildad the Shuhite said, “Job, you’re full of hot air.”; and Zophar the Naamathite said, “Job, you’re a liar.” With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Good morning. They were just trying to help their friend Job, weren’t they? Of course the truth will make you free, Job, so admit you messed up and sinned. For the Lord to take away everything you had, you must have really screwed up. You can trust us: we’re your friends. Come clean Job! Give us the dirt!
King David found himself in a similar situation…
“False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.” (Psalm 35:11-14)
Sometimes it’s best not to know what the situation is. God knows exactly what the situation is. We should all take David’s example and go to God in prayer. That’s being a friend.
Peace. (Job 42:10)
Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts from Job by Pastor Ted Stahl with 2 comments.
Vashti, A Woman Who Stood For Right
Today’s Reading – Esther 1 – 5 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read – 2 Corinthians 5 – 8; Psalms 11 – 15; Proverbs 3)
Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 19
Read the “0603 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon
t’s Read previous posts from this passage – “Obsession” and “It’s a God Thing“
“On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.” (Esther 1:10-12)
The King and his men were drinking for several days. Ahasuerus the king, demanded that Vashti, his wife, come to him so he could show her off. But she refused. This was a dangerous thing to do because it looked like the king had no control over his wife. So all the counselors came together to give their opinion. They wanted Vashti to be stripped of her rank and never allowed to see the king.
The Bible doesn’t tell why Vashti took this stand, but it caused action to push her off the throne. Later in scripture we find God used her again when her son became king.
God is in control of all our lives, even when things look bad. We’re facing hopeless situations. We don’t think we can be pushed anymore. We feel that we are being punished for our faith and are suffering for no reason. God has not deserted us. We may not see His purpose or justice until the end, but we can be certain He will prevail, just as He did for Vashti, a Gentile woman.
Thank You
1 John 5:13
Posted in Just for Ladies by admin with no comments yet.
How To Be A Success – The Saturday Morning Post
Today’s Reading – Nehemiah 6 – 7 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)
(Second Milers Read –1 Corinthians 9 – 12; Psalms 146 – 150; Proverbs 31)
“Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear. So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.” (Nehemiah 6:10-15)
Good morning. Under orders of King Artaxerxes in Babylon, Nehemiah had come back to Jerusalem to rebuild it…
“Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” (Nehemiah 2:9-10)
Does it seem strange to you, that when your church does something to help someone in need there is a force that doesn’t like it? Nehemiah had Sanballat and Tobiah; we have the devil. In today’s passage, Sanballat and Tobiah tried to get Nehemiah to stop the work on the wall of Jerusalem by trying to scare Nehemiah into the temple to save his life: without Nehemiah, the others doing the work would have been easy prey for the enemies of God. But God opened Nehemiah’s eyes to the plot. Nehemiah prayed that God would remember Sanballat and Tobiah’s evil deeds, and also that of the prophetess and prophets hired to cause Nehemiah and his workers to fear. The wall was completed in 52 days.
When the devil attacks the work being done for God, we have four weapons that will keep us going…
The first is KNOWLEDGE.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour…” (1Peter 5:8)
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1John 4:4)
We have knowledge of our enemy’s tactics, and also that our God is greater than anything the devil tries to throw at us. Knowledge is our first weapon against the devil, the second is UNDERSTANDING,
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1John 3:8)
Understand this, that the devil is already a defeated foe. Jesus said…
“…Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:17-18)
Our third weapon is WISDOM.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:7-8)
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
Whatever the devil throws at you, God has the wisdom you need to deal with it; all you have to do is ask Him for it. He gives us knowledge, understanding and wisdom. The fourth weapon He gives us binds all of these together. The fourth weapon is FAITH. Faith is the most important weapon, without faith, none of the other weapons will work.
“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)
“…for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20)
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM, and FAITH: God did not leave us to fend for ourselves. He defeated the devil on the cross, when He died, and when He walked out of the tomb.
Peace! (Revelation 20:10)
Posted in Devotions by Pastor Ted Stahl with 1 comment.