Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 8th Rizpah, a Dedicated Mother – by Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage – 2 Samuel 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 15 – 16; Proverbs 8; Psalms 36 – 40)

Scripture Memorization for April –  Verses I commonly use when sharing the gospel.

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 25

Read the “0408 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine?”  (2 Samual 3:7)

Rizpah not even a wife, a gentile concubine of Saul, was a great example of a mother who would do anything for her children.

An example of:

Devotion – There was a famine in the land. Rizpah may have known it was caused by Saul’s sin when he broke a treaty with the Gibeonites.  It caused God to send the drought and famine. If she knew this she may have also realized the sons of Saul would be required as a sacrifice by the Gibeonites. She did not want her sons to die. If they had to die she wanted them to have a place of burial.

Rizpah loved her sons and did not shun them in their time of need.  Her devotion caused her to stay with them during the months of their shame. Family is always needed in time of need.

Then later we see her keeping the birds of prey and the wild beasts from devouring the bodies of her sons. It was the intent of the Gibeonites to have these sons of Saul ripped apart by the vultures and wild beasts.

A thought. As mothers we to should protect our children from the vultures and wild beasts of drugs, promiscuous sex, alcohol, ungodly music, and so on.

Dedicated – She had a true mother’s heart.  And the text says that Rizpah stayed with the dead bodies of her sons “from beginning of harvest until it rained on them.  The Bible tells us the bones of the sons were buried, therefore it had to be a long time since only the bones were left.  She made a personal sacrifice because she wanted a burial place for her children.  When David became aware of what was going on, he not only gave them a royal burial but he cared for the remaining son Mephibosheth.

A thought.   How much time are you willing to give to your children? How dedicated are you willing to be? Things right now, may not be as you wish with your children, but the final results are not in yet.  Rizpah didn’t succeed in a month or two, but her dedication led her onward.  Mothers, DON’T GIVE UP HOPE; continue to be dedicated to the ongoing task of Motherhood.

Thank You

l John 5:13

Apr 1st Michal, A Woman Whose Marriage Lacked Unity

Today’s Passage – 1 Samuel 12 – 14 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mathew 1 – 2; Psalms 1 – 5; Proverbs 1)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Proverbs 27:15

Read the “0401 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

  “Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:” (1 Samual 14:49)

This is the first mention of Michal, Saul’s daughter, David’s wife.  Let’s take a look at the kind of wife she became.

And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night. Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is sick. And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?     (1 Samuel 19:10-17)

“And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.” (2 Samuel 6:16-23)

Michal was the youngest daughter of King Saul.  Saul had arranged David’s marriage to Michal hoping that it would make him unhappy and cause his death.  (See 1Samuel 18:21).  But Michal loved David.  David was handsome, courageous, a brave warrior, popular with the people and had a relationship with God. 

Saul never changed his mind about David and hated him more.  He tried to get rid of him through war.  When that failed, Saul plotted to kill David in his own home.  However, Michal heard of it and warned David.  She lied to her father by saying David was sick and place a large idol god in David’s bed.  Lets take a closer look at that.  Why was there and idol in their home?   David loved the true God.  Their marriage was doomed from the start.  They were unequally yoked.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”     (2Corinthians 6:14)

Later, we see Jerusalem, rejoicing together in receiving the ark of the Lord, in the place David had appointed it to be.  The priests and Levites had prepared themselves spiritually for their tasks.   Leader of the people with the  singers and musicians ready themselves for the joyous occasion.  David was over joyed.  He too prepared himself for this great event.  He put aside his royal robe and gird himself with linen  breeches that God had ordered the  priests to wear. (See Exodus 28:42).  David then expressed his overwhelming joy and thankfulness in a religious dance.  Michal did not share the religious convictions of her husband .  Like her father, Michal was not concerned about the ark of God.  She had no desire to play a tambourine and lead the women in song as Miriam once did.  Her words were of sarcasm to David.  She was putting her husband down.

Michal had a sad life.  Her father and husband used her to gain their own ends.  Obviously she wasn’t ‘Miss Innocent’.  But we can’t blame her for disliking her treatment as a pawn in the political game.  It just makes me wounder why she didn’t turn to the one true God.  Thing would have turned out much better for her then they did.

Lack of spiritual unity in a marriage at first might seem to be only a small crack, but it will quickly widens into a gulf that cannot be bridged.   A family must be started with a solid foundation, Jesus Christ.  You would never build a house without a foundation, because it would never pass through a storm.  So holds true in marriage.  Single ladies, only look for a mate who is equally spiritual as you are.  Married ladies, be true to your husband.  No matter if he is save or not, be careful of your treatment to him.  Remember, the husband you put down, there maybe a woman waiting to build him up.  Why take a chance.  Always encourage him to do right in the Lord.  God takes marriage very seriously: It pictures His relationship with us and cannot be put on and taken off at will.

The marriage of David and Michal stands as a warning in history.  If a husband and wife are not one in God, sharing spiritual unity, their marriage will fold under life’s pressures.

John 3:16

Thank You

Mar 25th Delilah, The Woman Who Deliberately Betrayed Her Man

(Second Milers also read – 2 John, 3 John, Jude; Proverbs 25; Psalms 121 – 125)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 55:17

Read the “0325 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.” (Judges 16:4-5)

Delilah grew up a Philistine who’s culture worshiped idols.  She had little respect for her body and threw away her honor.  What made her so deceitful?  Could it have been the money they offered her?  Samson was physically strong, but morally weak.  He became involved with Delilah but was not married to her.  Together they spelled disaster.  Samson’s future, a man of God, now lies in the hand of Delilah, a worshiper of Dagon.

Delilah took her first strike with flattery.  I can hear her saying, where do you get your strength from because your sooooo strong.

“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;” (Proverbs 7:21-22)

Next she plays the victim.  Now sulking like a little girl she says, you lied to me and your making fun at me.  Samson was like putty in Delilah’s hands.  She was with him long enough that she knew how to push his buttons.  Again Samson lied to Delilah.  Now she had to use her final weapon to trap Samson.  Her attack was in the form of feeling of hurt love.  For days she sulked and whined and nagged.  How can you say you love me when you mocked my three times?  You don’t really love me.  Finally frustrated, Samson could no longer take it.  He gave in.  Delilah won.  She got what she wanted.

“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.  Her feet go down to death;” (Proverbs 5:3-5)

Talk about death, later we find Samson blind between two pillars.  He brought down the pagan temple and everyone in it.  We don’t know if Delilah was there, but maybe she wanted to take part in insulting Samson.

Looking at Delilah’s life, what can we learn?  How not to act.

First be very careful in our conversation with men.    The only man a women should flirt with is her husband.  Regardless if we ladies or the men are married, be careful in not sounding flirty because we never know what one is thinking.   There are many verses in the Bible that warns men about woman’s lips.

Next is playing the victim.  “Well if you didn’t … then I could have…” or “It’s not my fault, you didn’t ….. It’s your fault, not mine.”  “ You never let me have any money…”  It sounds familiar to me, how about you?  We know exactly how to push our man’s buttons.  We want our own way and sulk until we get it, but to what end?  What does your man have to do to keep you happy?  We laugh when we say “That cost an arm and a leg” but to Samson, it was his eyes.

Last is nagging. If there is one thing that gets under my skin, it’s a nagging wife.

“A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.” (Proverbs 27:15)

As a young girl I watched as a wife nagged her husband. I saw her put him down time after time. Because of his love for her, he tried to keep her happy by granting her every wish. Where were the kind words? Would she have liked it if he nagged her the same way? How many buttons would it take before he exploded and then granted her wish? How about you? How about me?

“It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” (Proverbs 21:9)

What will be the end?  What kind of death will it come to? God’s Word commands a faithful husband and wife relationship. Any dealings outside of marriage leads to heartbreak.  Romance is not a game, but a lifelong commitment. Yours may not come quickly and you may not die, but pain will come when you don’t live God’s way. Ask Delilah if you can find her under the rubble!

Thank You

1 John 5:13

Mar 18th The Promised Land

Today’s Passage – Joshua 19 – 21 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)