Thursday, September 20, 2012

O JERUSALEM

Suggested Reading: Luke 13-14

(click scripture link to read online)

 

This is a Somali wild donkey with the signature horizontal black stripes on its legs. This was photographed at Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve in Israel, where you can see a variety of biblically referenced animals.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: Luke 13:34

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

At the beginning of chapter 13, Jesus repeats for emphasis His call to repentance. Repentance essentially means that we are to turn from our own way and go God’s way. It means a Godly sorrow for sin, sorry enough to quit sinning; sorry enough to ask God’s forgiveness immediately when we sin. God reaches out to us as individuals, and He also reaches out to entire communities. The woman with the spirit of infirmity was ministered to individually. She responded, but Jerusalem, as a whole, did not. The heart of Jesus yearns also for our city, for our country, as well as each precious person. Jesus points out the hypocrisy of many religious leaders in the way they keep the Sabbath. He cares about donkeys an oxen (14:5), and how much more for people? Judgement and justice are inevitable. We need to come to Jesus humbly in repentance.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You’ve invited me over and over to come to You. I do this now in repentance for my sin. Grant me a constant attitude of repentance. I fervently desire to live this life pleasing to You. I pray these mercies in Your Name. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

About 15 minutes ago I stepped outside. It’s almost dawn and the stars were brighter than ever. Fall is in the air. I marvel that God, who put those stars in place and arranged the seasons, would care for me individually. The story is told of the astronomer who spent his life studying the stars and who came to the conclusion that a God big enough to create the stars could not possibly care for him as an individual. As a retirement gift, he was given a microscope. As he studied that which was too small for the naked eye, he came to believe that a God who would create the molecule was even bigger than he had thought. He concluded that God cared about the little things, as well as the great big universe, and therefore, God cared about him. He opened his heart to the fact that God became human in Jesus Christ.

Yours, marvelling at God’s great universe and marvelling even more at His care for me,

David

 

11 thoughts on “Thursday, September 20, 2012

  1. Thank you David! A call to repentance is so appropriate as we walk through the time of Jewish New Year for the next days and proceed towards a precious time of repentance. Remembering the past leads us to praying for our future and the revealing of God’s plans. Jesus wept for His nation, how much more must we hold them dear today as history unfolds in the Middle East countries. I appreciate your blog! Blessings Brian

  2. Good mourning David,l’m just joining your form and l am very impressed with your programing…may God keep you strong my brother…and Thank-You for all the uplifting thoughts and insperational.verses..l’ll certainly try to read it every day…Clifford Callihoo

  3. Lord I thank you for the grace that you have showered upon me. The grace to forgive sin and the grace to forget sin and to wipe the slate clean. Only you, through the completed work of your risen Son, could make me whole again. I am eternally grateful for the work of your Holy Spirit that turned my life around and the lives of countless others. Amen.

  4. Good morning David….. Jesus loves us….this i know…for the Bible tell me so
    so wonderful to just believe …and enjoy His presence with us today and every day….
    to repent when we sin, to receive His Mercy, to Know He Loves us so much He left His Home to come to show us the way… Holy Spirit Have Your Way with us Today as we live Today the Gift it is…with You leading the way..as we journey towards Home….Today is a Great Day David….enjoy it to the Full…WOTL ……

  5. David and Norma-Jean, A belated Happy Anniversary! I was out all day yesterday so did not have a chance to respond. I’m sure you had a great day! I see you got a lot of greetings as well. God bless you.

  6. Your story about the astronomer is compelling. ?To think the most distant star could also be seen microscopically, if it were possible. The way Christ reasoned ?with the ruler of the synogogue over healing on the sabbath, and further conversations with the lawyers, could not be refuted. ?Even so, on the same day Herod seeked to kill Him. ?Their way was not His way. ?And so it is to follow and be Christ’s disciple, as spoken in further parables. ?A challange and calling each and every day in this world we live.

  7. Evolutionists; Pay attention. Thanks, David. Anyone spending any amount of time surveying the wonders around us can only come to one conclusion; Intelligent design! Praise our awesome God for his Creation! God bless everyone.

  8. Happy 54th!!!

    Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into
    this site. God loves a cheerful giver so He must be very
    pleased with you.
    Prayers for your health and hope you will continue to teach
    us for many years to come.

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