GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY
Suggested Reading: Numbers 19-20
(click scripture link to read online)
The olive grinding wheel at Nazareth Village.
Key Verse: Numbers 20:6
So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
The charge against Moses and Aaron was cruel and unjust (20:3-5). They turned in silence in the right direction. They prostrated themselves before the Lord. The result was that Moses was given a new vision of God and, at the same time, a command and a promise (20:8). Moses could’ve brought a message of the goodness and grace of God, but instead he was overcome with anger and seemed to forget God’s word to him. He called the people “rebels,” and became a rebel himself. Nevertheless, God provided abundant water so that His promise to the people of the Promised Land would eventually be realized. The deaths of Miriam and Aaron are sad and were followed by the passing of the entire generation who left Egypt, with the exceptions of Caleb and Joshua. God forgives our sins, but the circumstances which arise, because of our actions, are very unforgiving.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray for total deliverance from past hurts, real or imagined, which may cause me to lose my ability to respond in Your way, with grace and obedience. In Jesus’ Name. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Suicide is unforgiving. In other words, once the act has been accomplished, there is no way back. Therefore, Crossroads is in the midst of a campaign to stop suicides, with an emphasis on Jr. High and High School students. Please help me and the entire team by making pocket-size books for teens available for distribution at $2.00 each for as many as possible (click here for info). Here’s a response to my blog I received here in Israel this week. I wept for joy at one life that was saved…
“Hi David, I wanted to say Thank you! About 35 yrs ago I was a young girl contemplating suicide. I was a Christian and feeling God’s whisper I wrote you a letter. You wrote me back! As a little girl I was in awe that you had taken the time to write me back! It was not a printed letter, it was handwritten. You gave me hope Mr.Mainse! I reread the letter many times. Years later I wrote you again in despair. I was constantly told by my earthly father how worthless I was. Again I received a letter from you. You helped me see my worth in my Heavenly Father’s eyes! I watched you everyday on T.V. My mom taped it. I pretended you were my earthly father. I love you! Thank you for taking the time to help a lost little girl. I knew I had worth and that Jesus loved me because of you! -Michelle
Yours for sharing the message of life and of obedience to God’s will,
David
P.S. Below is a picture of Ron, Ann, Norma-Jean and me recording a video in Israel for 100 Huntley Street. After this week’s military action between Hamas in Gaza and Israel, we felt we needed to assure our TV viewers that we are all safe and doing just fine on our tour. By the way, the picture was taken at the place where Gideon chose his final army of 300 men (Judges 7:1-8).
Repentance is a 180 degree turn. A decision to turn direction, to change ones mind and to not look back. In 1983 I made this decision while reading John’s gospel, it turned my world around, darkness suddenly became light, disbelief became belief, I knew that God had a purpose for my life and I was now under the authority of Jesus. I gave myself over to Jesus in humble obedience and He made me a new creation. When the darkest moments in your life just seem as though they can’t get any darker, that’s the time to hang in there and trust Jesus! The light of our Lord is real and true and He will reveal Himself to you in brilliance if you will only seek Him.
John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Thank you David and Scott. I am encouraged by these words. It’s been so challenging and I need to keep my eyes on God. I fear I am failing in His eyes. I need to trust and have faith God has accepted me. Please put my name in a prayer or prayer list. Thank you God for water in the desert.
Hi Camille,
Trust. This can be the hardest obstacle for many to overcome. It may help to memorize this scripture … “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6. There is no condemnation for your mistakes in life, but only forgiveness and help as you move forward. Jesus Christ promises to be with you each step of the way.
Scott and David are right on, Camille. Proverbs 3:5-6 is my favourite scripture verse. It comes to mind whenever I have doubt or question, which is unnecessary because we have the light of Jesus! Let Him embrace you with love, Camille. He loves you SO much! You are worthy of His love! It seems impossible, sometimes, in the angry world we live in. But, the closer we develop our relationship with God, cling to the cloak of Jesus, and soak ourselves in His Word, the more real it becomes and the less pain we feel–emotionally and physically, speaking. The Holy Spirit settles more deeply into our bones.
Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Thank you teachers of God’s word. I am so broken and I am sure God has spoken to you I have stumbled many times. But I hear mercy. I feel grace. I need to trust. Thank you for allowing me to have trust here and learn I can trust God. This is has been a place of not only worship for me, but to place things at the altar and ask for God for His forgiveness and to heal a soul I almost took away. Thank you in Jesus’s name Camille
Dear David,
What a heart-warming story of Michelle! Praise God for you & your work over the years. You have been blessed & blessed many. Greetings to you & all your loved ones.
Only by grace,
Marg
Thank you for sharing this letter of a life saved from the despair of suicide. Thank God for your timely ministry on this matter, especially with our youth. Good to hear you are all on safe ground and enjoying your travels, as much has been in the news here over the conflict. Our prayers are with you all!
Thankyou David for your ongoing faithfulness. I’m learning not to lean on my own understanding but to simply be still and trust Him. This has been a challenge as I have always tried to figure things out myself. This doesn’t work and just causes stress and anxiety. Trusting Him brings total peace. I continue to pray for you all.
Thank you for sending us reassurance that you are well! Keeping you and everyone there in prayer during this time.
Yes, David, like Joyce, my thoughts and prayers have been with all of you, for your complete safety and protection. May the troubles there, not affect the greatness of your trip in anyway.
I do not know what ails you but I will trust in God and pray for you David. I also will pray for everyone with you. May God continue to shine through you, upon you and with you. The peace that passes understanding be with you.
Right On!
The right on was to Davids prayer.
Hello Dawn, you just disappeared, I’ve been trying to find you and make sure your ok. You were my best friend as a kid and I’ve never forgotten you. Then we connected on Facebook and then you disappeared. I hope your doing good and staying safe.
Thank You for your Daily Blog, I learn from it daily, sometimes I am overwhelmed emotionally by all that I’m learning…..praying all are safe on the Israel trip.
Numbers 19-20 couldn’t have been more fitting for me to read, this morning. I had a situation, this week, that really bogged me down, and sparked an angry reaction in me towards someone I labelled a “weasel”. Your words, David, about Moses being overcome with anger, forgetting God’s word to him, calling the people “rebels,” and that he became a rebel himself,” really hit home. I awoke yesterday with The Lord, saying, “just forgive”–the weight lifted off me. I felt so much love from God, last night, and the gift of this blog, and fellow bloggers, this morning.
Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.
Amen!!
I thank God that you are all safe & sound!! Come home safely!!
We need you & Jesus in our lives!!
Nancy Webb-Waisberg, Edmonton, Alberta
Yes, thank you for your continual updates and thank God you are all safe. I am praying for you that you will all come home safely. Thank you, fellow bloggers for your most interesting and encouraging comments. God can and will bring good out of harm if we continue to trust Him and not give up. Received the healing CD today, David and I am going to soak that in for the next few days. Am praying for the peace of Israel and peace for all of you.
Dear David and fellow bloggers, I will be praying for all of you tonight at House of fire in Montreal with Evangelist Bill Prankard
Thank you for your excellent blogs – always encouraging and inspiring. Thank God for His protection and may He bring all of you safely.home. God is so faithful and His promises to us can be trusted. When I doubted my salvation as a new Christian, I asked God to prove it to me and He led me to read Philippians 1:6 “He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ”. Another promise is Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. .It’s the enemy that condemns us not God.
God bless you for all your efforts!