Sunday, March 17, 2013

CONTENTMENT

Suggested Reading: 1 Samuel 7-8

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheatre in Bet Guvrin at the Maresha National Park in Israel.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 8:5

…and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Throughout history there seems to be a pattern that repeats itself over and over. We don’t learn well from history. There were the sons of Eli, and now the sons of Samuel. In each case the next generation failed to serve the God of their fathers faithfully. Surely, they knew the consequences of their actions, nevertheless they failed. There is a strong tendency in us all to act as the popular song says, “I did it my way.” We’ve all heard little children say, “No! I do it!” It is my fervent desire that this daily blog will help us all say, “Yes! God’s way!”
God’s way did not satisfy the majority of the Israelites. He wanted to be their King, and it seemed to work very well for the people. They were prosperous. They were safe from oppression by their enemies all the days when Samuel functioned as their judge, before they had a king. But they were not content. The Scripture says, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, may I be given grace every day to be content. You are my King, my absolute Monarch. I want to obey You in all things. I receive my instructions from You. I pray that I will steadfastly resist the pressures to conform to the world around me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

For my personal devotions I’ve just read Romans 8:26-30 and also Romans 11:25-36/ Romans 12:1 & 2. The answer to the human problem of being faithful to God is here. It takes a positive and a negative charge to release electrical power. So it is with the release of the power of God in my life. Positive – “Be conformed to the image of His Son.” Negative – “Do not be conformed to this world.” Again I think of the electrical analogy. We have a built-in transformer. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Not long ago, as I drove along Burnt Hills road just north of Kingston, an electrical storm was raging. Right in front of me I saw lightening hit a transformer which was up on a pole. Of course, everyone’s lights went out in the area, and power was not restored until the electrical crew arrived to make repairs. There is a storm raging all around, a storm that can knock out my connection to God’s power. I count on God’s power crew, the Word and the Spirit, to be on hand constantly to keep me in complete union with Him.

Yours for a constant flow, without interruption, of God’s power,

David

The view from walking in the tunnels of the amphitheatre ruins in Bet Guvrin at the Maresha National Park in Israel.

17 thoughts on “Sunday, March 17, 2013

  1. I am so enjoying reading along with you. Loving God’s word and really enjoying and understanding the old testiment in a way I never have been able to…Thank you David, and thank you Reynold for the awesome pictures.

  2. I don’t know if any other followers of this blog had same trouble I did this morning. Instead of this blog there was a message of warning and fatal error and it couldn’t resolve the hosts name. I had to go to yesterdays blog to get to today’s.
    I agree with Diane E…it is so much easier to understand the old testament by doing it in small bites like this David, and with your comments & explanations, and even your personal prayers, and of course your very fitting photo’s Reynold! Thank you too, Ron, for your part in making this all happen. You all are such a blessing and we love and appreciate you all so much. 😀

  3. Wanita I had the same problem so I thought I would turn off my computer and come
    back after church hoping it would work and it did . David , Renold and everyone who works with this blog post I want to say thank you I look forward to it everyday .
    Lianne Hogg

  4. Thanks David for your daily blog! God is using it to reveal to me His character. God bless you and everyone at 100 Huntley!

  5. Dear David, it is so obvious and yet so sad to see how human beings can’t seem to learn from past mistakes.

    I pray earnestly like our Saviour, our King, our precious lamb did on Mount Olive, for the Holy Spirit to strengthen me in resisting to conform to the world around me.

    God bless you all!

    P.S.: Happy St-Patrick’s day!

  6. As some other bloggers, I was not be able to to receive today’s message.
    Went back to 100 Huntley in order to read today’s blog.
    Thank you so much for having it ready every day again. It is like the manna of old. God bless!

  7. Great analogy of the electrical charge … the do and don’t, follow and do not follow, be and don’t be, and so-forth. I was a bit worried too this morning when we couldn’t connect with the server. Thankful, everything is o.k.! Thank you!

  8. I too had trouble and my blog just came through now.
    Thank you for your faithfulness to this journey David and your obedience to The Lord in explaining the scriptures to us and your personal touch.
    God bless all of you who contribute to the blog.
    Let all of us remember to walk in HIS way.

  9. I had the same problem with the internet etc. I couldn’t receive it by e-mail or from the website. Just now I have received it from the latter. Good analogy, David. I’ll remember the positive and negative charges and the transformer. Just heard a sermon by Charles Price about the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life. God bless you everyone.

  10. Hello all of you who have problems from time to time in receiving David;s
    blog. Here is what I have been doing since the beginning of this wonderful, blessing blog: I have kept a Crossroads Newsletter which shows David;s picture and the 100 Blog , etc. I click on David (ha,ha) and the daily message appears.
    then I “keep it as new” and it will be ready for the next day. The last Newsletter showing the above mentioned image was dated September 27/12.
    God bless all you bloggers and David and Norma Jean and all of Crossroads.

    Eraine

  11. Your comments are so needed in this day and age, yet we never listen to those before us. I saw you say that you are going to Israel again in Nov…..it made my heart jump because I went with you last year and it was such a wonderful trip that I want to go again….someday I hope I can……Gods blessing on your health and your plans for the fall…….my prayers are with yoou all.

  12. “We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.”
    – A.W. Tozer

  13. I had the same technical problem this morning as well, but was so pleased to see that it came through safely later on this evening. I would love to go to Israel with you and your family David, but I am concerned about the safety of everyone because of the problems with Syria. How do we know that we will be safe whilst travelling through Israel during November?

  14. I have only now read the blog from yesterday due to the problem others mentioned; it will be a day of double blessing as I read today’s next. It has occurred to me that there was an interruption of power as David spoke of in his personal words…maybe a reminder to stay close, at least for me, and to be alert to anything that might interfere with what God is doing. He is so faithful to do that but we too often miss the signs. In a nutshell the curse can be made a blessing as my attention is drawn to the fact that I am completely dependent on God for everything.

  15. I love your daily blog. God bless all who are involved… thank-you!
    I do LOVE the pictures though! I can’t quite describe it, but the photos speak to me… I get this surge of love and such a closeness to God.

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