Monday, March 18, 2013

FINDING DONKEYS

Suggested Reading: 1 Samuel 9-10

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

 

This Donkey is employed full-time in Petra, Jordan, helping to transport tourists over the difficult terrain.

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

 

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 10:9

So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.

Surprise! “Another heart.” It’s amazing what can happen when we’re looking for donkeys. We may discover that God is up to something in our lives other than donkeys. It’s great comfort to know that God is in charge. He knows the donkeys are fine. It’s we that can be donkeys, when he wants to make us “Kings and Priests,” (Revelation 1:6) although He uses donkeys too. We need “another heart.” We just don’t know when we may be at the start of a brand new adventure in God’s plan for us. Remember it was a donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem (John 12:14-15). If we are available to God, He’ll do the most useful and creative things in our lives. His ways are exciting and also very challenging.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, how often I have been perplexed, frustrated in not finding what I think I’m looking for, when all along You had everything under Your guidance. I pray for a deeper understanding of Your overarching providence, and for a simpler faith in Your promise to “work all things after the counsel of Your will.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

I’ve just read all of Ephesians, chapter one as my New Testament reading for today. What assurance! (click here).

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, and I’ve been thinking back on a Crossroads/100 Huntley Street outreach to Ireland called, “To Ireland With Love.” Violence was raging between ungodly Protestant and equally ungodly Roman Catholic factions, so we determined to send a team of Christians, RC’s and Protestants, to work with local groups of Christians who were fasting and praying for God to intervene. The churches were packed and hundreds came forward at the invitation to receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Not long after those days, the powers of hell were driven back and a time of tranquility and evangelism emerged.

I can’t remember why I was in Winnipeg back in 1976. I may have been “looking for donkeys,” but that was the occasion when I first met a local Jesuit priest. He had let it be known amongst the charismatic prayer meetings that he was to perform an exorcism and he wanted a Pentecostal Pastor to accompany him. I ended up being that Pastor. Before agreeing to accompany him, he gave me his testimony of personal salvation and I gave him mine. The Lord found a couple of donkeys, the priest and me, and that day, God delivered an immigrant man from Brazil, who had become deeply involved in voodooism.

Yours for God’s intervention while looking for donkeys,

David

A father and son tending their sheep and goats at Nazareth Village. This village, in modern-day Nazareth, is run by a Christian ministry and it depicts what life was like at the time of Jesus.

 

15 thoughts on “Monday, March 18, 2013

  1. Our scripture reading today provides an interesting story of a young man seeking that which was lost, and in so doing finds something of even greater value. How often in our own lives do we search fervently for something only to find something else of even greater value in our midst? God uses things, God uses circumstances to draw us unto Himself; to Saul it was a search for donkeys, for us it may be a search for truth. Jesus knows our every need and will take care of them, provided we seek His Kingdom first. Did you know that in Romans 8:17 the scriptures state that God considers us as royalty destined to be His heirs and co-heirs with Jesus? When we have searched and have tried to find satisfaction in this world on our own terms, and there is little to be found except only what the world can offer, Jesus awaits; something of greater value than we ever could ever have imagined!

  2. Every day I am blessed anew by the words of THE LORD. It is true that often we are looking for something we aren’t aware of, then God in His wisdom turns us onto the right path. All glory and honor to HIM.

    Blessings to you David and Norma-Jean and family. Keep our blog coming!!! Enjoy this day fellow bloggers.

  3. While I was looking for donkeys, God intervened for me today at the very last minute, and changed my appointment date to April in St. John. He’s never too early or too late. All praise, honor and glory be to His Holy Name. That gives Him more time to repair my heart. Halleluyah! Love your sharing David and fellow bloggers. Thanks for prayers!

  4. Hi David,

    Started reading your blogs and have to compliment you on them. They are very interesting and uplifting and I am sure a blesssing to many. Glad you received the Russian DVD interview of you and Ernie. On December 29, 2012 a major TV station in Lutsk, Ukraine aired the entire interview to a potential viewing audience of 1.5 million people. Praise God, He is still using Ernie

  5. I loved the implementations God used to make his choice of Saul as the new King evident in today’s readings. Each and everything God has created has such incredible value and meaning–the magnificence of a donkey! Just looking at that photo reaffirms it! The voice of the Lord is so clear and to be depended on. The doubt of the worthless men (10:27) despised Saul and failed to respect him from the start. But Saul kept silent about it–so beneficial was his changed heart. Looking forward to reading on in 1 Samuel.

    Thanks for today’s photos, Reynold. Loved the declaration of our Lord in Ephesians 1, David. Wishing all saints an awesome day!

  6. Excellent teaching today and I loved all the comments. Thanks fellow bloggers and thank you David and your team for the blog!! It is a highlight for each day for me. God Bless each one today.

    It appears that winter is not over yet – we await the impending storm that is to come tomorrow here in Eastern Ontario. Stay safe everyone.

  7. Thank you Beverlee and Catherine for your responses and making me laugh. Am reminded of Psalm 126:1-2, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.”

  8. Thank you Lord, for another day; and thanks to David for the blog and all the bloggers. I actually just got started this week and do look forward to the Bible reading along. I would like to share this dream. I did not remember that I dreamt last night, but as I was scrolling down the page and saw the father and son attending the sheep, it brought back to memory, that I had this dream last night that I was going to a park and I found a sheep that was lost and I took it with me to the park, but I left it to graze, and when I return it was gone and I looked everywhere and did not find it, but there was a lady from my church and she showed me another sheep, that was lying down and couldn’t get up; it seems that his leg was broken and it was sick and I said this is not the one, and I went on my way feeling empty. I don’t know if this dream is showing me something lacking in my life or what? or if it is just a dream. The good Lord knows.

    Have a blessed day all

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