SUCCESSOR
Suggested Reading: 1 Kings 19
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
A view of the Sea of Galilee from the north shore. Jesus commanded, "Peace be still."
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 1 Kings 19:12
After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I’m listening for Your gentle whisper. Father, in spite of the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, I pray that I will hear Your “still small voice.” In the Name of the One who said, “My peace I give unto you,” the Lord of all, Jesus Christ (John 14:27), Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I have great memories from 1978 when Norma-Jean and I saved for quite a while to take our sons to Israel. The girls had come to Israel with us a couple of years before this. The boys’ principal, David Craig, told us, “Your sons will learn more in that month than they could ever learn in the same time in high school. You have my permission to take them out of school for a month.” Reynold, Ron and I backpacked from place to place, and Norma-Jean, with a friend’s van, would meet us with supplies from time to time.
On Mt. Carmel we read the chapters we’ve been reading in this blog for the past two days, and we wondered how Elijah could beat Ahab back to Samaria (18:45-46). Then as we climbed down the east side of Mt. Carmel, we realized that Elijah probably went down the way we were taking, while Ahab, with his horses and chariots, had to go down the gentle slope of the mountain which went in a westerly direction, the opposite direction from Samaria, before he could turn east again.
In a very real sense, I’m travelling every day through the land of the Bible as I read, meditate, pray, and write this blog. Between 4:00 and 6:00 a.m. every day, I am “still.” The telephone never rings. No one knocks at the door, except Jesus. I now live in a high-rise apartment on the ninth floor. I can go out on the balcony and there is no sound of traffic to be heard. The old hymn says, “Blessed quietness, holy quietness, blest assurance in my soul!” (click here for the lyrics).
Yours for waiting on God in the quiet place,
David
Such a prophetic reading this morning. The stillness in the photo of the Sea of Galilee is a sublime graceful and beauteous painting, that reflects the voice of Jesus. “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace be still’. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” Mk 4:39
Surely, with that stillness of Jesus within us, we are comforted and peaceful and unknowingly empowered by the Holy Spirit as it sinks within our bones. Let that unity with our God fortify us and make us living examples as His witnesses on earth. ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’ 1 Cor 13
“The Conversion of Sir John A. Macdonald”
One hundred and fifteen years ago, a most amazing occurrence happened when Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald (1815-1891), stood to his feet to trust Jesus Christ as his Savior. This event happened in an extended revival meeting at a church in Ottawa in 1888 during Macdonald’s second term in office.
The evangelists God used were John Hunter and Hugh Crossley. Hunter was the dynamic preacher and Crossley the singing evangelist. This team was Canada’s version of the D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey team. Crossley and Hunter had a fruitful ministry of over 26 years together. Over 200,000 publicly accepted Christ in their numerous campaigns. The character of many towns changed visibly during these revivals. Drinking establishments were frequently emptied, and on several occasions theatres closed for lack of business.
The conversion of Sir John A. Macdonald is recounted in this manner in the book Canada: Portraits of Faith, edited by Michael D. Clarke:
That winter, Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald attended the Crossley-Hunter services along with several senators and members of parliament. Macdonald, in fact, celebrated his seventy-third birthday at a service. On the final night of the six-week revival, it was requested that Crossley and Hunter remain for one more week, and Macdonald asked if he could second the motion. That same evening, a significant event occurred in the life of the hard-drinking prime minister, who during the election of 1878 had joked that Canadians preferred him drunk to his opponent – that pious Alexander Mackenzie – sober. As a newspaper reported: “When in answer to an appeal by Mr. Hunter, that all who wished to become Christians and desired the prayers of the audience would stand up, the premier of the Dominion. arose with his wife.” According to another journalist, “When the well-known form of the Honorable Premier arose in the center of the church many strong men bowed their heads and wept for joy. The right honorable gentleman himself was deeply affected.” After dining at the prime minister’s home several days later, Hunter confirmed that “Sir John is a changed man.”
The message that drew the prime minister appealed to Canadians from all walks of life. Listeners were encouraged to turn from their sinful ways, to commit their lives to Christ, and to help make Canada a Christian nation, a land that could truly call itself God’s dominion. The support of mayors, members of parliament, and especially the prime minister was central to realizing that goal.
As I read this account, my heart cried out “Lord, Do it again!” However, the question for us today is “Are we willing to pay the price?” Would we be willing to go to church every night for seven straight weeks? Are we willing to plead with God to bring revival and convert our nation’s people and leaders? Are there men who would give their lives to traverse the length and breadth of this country boldly and tirelessly preaching the Gospel? Oh Lord, Please do it again!
by Pastor David Harness
Thanks for sharing this amazing story with us DGoheen! I’ve never heard this before. All I had ever heard was that our former Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald liked the drink and was often in a less than sober state! This is news that should be shouted from the rooftop and be available in every Canadian High School history text in the land! Yet, I believe that hardly an academic soul would know this truth, they’d rather remember him as an old drunk than a converted soul for Christ.
Thank you for your words of wisdom this morning David. You stated, “We must understand that if we choose to follow God
Thank you for your words of wisdom this morning David. You said “We must understand if we choose to follow God’s call and engage head on with the enemy of our souls, we will be thrown into the midst of the struggle.” Today I wish to pray for all those who are ‘held back’ through reaching their full potential in Christ by worries, anxieties and panic attacks. Lord I pray this day for all who are stilted by ‘fear’ and don’t realize that they are in the midst of battle. Lord, all of us need to hear Your still small voice in the midst of troubles, all of us need Your strength through the Holy Spirit to fight the variety of spiritual battles in our midst. May Your words through writings such as Psalms speak to us personally and encourage our hearts this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amen!
What an adventure it would have been to travel by backpack in Israel and to discover possible truths, such as routes taken. Today’s reading really emphasizes how unimposing our Lord’s voice can be in our lives when we listen, with our whole being, to His prompting.
Psalms 46:10
He says,
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth”
I so needed this today ……God’s peace and stillness…..after a day of turmoil yesterday, but I am still amazed at Our Lord’s perfect timing in sending His word at the exact time it is needed.
Thank you David and fellow bloggers…..feeling loved today.
Blessings to all of you.
What a wonderful experience to have taken the boys to Israel David.
Truly overwhelming blogs today. My spirit is soaking in every bit of it. I love the stillness and especially in the mornings. Alone out in the country here it is still except for the farm tractors are out one the ground this morning directly across the road from my house. Yes, we need to listen for that still small voice of the Lord that spoke to Elijah. What a mightly man of God Elijah was and what a distance he went from Jezreel to Mt. Horeb(Sinai) forty days and nights all in the strength of the food God fed him. This song came to me:
Be Still My Soul
Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Katharina von Schlegal
Just read today about your ants, Donna. Ant traps have worked for me. Would love to print off that testimony of Sir John A. MacDonald. Can it be printed from this blog? Blessings, everyone.
Yes Ger – it is a 2 step process – First, you need to open your word processing document to a new document, then you highlight the testimony and then right click on your mouse and click on copy. Then you go to your document and click on paste. Then you can print it out. I just did. Hope this works for you. Blessings.
Ah yes ; be still my soul, as I am reading this blog it is so quiet only the birds are
singing, Ihave been so blessed by all the above comments and information
Thank you Davi M and bloggers , Blessings to you all….R….
Thank you for that amazing testimony of Sir John A!!!
Excellent blog today fellow blog-buddies. Thank you Scott for your prayer – It was especially meaningful to me today.
Another glorious day today – Enjoy!!!
🙂
I always love reading the passages in 1 Kings verses 9b-12. In all the noise and clammor that is seeking our attention in today’s world, it can get challenging to hear that quiet whisper. We diligently need to learn to ‘be still’ and listen. Todays reading made me think of a book I have had for years: “Lord Of My Rocking Boat” by Carole Mayhall. It tells of how there is no storms too great in our life that the Lord’s quiet whisper can’t calm the waves and bring peace and strength. It speaks of how we can be carried off course by waves created by people, priorities, pain, death of loved ones, and psychological prisons…of how there can be leaks that can dampen our lives, particularly when we are not trusting God.
I share your prayer David M., that I will hear the Lord’s quiet whisper each day.
Good morning David, Ger and fellow bloggers.
Comforting words today.
Yes Ger, your can print this.
Highlight the text you want to print. Then right-click the selected print and select the print option. The printer box will open, select the selection radio button, then the print button.
Thank you everyone for your prayers for my Dad.
He is a miracle and we tell everyone this.
He is still critical and needs to get stronger. Please continue to pray for him as we have.
The neurosurgeons had said there was brain damage. In seventy cases no one had recovered. My husband said in seventy one cases one has.
He is alert and aware and knows everyone and remembers coming to the hospital. No indication of brain damage.
The medication is causing him to fight to come home.
We sit calm in the chair and won’t engage in conversation so he will fall back to sleep.
Keep praying for his strength and rest so he can get stronger.
They want to perform tests to see what his options are with surgery.
Gods grace and mercy is with him. and the healing touch of Jesus.
Thank you again for your prayers.
Blessings to all.
Diane 🙂
Praise God, Diane! Will continue to hold your dad up in my prayers! Bless you!
Thank you 🙂
I kept wondering and praying for your dad Diane and will continue to pray through his struggles. Our God is a very BIG GOD and nothing is impossible for HIM. My family (concerning our son) received and great victory today and we are singing God’s praises for HIS goodness and mercy. When we think He isn’t at work we are surprised (shouldn’t be!) when results come that are a great blessing. Love in Jesus everyone Catherine
Thank you so much 🙂
What a great testimony about Sir John A. Macdonald. Wishing all schools would be able to teach that story about Sir John, rather than his drinking habits. Hoping this will be in your upcoming book Pastor David!
Blessings be upon you all.
Boy I could write a book on this topic, as someone who has suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since her teenage years finding peace was something I yearn for. In my teens and early twenties I tried to do it through alcohol, smoking, drugs but it didn’t work. I got deeply involved with the occult, thinking if I could know the future I could someone control my fears-but that just lead down dark roads that no one should travel.
Eventually, I found the Lord– and I wish I could say knowing Him has taken away all the anxiety and phobics that haunted me for so long, ( I am now in my 50’s) but I can’t. What I can say is in the midst of an attack, which are less now than before, I will often feel a very strong sense of God’s love and peace and hear those words “Be still and know that I am God.” And in those moments I know I do not have to fear the fear, and for me that is peace.
In some ways my weakness has made me more dependent on God than I might of have been otherwise. As I said before,if I had the time I could write a book about it.
PS- For those who might be curious, so far today, I have only had to kill 6 ants, so either the traps are working or God has told them to go outside where they belong, or both. Thanks for suggestions.
Blessings sister and glad those ants are on the march!!!!!
Dear David and precious fellow bloggers
The prayer of David this morning is so significant to me . Seeking that small voice can only be heard when we completely surrender to Jesus ,leaving him fully in charge of all trials that may come our way .
Keeping all of you in my prayers
Amen.
Good morning David M and fellow blogger- buddies thanks Ruby I like that term although I have never met any of you in person, I feel I know you and thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. David M thank you for your continued commitment in sharing God’s Truths with us and bringing us together!!!!
Scott thank you for your prayer and Diane for up-dating on your Dad. Each one of you are a blessing to me and I thank God for you. Thanks Reynold for the pictures which are Beautiful.
God Bless!
Thank you
Thanks David M. and Scott for your prayers. Thanks Ruby and Diane for your help in printing and Praise God for His touch on your father. This is strange, Diane but I had a bout with ants tonight and I put my Wilson’s ant trap out. Excellent photos Reynold. Played some music on that site you mentioned David. Have a good evening everyone.
Thank you Ger.
God bless you Ger. 🙂