Sunday, November 3, 2013

DELIGHTFUL!

Suggested Reading: Psalms 119:129-176

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

 

THE BIBLE! Here's Reynold's Bible on a Roman road in Tarsus. Saul of Tarsus became known as the Apostle Paul. Paul was a true scholar educated in the Roman/Greek university city of Tarsus and then sent to Jerusalem, where he studied the Hebrew Scriptures under Gamaliel, the most renowned Bible teacher of his time. Paul probably knew Psalm 119 by heart. He wrote to a young man named Timothy these words, "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:15,16).

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

 

Key Verses: Psalm 119:130, 174

The entrance of Your words gives light;

It gives understanding to the simple.

…I long for Your salvation O Lord,

And Your law is my delight.

 

We have every reason to be full of delight! (of “the light”). Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). Psalm 119 shines “understanding” into us! We understand that the “Words” which we read in the Bible express the thoughts of God. Paul writes, “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16b). Peter, a follower of Jesus, needed the light of the understanding of God’s thoughts (God’s Words express His thoughts) when he actually contradicted Jesus because Jesus began to speak of His own death and resurrection. Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan, you are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:21-23). In other words, Satan was darkening Peter’s mind so that Peter’s thoughts, which he expressed, were not God’s thoughts, but thoughts from Peter’s own mind. The way to get God’s thoughts to be our thoughts is to read constantly God’s Words. In this way we make God’s thoughts the essential DNA of our very being. According to Psalm 119, God’s thoughts are “GOOD,” “RIGHT,” “PERFECTION,” “SWEET,” “WONDERFUL,” “RIGHTEOUS,” “UPRIGHT,” “FAITHFUL,” “TRUTH,” “EVERLASTING,” and our experience proves that God’s Words are a “DELIGHT!!!”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I thank You that “The entrance of Your Words gives light” to me. I pray that the “Light of the world,” Jesus, the Messiah, will be my 24/7 Light, so that I will never stumble around in the dark. When I meet others, may I be conscious that there’s a light on inside of me, and may the light shine brightly through me on my path and on the path of others. I ask this blessing in the Name of Jesus, the “Living Word,” the One who is the full expression of Your thoughts to the human family. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

During my first year of intensive study of God’s Word in Bible College, someone (I don’t remember who) said something about the reading of the Bible that I have never forgotten. Here it is, “Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Scriptures.” The year after that I applied that knowledge in pioneering a new congregation in the Chalk River/Deep River area of Ontario. Yes, I went back to school for more years of study after that year off, but during that year of preaching and teaching God’s Word, I learned so much, perhaps more than I learned sitting in the lecture hall. That year, I filled in as the Principal of the local public school. The regular Principal was off for health reasons. The government of Ontario, Department of Education, required us, as teachers, to teach the Bible to our students. The Department published a Bible study guide for us to follow. Just imagine trying to do this in a public school today! This past week I was in the United States, where I drove around what was called a “Middle School.” I couldn’t believe my eyes! There was a high iron fence around the entire school with steel bars to protect the students from a possible violent assault. I was filled with such sadness. Our public schools in Canada and the U.S.A. have put the Bible and prayer out and the iron bars are in. There’s a security guard and a metal detector inside the one small entrance through the bars through which the students, teachers, and parents must pass.

Yours with delight in God’s Word, and with tears because of the foolishness of courts, governments and school boards in turning out the Light of God’s Word, thus inviting the darkness into the public schools. May God have mercy on us and on our children,

David

P.S. Which will it be in the local schools near us over the next few years, BIBLES or BARS!! Here’s that school building I mentioned above.

The iron fence at the Middle School. (junior high)

20 thoughts on “Sunday, November 3, 2013

  1. Very sad, David. We need the Word and prayer in our children’s lives and school systems, more than ever. Calling on all the saints to pray for God’s healing power to take over the world and for more and more people to come to know Him through the scriptures. We dig deep as we know the power of God’s love is our ever saving grace.

    The longing sadness for those who turn away from the teaching of God’s word and the love for His majestic greatness are felt so strongly in today’s verses of Psalm 119.

    Your testimonies are wonderful;
    Therefore my soul keeps them.
    The entrance of Your words gives light;
    It gives understanding to the simple. (129-30)
    Direct my steps by Your word,
    And let no iniquity have dominion over me. (133)
    Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
    And teach me Your statues.
    Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
    Because men do not keep Your law. (135-6)
    Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
    The entirety of Your word is truth,
    And everyone of your righteous judgments endures forever. (159b-160)

    Praying for God’s light to shine His truth through us. Wishing all saints a most blessed day as we enjoy our worship and praise Him at church! Oh how God loves us so, and how we love Him!

  2. So glad to hear your grand-nephew helped you with your winter preparations, Ger! God bless you, dear sister-in-Christ!

  3. How He Loves
    David Crowder Band

    He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
    Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
    When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
    Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
    And how great Your affections are for me

    And oh, how He loves us, oh
    Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all

    He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
    Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
    When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions
    Eclipsed by glory and I realize just how beautiful You are
    And how great Your affections are for me

    Oh, how He loves, yeah, He loves us
    Oh, how He loves us, oh, how He loves us
    Oh, how He loves

    And we are His portion and He is our prize
    Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
    If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking

    And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
    And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
    I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
    When I think about the way

    Oh, how He loves us, oh
    Oh, how He loves us, how He loves us so
    How He loves

    Yeah, He loves us, oh, how He loves us
    Oh, how He loves us, oh how He loves
    Oh, I love

    Yeah, He loves us, yeah, He loves us
    How He loves us, oh, how He loves us all

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzfPHnoT0-0

    • Sad situation in a school. I have seen on the news that there is bullet-proof clothing for kids available now. Help us Lord. May You shine brightly through us. May Your Perfect Will be done.

  4. Obviously, the answer should be the bible instead of bars. The bars and security are a direct corelation and defence to the dangers facing scool children today. If it is not a threat from the exterior, it is depression and anxiety from within. Suicide and violence amongst students are ramped. The only safe place a child can find is in the love and nurture of parents and family who abide by the precepts of Christian living and morals. Without this, children and youth live in fear by the surrounding messages conveyed by bars and security. It is disconcerting to imagine what underlies the psyche of future generations without sound messages such as delivered by Crossroads and Christian leadership. Our Lord is in control, this we know! His mighty hand and love transcends all humanity! Praise His Holy Name Forever! Have a great day, to all.

  5. Dear Rev David M., I also am adding with tears of sorrow my prayers for Jesus to come right back where He belongs: in our children’s schools! Oh yes, Lord, let us be that shining light wherever we turn, wherever we go. Today is the day You have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Amen

    I’m heading to worship our Savior, our Perfect Lamb.

    Have a blessed day,

    xxxCarole

  6. When I look at what is happening with our young today I feel we are reaping the consequences of the actions of the school boards, courts and government in removing God from schools. So beyond sad.
    I so appreciate this daily blog David M….it has become a favorite and delightful part of my day…and has helped me stay more committed in spending time in the Word. Thank you!

  7. Psalm 127:1 “unless The Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless The Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain” May The Lord direct us all! Amen! Please fellow bloggers remember my grandpa in prayers, he has been in the hospital for about a week now and in a very critical condition! Pls help me ask God for healing… Thank you all

    • Holding your dear grandpa up in prayer, Patricia. Dear God, please wrap Your loving arms around Patricia’s grandpa and blow a gentle breath of healing upon him, that he might become strong and renewed by Your loving grace. In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen, amen, and amen.

    • Adding my prayers for your dear grandpa Patricia and for those caring for him. May you too feel that peace that goes beyond the world’s understanding.

  8. The choices to be apostate does not start in the school. Parents supported the apostacy. The problem is in the country’s apostacy: from parents, from teachers, from political parties, from media, from most of us. I hope your grandfather recovers and I know people will pray.

  9. We must all pray every day for the Holy Spirit to protect everyone everywhere from Satan. May Jesus and His wonderful love keep us all safe from Satan and his evil spirits. Thank you Pastor David for getting us into the word of God. Elaine B

  10. “It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.”(Psalm 119:126). How sad, bars instead of Bibles in the schools. I always thought it was amazing when you could teach Bible overseas in third world countries and not in North America. Now we are reaping the results. Yes, we need to pray for our nations and governments that they will see the light and have courage to make a change. Thank you, Beverlee for your comment. Thank you, David for your dedication in getting the Word out. I remember going down to our local school and doing a Bible Club a few years ago. Help us Lord! Praying for your grandfather, Patricia.

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