Monday, June 16, 2014

TRUTH

Today’s Reading: Matthew 15

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

 

The present-day entrance to the historic village of Capernaum. The sign reads "Capernaum The Town of Jesus."

 

Key Verse: Matthew 15:9

And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

The third commandment (Exodus 20), “You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain,” includes worship not founded solidly on a true understanding of God’s Word. Moses, upon his descent from Sinai, discovered the people worshipping with the practices of the religion of Egypt. Satan went into the religion business because he wanted to be worshipped. What Lucifer failed to receive in Heaven, he convinces men to invent on earth. The ancient temples of Egypt were an effort to copy the approach to God in Heaven with “the god of this world” depicted by an image in the inner chamber. Daily, daily, daily read God’s Word.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord Jesus, I worship God in Your Name with an ever-increasing understanding of the Scriptures. I read, mark, inwardly digest the written Word, the Bible. You promised the “Spirit of truth ” (John 16:13) will guide me into all Truth. I ask now for that guidance as I meditate on Your Word. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In my first year of Bible College, I was required to memorize 50 Bible verses. I had learned memory verses in Sunday School, but this was different. I was required to quote all 50 verses one after the other. I’ll never forget the aftermath of that exercise. I took my Bible and hugged it to my heart, walking up and down the hall, worshipping God for the gift of His precious Word. The Holy Spirit transferred the Word from my head only, deeply into my innermost being. The result? “Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).

Yours for a pure heart,

David

Preaching the Father's Day service at The Church on the Queensway in Toronto yesterday.

Myles' dad, Todd Neilson and Papa, Bruce Stacey, were on the platform with me as I presented Myles with a special book from his Great-Grampa. The book contains 50 responses from my blog partners to Myles' question (see August 28, 2013 blog).

Myles loves his new book from Great-Grampa!

27 thoughts on “Monday, June 16, 2014

  1. That was a great service. My daughter, a strong believer who has struggled with the church has recently started attending this church. My husband and I have various ties there also. For Father’s Day and knowing you were speaking, we supported her by visiting her church. It was wonderful to hear your story of healing and see the generations of faith God had rewarded your faithfulness with. You are a blessed man. Your prayers for continued health go up.
    Love in Christ.
    Wendy

  2. Great pictures. Myles looks so happy, a day I’m sure he’ll never forget! It is incredible how much territory you have covered in the last week, David! I am amazed with your energy. Have a great day everyone!

  3. There is also a wonderful way to read scripture verses and remember them. Day Star TV (can I mention that)? has beautiful music accompanied with spectacular pictures of God’s creation, displaying scripture verses during the dark, long, hours @ night & at different times during day. Singing scripture, as a child, was memorable & easy!

  4. Praise God, David Mainse! What a wonderful example you set by memorizing bible verses, and Psalm 119 to back it up!! Thank you, fine sir!! Blessed are you, Myles!! That service must have been incredible!! Today’s daily prayer says it all! We worship You, God. Power above all things and divine creator! We absorb every ounce of Your teaching, Spirit, and understanding through daily reading and memorization of the Scriptures–Your gift to us. It is our guidepost and we honour You by living it, Lord! You promised the “Spirit of truth” that will guide us into all Truth and righteousness (John 16:13). Thank You for Your undying love for us, God! Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. We sing to Your Glory and praises! And all God’s people said, amen, amen, and amen!

  5. We also have a little grandson named Myles who will turn 6 on July 23. How I would have loved him to witness this service! He too has so many questions and truly seeks to learn. What an amazing gift! I would love to read it to our Myles. May God continue to bless and use you!

  6. I was following the blog when you first spoke of Myles and his dilemma. He didn’t know why he did so many bad things, even though he tried to be good. He had prayed to God for help, but didn’t think God had listened, because he continued to do things he shouldn’t. Myles is not only no different from many young children, he’s no different from many adults as well, myself included.

    Have you thought of doing a segment on 100 Huntley Street about your book to Myles? There are many people who have been asked the same question by someone like Myles, or, like him, ask the same question themselves. It would be nice to hear some of the answers given, so we too can find some answers.

    Thanks David.

  7. How wonderful it must have been to live in Jesus time. After healing the crippled, lame, mute, blind and all other afflictions, it would be as nothing for Jesus to make enough food to eat for over 4000 people out of seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. I must admit I don’t always wash my hands before I eat but never fail to thank God for providing me with the food.
    The picture to the entrance of Capernaum is so beautiful with the bougainvillea welcoming visitors.
    Amen to your Prayer For Today Rev. DM.
    Too bad your Fathers Day service wasn’t televised or on Crossroads 360 for those of us in the West or just can’t get out easily.
    Myles is such a special little person to have such a faithful great granddad. I’m sure he’ll find his way in life with such awesome guidance to fall back on.
    Here’s to starting over again today in Jesus name.

    • Amen, Lynda! It would have been so incredible to live in Jesus’ time–to be one of His disciples, or Mary, or one of the people fed by His fish!!!

  8. Awesome service I’m sure and Myles has a special treasure there and great granddad. Yes, I was looking on the Queensway website to see if the service was recorded. Was taking note that it often records that Jesus healed all the sick without saying they were true followers. Of course, Jesus had died for our salvation on the cross yet. God bless.

  9. What a Great Grandfather you are, and what a special gift for Myles! My Grand daughter is visiting next week and I hope to take her to Blessings, our Christian Book Store in Edmonton. I hope she can find a few books that are written, with love, that can explain Jesus in the way a four year old can understand. We are truly blessed!

  10. I am sure Myles will treasure than book forever!
    I have a question about today’s blog. Where is the inner chamber and what is the image you refer to?

  11. The pharisees didn’t recognize Jesus as God in the flesh – even though their own passages of scripture foretold the coming of Christ. How would we, the body of Christ, react today were someone to claim that they were God in the flesh?

    I expect a similar reaction to that of the pharisees. For us believers believe today that He will come in the clouds on a super miraculous scale of presentation that only He can do… The pharisees expected God to arrive as a powerful leader greater than King David, not as the son of a carpenter and one who grew up among them as a carpenter…

    I hope some of you will respond and correct me if you think otherwise? God Bless! Have a great day fellow bloggers…

    • The proof is in the pudding of scripture, David. Jesus had not yet died and risen, nor given Revelation to John, when doubted by the pharisees. But we have all the information and direction provided to us in the Holy Bible, by the witnesses at His resurrection, and by the work of His disciples upon His return to them. The evidence is overflowing, just like our love for Him!

      Jesus was in the grave for three days. After the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Salome prepared spices to anoint Jesus’ body. When they arrived at the tomb, the stone had already been rolled away! They entered the tomb, where an angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. . .You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you'” (Mark 16:6-7).

      “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him” (Revelation 1:7)

      John’s Reaction
      “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man.” (Revelation 1:17a). Seeing Jesus in His glorified state had such an awe-inspiring effect on John that all his muscles lost their strength, his knees buckled and he fell limply to the ground. Some of us have probably felt similar physical reactions during times of great emotion. John’s emotion, upon seeing Jesus, was holy fear. John had spent three years with Jesus in the flesh, and once had even seen Jesus glorified in a cloud when He had been “transfigured” on the mountain, but even that had not prepared him to see Jesus as He was on this day.

      We recall that all will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ “that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (II Corinthians 5:10). Do not think that your reaction on that occasion will be all that much different than John’s. “Every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7) and it is God’s plan that “every knee should bow” and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Philippians 2:9-11).
      So shall it be! Amen.

      • I agree with everything you felt prompted to reply with Beverlee. My question was more hypothetical than prphetic. Never the less – the church is not expecting him to come differently than what scripture foretells… Have a great blessed and joyful day fellow bloggers…

  12. Thank you David! This is also a reminder for me as a grandparent, how I need to be leading by example and walk in God’s word, and continue to pray for my children and grandchildren! I will never stop praying for them to know and have a relationship with JESUS!

    Yes, it’s not what we eat that makes us unclean or not washing our hands, it’s what slips out of our mouths, sometimes by form of a bad habit that we may have had at one time, or are still trying to break.

    LORD forgive me for the idle chatter, for sometimes getting caught up in conversations that are not fruitful. In your precious name Jesus keep me focussed on you. Amen!

  13. Dear Rev. David M.
    When I look at Myles and his radiant smile , I am reminded of a French Saying that i heard many years ago
    Truth comes from the mouth of children.
    So many of us as adults and followers of Christ can learn a lot, from young children through their spontaneity, innocence and their keen interest in everything that God has created .

    May Gods Word imprint our mind, our heart, our soul and empowered by The Holy Spirit be able to bring all those that dont know the GREATEST TEACHER That Ever Walked on this earth Jesus Christ, our Messiah, our SAVIOUR, our King until His Return. Amen and Amen.

    Have a blessed day everyone.
    xoxoxo Carole

  14. When I first gave my heart to the Lord 40 some years ago; it was at CFO family camps that I memorized scripture by singing scripture verses; along with those that came alive and imprinted on my heart through the years. Praise God he is so faithful and loving in ALL HIS WAYS!! He is Faithful to complete that which He began in my heart these many years ago…Amen!!!

    What a precious moment for your great-grandson Myles and you as you share with him a special gift to cherish all his life:)

  15. Thanks you for your prayer Pastor David.

    What great pictures and especially of Myles and the book he will treasure, I am sure, forever. So glad some of our blog buddies were able to contribute to that.

    I am so filled with love for my Saviour as I read of His wonderful healings and provision for those who came to Him. And we all know, He is still doing all of that for us today. Praise His Holy Name!!!!!

  16. Thank you, David, for being consistent with this blog, and for your refreshing humility. In this day we seem overwhelmed with self-serving attitudes. Your prayers, especially, have inspired me in my conversations with God. You’ve shown me that the better I know Him (through reading His Word and your blog), the more I trust Him; the more I trust Him, the less I fear asking Him to search my heart to reveal stuff I need to confess. It is very evident that God still needs you here on earth, both in your miraculous healing and in your daily obedience to be led by Him as you write this wonderful blog. We also built our home on solid rock (the Canadian Shield at the SW end of Mellon Lake). With no Hydro, we receive electrical energy from the Sun, and Spiritual energy from the Son, Jesus,The Rock of Ages. We love you, David.

  17. Dear David , I am praising the Lord for the trip you made and for all the people you will have touched -only Eternity will reveal why God led each of us on our journey- see you in Glory if not before.
    rich blessings on you from our Precious Lord.
    Kathy

  18. Dear David Mainse, My age is also 78 years old which I turned in January past. Like you I don’t understand all the new technology but, I am able to receive your 100words.ca blog and am so grateful for your faithfulness. For some time I had been trying to read through the entire Bible but, was not always able to understand it. Your blog has been soooo helpful. My plan is to stay with it. I am unable to remember when I started reading it. This isn’t important to me as I want to read it as long as you run it. You’re in my prayers daily & I am glad for the miracle of healing which you received. It seems that God loves your faithfulness & knows that so many of us are blessed & saved through this. May He continue to bless you with good health & renewed strength.
    Blessings of our Saviour to you & all those who work in His great name at Crossroads,
    Beverly

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