THE WORD
Today’s Reading: John 1
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Here I (Reynold) am sitting at sunrise on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea. You can also see Masada and the Roman seige ramp to the right. Jesus is "The Word." Jesus is God's primary way of communicating to us. A secondary way is in the wonder of creation.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Could we take the time now or later to read, along with John 1, Colossians 1 and the first chapter of Hebrews This will let us know, once and for all, who Jesus of Nazareth is. If we have decided to believe those who knew Jesus best, like John, or those who were educated and elite Jewish scholars, like Paul and the writer to the Hebrews, we are NOT left with the option of believing Jesus is ONLY a prophet or ONLY a great teacher. He is all of these and MUCH MORE. Intellectual honesty demands that we confess that God communicated His message to the human race in one “Word,” Who “dwelt among us,” One who showed His glory to many of His contemporaries, “The glory as of the only begotten [not created] of the Father.” We’ve just completed reading Leviticus, Moses’ revelation of God, and now it would be helpful to read again John 1:17-18. The transition from Moses to Jesus is clear. This was so evident in the first century that thousands of Jews believed it, including many of the Jewish priests who were truly open to the “Word” of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You are, in Your Person, the fullness of the communication of the Great “I Am” to the human family. Bless me, Lord, I pray, to be able to communicate to others the fact that You, Jesus, are 100% God, as well as 100% Human. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My eldest son, David Reynold Mainse, as just a boy, said to me one night as we gazed at the stars, “God did that.” We marvelled at His creation. I can’t remember my exact response, but I know that I tried to never miss an opportunity to point out that this great Creator was born in Bethlehem as one of us. The Angels in the night sky sang to the shepherds of God’s Glory and instructed them to find this Child. The shepherds did so and worshipped Him. Just now, I’m overwhelmed with the need to worship Him. Norma-Jean would always sing to our grandchildren (and now great-grandchildren) at bedtime, “All hail King Jesus, all hail Emmanuel, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, bright Morning Star.” This has always been her “tucking in ritual.” In case you don’t know this song of worship, I’ll ask our son, Ronald Wesley Mainse, to try to find it on the Internet so you can join in the rapture of worshipping Jesus, King of the universe. [Found it…here]
Yours to help us to be among those who receive Him and thus have the right to become children of God through believing in His Name (John 1:12),
David
REMINDER: If you wish to post a comment on my blog, go to www.100words.ca and click on the “Comments” bubble (which is next to the date). Then scroll to the bottom, where it says, “Leave a Reply.”
Thankyou David and Reynold and Ronfor posting the beautiful pictures and our worship song love it
David, thank you so much for putting the song your blog today. I found it led me into deeper worship for about a good 1/2 hour. It was amazing! Blessings, Sherry
Thank you or your pictures Renold and the beautiful music Ron you found on the
internet. I Love it as well.
Lianne Hogg
Hi David, While l was reading this portion of scripture, it is so clear how we communicate the Gospel to others, by word of mouth. Andrew excitedly tells Simon Peter, then they they find Philip and go and find Nathanael and tell him. Like Andrew, l started out telling my family and dearest friends. l00 Huntley Street was and is a great instrument in God’s hands to give people a platform to tell their testimonies about Jesus, their voices heard by millions! What an amazing tool! We sometimes complicate the simplicity of the Gospel without realizing it! Keeping it simple is always a good start. Blessings everyone!
Thank you for the beautiful photo and caption, Reynold. Jesus is the Word and God’s beautiful creation is all around us. God is communicating with us, amen! Beautiful song, David, and message! As always, uplifting and reassuring and reconnecting us with Jesus–the way, the truth and the life. Holding onto our faith in You! So blessed to begin reading John 1 this morning, along with Colossans 1 and Hebrews!
Love the pic on today’s blog. It’s so different from our beautiful Alberta.
Just finished reading The Fall and Rise of Israel by William L. Hull and there is such a grand prayer at the last I’d like to share. A Jewish Prayer:
Our Father in Heaven, Rock and Redeemer of Israel, in all the lands of the Dispersion. Lead them erect to Zion, Thy City, to Jerusalem, the sanctuary of Thy Name, for we have been promised in Thy Torah ‘Though you be driven to the ends of the heavens, yet from there shall the Lord Thy God gather you, from there will He fetch you and bring you to the land your fathers once possessed, and you shall inherit it. He will bring you prosperity and will multiply you above your fathers. The Lord Thy God will circumsize your hearts and the heart of your seed, teaching you to love Him with all they heart and all thy soul that you may live.’
“Unite us in Love and Fear of Thy Name and in observance of all the precepts of Thy Torah. Send speedily our Anointed Redeemer to us who await Thy final salvation. Be Revealed in the ineffable glory of Thy strength to all the inhabitants of Earth Thy domain, and let all who have mortal breath proclaim that the Lord God of Israel is King, and that His kingdom is over all. Amen.”
What a blessing this morning has been, the affirmation that we have been redeemed through Jesus Christ Our Lord. That He came and lived among us to show us the way. And that by His Grace through faith in Him we live. Thank you Jesus for reconciling us to the Father. Thank you Heavenly Father for giving us Your Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. PRAISE AND GLORY UNTO YOU FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN!!!
Thank you David, Reynold, and Ronald for this blog, the added scriptures, the prayer, the beautiful photo, the song. What a blessing!!! Thank You.
Dear Rev David M,
For a poignant delivery of God’s Precious WORD. How very blessed we all are as gentiles!
Thank you Ron, for finding for us your mom’s worship song. As a new grandmother-to-be, I will be putting it in my favorite songs for him or her to come!
Thank you Reynold, for another fabulous picture of God’s glory!
Have a pleasant fall day everyone!
xxxCarole
Thank you David and Ron for the Word and the picture to remind me of Masada where we stood last year [Dave and I were on Yellow Bus 2013 on your tour of Israel] and saw that ramp and that mountain of refuge for the remaining believers.
I especially liked to hear the song that Norma Jean sings to her Grandchildren. I, too, sing my three favorite songs into my new grandchildren….one is 4 years old and two new little ones were born one week apart in August. I sing “JESUS LOVE ME” AND “GOD SEES THE LITTLE SPARROW FALL” AND LET THE SUNSHINE[GOD] IN” to all my newborn grandchildren. These songs were the songs that the Holy Spirit used to get me to devote my life to Jesus when I was a child…..whose family rarely went to church and were struggling to believe. I think I’d like to add Norma Jean’s song to my reportoire for my Grandchildren. It has an easy melody and really gets to the point of things. Thanks again David for sharing.
Thank you so much for pulling together the Old and New Testament for us. It is wonderful to continually see how Jesus was all that the Old Testament pointed to, such as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It is like looking through the eyes of the apostles, who knew the Old Testament and saw the sacrifices and therefore knew what John the Baptist meant and what Jesus was – the Messiah and the Son of God!!! So exciting!