Wednesday, March 18, 2015

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FINDING DONKEYS

Today’s 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. He wants to make us “Kings and Priests” (Revelation 1:6). Sometimes He may want us to be burden bearing donkeys. 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.

 

18 thoughts on “Wednesday, March 18, 2015”

  1. What joy to see your email in my inbox this a.m.! Thank you.
    Love the pics of the animals. Can’t believe the size of the sheep there!
    I seem to remember Saul from another study. I would rather have been the donkey than him if I remember correctly. Funny how a name, almost immediately, conjures up feelings of good or bad in us.
    Have a blessed day fellow saints.

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  2. I was quite surprised to read today that you, Pastor David and Fr. MacDougall had gone to evangelize in my homeland Ireland. Thank you for doing willingly the task that God set before you. I watched you and Bob many times on Huntley Street but had never heard about your trip until now. This blog has been an amazing Blessing to me and to many others. .It gives me courage
    and strength to keep trusting my Lorrd while I await my op on April 2.
    Blessings to all, Eleanor M.

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  3. …looking for donkeys. There is a Sunday evening church service where I live. It co-insides with my work schedule. However, it is a church service for recovering addicts. To date, my wife and I have resisted any call to attend that service. I was personally invited through a co-worker yesterday to give that service a try.

    I sense that the Holy Spirit is encouraging me to reach out and to give this service a chance. Perhaps today’s Bible Reading and blog are affirming that decision…

    PS
    I, for one am happy about the results in yesterdays Israeli election. Praise God!

    Blessings brothers, sisters, and blog friends…

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    • I would encourage you and your wife to attend! ALLpeople need to hear the Gospel! Perhaps some ideas of what an alcoholic is can dim our eyes so that we don’t see the person, the child of God! An addiction is an addiction! Something I recently found out is that mental illness is found on the female side of families and alcoholism on the male side! Hormones play a very important part in addictions!
      You never know maybe God is calling you to be an important link in someone’s life! I can’t go to church because of a sleep disorder, I am praying that someone in my community will start an evening Church service…..

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  4. Well today I turn another year older and it is my prayer as I start another year of my life that I will be God’s donkey — but in a good way, not in the stubborn way I’ve been this past year-LOL

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  6. I think in times past, we have all been lost donkeys (!) but we’re found by The Most High God, through salvation in Jesus. Hallelujah! Blessings everyone.

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  7. I truly believe the Holy Spirit called David Mainse to do this blog! Reading about ministering in Ireland! What a blessing! Please pray for Mr. Mainse as he prepares to speak on May 24th, 2015. I have not heard the results of the election in Israel!

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  8. Thank you Rev. David for the Links…how precious in Revelation 1:6 we are told we are kings and Priests…In this morning’s reading the king is searching for lost donkies…us:)

    interesting…in the process of becoming the king…he is told the donkies are found…not to be anxious about them…praise God when we are found we become “kings and priests”…only by Grace through His Precious Blood!!!

    Great pictures both of the donkey and the shepherd with the sheep!!

    I did not mention my observation of yesterday’s picture…but the inside of the second picture looks like a beautiful seashell…thank you Reynold for your pictorial creations.

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  9. I have been in a wee physical valley/battle. Stumbled today on 100 Huntley St. Heard Ron mention your blog. How is our “David”?
    WOW PTL
    From one pilot to another pilot; HE lifts us up on the wings of an eagle. Amen.

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