Wednesday, April 1, 2015

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THE IMPREGNABLE ROCK

Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 28-29

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

 

Masada is an ancient fortification on top of an isolated rock plateau on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great built a palace for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BC. According to Josephus, the siege of Masada by troops of the Roman Empire ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Jewish rebels and their families holed up there (approximately 73 AD).

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

 

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 28:6

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.

Our key verse underlines the fact that God does speak to people. In Saul’s case God chose not to speak to him in a dream (we can mess it up because we must decide what it means, if anything). The Urim was a method, not unlike flipping a coin and believing that God would choose heads or tails. The prophets, both true and false, were silent. The medium, often called the witch of Endor, was dumbfounded that Saul would appear. Obviously she faked it at other times, as I believe is the case with mediums today. God had a purpose here. If we look to someone claiming to be a prophet, we must recognize that their words are often unreliable because of the human element, and even if the prophet is a man or woman of God, we still must interpret for our needs what he or she has said. This is why God gave us the Holy Scriptures and the historical understanding of their meanings. We can have confidence that the Holy Spirit gave oversight to what was written down in our Bibles, and also gave oversight to the Rabbis and early church leaders as to what writings were to be included in our Bibles. The Apostle John, who loved Jesus with all his heart, and who, I’m sure, would record Jesus’ words accurately, quotes Jesus in John 16:13, “When He, the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.” The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, was given on the birthday of the Church (Acts 2:1-13). The Apostle Paul was not present at the initial coming of God’s Spirit upon the 120, but be assured that when Paul became a believer and received the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, as Jesus said, guided him into all Truth. He had the finest education available in the Hebrew Scriptures. His writings are filled with quotes from his Bible, what we call now the Old Testament, and with understanding of the correct revelation of God in the Living Word, our Lord Jesus. Hebrews 1:1-3 sums up the absolute truth that we love and serve a God who is communicating with us.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord, I am totally confident that You do speak to me through Your Word and by Your Spirit. Holy Spirit, please continue to guide me into all Truth as Jesus promised You would. Help me to know when You speak metaphorically and when You speak literally. I choose to believe with all my heart that the Bible is Your Word. You have expressed Your thoughts, and because You are God, You have given oversight to the content of Your book. As David prayed so I pray, “Teach me Thy Word, O God.” In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’m deeply concerned that we all get it right when it comes to God speaking to us. The Apostle Peter had this same concern (I’ve just taken the time to read all of Peter’s second and last recorded teaching). Peter, to whom Jesus gave instructions to “feed my sheep,” does just that. In 1 Peter 1:15-21, we read that we “have the prophetic word made more sure,” and that, “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” Over the centuries, the private interpretation of Scripture has resulted in all kinds of cults, in self-deceived people who lead others astray. The opposite to “private” is “public.” Publicly throughout the centuries, the doctrines of our faith have been defined and published. The Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the writings of the early Church teachers, such as Augustine and others, the writings of the reformers, and yes, dare I say it, the teachings of hundreds of men and women of God who have appeared on the 100 Huntley Street and Crossroads telecasts over the past 50 plus years, who are as Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:14-19…”Rightly dividing the word of truth.” He even names two men who were at that very time perverting the truth because of their vanity. I’ve just read once again Paul’s warnings. He recognized that false teachings “spread like cancer.”

Yours for being careful — very, very careful — to stick close to the historical understanding of God’s Word, the Bible (I’ve also just read 2 Timothy 3:1-5),

David

P.S. Perhaps you can tell that I’m deeply concerned about a drift, sometimes without our knowing, away from the “faith once delivered” (Jude, verses 3-4). Please look up these words and remain faithful to and “contend (do battle) for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Please forgive me for being very much over my “100 Words” goal. The reason for more words is my deep concern that God’s children may be deceived in a major way as seems to happen at least once each century. Prime Minister Gladstone of Britain, when Canada negotiated its separation from direct British rule without war, wrote a book called, The Impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture. I believe this very wise man, with whom our Canadian representatives negotiated, got it right. Amen!!!!!

In front of the Crossroads Centre, which houses the ministry of Crossroads and the TV station, CTS, we placed a large Rock, symbolizing the Solid Rock of Christ and His Word.

13 thoughts on “Wednesday, April 1, 2015”

  1. Holy Spirit, truth divine,
    Dawn upon this soul of mine;
    Word of God and inward light
    Wake my spirit, clear my sight.

    Holy Spirit, love divine,
    Glow within this heart of mine;
    Kindle every high desire;
    Perish self in Thy pure fire.

    Holy Spirit, power divine
    Fill and nerve this will of mine;
    Grant that I may strongly live,
    Bravely bear, and nobly strive.

    Holy Spirit, right divine,
    King within my conscience reign;
    Be my Lord, and I shall be
    Firmly bound, forever free.

    Holy Spirit, peace divine,
    Still this restless heart of mine;
    Speak to calm this tossing sea,
    Stayed in Thy tranquility.

    Holy Spirit, joy divine,
    Gladden Thou this heart of mine;
    In the desert ways I sing,
    “Spring, O well, forever spring.”

    Now incline me to repent,
    Let me now my sins lament,
    Now my foul revolt deplore,
    Weep, believe, and sin no more.

    Samuel Longfellow, 1819-1892

    “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

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  2. This mornings scripture spoke to me in many ways. Very soon our Lord is coming to rapture his church. Eye opening scriptures in David’s comments. God bless.

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  3. I find that I am more careful how I interpret Scripture now and how others do so. Thanks David and for your posting Beverlee. God bless you saints!

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  4. Can hardly wait ’til tomorrow to see what David did. Our bible has fascinating stories!
    This statement by Leonard Ravenhill has long convicted me: “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, but few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” He adds: “If we displease God, does it matter whom we please? If we please Him does it matter whom we displease?”
    Blessings on all who cry out to our heavenly Father I pray.

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  5. 2 Timothy 3:1-5New King James Version (NKJV)

    Perilous Times and Perilous Men

    3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

    Thank you David Mainse for your faith/spirit-filled fresh bread each day…

    Brothers and sisters in Christ heed the warnings of The Holy Spirit of God. Praise God! Amen!

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  6. Thank you so much Pastor David for your continued faithfulness in sharing God’s Word with us each day and for the links to scripture that seals what we are reading. Thanks to all fellow saints for your encouraging posts. Praying for those in need of a healing and fresh touch from Jesus.

    Glory to The Most High God.

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  8. Rev. David. thank you for sharing your concern about interpretation of scripture and the importance of prayer and reading the word daily; so that we know the TRUTH as lead of the HOLY SPIRIT, that TRUTH that sets us free.

    After a beautiful week of sunshine…we awoke to a snow storm…amazing!!!
    Change seems to be a way of life.

    Eleanor, I pray the surgeons’ hands are guided by the GREAT Surgeon Jesus!…and for a quick recovery….I pray in Jesus Name!!!

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