RELIGION AND TRUTH
Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 15-16
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
In Rome stands a national monument known as the Altar of the Fatherland, honouring Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. It is a very impressive sight to see. As in today’s reading, the kings of history come and go, but not the King of Kings. He remains forever!
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 2 Kings 16:14
He also brought the bronze altar which was before the Lord, from the front of the temple–from between the new altar and the house of the Lord–and put it on the north side of the new altar.
Just as in the times of Ahaz, and much later in the times of the Apostle Peter, and in our day also, there are those who mess with the truth of God, turning people away from the true worship of God. Please, please let us not start another denomination or another congregation unaffiliated with an existing fellowship of churches. Let us seek the widest possible connection of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We may want to think about the words of 2 Peter 2:1-22. Don’t be discouraged. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I pray for a daily illumination of truth from the Scriptures I am reading. Grant that I may always find Your Person revealed clearly to my understanding. Keep me true to You in my thoughts, words, and deeds. In Your Name I ask these mercies, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I mentioned yesterday that I would tell the story of what happened to my Arab son-in-law, Nizar Shaheen, in Gath Hepher, modern day Mishad, the ancestral home of the prophet Jonah. Today it is a Muslim village, located between Nazareth and Cana.
Nizar’s brothers are stone masons from Cana and are much in demand. Nizar was a student at the University of Haifa while his oldest brother had the contract to build a new mosque in Mishad. While helping his brother, Nizar fell from the top of the mosque and should’ve been killed. He said that he felt that he was being turned as he fell, by unseen hands. He landed on his hands and feet in the only place on the ground which was clear of stones and pieces of steel bars. His brothers loaded him in the back seat of their car and rushed him to the hospital in Nazareth. As he went he says that he heard a voice speaking to him saying, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are Mine.” He was unaware at the time that these were words from Isaiah 43:1. This was one of the major factors in Nizar’s decision to become a believer in Jesus Christ.
Check out the ministry of “Light for all Nations.” Nizar and his wife, my daughter Ellen, and their team are reaching the entire Arabic-speaking world with the message of Jesus (click here).
Yours for following Jesus more closely than ever,
David
Inside Rome’s Altar of the Fatherland is another altar that appears to be a small walk-by chapel.
AN EMPTY PURSE AND A POWERFUL GOD
by Robin Aldrich, Facebook page: Witness Stand
Please feel free to share my original composition below.
This and more of my poetry can be found there .
God Bless ….thinking of Jerusalem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN EMPTY PURSE AND A POWERFUL GOD
I was lying as always
as I’d done every year.
My legs , wholly useless.
No weight could they bear.
Since birth I’d been carried
to the Temple by friends,
then I’d cry,”My well-being
on you Sir, depends”
In a place where God’s people
Met their Maker in hope.
No change to MY lifestyle !
.. I just barely could cope.
Then one day as I languished
by the Gate in God’s Place,
two men stood before me
and gazed on my face.
The one; he was tall
with a fisherman’s frame,
and his friend; much younger
( I think John was his name )
I called out for Alms
with my usual fuss,
and the big man, named Peter
said, “Man, look at us !”
In expectation I lay
and my hope became bold.
.. Perhaps they would give me
some silver or gold !
“ No silver or gold
do I hold in my purse,
but Christ Jesus instead
will now banish your curse !
Rise up now and walk!”
Peter grasped my right hand.
…my ankles and feet
began to expand !
They grew in a flash
and I started to walk,.
then leap, and dance
as the people did gawk !
“Surely this can’t be the man
whose feet never trod
the face of the earth?
Yes, IT IS … Praise God !”
We Praised God together
It was plain to each eye
that the Lord was among us;
which none could deny !
How ‘lame’ are YOU friend ?
Have you NEVER let Christ
Renew and Redeem you ?.
– God’s Lamb … Sacrificed !
( based on the Book of Acts, Chapter 3 verses 1-10 )
Great! May God bless you as you use your talents for Him!
Amen!!!!!
As a ‘PS’ – someone was asking where they could find my poetry. It’s not in website form yet, but here is where I’m presently posting it on my Witness Stand facebook page. Robin Aldrich
https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100009353479475
Praise God for saving Nizar, and his faith in following Jesus–incredible ministry and ordained connection with your family, David! Blessings dear saints!
Amen!
Thank u for the great pics Rev. M. and all your explanations of a very confusing history in Israel.
You must be overjoyed with Nizar and your daughter. Bless u all.
Great news out of Iraq (seems impossible)! This is a quote from Dr. Jim Denison:
“Yet God is hard at work in Iraq. He is using Samaritan’s Purse to provide clean water and sanitation to refugees from ISIS. A group of monks recently saved a historic Christian library from ISIS militants. And a true spiritual awakening is continuing in Iraq and across the Muslim world. I learned last week that as many as 350 million Muslims are now “secret” Christians—they have made Christ their Lord, but have not yet risked their lives by making their faith public. They join the multitudes who are professing Christ and forming churches around the Muslim world.”
Blessings fellow saints.
Amen!
Amen! The Good News will forever prevail!
Only our Amazing God can bring this to fruition. PraiseHis Holy name
Amen
A wonderful story of Nizar’s salvation. Did any if his brothers find Jesus?
The history of the kings is confusing but God surely wanted us to learn from it.
Blessings to all and especially to those touring The Holy Land.
I pray your prayer also Pastor Mainse.
Glad to read about the great news out of Iraq from
Dr. Jim Denison, Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!
Praise be to GOD. Amen.
Thank you for all you and your family do. Thank you also, for the arabic spoken word “Light for all nations”. We have a young friend we are praying for and this will definitely help with the language barrier.
Shalom
AMEN!!!
A special Blessing for all those who have recently found JESUS.
Praise GOD.
Yes, Lord keep me true to you in my thoughts. In your Name Jesus I Pray. Amen
Great pictures, particularly of “The Altar of the Fatherland”
Looking forward to hearing some of “Empowered 21” and Rev. David’s message…hoping to be able to connect.
I absolutely believe Nizar’s story! Like 1:37 “With God nothing will be impossible”
The Holy Spirit removed smokes/alcohol from me 20 years ago! a friend spoke these words “We have the Holy Spirit that enables us to do more than we ever dreamt”
PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!
Please pray that I can find some childcare to do in the evenings for parents who work! It would be a good fit for me with my sleep disorder! All our prayers go to God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit! AMEN AMEN AMEN