Sunday, July 5, 2015

A LOYAL HEART

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 25

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

 

Zion Gate is located in the southern part of the Old City. This gate was used by the Israel Defense Forces in 1967 to enter and capture the Old City. The stones surrounding the gate are still pockmarked by weapons fire. This entrance leads to the Jewish and Armenian Quarters.

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

 

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 25:2

And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.

 

What can we learn from King Amaziah? Loyalty to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and loyalty one to another as fellow believers in Christ, is so very important. This could be described as true friendship. Loyalty says, “You can count on me to be true to you, to be there for you, to do my best to serve you in good times and bad, in sickness and in health.” This is sounding like the marriage vows. Well…maybe that’s not far off. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25-27 that we men are to love our wives as Christ loved the Church. According to the book called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” there are three kinds of believers in the church: hot, cold, and lukewarm. Revelation 3:14-22 would be a good New Testament reading for today.

Even after his initial disobedience, God gave Amaziah other chances. He sent a prophet to him and Amaziah listened to him, but he soon fell away again. As we read this, God may be calling us to repentance once again. Let’s hear His voice and obey!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, Your Son and my Saviour, Jesus Christ, modelled true loyalty. I pray for that kind of 100% loyalty to You and to all those to whom I’ve given my word of commitment. Please forgive me for those times when my love for You and others is less than hot (lukewarm). I repent and trust You for the fire of Your Spirit to burn white hot within me every day. In Jesus’ Name I ask for the blessing of true loyalty, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Through the years I’ve trusted God for the blessing of loyalty. Loyalty works both ways. I am loyal to God, to my family, to my church, to my community, to my country, and also to my blog readers. Yes, that’s you I’m writing about! You are in my heart as my new extended family. I’m so very thankful to God for you. I want the very best for you. I pray by name from time to time for all who respond to this blog in writing in the same way I pray for my family members, for the leaders of the Crossroads ministry, for my neighbours of the last 60 years. It always amazes me how I can remember names when I pray. I believe God brings names to my mind. Of course, when I say those names before God my memories stay fresh.

I ask for the prayers of all who read this blog…for me, my family, and for the Crossroads ministry team members in particular.

Yours for the fire of the Holy Spirit within us, keeping us “HOT” with a loyal heart!

David

Just outside the Zion Gate, the Lion of Judah is symbolized on the Jerusalem flag.

26 thoughts on “Sunday, July 5, 2015

  1. David, I am thankful to God for you, too. May you be blessed abundantly today! May your faith increase. May you feel His presence with you today. Thank you for each day’s blog!

  2. Thank you for your faithfulness. I look forward to your blog every day. It is always interesting. I have been a Christian for 36 years (I am now 67). Both my sons and their wives are Christians and most of their children have accepted Christ as their Saviour or are on their way to doing that. My husband however still has not taken that step. I thank God and praise Him for what He has done for my children and am doing my best to persevere in praying for my husband. Thank you so much that you do include all of us in your prayers!

  3. Amen, David! Thank you for being a faithful servant to God and the ministry you have provided. The blog and saints are such a blessing. The fresh Word of God is so rich each morning as we share it together. Praying for you, your family, the Crossroads ministry team and all the saints.

    Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: you have enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. Psalms 4:1

    Stronger by Mandisa
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9wUhnVMN8Y

  4. Thank you David. I pray for you, family members and crossroads. I start my day fresh each morning reading your wonderful blog and God’s word. God Bless you.

    • Thank You David for your FAITHFULNESS in offering this SPIRITUAL meal daily!! I Pray a BIG reward for you! It finding a more comfortable place in my heart after about a year of following you in the scriptures! The Lord is getting MORE of my attention because of it…THANK you..GOD BLESS YOU and YOUR loved ones In Christian LOVE: Carol

  5. Always praying for you and the extended family. Annelise, my granddaughter is in Indonesia. This is her 2nd day there. She is 18. Other fam members are off to Central America. Praying for safety & God’s direction.

  6. David, thank you for your loyalty in rising early ea morning to write this blog. Please pray for my son, Bud. He’s a drug addict living in Van. I would so appreciate your prayers. this is my 70th birthday, I’ve been a widow for 9 yrs. July 3rd would have been our 50th anniversary. Thank you for your prayers. I have devotions every morning & have done so for over 30 yrs. The Lord has blessed me abundantly. I will continue to pray for you and your family.

  7. AMEN to your prayer today David! Your blog stokes His Spirit in me to white hot each morning and I stoke it throughout the day with songs and praise! I pray for abundant blessings and wings of protection over you, your family,the Crossroads ministers and all the beautiful bloggers!! In Jesus’ Name Amen!

  8. Dear blessed Annie

    Your son Bud is not an addict! He is highly favored, greatly blessed, a redeemed and forgiven child of God!
    Annie, God has not abandoned your son, your son has strayed a bit off the path BUT GOD IS VERY AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HE IS WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO INTERVENE! GOD INTERVENES WHEN HE IS ASKED TO DO SO!

    Annie I am convinced your son, if he had the choice, would like to be free from all addictions? Anyone I have ever known would like that freedom BUT, IT IS HARD TO BREAK FREE! I prayed to be free from smokes & alcohol, tried a few times but didn`t succeed, THEN GOD INTERVENED AND WHAM! miracle after miracle…

    Say these words right now over your son, if you talk with him, share these words with him, always let him know that he can be addiction free forever, always encourage:

    BUD WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT ENABLES US TO DO MORE THAN WE EVER DREAMT!

    those words were spoken over me 20 years ago (April 16th, 1995) by a friend and I IMMEDIATELY threw the tobacco, papers into the lake and never smoked since, no cravings ALSO, I never drank alcohol from that date on.. I give God all the Glory, Honor and thankfulness.
    I would pray that you would be able to speak these words to your son, say his name and then speak the Words of encouragement to him…..
    not a day goes by that I don’t share that moment with others, it was all God’s doing!
    Another miracle happened 10 days later, (April 26th, 1995)I broke my leg and GOD TURNED THAT INTO ME LEARNING TO SWIM!

    I believe it that God took the addictions and gave me life again through exercise, fun, laughter, and an abundant of people I have met over the years at the pool and many, many have been Christians.
    I truly believe that it is SO IMPORTANT to have exercise replace bad habits.
    Annie I am so thankful that you have asked the people to pray for your son and for you.

    REMEMBER GOD HAS NOT LEFT BUD, yesterday someone wrote a poem and I will put it in here, anyone can say this poem just substitute the name:
    Bud, you are my child and I love You,
    By your side I will always remain
    You stole My heart with one glance of your eyes
    Your are Mine, I know your name!

    I also believe that the prayers of parents never go unanswered by God!

    I was a basket case as a child, it is such a miracle that I am even here today! If God can do this for me, He can do it for all.

    yes, I have sinned against God, and I am sorry BUT I also know that God has forgiven me. Bud also needs to know that God has forgiven also,

    There are some very good programs for addictions, they require 100% COMMITTMENT

  9. Oops! little glitches!
    something that I have also realized if a child of God wishes to get clean, the Salvation Army has Transition Homes where the individual can stay for up to one year to get things in order. it is a very good program. <
    Annie I just want you to know that God is with your son, HE WILL NOT FORSAKE HIM!
    thank you again and keep us posted, God bless you……

  10. God performed another miracle in life on Saturday (yesterday) July 4
    I lost my wallet with everything in it on Friday evening at 5:57 p.m. (ther store closed immediately at 6 p.m.)and I was nearly fainting with anxiety, where could it be? where God did I loose it?
    it turned out the wallet fell to the floor, and I didn’t notice and left, it fell behind an advertising board and it was out of site until staff came in to open up and moved the board and found the wallet! God kept it safe all night, no one could see the wallet!
    so needles to say I was dancing all day for joy and thanking God for this wonderful miracle again, and shed tears of joy,
    OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD
    HE REIGNS FROM HEAVEN ABOVE
    WITH WISDOM POWER AND LOVE
    OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!

  11. Praying for God’s blessing on you and your family, for the Crossroads ministry team, for Reynold and Kathy’s ministry, and for Jason’s ministry. May God bless you all richly, anoint you for His glory, and use you mightily, in Jesus precious name. Amen.

  12. Amen to the blog prayers. Praying for the thousands of evacuees of fires in Saskatchewan, for their community leaders, and for the firefighters from across many borders, that all will be comforted, strengthened, given wisdom and truly place their burdens in God’s mighty hand through it all.

  13. Gladys I join you in your persistent prayers for your husband because I pray the same prayers! May God bless our unison in prayer!!

  14. Thank you David, for your daily devotions. It has helped me get back into a devotional routine again. It’s been hard because I’m always under a lot of time pressure and stress. Your heart for God touches me. God bless you and all of your family….it’s obvious God already is…may He continue to pour out His love and grace on all of you.

  15. Yours for the fire of the Holy Spirit within us, keeping our hearts loyal. Amen, David! Praying for you, and all saints, today. In the Precious Name of Jesus!

    You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 Jn 4:4 NIV

    All Who Are Thirsty – Vineyard Music
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K71EYID22l4

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