Sunday, August 16, 2015

THE MEDIATOR

Today’s Reading: Job 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).

 

The Wedding Church in Cana of Galilee is where Jesus began His public ministry, turning water into wine. This was the home Church of my son-in-law, Nizar Shaheen. He served as an altar boy here. Ellen and Nizar were married in a basketball court right in front of the nearby Baptist Church on May 21, 1983. None of the churches would hold the crowd of about 2,500 people. In today’s reading Job mentions snow water. I prayed on live TV from here that God would warm hearts which were like cold water turning the water into the warmth of the wine of His presence.

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

 

Key Verses: Job 9:32-33

For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both.

Oh, the great advantage we have compared to Job and his friends. Being fully God and fully human, Jesus became our Mediator. A mediator brings two parties together. The word “mediator” occurs seven times in the Bible…once in Job and six times in Galatians, Hebrews, and 1st Timothy 2:5, “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

A New Testament reading for today could be John 9:1-7. Bildad and Zophar believed that Job’s suffering was because of Job’s sin. Not so! Jesus said that the blindness of the man who was born blind was not the result of sin, but “that the works of God should be revealed in him.” This sounds very much like the reason for Job’s suffering.

When we are hurting, run quickly to the cross and through Jesus death and resurrection into the arms of our Father. The wine of His presence will warm and comfort you.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, thank You for Jesus, the only One that at the same moment touches both You, Father God, and me. Please grant me the understanding I need so that I will not allow time to pass without acknowledging Your healing and comforting presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When my great granddaughter, Autumn Neilson, now five, was about two years younger than now,  she rushed to me the moment I arrived at her front door. She pointed to her second toe on her right foot and told me that she had an owie. I bent over, kissed her toe, and prayed that her precious toe would be all better. Immediately she broke into a smile. Then she took me to the place where she stubbed her toe. Of course, I was most sympathetic. This special treatment I’ve been receiving from Autumn has been going on ever since. She’s been jumping up beside me at every opportunity and giving me cuddles. The reason may stem back to when our great-grandchild, Jadice Patterson, first visited from Oklahoma City at six months old. Jadice was the focus of everyone’s attention. I noticed Autumn’s long face, picked her up, and concentrated only on her for at least 15 minutes. It’s a beautiful thing to know that our Heavenly Father can give 100% attention to all His children at the same time. That comes with the fact that He is God and “God is love” (1 John 4:8b).

Yours for learning to run into the Father’s loving arms without delay,

David

P.S. We’re here at Wesley Acres Campgrounds. Our granddaughter Elena Gilmour, caught a fish yesterday, and my great-granddaughters that I just wrote about celebrated with her. Jadice is now two and Autumn is 5. My son in law, Bruce Stacey, has written and recorded songs for his children and grandchildren. Click the “play” arrow below for Bruce’s song about his granddaughter Autumn Lillian Neilson, called “When Autumn Smiles.” (If it doesn’t play, click here).

August 16, 2015 - extra

13 thoughts on “Sunday, August 16, 2015

  1. Beautiful smiles! One can certainly see the inspiration for your song, Bruce! Well done and catchy tune! Have a great day everyone!

  2. Cute song, Bruce is very talented he fits in well with your family. The kids are beautiful, have a great Lord’s Day everyone.

  3. I haven’t found the “play button” nor does the “click here” advice work for me yet. I will look further into it. Your story about Autumn is cute. I have an amazing story. We adopted a husky/collie cross dog (about 3 years old) from the pound. I tried to play ball with her. She just looked at it and was in no way interested. Two of our daughters-in-law were visiting – each with a new baby, when Destiny walked into the room, sized up the situation, and then left the room. A minute or two later she returned with a ball and dropped it at my feet! ha ha.

  4. Awesome message this morning, David! “I prayed on live TV from here that God would warm hearts which were like cold water turning the water into the warmth of the wine of His presence.” God is the light and love to warm our hearts, indeed! Amen to the scripture of Jesus saying the blindness of the man who was born blind was not the result of sin, but “that the works of God should be revealed in him.” We stand strong and overcome and cling to the cloak of Jesus. Yes, “the wine of His presence will warm and comfort us.” We turn our adversities into greatness by bringing others to know Him; all for the glory of His Name!

    I will be excited to see you and Norma-Jean for the 50+ conference at Wesley Acres, provided I don’t have surgery before then; hoping to go up with Pastor Reynolds James and his daughter Ann. It will be a delightful week-end!! Wonderful photos of your great-grandchildren with the fish and loved the song for Autumn! Blessings fellow saints on this precious day of the Lord!

    All Of Me – Matt Hammitt
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vF4tc9QREY

  5. fishing: that looks like a pickerel a very good fish to catch and eat. reminds me of a time around the same age catching the bigest fish of the day I was so excited that I was about to get out of the boat and run home with excitement I am now 65 years old and those joyous moments still come back

    • same here! I am so thankful I can remember those “happy” times from years ago, little did I realize that God was right there beside at that age!

      It is very amazing that I am still here! I lived a very reckless life, also didn’t realize that my chemical imbalance was there also, I was born with the illness,
      something for information purposes: mental illness will come from the female side of the family; alcoholism/drug addiction from the male side!
      When I heard that news I jumped and shouted for joy! I thought I had done something very bad to deserve my illness HOWEVER I did not, I inherited it through the generations and so have my children and grandchildren, nothing to be ashamed about, just learn to recognize early in life and begin getting some treatments and some life style changes!
      I wouldn’t wish my illness on my worst enemy HOWEVER I am thankful because it certainly caused me to lean more on Jesus.
      Have a great day everyone,

      and if you or anyone has a mental illness talk to someone, talk to friends, I have talked to groups of people, the more we share and know about the situation the more we can encourage each other and the better it is for everyone because it is nothing to be afraid of and there is good medications now and of course, AND DIDN’T GOD KNOW THAT I NEEDED THIS???? but swimming has helped immensely! PRAISE GOD!

  6. Thank you for sharing some of your special moments with your beautiful children…in this blog!.

    Please pray for my sister Ollie…after caring for her husband who has dementia..for a number of years…it has taken a toll on her…she is struggling with short-term memory loss.
    She no longer able to care for him…and the separation is extremely difficult for her as she is grieving in this loss.
    My prayer is for the Lord to heal her heart and renew her mind…”All things are possible with God!!!Amen.
    Reply ↓

    • Praying for Ollie, her husband, family and caregivers that each may truly be comforted through this time of change. That caregivers may abide in love through the exhaustion and that God’s peace of mind, soul and body be granted to each. Dear Lord, there are many in these same shoes. Send your Comforter to carry their burdens and kind fellow workers to listen and share with each other. I found a caring, listening ear has helped my Mother with a similar situation. All through Jesus, who placed beautiful people in her times of need.

  7. Lord it is difficult not to be able to care for our loved ones, our husbands, wives, our parents, even our children. It is difficult to be separated from our loved ones, Lord God I ask that the Holy Spirit will comfort Ollie and she will realize that You dear Lord are looking after her beloved husband and You also are looking after her.
    Give her peace to know that You have everything under control, let her be able to rest knowing that You are in complete charge of her welfare, of her husband’s welfare and fill her heart with contentment.
    Thank you Lord for looking after the elderly, thank you Lord for all those who are care givers, forgive us if we don’t say “thank you” enough times to these caring, loving people. Thank you Lord for all the blessings of this day! AMEN

  8. Thank you for posting Bruce’s song about his granddaughter Autumn. Your Autumn is 3 months older than our Autumn. It is hard to find special things related to her name. I can hardly wait for her Daddy to listen to this song with her. It will be a favourite!! Please tell Bruce “thank you” for letting you share it with us.

Leave a Reply to Irene Ochotta Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.