DESTROYED FOUNDATIONS
Today’s Reading: Psalms 11-14
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Priene was an ancient Greek holy city located just to the north of Miletus in western Turkey. The picturesque ruins include several columns of the Temple of Athena, much of the city wall, and a well-preserved theatre and a council chamber. Priene is not mentioned in the Bible, but it is likely that the early Christians of Miletus (Acts 20:16) had contact with the city. Priene had a substantial Christian community during the Byzantine period.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Psalm 11:3-4a
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven…
Our key verse applies to our time! There are those who are taking jack hammers and bulldozers to the foundations of moral standards laid down over the centuries. The word “if” leaves room for the possibility of saving the values on which western civilization is built. What confidence we have in the fact that God is still on His throne! Let us never forget that God works through His people to change the world. Through the proclamation of the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and through our prayers, our witness, our giving, and our leadership, God is in the process of strengthening the foundations, so that He can continue to build His Church through us in a stronger way than ever! The Carpenter of Nazareth, the One with the calloused hands of a creative working Man, is doing as He promised, “I will build My Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it”!!! (Matthew 16:18b).
There are four Psalms here – A B C – Satan’s strategy to destroy the foundations: (A) Attack! (Psalm 11); (B) Believers back off! (Psalm 12) – Satan will never be able to destroy God’s promise of success, Jesus’ Church! And (C) a Cry from believers will bring the happy ending of the closing verses of Psalms 13 & 14! Let us cry out to God now! “How long! How long! How long! How long!” Four times these words are the cry of the Shepherd King.
Well… what are we waiting for blog partners!!! Let’s just do it!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray the prayer written by David and presented to the chief musician, “Consider and hear me, O Lord my God!!!” You have promised to hear and answer “yes” to the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man or woman (James 5:16b). I come before You, as the hymn says, “Dressed in His (Jesus’) righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne!!!!” Amen!!!! For a New Testament reading today, we may want to (click here) read the entire chapter of James 5.
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
As I type this I’m thinking about Pastors who have blessed this ministry mightily. Rev. Albert Vaters is one of them. Albert’s father, Rev. Eugene Vaters, has a high school named after him in St. John’s, Newfoundland. His Mom and Dad were among the very first supporters of Crossroads Christian Communications in Canada years ago. When his Dad passed on, Albert found cheques made out to Crossroads, dated for the months ahead. It brings tears to my eyes to think of the faithful people who have given and given to make this ministry possible! Back in the 1960s and 1970s, when Albert was Pastor of Stone Church in downtown Toronto, he also served as Chairman of our Board. Then God called him to Pastor a great church in California. When Albert’s Dad was called to higher service above, his Mom moved into a seniors complex at Clark’s Beach, Conception Bay, Newfoundland. For years, every time I was in Newfoundland, I never failed to visit her. What a mighty woman of prayer! She’s in that great prayer meeting before God’s Throne in Heaven now. I would kneel in front of her chair and she would lay hands on me and pray a fervent prayer.
From time to time I still visit God’s saints, kneel in God’s Presence, and I am the most blessed man ever. As the last verse of Psalm 13 says, “He has dealt bountifully with me.”
Yours on behalf of all of us who are expecting God’s bounty,
David
P.S. My son Reynold (whose birthday is today… Happy Birthday, my son!) shot a video of me talking about the genesis of this daily blog. We put it on the 100words.ca website in the “About 100words” section (click here). As you encourage others to follow along with us, please share this link with them!
P.P.S. Below is a photo of our chapel at the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario. The pews in the chapel came to us as a result of the renovation of The Stone Church in Toronto, where Albert Vaters was pastor during his years as our Crossroads Board Chairman.
Happy Birthday Reynold and thank you for sharing so many beautiful pictures
through out this Blog both you and your Dad have blessed us over and over
God Bless you and have a wonderful day
Irene
Happy Birthday, Reynold! You are, indeed, most blessed, David! It was a blessing for me to spend the week-end at Wesley Acres, hear you speak four times, have you pray over my back, and meet your entire family (minus Reynold & Kathy, who I met years ago at the Crossroads Centre). What a wonderful week-end! I love the photo of the chapel and story about Albert Vaters. God’s blessings flow, God’s blessings flow! Amen! Wishing all saints a precious day in the Lord!!!
Happy birthday Reynold. You make the blog come to life with your pictures of the Holy Land. God bless you and your family in all you do.
Thank you dear David for all you do and may we all support your faithful ministry. Such a blessing!
Amen.
Birthday Blessings to Reynold, and thanking him for the beautiful pictures he prepares for this blog!
Yes, thank you, Reynold, for the wonderful photos that accompany the blog, each day! They make the meaning of scripture and messages from your dad, come to life!
Happy Birthday Renold your pictures do make it feel like life God bless
you on this special day
Yes, Happy Birthday, Reynold. Your pictures bring to life the places I will never likely be able to go. God bless you and your family.
Happy Birthday Reynold and thank you for your beautiful photos which compliment the study of the Word. Enjoyed your blog again today David and the sharing of the Rev. Albert Vater family who were probably there when I visited Stone Church in 1979? Glad the Lord led you into 100words.ca as I think about how He met the longing of my heart as well as so many others. Yes, yesterday we cried out to the Lord at church for lost souls. Is a beautiful chapel. God bless saints.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY REYNOLD !! I thank GOD for the blessing of the blog – This will be my 1st time to go thru’ the entire Bible and it is a daily blessing to me along with your photos and Pastor David’s in-put. May GOD give you both strength to continue. A blessed day to you both and fellow bloggers.
Yes Reynold a happy birthday to you, and thankyou for all those
wonderfull pictures…R…
Thank you Reynold for all the wonderful photos you provide daily for our enjoyment. We are truly blessed by the perfection of your photos. Happy Birthday and congratulations on the birth of your new granddaughter.
Thank you blog buddies for your prayers, I am doing well and can now get in and out of bed, my leg is not painful, my exercises are going well. God is Good all the time, for even in the pain, He was there!!! Praise His Name. God Bless you all today, and always.
I have been part of this blog for over two years and I love the knowledge I gain and the discipline it takes, and the fellowship it brings. David you are a blessing to us all, thank you and may God continue to bless you with good health, we all love you and Norma-Jean, and all your family. Thanks again for everything you do for us.
Amen!
That church is beautiful without being ornate,wasteful,as I would expect from true servants.
Catch The Fire (4 David Mainse)
Though you have walked many oceans
And spread My word to many nations,
I saw in you and your devotions
A servant of joyous exhalations.
You have not asked for earthly wealth,
But just to be my most humble voice
And when adversity was kept in stealth
You still worshiped Me out of free choice.
So out of free choice I give you
More time upon the stage of learning,
Whereby My word you show to be true
And catch the fire that’s forever burning.
G W(Bill) Marshall / 01 February, 2014
PS:
Happy Birthday,Reynold and many thanks to all involved.God bless
Happy Birthday Reynold Mainse!!!! Thank you for the many beautiful pictures which have been included in the blog each morning, giving the scriptures life!!!
Thanks for the link “About 100Words”; I did not start with this blog until the end of 2014.
Your life stories are a blessing, keep them coming. A beautiful picture of the Chapel.
Amen!
Blessings on your Specisl day Reynold and for providing us a glimpse of where our blog Takes us blessings to all.
Thanks Reynold for all you do and, Ron also. It takes much dedication. Thank you David, even after a stint of 4 days of preaching, you still manage to keep up at your age! Our God is a High Tower – (and we all run to it! …and are safe). Thanks all.
yes it is sad that our foundations are being pulled up and thrown away! I don’t imagine God is pleased at all!
the new wedding vows have a clause inserted to the mention of “if the couple loses interest in each other, they can leave the marriage” or words to that effect!
I am very cautious not to get into any arguments about all the new changes,
I will probably mention that I personally agree with the changes, and sometimes I have mentioned that the Bible has some clear instructions about certain things, but I must admit, I do not want to argue with anyone and I am aware of my safety…….so, I confess to God that I am sorry that I do not speak up at all times, I ask for His forgiveness and I pray that those who are involved in these changes, may have a Holy Spirit encounter!
I do believe that with God all things are possible!
Happy Birthday Reynold!! Your pictures are a gift to us each morning! Thank you!!
Sorry this is late, I want to add my wishes to all the others. Reynold hope you had a wonderful day, you pictures are wonderful. What a talented family, Bless each and everyone of you..