HOLY VISUALS!

Today’s Reading: Psalms 101-102

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

The Church of the Holy Apostles in Athens, Greece, is often covered with birds that fly over the ruins of the ancient agora (close-up photo below). Today’s reading tells us of “A sparrow alone on the housetop.” These Athenian pigeons are not lonely birds.

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

Key Verses: Psalms 101:3a, 102:27

I will set nothing wicked before my eyes…

But You are the same and Your years will have no end.

It seems impossible to avoid seeing vile images. We do, however, have a choice of what we view. When we watch some TV programs, we are just asking for trouble. Whatever we feed our minds, particularly through the eyegate, if it is not positive and good, will inevitably polute our thoughts and sometimes our actions in a way displeasing to our holy God! The opposite, good thoughts and actions, can happen from watching 100 Huntley Street and other productions which please God! Psalm 101 was written by King David. It’s possible that Bathsheba knew exactly what she was doing when she took a bath on her rooftop in full view of David’s balcony, which was located just up the hill above her home. David, when he wrote the words of this Psalm, may have been thinking of the great damage he caused because he gave in to visual temptation and committed adultery (2 Samuel 11). We must repent of our carelessness, guarding our hearts and minds, keeping our eyes and minds on the Lord and His Word to us.

In Psalm 102 we find a writer who feels very much alone, as is evident from the metaphors of the birds. The writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews quotes from this Psalm and refers to Jesus (Hebrews 1:10-12). We can be encouraged because Hebrews 13:8 tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever!” I find myself singing softly, so as to not wake up Norma-Jean, the beautiful prayer hymn, “Abide With Me.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, thank You that the words of the hymn are true: “Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changes not, abide with me” (click here for a rendition of “Abide With Me”). This is my prayer, O Lord! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I find that the sight of a bird all alone is sad. Two birds together (many kinds mate for life) or a flock of birds is a joyful scene, like the birds on the church roof in today’s photos. Norma-Jean and I watch for people who appear lonely and try to include them in our lives in some way. I’ve often heard my wife say something like, “She looks lonely, let’s invite her for a coffee.” Sometimes through the years, she has brought people home for a meal and for fellowship. The 100 Huntley Street television ministry gives the amazing opportunity of visiting right there in the homes of our viewers. It really is the next best thing to a personal visit!

Over 500,000,000 tablets and iPads are sold around the world each year. That figure would not include laptop computers and smart phones. There are several billion visual devices in use around the world. Think of the potential for seeing vile and evil things! Crossroads is doing its best to fill those screens with the opposite…beautiful words and visuals. Norma-Jean and I do our best to support all the God-given visions of Crossroads, as well as several other ministries. I urge everyone to do the same! Click here for a word from CEO Dr. John Hull on the Crossroads vision to provide for the viewing of holy alternatives, in order to “OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD!!! (Romans 12:21b).

Yours for viewing, reading, and hearing good, holy, uplifting things!

David

P.S. For three mornings now my blog has featured the ministries of three of our four children. Now, it’s time for our oldest daughter Elaine and her husband Bruce Stacey. You’ll spot Elaine’s name on the credits of many TV productions as Producer. Bruce has written the scripts, the music, and given leadership as “Director.” Their Company, “Chelsea Road Productions” has partnered over and over again with the Crossroads Ministry in children’s TV series that have been released in over 50 countries in various languages. Bruce may be the most creative person I’ve ever met. Elaine is right there as the business manager participating in every initiative. Currently Bruce is President of “Tricord Media”…a faith-based media distribution company owned by Crossroads. Among its activities is the the distribution and advertising of movies such as “Courageous,” “War Room,” and many others (click HERE for more about Tircord Media). Getting Christian movies into local theatres is such a positive thrust into the heart of the culture.

P.P.S. Another initiative of Bruce Stacey’s was to connect Crossroads with the Salvation Army to help them produce a new media-based Sunday School curriculum called “Ready To Serve.” In today’s media-driven culture, the old-fashioned Sunday School quarterlies, which I studied in a Salvation Army Sunday School as a child, don’t do the job adequately any more. In most churches, Sunday School attendance is seriously down. This is why the S.A. approached Bruce Stacey and Crossroads for help. Below is a picture of the series cast on one of the sets, located in our Studio “B” at the Crossroads Centre. For more about Ready to Serve, click HERE.

The cast of “Ready To Serve.” Notice the “S” on the jacket of the young lady on the right. The “cool” officer at the back is a great communicator of good things in the new Salvation Army Christian Education curriculum.

Birds on the Church of the Holy Apostles in Athens Greece. Because of strong and good teaching, the Greeks did not give in to islamic conversions during approximately 300 years of moslem rule. The church is an integral component in the every day life of the greek people.