“I LOVE YOU!” – Jesus
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 20
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Dubbed the “Pompeii of the East,” Jerash is an ancient Greco-Roman city located 80 miles north of Amman Jordan. The impressive, beautifully preserved ruins of Jerash include places of worship and other buildings from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and early Muslim periods.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 20:3b & 20:17
But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death…And Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
When death stares us in the face, we tend to focus our minds on the most important issues of life. Loving one another becomes a top priority. Jonathan and David understood this. Their affection was demonstrated in commitment, in keeping their promises, and in their willingness to sacrifice their own lives for each other if necessary. Jonathan, although he was heir to the throne, was willing to give up his own rights because of love for David. The story of David and Jonathan provide a picture of Jesus. Jesus, in fulfilling His destiny, loved so much that He was willing to die. As we approach the time of year when we celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus, we may want to read the Gospel stories. John chapters 13 to 17 is the dialogue between Jesus and His loved ones during the Passover meal. Jesus begins by washing the feet of these whom He loved and ends with His prayer for them in these Words, “That the love with which You [the Father] loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” In these chapters the words love, loves, and loved are spoken by Jesus more than 20 times. Jesus then led His loved ones to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He would be betrayed by one of those He loved, Judas. First John 4:19 reads, “We love Him because He first loved us” (click here for 1 John 4:7-21).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, may my heart be filled with Your love, and may that love be expressed in my love for others. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Amen! Amen! Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In my prayer time I pray for my immediate family by name, and I name before God many others for whom I’m committed to pray. As a boy, I remember at our family altar hearing this prayer and praying it out loud myself: “I pray for those for whom we should pray.” This would include people whose names we did not mention. I thought at the time that if we should pray for them, why not name them. Then I realized that it’s humanly impossible. However, “With God all things are possible!” There is a 24/7 family altar in Heaven where Jesus leads the prayers and in which we participate every time we pray. He knows every one of us by name. He knows us better than we could ever know ourselves, and He prays for us. He prays, not just a general prayer, but prays for me by my name. “Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). He knows us by our names. I’ve just read John 10:1-16. I don’t have any idea how He does it, but I know that every day I put at least 50 names into His prayer meeting. My Father and Mother are right now in that prayer meeting above. I believe they put my name regularly before God’s Throne of Grace. I desire intensely to love others. One of the primary ways I have found to love others is to take the time to pray for them.
Yours for loving one another,
David
P.S. Yesterday, Norma-Jean and I attended a Sunday morning service where our son Ron and his wife Ann were preaching together. It was at the New Credit Fellowship Centre on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. Pastor Ken Sault felt led to honour Norma-Jean and me for our years of TV ministry and the impact it has had on First Nations communities across Canada. He had several of their leaders speak, and then their young people performed a worship “rain dance” as a prayer for God to pour out revival in Canada! (HERE is a short video that Ron shot with his iPhone). They also presented me with a ceremonial eagle feather (see photo below). The Lord gave me the strength to say a few words of encouragement and thanks to these very special people!
Holding my new eagle feather presented by the First Nations people at the New Credit Fellowship Centre.
Norma-Jean and I with Pastor Ken & Sonya Sault and Ron & Ann.
You look fantastic, David! How wonderful, and such a lovely tribute to you and your family–thank you for sharing the link and photos! And thank you to the beautiful First Nations group who performed the worship “rain dance” for God’s revival in Canada!!! 😀 The soul love Jonathan and David had for one another was incredible and yet the lack of love from Saul to his wife and son Jonathan in 20:30 quite the opposite and born out of a deadly sin. “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Blessings fellow saints in the Lord.
Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.
Psalm 17:5 NKJV
Hosanna – Hillsong with lyrics WOW!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoM0AT8fBvs
Amen, and thank you David and family for all you do in our Lord’s name to encourage, guide and teach us.
Thank you for sharing this lovely tribute. What a beautiful performance “the rain dance” thanks to the First Nations appreciate this powerful dance for revival in Canada. Everyone looking great- so nice to see David and praying for strength also thank you for your daily blog.
Always start my day with it.
Dear David and Norma Jean
Praise the Lord for giving you strength to bring greetings to the First Nations.
Thankyou for sharing these pictures and this powerful “rain dance ” for revival in our Nation.That is greatly needed and is the prayer of our hearts each day as well.
We pray continued strength for you and also pray for God’s direction .
You really look great in these pictures and we are so grateful God continues to restore you. You are a mighty warrior for sure in so many ways and can wear that eagle feather well.
blessings
Eldon and Janet
Wonderful to see you all looking so well. My son will be interested to see this picture. His grandfather was Chief of his band in northern Ontario/Manitoba boarder. A school was named after him. Residential schooling has a history in that family.
David you do look great it is nice to see your photo among Norma Jean,
Ron , Ann , Pastor Ken and Sonya Salt . I agree with everyone above.
Have a wonderful day to all in your families
Lianne Hogg
Congratulations David for doing a wonderful job not only with First Nations but will all you do for us! Your looking great! What a lovely photo of your family and Pastor Ken and Sonya! God Bless all of you!
Vicky
It is great to see you “up and at em” again brother David… I too have put many names to pen and paper besides my family and pray for them each and every morning… I also have found that when I pray for them, that an in-heart closeness develops and it almost feels like they become brothers and sisters…
Have a great day for Christ blog friends… God Bless
Yes, you look great Pastor David and all your family. Thank you for sharing everything in this post today and everyday. It is wonderful for you to be honored in this way and I join in spirit and prayer with the First Nations people for revival in Canada. Lord Jesus we long for this and wait patiently for it knowing it starts in our own individual churches. I left a comment yesterday Beverlee, Irene and Sah if you check back. God bless you fellow bloggers. I always read all your comments and have a great day.
amen Ger, amen! Yes the family looks great! SO thankful for blessing the First Nations people! Gives me goose bumps! ALL PEOPLE ARE PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF JESUS! FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD………….
We praise and thank God for all HE has done in our lives!
Happy for you that you and Norma Jean were able to attend the service yesterday. Praise to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How special, Congratulations Pastor David!! thank you for sharing this with us!! Thank you Ron, for the posting the photo; also the video, although it was not too clear, but did show Pastor David, Norma-Jean and Ann!
God Bless you all!!
I could not get the music/sound to come on in the video
I want to share something with you all that was a big encouragement to me today! They are called “sermon jams” and this one is about God helping us in our suffering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOiZG4Vy_x0&list=PLHZw8txh2u558WPxlg9tjVH-eTm74PEWy&index=3
oh wrong one! this one is the one that was about suffering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPTktQFnKKs&list=PLHZw8txh2u558WPxlg9tjVH-eTm74PEWy&index=2
Very inspiring.
Yes, very inspiring, indeed! Thank you for posting for us, May!
Pastor David:Thank you for sharing your and Norma Jean’s special presentation. It was wonderful to see you all smiling and happy. You are a wonderful and special family.
May God continue to Bless you and keep you in His Care.
The photo of all of you with Pastor Ken, etc. did not open on my e-mail; however, it did when I went to blogger’s section …thank great to see you looking so well Pastor David!
please pray that the Lord will remove a rash over my upper lip and bottom lip! It is an allergy! Please remove this allergy Lord, clear up the face! Need to wear make-up when going out!
TY Lord for the car, I pray You will bring financial breakthrough into my presence so I can clear up debts, help family/friends, especially Monica, would have like to give her $2,000 to help with moving, and other bills, plus $1,500 for the boys, they work very hard and are good to mom, they need financial help, Lord I will look into leasing a vehicle, then would have no concerns about a good car, would sell this little car, pay down loan, help others Lord I await this financial breakthrough thank you Lord for all the blessings of this day, thank you for Bible Study! amen
Pastor David, looking at you in the photo just now made me think of my dad again (and it’s great to see you up and around!). Like you he was a faithful servant of God even to the very end of his life. He was bed-ridden for about 5 years at the end, and unable to speak clearly because of a severe stroke, but he still encouraged everyone around him by his joy in Jesus.
He was used to doing. He wasn’t comfortable with having to lie in bed all the time and I know he must have found that very hard. But even though he could no longer do things for us, we were so blessed to still have him with us. It wasn’t about what he could do for us, or about what he could do for God, it was just still having him here on earth where we could see his love for us, that was enough. He had already done enough for us to prove his love. Now in those last 5 years, his smile was enough, his attempts to talk to us, his being here while we cared for him when we could was enough.
He may not have been up and active in the same way as before, but his love and his prayers were still active, and he still had a purpose for being here with us.
Even though your life has changed and you don’t have the energy to do the former things, the present things are enough, Pastor David! You are a great blessing to all around you. Your prayers are how you have a miraculous family that walks in the ways of God. Your words to us in this blog help us, encourage and strengthen us in our daily struggles to walk with God. You help me keep reading the Word every day no matter how crazy stressed and busy my life is. I wasn’t able to do that before. Knowing that you have posted something new each day reminds me to come here and read it.
Never think you don’t have a purpose just because it is different from the former things!
Thank you for being here for us. God bless you!
May.
Well said, May!!!!….and so true!