EARLY
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 29
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Looking up to the western side of the southwest containment wall of the Temple Mount, you can see protruding from the wall what is now called Robinson’s Arch. This was once a magnificent staircase that led up to the Temple Mount. The two pictures below are from inside a ritual bath just beneath Robinson’s Arch, where pilgrims had to cleanse themselves before entering the Temple Mount.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 29:20
Then King Hezekiah rose EARLY, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.
Consider the word “EARLY.” Hezekiah had his priorities in order. Abraham, the friend of God, began “EARLY” (recorded 4 times). Moses and the word “EARLY” connect 6 times. Joshua, 5 times, and in the Psalms and Proverbs we are encouraged to be “EARLY” 11 times. In the Gospels (NKJV) the word “EARLY” shows up 9 times. To get to my motivating verse for my 4 a.m. rising time to prepare my heart and mind for the daily blog, I quote to myself frequently from the New International Version, Mark 1:35, “Very EARLY in the morning, while it was yet dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Jesus always lived His life as “Son of man,” not using the fact that He was 100% God to help Himself. I’m convinced that the EARLY time with His Father was the reason He could say, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Like Jesus, we need to wait on God EARLY, if possible, in order to get our instructions for the day. Making notes or journaling as we pray is a very effective way to check up on ourselves. I’ve just given 3 cheers for Hezekiah…Hip Hip Hooray!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray for consistency in my appointments with You every morning. Jesus shows me the way to learn how to please You every day. I give myself to You as fully as I know how. I’m listening for Your voice within my spirit just now, then I expect to receive the grace to obey. In the Name of the One who always pleased You, Lord God, Jesus, Himself, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My son Ron asked if he could write the “100 Personal Words” today with a story of his own. I said Yes:
Hi…Ron here. This is one of my favourite “EARLY” stories about Dad…
When I was a teenager, I was part of our high school basketball team. I remember having to wake up extremely early one morning in order to attend a practice, which our overly zealous coach had scheduled well before the school day began. My teammates and I were far from enthusiastic about having to get our bodies out of bed that early, but that was the only time the gymnasium was available before our big championship game. So I set my alarm for “dark and early.” When the dreaded beeping noise hit my ears, I reluctantly rolled out of bed, got dressed, and tiptoed my way through the dark hallway and down the stairs, being careful not to wake anyone else in the family. However, when I got to the living room, I was surprised to see the lights on and hear someone speaking. When I looked to my left, I saw my Dad kneeling next to the couch with dozens of pieces of paper spread out all over the furniture. I paused long enough to figure out what was going on. Dad was in prayer, weeping and interceding before God on behalf of the many who had written to him as a result of the recently launched 100 Huntley Street daily TV program. He never saw me as I continued tiptoeing out the door and off to my practice. That experience deeply impacted me. It strongly reinforced to my heart the truth of Dad’s genuine passion for God and passion for people. He wasn’t on television because of any ego trip or because he needed a job. He was called by God to share the love of Jesus to a lost and hurting world. He often says, “One soul is worth more than the whole world!”…and he has always lived what he believes. After that, I could think of nothing else I wanted to do with my life than work with my Dad… and I had the privilege of doing that for 30 years. — Ron Mainse
Looking up from the Mikvot (ritual bath), you can see Robinson’s Arch, which was one of the ancient entrances to the Temple Mount. You can see the divider in the stairway to separate those who were unclean from those who came up purified.
To David Mainse
Thank you for 100 Huntley Street! God directed your path to bring this program to the world and He still directs your path, all our paths, and yes “one soul is worth more than the whole world!
I remember my grandpa reading the big Bible, it had very thin pages, and he would sit at his kitchen table and read the Bible in German! I did not understand but I knew that he knew it was the right thing to do! That was decades ago!
I am a sinner; through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, I am now a saint! All I can do is say “thank you Lord, thank you!”
a miracle happened tonight! I came home and the Lord nudged me to find my wallet! I went to my purse and the wallet was gone!
I remembered when I last used it so I went to check in the car and there was my wallet, on the ground! All I could do was say “thank you Lord”
Blessings to all and I pray that everyone is in good health!
please pray for the fireman in British Columbia and anywhere else that there is a fire!
Pray the Lord will speak to people to not to throw out their cigarette on the ground
people need to be aware and respectful of their surroundings! way to many people disregard all the laws!
MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES DUE TO CIGARETTE BUTTS!
He truly is a blessing to your family – 100 Huntley. What a great country we would be if we all took time to pray and share love as your Dad does. He truly is a wonderful example -thank you Ron for sharing
Wonderful memory, Ron–thank you for sharing with us. Blessings fellow saints in the Lord, and to you, David and Norma-Jean.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:3-4 NKJV
Good Good Father, Chris Tomlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBwXHpKVS5I
God wakes me every morning at 5: 45 or 5; 56 to spend my time with Him He gave me a song called
In His Hands
All of our sorrows
All of our fears
Alloy of our tears
All of our tomorrows
We’ll put in His Hands
All of our dreams
All of our woes
All of our needs
All of our pride
We’ll put in His Hands
All of our wishes
All of our cares
All of our hopes
All of our plans
We’ll put in His Hands
For In His Hands we belong
And to be shaped and moulded
In His Hands
This is His plans for us
For we are only Clay
Made to be with Him someday
So we place ourselves In His Hands
I pray God blesses You as you take in His song He gave me
God Bless you Ron and your beautiful wife and your loving parents I plead the blood of Jesus over you and all your family and floods of favor and strength for your dad to be strong in Jesus name Amen
Amen
Amen Brenda…thank you for sharing your blessing with us!
Thank you Ron for sharing your wonderful experience with us.
Your Dad influenced thousands or moe , for good…and we know that only God is truly GOOD.
Love and prayers,
Bonnie
Thank you Ron for sharing with. us God bless the Mainse family through all generations…Bless my family and all blog readers abundantly
Dear David, your life of faithfulness speaks volumes of what God can and will do in and though us for His Glory when we surrender all to Him.
I have been so blessed and encouraged in my walk with my Saviour.
May God strengthen you for the days ahead.
Brenda thank you for your song.
There’s no better place than In His Hands.
I remember this story Ron & it’s always a blessing.Thank you for sharing .
The work that your Dad has been doing is a fine & unique example of a life devoted to God & doing His will. This is such a wonderful legacy for you & the rest of the family!!
Thank you too for the role you play in the delivery of this blog which feeds our souls.
God abundant blessings be to you and the Mainse family as you all continue to be a blessing to others.
God’s richest blessings and an absolutely amazing day to you my fellow blog readers!!
Amen Marti!
Thank you Ron for sharing and may the Lord continue to use your life as He has your Dad’s = Many years ago I visited Huntley and remember you guiding us in at the entrance and I was so impressed with the peaceful expression on your face and I thought ‘now there’s a man of God’ Huntley St. has always been an important part of my day and my parents before me and I thank God for your Dad’s obedience to the Lord’s guidance and his dependence on Him over the years.
Thank you Pastor David for your example in prayer. Also thank you Ron for your obedience to the call of God to work with your father for 30 years. Lately and even this morning I wake up around 2am to 4am and find it a good time to pray as I have had some sleep and it agrees with body, and my mind is clear. Not sure if that is early or just my sleep pattern. Good admonition David.
Another inspiring verse is “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”(Proverbs 8:17).
On-the-nose,Irene…and Ron,your story (I’ve read it before and love it.) also helps explain your good qualities.Thank you all.God bless
Surrender
I lay them down in front of you,
For Jesus,that is what I must do
When my burdens become too much,
I surrender them to your gentle touch.
Lord,I give all my troubles to you,
They are yours when my day is through,
Please make them smaller for me
So I am unencumbered and free.
Lord you found me and gave me hope
With new strength that I might cope,
And now I have surrendered to you,
Body and soul to be made anew.
You lifted me up so I could see,
That you were always beside me,
Now I feel grief for the lost years,
But I shall not cry any wasted tears.
So I will lay them at Your holy feet,
For You have made me more complete,
I am yours through the fires of Hell,
With love that Satan’s hordes can’t quell.
G W(Bill) Marshall/2012
Written over a year after my ‘surrender’,
on my knees,in my livingroom.
thank you William(Bill) for sharing this blessing with us!
Thank you Ron for sharing this wonderful memory with us.
Thanking all of you for the faithfulness you have shown to us. We, who are privileged to support and pray for you.
Many blessings,
Wilma and family.
Thank you Ron and thank you William (Bill) for sharing your poem it speaks to me of what I need to do God bless you .
Lianne Hogg
Lianne I pray you are getting better health-wise! Lean on the Lord for all things….blessings…
Thank you Ron for sharing your story!
Great photos to support the scriptures for today’s blog!