Saturday, January 13, 2018

AWAKE! AWAKE!

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 51-52

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

 

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. Jesus made His home in Capernaum, which is located on the north end of this Lake. His habit was to awaken and pray even before sunrise. Like the rays of early morning light break through the clouds, so we should expect to receive God’s Word for the day. Psalm 119:130a tells us that “THE ENTRANCE OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT!!!”

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

 

Key Verse: Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

 

Three times in today’s reading, God’s people are told, “Awake! Awake!” Three times God speaks through His prophet Isaiah and says, “Listen to Me!” God wants our undivided attention! Whatever it takes to move us to bring the Good News of Jesus is beautiful in God’s sight, even our feet! The “Good News” in today’s reading is that Messiah (Christ) will come to us. His feet, beautiful because of the message He brings, have brought Him not just to the mountains seen in the above picture but to those places where each one of us have experienced His “Peace,” His “Good things,” “Salvation,” and the fact that “God reigns!”

Isaiah wants to be wide awake and listen to the message of the One who has come to be a Servant of mankind. Specifically, he tells us about the death of the Messiah, and the total surrender that would take Him to the Cross and render Him unrecognizable because of the beatings He suffered. “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of man” (Isaiah 52:14). His beautiful feet were nail-pierced, as was the practice in Roman crucifixion. Read Psalm 22:14-18 and Luke 23:33-49.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray that I will be fully “Awake!” You’ve reminded me six times about this in today’s reading. You’ve also reminded me three times to “listen” to You! I’m awake and I’m listening. You are telling me that I am to have the beautiful feet of one who, like Messiah, has the responsibility to bring the Good News to everyone I meet, and that I must support those who go to the end of the earth to bring that Good News to all! I ask for grace to sacrifice my resources, my time, and my very life in Your greatest of all causes. I pray in the Name of the One who has gone before me, Jesus, Messiah, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

There were eight beautiful feet that brought Wallace, Douglas, Delbert and Merrill to that grade 12 high school classroom, where I watched their lives carefully from September to November that fall. Not only did they pass my tests for what a true Christian should be, but they shared the “Good News” of Jesus with me. The previous summer, I worked full time for the local Chrysler dealer and then part time during the school year. There were beautiful feet there too. The witness for Jesus was strong! I knew the Gospel, but as a result of my mother’s death when I was 12 and my father’s departure when I was 15 for his mission field in Egypt, I had run away from God. After grade 11 high school in a Christian boarding school, I was informed that I was not welcome to return to that school, because of my rebellion. Therefore, I ended up living with my oldest sister and her husband, moving to Pembroke, Ontario, and meeting people who, along with my sister, brought me “Good News,” “Peace,” “Glad tidings of good things,” and who proclaimed, “Salvation!”

With my time, energy, resources, and all my heart, I want to do the same for others! I may have more time to give. I definitely have more energy, and I have some resources to give.

Yours for feet that bring “Good News!”

David

44 thoughts on “Saturday, January 13, 2018

  1. Good morning everyone , I have been blessed by the scriripture and Pastor David’s comments. Today I will be celebrating my 78th birthday, out to breakfast with my husband then dinner tonight at my son and daughter-in-laws.
    My husband’s back surgery has been reshelduled for Monday at noon hour. I would appreciate your prayers that it will happen this time. Last tiime they called the night before and cancelled it as there was no beds. He is having a plate put in his lower back and will be in hospital for 3-5 days. I will try to let you know how he is doing. Blessings dear blog friends.

  2. Those are beautiful scriptures to read Happy Birthday Eleanor, and I hope you have a good time. I will pray for your husband for a successful surgery as well his recovery.
    I find it hard to stay awake early in the morning with all my medication the side effects
    keep me drowsy ,and sleepy. Maybe I need to pray for energy its not easy sometimes although I do get up early when I have an appointment.
    Lianne Hogg

    • DO NOT GIVE UP!
      Lianne my sleep pattern changed 2 years ago, I am nocturnal, I go to sleep at 4:30 a.m. and wake around noon-1-2 p.m., eat but not able to drive before 4, I would not have chosen this way of sleeping but I do believe God intervened, I do sleep very well and I had to change my routine around, but it works good for me…
      I don`t get to church in the mornings; but I began talking with the Ministerial in my town and we now have evenings services at least once a month;
      The other thing I learned is that there are about 40 people in my church who have the same sleep pattern.
      It is nothing to be ashamed of, millions of people have different sleep patterns,I praise and thank God for you dear sweet pp and your honesty about your sleep issues, God loves us no matter what goes on our lives, thank you Lord that we can sleep….i Jesus Name we Pray amen amen amen

  3. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”
    Luke 23:34. So powerful, these words of our Jesus. And how hard it often is for us to forgive others who hurt us so, yet our Lord set the highest example before us to follow. His love so amazing! Beautiful sunrise, Reynold. Blessings fellow saints in the Lord. I seek your prayers for God to show me the best decision to make at a crucial point in my life, right now.

    for KING & COUNTRY – O God Forgive Us (feat. KB) [Official Music Video]
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz4toSf-xQU

    • Beverlee…the scripture that comes to me is:Psalm 32:8: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go: I will guide you with My eye.”
      Lord Jesus thank you that Beverlee can trust You and lean on You and not on her own understanding and YOU WILL lead her and guide her in the way she should go.! Thank you Lord!! Amen!!

      • Thank you sister, Irene, for that scripture that came to you I will meditate on it, that the Holy Spirit will direct me. Amen!

        • Praying for God’s direction for you, dear Beverlee. May He show you clearly what you should do.
          We appreciate your contributions to this blog and look forward to your daily postings.

          Thank you and God bless you!

  4. Blessed from reading David’s testimony again. Happy Birthday Eleanor and prayers for your husband’s back surgery. Also prayers for you Beverlee in making the right decision right now. Love the photo of the Sea of Galilee Reynold. Blessings on all of you!

  5. Lord God, please meet all the needs of your people. I know You hear each cry. Let each one know You are there for them. Thank You for that! In Jesus’s great and awesome name, amen

  6. Listen

    Listen,hear my voice in the silent breeze
    For I call out to you in your sorrow
    And as the sun shines o’er the trees,
    I will whisper on each new morrow.

    You cry because of the great loss you bear
    And I speak gently while you are asleep,
    For in this way your grief I share,
    And cry with you each time you weep.

    I am there for you when you call My name,
    I am there too as the morn awakes,
    But dawn fades like a candle flame,
    As does the sound My small voice makes.

    Trust me and listen,you will find my voice,
    It will grow as your faith grows stronger
    And one day you will make a choice
    To trust and fear death no longer.

    That day will come when faith will set you free,
    For you will hear me when I speak,
    Then you will know that it was me
    Who brought hope when you were still weak.
    GW(Bill) Marshall/27 May, 2015

    Off The Cross

    They opened my flesh to the bone,
    Harder still when they heard no moan,
    As meat was torn from my ribs;
    For my clothes they claimed dibs.

    As the cross was still on the ground,
    A mother’s sobs were the only sound,
    My body ached in so much pain,
    From the whips that fell like rain.

    They drove the spike through my hand,
    As my Father’s shadow covered the land,
    Then they raised the cross up high
    To where my body would soon die.

    Each breath then came with bolts of pain
    As Satan sought this world to regain.
    But he knew I would do it again
    Just to break his worldly reign.

    That is why I broke the serpent’s sword
    And became your loving,willing Lord,
    For to step down off the cross,
    The world then would be My loss.
    GW (Bill) Marshall/ (2011~2012

  7. Thank you Reynld for the moodfilled sunrise phoito!!!
    The scriptures today…bring back words that were put into song.
    Agreed with David’s prayer to be “Awake” and “listen”…to bring the “Good News” to those in our pathway!!
    God Bless you Ron and Ann in all your ways this day and always!

    Have a wonderful day all you bloggers…thank you for sharing!!

  8. Hi folks! Had trouble with my iPhone today. Lost some good features. Please pray that I will be able to recover the lost items. I don’t have any helpers around!! Thanks

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