LISTEN, O EARTH! (Micah 1:2)
Today’s Reading: Micah 1-2
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here you can see a row of homes in the region of ancient Pergamos. All seven churches of Revelation (Pergamos is one) are in modern day Turkey. The book of Micah, like the Revelation, is God’s attempt to communicate with people where they take shelter, eat, sleep, and go about their daily lives.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity,
And work out evil on their beds!
At morning light they practice it,
Because it is in the power of their hand.
Micah reveals the compassion of God for people who suffer social injustice at the hands of a powerful corrupt elite. Micah strongly condemns rulers, false prophets, and ungodly priests who exploit the poor for their own gain. He declares that both the Northern Kingdom, Samaria, and the Southern Kingdom, Jerusalem, will be overthrown because of their iniquity, evil, covetousness and oppression of those who are disadvantaged.
When Christ returns to earth to rule as Messiah, His statement to all the nations of the earth will be, “I was hungry and you gave Me food” (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus makes it clear that care for needy people will be His #1 priority when He sets up His earthly Kingdom. He will judge all nations by His standards of justice for all. In the meantime, as our key verse says, evil “is in the power of their hand.”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, You have given me a free will. Because of the example of Jesus, and Your grace You freely give me, I pray that I will decide to do good and not evil all the days of my life. I ask this in the Name of the One who always cares for others, Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
At the tail end of the Great Depression of the 1930s, when so much poverty was evident, I can remember men that society called “tramps” (homeless people) knocking on our door asking for food and shelter. Mother would prepare some food, but as my father was away, they would usually sit on the porch. I would sit and watch. I couldn’t think of anything to say, but I knew mother had done something important. I also knew that she was keeping an eye on me for my safety. When I entered high school in the late 1940s, I learned that my all-time favourite teacher had been one of those homeless in the 30s. This gave me a new perspective on helping others.
As a young Pastor in the late 1950s and 1960s, I encouraged the congregations to support the Salvation Army, and I think it was in 1965 that World Vision came to our city with a Korean orphan choir. Our people got involved as childcare sponsors. Our television ministry got involved directly as a result of my son’s (David Reynold, our photographer for this blog) prayers every evening at family devotions for about a month. He was just a little guy, but somehow he encountered human need. He would pray, in an mournful voice, “O God, please help Daddy to help those poor children in India.” God answered his prayer and within another month we had raised, through the TV ministry, monthly childcare support for about 1,000 children, and we turned the names and addresses over to World Vision Canada for the cause, which was the ministry of Mark and Huldah Buntain in Calcutta, India. Crossroads has consistently encouraged support of ministries of compassion and has for decades now been directly involved (click here for Crossroads’ current missions projects).
Yours for being moved with the compassion of Christ toward those in need,
David
On of the stories I heard there was someone related on mom side of our family
had fed a family outside her back porch around WW1, and I wrote a paper for
school on it . I have it some where and shall look around for it. At church we also
help the Salvation Army their church is near where I live.
I hope everyone has a good today God Bless you.
Lianne Hogg
I was working @ World Vision @ that time & saw David come in to our Child sponsorship department. It was a stressful time for us as the volume of sponsors increased so greatly, so quickly! My daughter (a child at that time) went overseas for WV later & I still have family members working there. A wonderful ministry.
Yes and I have my Salvation Army story as my mother’s niece pastored for the Salvation Army in England; also worked at the Bernardo’s Children’s Home there. When I visited her in Peterborough, England I attended that church with her. I reverence the Salvation Army as they would go right to the front lines in the World Wars to help the soldiers I understand. I dug out my book on Catherine Booth who was born in 1829 and she and her husband William started the Salvation Army as you probably know. Beginning of the funerals in Humboldt today I understand. The Lord wrap His arms around them and give them peace. Amen! Blessings saints.
Amen, Ger. Holding them all in prayer.
Yes, Amen, Ger and Beverlee joining you in prayer!
A Dr. Jim Denison quote, and so true:
“Whatever our vocation, our highest calling is to be holy as our Lord is holy. Such a commitment will not exempt us from criticism. To the contrary, it will likely evoke spiritual attacks from the enemy and secular attacks from our fallen culture.
But the rewards of holiness far exceed their price.”
May peace and comfort enfold all believers….
God wants his
people to listen
to him and not
to the world.
amen Carol, amen!!!!!
My home on the farm was a shelter for those that came off the road into our yard.
Mother didn’t turn anyone away, although she was a widow with seven children to care for; four female, two male.
We could provide shelter in the house for one person, others slept on the hayloft in the barn.
Praise God, I had a good example to follow!
Praise God for your mother, Irene.
Thank you, Beverlee!
Irene your blog reminds me of my childhood!
I was raised on a farm in Alberta, we had a BIG farm, we also had WORKING dogs, no pet dogs, our dogs looked after the sheep, cows, chickens,herding the cows, and our farm was visited by many people and of course with 2 good looking children, me & my sister, Dad was no dummy. He would gather the dogs and watch their response to the strangers asking for food or work! If the dogs acted somewhat friendly, no growling, Dad would help the people, IF THE DOGS GROWLED IN ANY WAY, Dad would pick up his gun a 22 and tell the person to keep going, and we never questioned his method…..
it’s funny I think about my Dad alot, he was not the best fatherin some ways… .however he was a top notch provider, we always had fresh fish, good food, he and mom worked hard on the farm, I was blessed with good food, also inherited their genes, mental illness and alcohol problems HOWEVER GOD AGAIN INTERVENED, He removed smokes/booze from me 23 years ago April l6th!
I plan to celebrate that day…..
I have forgiven my parents for all the issues I had with them and them with me…..TY Lord for all the blessings of this day……
Lord I pray I pray You will continue to uphold all those who are mourning the loss of family/friends in Jesus Name I Pray amen amen amen
Actually I was speaking about Mom’ first cousin and my second not her niece.