GOD SENDS

Today’s Reading: Genesis 45-46

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

Inner sanctuary of the Temple of Edfu, Egypt. The ancient religions of Egypt were well established by the time Joseph came to prominence. It is believed by many that Joseph’s influence helped to bring about the worship of one God in Egypt for many years, but then, as the Scripture says, “There arose a ruler who knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8, Acts 7:18).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 45:5

But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Joseph was sure that God used even the cruelty of his brothers in order to send him to Egypt. This knowledge helped Joseph to forgive. Imagine the bewilderment and the renewal of guilt the brothers felt. Psalm 76:10 tells us that, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise You.” The anger of the brothers could not thwart God’s plan to preserve life. God forgives our sins. We accept that as a fact based on God’s promises. But forgiving ourselves is another matter. Joseph urged his brothers to forgive themselves. If they failed to do this they would never rise above the slave mentality they had shown. Their dad was “Israel,” “Prince of God.” They, too, were members of God’s royal family. It’s important to know who we are in God’s eyes, and to live up to His view of us!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, I forgive myself for the sin and wrong I’ve done. By the gift of Your grace I realize that I am Your precious child. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In 1922 my Dad began his ministry in Egypt. My Mother and he were married in 1924 in Cairo. My childhood days were filled with imagination about ancient Egypt. Dad had a black granite carved head of an ancient official of Pharaoh’s court. This was the opinion of an Egyptologist at the University of Toronto. I would wonder, “Could this be Joseph?” My photographer son, Reynold, has this head now. Reynold’s pictures of ancient Egypt are magnificent. I believe that these temples were an attempt by the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) to get the worship he desired when in Heaven. This fallen Archangel inspired the closest thing he could get to the architecture of the centre of the worship of Almighty God in Heaven and then inhabited these temples to receive the worship of man. The temples are in ruins, as are the efforts of our enemy who desires to keep us from worshipping the true God.

Yours, as a forgiven sinner who has also forgiven himself, and who is a worshipper of the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”

David

My Mother and Father shortly after they were married in Egypt in 1924.

JOSEPH AND JESUS WEPT

Today’s Reading: Genesis 43-44

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

Rows of pillars from the great Hypostyle Hall in the Karnak Temple complex just 2.5 km north of Luxor, Egypt.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 43:30

Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there.

Joseph is a type, or picture, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Joseph and Jesus were rejected by their brothers, sold for the price of a slave, considered to be dead, yet later declared alive. Both wept over people and circumstances, their hearts tender for others and their sin. Both were tested severly.

Joseph, I’m sure, faced the temptation to be angry and bitter against his brothers. Have you, like Joseph, been betrayed, treated cruelly, lied about and forsaken? Because of actions taken and lies told, have you lost the beautiful experience of God’s love? Or have you retained a soft, trusting heart? God honoured Joseph highly because of his magnificent attitude. He’ll do the same for you.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, I need Your grace constantly. May Your Holy Spirit fill me so that the Person of Jesus Christ will be seen through me. Like Joseph, may I be tender-hearted, forgiving any and all who have sought to do me harm. I pray this in the Name of the One who prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As children in Sunday School, we would be asked to quote a Bible verse by memory. I would often be the first to quote “Jesus wept,” the shortest verse in the Bible (John 11:35). We’d laugh, and even the teacher would manage a grimace. We, as immature children, did not understand the tears of Jesus. The only times we wept were out of self pity. As I grew older, I stopped crying for that reason. It was often reported to me that people would say, “Let’s turn on 100 Huntley Street and watch David cry.” So be it! I wear, as has been said, “my heart on my sleeve.” Sometimes I felt sheepish about my tears. I remember being encouraged when I read that the tough General Schwarzkopf, leader in the first Gulf War, said, “I never trust a man who can’t cry.” I felt better about my tears after that. I’m not ashamed to cry. Jesus and Joseph are my kind of men.

From my heart,

David

REMEMBER

Today’s Reading: Genesis 41:38 – 42:38

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

The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. The god of this world, Lucifer, has sought worship for himself ever since the war in Heaven and his defeat there.

GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo Click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 42:9

Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”

Years had passed since Joseph shared with his father and brothers his dream of being a ruler and of them bowing down to him. Joseph had gone through really rough times: the pit, slavery, false accusations, prison. But through it all, he never forgot the dream and he was confident that God had not forgotten either. The message to us is this…God has a plan for our lives. He has not forgotten you. Jeremiah wrote, “‘I know the thoughts I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me, and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you'” (Jeremiah 29:11-12). Paul wrote, “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His PURPOSE” (Romans 8:28).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Once again, Lord, I ask that I will think Your thoughts. I want only what You want. Therefore, please grant me the gift of Your chosen future for me and, like Joseph, for all my family too. I pray this in the Name of Jesus, the One who knew clearly His future and was obedient, even to the “point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Like Jacob (Israel), I, too, love and desire the best for my children. You see the daily photos by my oldest son, David Reynold, and I want to commend my youngest son also. Ronald Wesley helps me daily with this blog by making sure the technical procedure of posting the blog is correct. I’m not really computer savvy.

Yours for God’s thoughts being our thoughts,

David

A WISE MAN

Today’s Reading: Genesis 40-41:37

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

This 60-foot high colossal statue of Ramses II, carved from limestone, once stood upright but now lays on the ground in a pavilion for display. This statue had adorned the great temple of Ptah in Memphis, Egypt. Ramses the Great ruled for more than 60 years (circa 1279 to 1213 B.C.)

GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo – Click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 40:8

And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

Joseph had a living and daily relationship with God. Therefore, no matter what happened to him or where he found himself, he always had the consciousness of God’s enabling Presence. When the butler and baker told him of their troubling dreams, he was able to say with confidence that God would reveal His message to these imprisoned servants of Pharaoh. “The Spirit of God” lived in Joseph. The two gifts of the Holy Spirit exercised by Joseph were, “the word of wisdom,” and “the word of knowledge.” Check out 1 Corinthians 12:1-8. These gifts were not just for the Church in Corinth, Greece, but for all people of all time who faithfully serve the God of Abraham and who “pursue love and desire spiritual gifts” (1 Cor. 14:1).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I believe Your Spirit lives in me. Please reveal to me Your thoughts so that I may respond with wisdom and knowledge for others, as well as myself. As I read and think Your thoughts as expressed in Your Word, may I be given the grace to express those thoughts when the opportunity presents itself, particularly in winning precious people to Christ. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In preparation for this blog, I spend approximately half an hour reading the Word and meditating upon the thoughts expressed therein. Then I match that time in prayer and praise to God. A daily request is for “wisdom.” In James 1:5 it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” I ask in faith without doubting and I know I receive from Him. A while back, at a time of some frustration, I attempted to correct a grandson in front of others. That was not wise. I contacted him as soon as I could reach him and asked forgivness, not for the correction, but for a lack of wisdom in not doing this privately, just between the two of us. This blog is challenging me. The Holy Spirit is still giving gifts of “wisdom.” I need all the help I can get.

Yours, praying for “Wisdom” for myself and for you also,

David

DOWN TO EGYPT

Today’s Reading: Genesis 38-39

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

The Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza are among the most recognizable symbols of the civilization of ancient Egypt. Joseph and the Midianite slave traders may well have passed here.

GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo – Click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 39:9

…There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

Chapter 38 is such a contrast with chapter 39. Immorality vs. morality. Judah was wrong. Joseph was right. Joseph faced a temptation that is glorified today – the temptation to sin sexually. Therefore, it’s important that we take to heart Joseph’s response. He refused to “do this great wickedness and sin against God.” Joseph proves that we can, if we will, stand firm in doing right, recognizing that to do otherwise is to act against God. His is an example we should follow. Ultimately, Jesus is our supreme Example of holy living…moral steel down His backbone. Joseph paid a price for his righteous stand. Jesus paid the infinite price as the sinless Sacrificial Offering for the sins of all people.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, please put steel down my backbone. Please give me moral strength as You did for the Apostle Paul who wrote Your words to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You live in me and I in You. Together we are strong. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

For years I quoted Galatians 2:20 each morning: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” I have recommended many times to all who struggle to live a Godly life that they memorize this verse as I have done and quote it daily. There is such power in God’s Word. “Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). I found that memorization plus daily quoting moves the Word from my brain into my heart. The Word is pumped throughout my entire being all day long. Joseph is a hero of mine, but my ultimate Hero is Christ…and “Christ lives in me!” I have failed many times, but “Jesus never fails.”

Yours for holy living,

David

Here’s Norma-Jean and me with the former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (the Queen’s representative), The Hon. David and Ruth-Ann Onley. They have been guests on the 100 Huntley Street telecast many times. Click here to watch one of those interviews.

Norma-Jean and me with the Honourable David C. Onley and his wife Ruth Ann, following his farewell dinner. He served 7 years as Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

The official portrait of David C. Onley was unveiled at his farewell dinner. It will hang at Queens Park, along with the paintings of all of Ontario’s past Lieutenant Governors. Note his Bible in the painting.

THE DREAM

Today’s Reading: Genesis 36-37

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A deep cistern in Egypt.

Key Verse: Genesis 37:28

Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

In Chapter 36 we learn that Esau refused to waste his life in bitterness. God richly rewarded his generosity of spirit. Chapter 37 tells of the dreamer. Be sure not to let your guidance come from dreams; they are 99% unreliable. However, in this case, God had truly revealed His plan to Joseph. When we hear from God, most of the time we should keep it between God and ourselves. When Joseph told the story of his dream to his brothers, it brought about a serious family feud. Indeed, God has many ways to bring about His will. He used this tragedy to put Joseph in Egypt so he could be tested and refined and then to save many lives, including his father and his family.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord, You promised wisdom if I would but ask You (James 1:5). I’m asking! Let me bring unity rather than discord. I pray this mercy through the merits of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Again today, let me share with you more responses from engaged blog readers:

He Loves us…period…and He takes the (Mess) and turns it into a (Message). Thank you, Holy Spirit, for Your Leading as we listen & soak in Your presence…for sure it’s a choice we make…finally got there…not in just the big decisions but in every decision…He goes with us…Awesome…once we know this in our spirit, we can live life to the Full! David…Have a wonderful Day…as always ~ Diane…Joshua 1:9

On my morning walk I was thinking and talking to my Lord about putting together scrapbooks for my grandchildren of things and notes I have kept over the years. I was asking that my grandchildren would see Jesus and learn to love Him more through the beautiful memories He has blessed me with. Then I came in and read your blog for today. I’m going to get right at it. ~ Katie

If you have time, check out other comments at www.100words.ca. Click on the “Comments” bubble at the top.

Keep those comments coming,

David

BACK TO BETHEL

Today’s Reading: Genesis 34-35

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

REMINDER: You can watch the video version of 100words.ca on the 100 Huntley Street website HERE.

Damascus Gate is the main entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. It is located in the wall on the city’s northwest side where the highway leads out to Nablus, and from there, in times past, to the capital of Syria, Damascus. As such, its modern English name is Damascus Gate.

GOOGLE MAPS – See where Reynold took the photo – Click HERE.

Key Verse: Genesis 35:1

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

“Bethel,” “House of God,” “Dwell there,” is the best guarantee of living in the Presence of God. Anna (Luke 2:36-38), an 84-year-old widow, “did not depart from the Temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” and was blessed with a revelation of who Jesus is when Jesus was just eight days old. It’s IMPORTANT to spend quality time in the House of God, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is” (Hebrews 10:25). It’s IMPORTANT, if at all possible, to get to Church this Sunday, and any other services the Church provides. Go “back to Bethel” again and again. “Bethel” is the place where, on most occasions, God reveals Himself to you. Like Jacob, “purify yourselves,” and “make an altar.” An altar is a place of consistently meeting with God. Your daily devotions, the family altar, the “House of God” will grant God the opportunity to speak to you, guiding the direction of your life.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord, like Jacob (Israel), reveal Yourself to me so that I may follow You into the land to which You have called me. By Your grace lead me by Your strong, protecting hand. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Today and tomorrow, I want to share some examples of comments left by some of your fellow blog readers:

God’s voice speaks to the listening heart! God loves “MAN” and spending time with MAN! “Morning, afternoon, night!” Yes, you may call it a MANifestation! ~ Connie

David, my husband and I have to make a very important financial decision today. Praying about it and while reading your blog the first thing I look at, “I am with you” “God listens.” What a mighty God we serve, cares for everything in our lives. Thank you again, David, for the daily blog. ~ Thelma

I have always found it harder to lay down my strengths than my weaknesses. Somehow we have to find that balance of allowing God into our “best laid plans of mice and men.” ~ Yeurgen

Thanks to all of you who have responded from day to day with such thoughtful comments,

David

P.S. If you wish to post a comment on my blog, go to www.100words.ca and click on the “comments” bubble at the top. You can read the comments of others, and you can post your own thoughts.

DARK NIGHT, GLORIOUS MORNING

Today’s Reading: Genesis 32-33

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

REMINDER: You can watch the video version of 100words.ca on the 100 Huntley Street website HERE.

A jewish man prays with Torah in hand at the the “Wailing Wall”– The Western Wall of the Temple Mount. Just over half the wall, including its 17 layers of stones located below street level, dates from the end of the Second Temple period: 516 BC – 70 AD. Papers jammed in the cracks of the wall contain the prayers of many sincere hearts.

To view the location of today’s photo on Google Maps, click here.

Key Verse: Genesis 32:28

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

The vertical and the horizontal directions of life are both important. Think of a cross and you have the God/man relationships. Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. In Him we can get it right both ways. Before Jacob could handle the fear of meeting his brother, he had a much more important meeting. An encounter with God is absolutely essential before a truly successful, God-blessed encounter with man. Because of his refusal to let go of God, Jacob’s “dark night of the soul” became a glorious morning of forgivness for past wrongs Jacob had done. The horizontal relationship with his brother was restored directly as a result of the vertical struggle with God. Jacob now becomes Israel, a “Prince of God.”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, You are King of kings and I believe that I am Your child. By faith I know that as a result of the Cross, my relationship with You is in place. Now I will approach my human relationships with the confidence that You have gone before me to prepare the way, because of Jesus Christ. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

It was over 50 years ago that I heard Rev. Laurie Price tell a story of two daughters. One said, “You wouldn’t give me 25 cents would you?” Dad said, “You’re right, I wouldn’t.” The other jumped up on his lap, kissed him and said, “Would you give me 25 cents?” Dad said, “Yes,” and produced the money. This story is probably a parable, useful to make a point. I’ve never forgotten the truth I learned that day. I make sure I’m in a fresh loving relationship with God before I ask God for His provision. I remember my two young sons, Reynold and Ron, when we went to an ice cream stand, waiting patiently for me to order. They would order exactly what I ordered. My Heavenly Father is the Provider. I want what He wants, no more, no less. His choice is always the best!

Yours truly for right relationships vertically and horizontally,

David

REMINDER: If you are reading the email version and wish to post a comment on my blog, go to www.100words.ca and click on the “comments” bubble at the top. You can read the comments of others, and you can post your own thoughts.

A STONE OF WITNESS

Today’s Reading: Genesis 31

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

REMINDER: You can watch the video version of 100words.ca on the 100 Huntley Street website HERE.

Mount Hermon is at the north of Israel and is the highest point in the land. A peak in this area rises to 2,236 m (7,336 ft). Psalm 133:3.

To view the location of today’s photo on Google Maps, click here.

Key Verses: Genesis 31:3, 44-45

Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you…Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and Me.” So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.

Jacob heard from God and from his father-in-law Laban. Back in Genesis 28:18 Jacob set up a stone as a pillar of witness to God’s restating of the covenant He made with Abraham and Isaac. God reaffirms the same with Jacob. Now Jacob does the same as a witness to his covenant with his father-in-law, Laban. These stone pillars would be permanent reminders of the life-changing commitments made to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and now, Jacob; also to Jacob’s family. Be assured that the twelve sons of Jacob and his daughters listened over and over to the stories of Jacob’s encounters with God and now they were watching as their Dad and Grandpa Laban made their commitments to each other. Here’s a lesson: pass on to your family “stones of witness,” e.g. your testimony for Christ in your will, special mementos, etc.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, help me to be creative in the reminders for my family of those times I have encountered You, as well as my commitments to others. Cause these items and/or documents to bless my children, their children and beyond. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In 1992, I carefully chose a great and beautiful “Stone of Witness” from a quarry near our Severn Bridge, Ontario, Circle Square Ranch, transported it to the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario, and erected it in front of the main entrance. Along the stone’s foundation a Bible verse is written, “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV). The cost of doing this was paid for by Leno Mori of Niagara-on-the-Lake in memory of his wife who had recently passed into Heaven. It is a powerful witness to the Mori family and to all of us (see photos below). Norma-Jean and I are still working on the “witness” we want to pass on to our family. It won’t be a great stone, but we believe it will serve to remind generations to come of God’s faithfulness.

Yours sincerely for blessing our families,

David

The rock outside of the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario. CTS stands for the “Crossroads Television System,” a 24/7 television network (now known as YES-TV).

A close-up of the plaque beneath a “Stone of Witness.”

GOD LISTENS

Today’s Reading: Genesis 30

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

REMINDER: You can watch the video version of 100words.ca on the 100 Huntley Street website HERE.

These are the gates of the main city of the tribe of Dan. It was located in northern Israel near the base of Mount Herman and the source of the Jordan River – Joshua 19:40-48.

To view the location of today’s photo on Google Maps, click here.

Key Verse: Genesis 30:22

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.

Two women living in the same household, vying for the affection of the same man. Not only was polygamy culturally acceptable, it was often encouraged. What heartache could’ve been avoided if they had followed God’s original plan in creating one man and one woman, and making His will known. Nevertheless, God meets us where we are and bestows mercy and grace. Rachel’s first son, Joseph, became one of God’s great men of all time. How heartwarming it is to know that God answered Rachel’s prayer. Also, God continued to bless Jacob with wealth and many children. In our 21st century understanding of God’s will and purpose, it’s difficult to process these things. Just keep open to the Teacher, the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, please give me the grace to wait for Your timing. I realize that going ahead on my own will only bring heartache in the long run. I’m like a little child, and I know You’re holding my hand. I belong to You and You want what is best for me. This confidence comes from knowing You, Lord Jesus Christ. In Your Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Ok, I admit it. I have gone ahead with my own initiatives. I struggled with this matter of gettings things done. I finally reached a conclusion. If I believe that something is good to do, I move ahead. But at the same time, I pray that if what I’m about to do is not God’s will, He’ll step in and stop events before they progress. Even on our wedding day on the way to the church I prayed this: “Lord, I believe that Norma-Jean is to be my wife and I’m going ahead with the marriage, and I love her very much. But if this is not Your perfect plan, please stop it right now.” How thankful I am that God allowed the marriage to happen. Four children, 16 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren, plus great ministry opportunities later, I’m a blessed man!

Yours in the service of the God of Jacob,

David