HE WAS CURSED, WE ARE BLESSED
Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 21-22
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Two men, along with many others, present their prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This is the retaining wall for the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus would have worshipped in the Temple courtyard just above and to the east. This is the closest Jews today can come to the actual Temple site. This is the reason the Wailing Wall is another name for this Herodian structure. Orthodox Jews consider themselves to be in mourning ever since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Deuteronomy 22:4
You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again.
When accused by religious Jews of breaking the laws of the Sabbath by healing a man, Jesus referenced our key verse and exposed their double standard by reminding them that they would indeed pull their animal out of the ditch on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6). If we want to discover what Jesus thought of the efforts to keep all the Mosaic laws, read the entire 23rd chapter of Matthew (click here). We might also consider Deuteronomy 21:22b & 23b where our reading points us forward to the One who hung on a tree. It may be valuable for us to read Galatians 3:10-14. Jesus was executed in the worst possible way. Not only did He endure the tortures of the Cross, He also carried the stigma of being “accursed.” The people observing knew well that anyone hanged on a tree is accursed of God. Jesus took on Himself the curse imposed on the human race because of the sin of our first parents. By faith, and because of Jesus, we are not cursed; we are truly blessed.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, as I’ve just read from Matthew 23 and Galatians 3, I realize more than ever how blessed I am. Please help me to never take Your blessings for granted, presuming on Your grace by doing those things which I know have resulted from the “curse.” You forgive my sins and You also give me the grace to stop sinning. Thank You, Jesus! Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
An old friend and mentor, the late Rev. J. H. Blair, walked the final steps with the last man hanged for murder in the Barton Street Jail in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1953, Harry Lee was hanged for the crime of first-degree murder. Pastor Blair told me that this man repented before God for all of his sins while maintaining that he was innocent of murder right to the end. I believe I will see Harry Lee in Heaven. The Scripture says that “Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” I am on a one-way street to eternity. There are no U-turns. Over 1,000 people call the Crossroads/100 Huntley Street prayer lines every day. Many calls are about getting right with God. Kind, loving, non-judgmental people are waiting for those calls. The toll-free number is 1-866-273-4444.
Yours for knowing the salvation for which Jesus hung on a tree,
David
Yes, Praise God, Jesus has redeemed me/us from the curse of the law; I am set free through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Free to come boldly to the throne of God in time of trouble
through Jesus Christ my Lord!!!
Blessings to all this day that the Lord has made!
Amen, Irene!
Amen,Irene.
Amen,Amen
Blessed
Bless ye, dearest saints in the Lord–on this brisk and chilly yet ever fruitful day. For it is the day that the Lord has made. We shall be glad and rejoice in Him!
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10 ESV
Chris Tomlin ~ Nobody Loves Me Like You (Lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KicvBB2L68
Beverlee you always bring me to tears with your postings, This is the day the Lord has made indeed;
Lord be with those who are mourning the loss of loved ones, especially young people who are dying from drug overdoses…..Lord please help us to get this situation under control…..
yesterday I talked with 2 young people at 7/11 and today they are gone! They over dosed! They were only 19 & 21……Lord I don’t know what to do but pray for the Lord’s Prayer daily…..bless us dear Lord…..
Well, let it be tears of joy, Sah, for you are a Child of God who has the heart for others in her community and country. May angels come and breathe peace into your ears!!
And God’s blessings of abundance and prosperity upon you!
this has rattled me to the core! Those could have been my children years ago! I praise & thank God that we did not have the drug problems back then, only had a tad bit of trouble with booze BUT NOT MUCH!
My kids went to church, Sunday School, taught classes.were very responsible young people, today I do not know where any of them are BUT I trust that God does and I did talk with these young people about God and asked them what they were doing in life? They responded that one was working,one was skiing; I shared stories of my children & skiing, and of going to church, and I did mention that I believe in God and they did not respond, but when I left to go I said “God bless you both”, they said thank you, and now they are gone!
Pool not open and I don’t drink anymore, so will head later to the store!
I rebuke the devil and all his ways, I plead the Blood of the Lamb over my community; over all families;over all the leaders;over all the prayer partners on this blog! amen amen
December 27–Where the Battle is Won or Lost
“If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord… —Jeremiah 4:1, NHEB
“Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.
“I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
“In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.”
From My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Thank you for those enlightening words,Beverlee.It reflects back to my words yesterday.You may like this song by the Booth Bros:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI33izOgRdY
I think that song inspired this poem:
Our Infection
In the darkest shadows of our minds
Is where we lock our sins away
But He sees what His light finds,
For He sees shadows as bright as day.
In our closet are hidden from us
What we can not fight on our own,
But there is One called Jesus
Who has the brightest light ever known.
This light is free,from a ransom paid,
To all those who will take His name,
For in His torment He made
A sacrifice when He had no blame.
He knew,back then,of our infection
And of the power we denied,
So ignoring rejection,
He left us the grace we had defied.
(G.W.)Bill Marshall/11 July, 2016
This song followed the one above.Jesus would love it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShVKTFS4CSs&list=RDxI33izOgRdY
Yall be blessed
Amen! Thank you Beverlee for sharing!
Amen….Amen
Blessedblessed
I had a very difficult time trying to get on line today. Our building has many university students & I think our internet was overwhelmed today! Today is the anniversary of my husband’s passing. We had many Wonderful years together & a great family. We all miss him BUT we will meet again! Thank You Lord.
Keeping you in my prayers, today, Doreen. Praise God for the day you will reunite with your husband and Jesus, in heaven! Amen!
God bless you Doreen! Yes you will be united with your beloved husband one day, that’s the beauty of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, His every Word is Truth! We can lean on Him always! He will never leave nor forsake us! He understands EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AND HE IS RIGHT BESIDE US ALL THE TIME!
Praise the Lord for the wonderful years you had with your husband,
those are good memories! Lean on the Lord God Almighty! amen
yes, Amen. what rejoicing that will be!!
Amen Beverlee that quote from Oswald Chambers is so valuable in our Christian life and timely as we grow in Him. Amen, what hope we have that we will see our loved ones again. Prayers and God bless you.
God’s blessings on you, Ger, dear sister-in-Christ!
Meant to say Amen Doreen…