Monday, April 27, 2020

OLD MEN, OLD WOMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 7-8

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

 

Jews of all ages visit the Western Wall, which is the retaining wall of the platform which enabled the creation of the large flat area on top of Mt. Moriah, where the Temple once stood in Jerusalem. Large numbers of men and women come here to pray. Today’s reading is about the prayers God ignores and those prayers to which He pays attention.

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

 

Key Verses: Zechariah 8:4-5 and 8:21b

Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Old men and old women shall again sit

In the streets of Jerusalem,

Each one with his staff in his hand

Because of great age.

The streets of the city

Shall be full of boys and girls

Playing in its streets.” …Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord!

 

Zechariah 7 sounds like a good prayer at first reading, but then we understand that their prayers were all about themselves, not about God and others. An example of this kind of prayer is found in Isaiah 58, “They made their hearts like flint!” (7:12a). But God, through Ezekiel who prophesied in Babylon during the captivity of the Jews, said that their hearts would be changed! “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you.” Read Ezekiel 36:24-28.

Zechariah 8 is the result of the genuine repentance of God’s people during the years of exile in Babylon. Renewed and rebuilt Jerusalem is a beautiful picture of contentment, old men and old women sitting in the streets with boys and girls playing around them. Let us learn the lessons taught here. As Jesus said, “Ask…seek…knock” in consistent God-centred and people-centred prayer, and God’s promises are activated for the good of all. Read Jesus’ Words on this in Matthew 7:7-11.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, as Jesus was asked, so I ask, “Teach me to pray!” I pray not just for the words to say, but to actually “Pray!” You said through James, “Confess your trespasses one to another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man [or woman] avails much!!!” Give me grace to always have a soft heart for others and toward You! I ask this in the Name of the One who got up early in the morning to pray, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! (Mark 1:35).

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

[Note: This was written by David Mainse on April 27, 2016]

Every day I thank God for what feels like excellent health. I have now lived for over two years past the date when it was predicted I would die. I was diagnosed four years ago with MDS acute leukaemia. King Hezekiah of Judah was told that he would shortly die, but God gave him another 15 years (Isaiah 38:1-5 and 38:21). Also the prophet Isaiah (obviously some kind of medical practitioner) prescribed treatment. In Isaiah 39:8 Hezekiah commended Isaiah for “good” prescriptions (words of advice).

Yours in thankfulness for the prayers of my blog readers, for God’s healing Power, and for health practitioners,

David

P.S. God willing, tomorrow, I want to emphasize my heartfelt thanks for everyone who prayed for me individually, and for the churches and ministries that prayed collectively.

These ladies with a child are from Harran, which was a major city in ancient Mesopotamia, reflecting the title of today’s blog.

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

25 thoughts on “Monday, April 27, 2020

  1. Wonderful hope from the blog this morning. David’s remarks and his prayer..
    I saw the most beautiful sky last evening. I had never seen anything like it before I was able to share it on Facebook but I can’t copy it on here. The sun had gone down and the sky was a beautiful pink which covered a large section off the sky. I was so blessed that I had to share this with y’all (as Bill often says).
    It gives me hope for the future and I know that my Lord is in control of everything.
    Blessings to each and everyone in this blog

    • Amen,Eleanor.The other night I posted a pic of 2 birds with their wings in the full down-position and one directly below them with wings in the full-up position.(Actually there are 2 different ones;same effect.)One is titled “Smile From Heaven”.If you type those words in google you can find that pic.
      David knew he was blessed with more time here and wanted us to know that he credits God with that extra time.I wrote a poem about that just after I started ‘attending’ 100 Words which I’ll put below.
      It must have been a wonderful time in Jerusalem during the rebuilding process with people being inspired directly by God with ‘new hearts’.Perhaps He will do it again.(And He did after Israel’s rebirth in 1948.)If only we/I could totally filter out our own desires in prayer so that are prayers are true prayers without self interest then I believe He would ‘smile from heaven’ on us,in whole or individually.Y’all be blessed…
      Catch The Fire (4 David Mainse)

      Though you have walked many oceans
      And spread My word to many nations,
      I saw in you and your devotions
      A servant of joyous exhalations.

      You have not asked for earthly wealth,
      But just to be my most humble voice
      And when adversity was kept in stealth
      You still worshipped Me out of free choice.

      So out of free choice I give you
      More time upon the stage of learning,
      Whereby My word you show to be true
      And catch the fire that’s forever burning.
      G W(Bill) Marshall / 01 February, 2014

    • Thank you for sharing this Eleanor. I can just picture that glorious sunset in my mind, and yes, a beautiful promise and reminder that our God is in control of all things 🙂

  2. Prayer: Father, open our eyes to the troublemaking places that are hiding in our lives. Give us the courage to surrender these areas to you, trust in your greater purpose, and firmly stake a claim in your name! Amen.

    Thank you Eleanor for your description of the sunset you enjoyed last night. It’s so thrilling to see all of God’s beautiful scenes He presents for our enjoyment. Blessings on you.
    How good it is to see David’s trust and hope in the Lord before he left us. Such an inspiration to us all.
    Blessings on all dear saints this and every day.

  3. Amen,Lynda.That must have been a glorious sunset to be so noteworthy.They are rare which makes them more appreciated.Your prayer is a prayer we all need to say…and it brings a similar poem to mind.
    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

  4. Agreeing with Eleanor, this morning, for I am feeling full of hope. Amen! Praying for Donna Lea, dear Doreen. Could I also ask for prayer for one of the relatives of a member at my church. Martha works in the ICU dept. in a Toronto hospital. She herself, was admitted to ICU this week and 2 days later has been put on a ventilator. Lord God, we know some have made it through this. They have come out of it and have returned home. They have overcome and have been healed with further rest and isolation. They have received the best possible care in hospital by the medical teams combined with Your loving grace and mercy. We pray to our Heavenly Father, to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and to the sanctity of the Holy Spirit for Martha to be saved from this Covid-19 virus. We pray for the Holy Spirit Ruach breath of life to breathe through her lungs and give her the strength to be healed and breathe again on her own. We pray for her healing and we further pray for protection for Donna Lea and all those in her nursing home and other nursing homes throughout our province and country, Lord. Many are stricken by the virus there. God, we need more healthy workers to go into the nursing homes to relieve the staff there and help the residents in the nursing homes–those who are ill and those who are simply there as innocent bystanders to this virus. There are not enough workers in the nursing homes to begin with dear Lord. Now we need more care workers, more than ever before. We plead for help in this regard, Lord God. In Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen. His blessings of love, peace and comfort upon you, fellow saints in the Lord.

    So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

    All To Jesus I Surrender by Robin Mark Lyrics
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW8EA7DEQ2M

    • Amen,Beverlee.Thank you for stating it so very well.I will read that again as my prayer too.I have a good understanding as I worked in 3 different hospitals and had to ‘gown-up’ many times,for my protection and/or the patient’s.God bless

    • Amen, agreeing with you in prayer, Beverlee. Praying for the loving arms of the Lord to be around Martha today, and for complete healing.

    • Amen Beverlee, I am agreeing in prayer with you. I was thinking of Martha from your church , I believe the Lord brought Lazarus’ sister Martha to my mind. The Lord brought him back to life and he can save this dear lady as well. I hope this makes sense as it did to me . Eleanor M.

  5. Father God, thank You for those who give. Thank You for those who serve. Thank You for those who give up their own dreams and desires so others can have better lives. Bless them as they deny themselves, as they die to their own rights, as they take up their crosses to follow You. Do the heart surgery we need, Lord, to have tender hearts that care for a dying world, we ask in Jesus’s name, amen

  6. Amen Beverlee, I make your prayer my prayer for Martha that she will be healed and given a mighty deliverance from this virus, in Jesus Mighty name, Amen! Will keep her in my prayers throughout the day. I was just praying for healing this morning as dear David exhorted us to do as well for medical practitioners. How relevant to this time of Corvid-19. God bless you all.

  7. By the way Eleanor M. I saw a beautiful sunset too last night when I was out walking just before dark and got my camera and took a photo of it. Interesting! I claimed the promise that God was going to do some wonderful things around the world. “Call upon me and I will answer you and shew you great and mighty things which thou knowest not.”(Jer. 33:3).

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