Thursday, April 30, 2020

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THE LIVING WATERS (Zechariah 14:8)

Today’s Reading: Zechariah 13-14

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

 

As you enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher you can climb a set of stone stairs on the right. This stairway, according to tradition, leads to Calvary and contains a huge rock which is believed to have been split when Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished!” The rock can be seen under glass on both sides of the altar, and beneath the altar there is a hole said to be the place where the foot of the cross was lodged. Due to the significance of this, it is the most visited site in the Holy Sepulchre church. A friend of my son Ron is Greek, and he says the words on the front of the communion table say, “I SEE YOUR GARMENTS ARE EMPTY, ALMIGHTY CHRIST,” referring to His burial clothes which remained in the tomb after HIS RESURRECTION!!!

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

 

Key Verse: Zechariah 13:1, 6

In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness... And one will say to him, “What are these wounds in your hands?” Then he will answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”

 

Zechariah 12:10 tells us that the Messiah will be pierced, and those who look on Him shall grieve deeply. In today’s reading we learn that this piercing is the source of a fountain for cleansing, “For sin and for uncleanness.” The redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross gave rise to a new and purified people of God, a spiritual Israel wherein there is no idolatry and no false worship. These are difficult words to understand in this chapter: “The sword against My Shepherd.” Read Isaiah 53:10-12 for another statement as to why the sword was turned against the Messiah Shepherd. What love!!! “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him.” How can our limited human minds grasp this?

The final chapter of Zechariah appears to describe the terrible atrocities that will happen just prior to the coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory. He will cut short those days of terror. Zechariah 14:12, “…flesh dissolving while they stand on their feet,” is as close as one can come to describing what happens to the human body within the detonation area of a nuclear bomb. The animals present will suffer the same fate (14:15). The Lord will put the final period to the book of human history. In three more days, our readings move into the Revelation, the Apocalypse. The final victory over evil, and the eternal establishment of good is coming!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Keep me faithful, Lord God, I pray! Give me the clarity of thought to be able to understand as much of these challenging Scriptures as my mind and Your Spirit can enable me to grasp. I rejoice in the promise of Your first coming when You opened a fountain for cleansing from sin. I also rejoice in the promise that reveals that You are coming again to rule and reign. In the Name of Jesus I approach You with “HOLINESS TO THE LORD!!!” Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When Jesus, resurrected out from among the dead, made His second appearance to the disciples in Jerusalem, Thomas, who doubted Jesus’ resurrection, was present. Jesus said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side” (John 20:27). Immediately, Thomas believed and testified to the fact that Jesus is 100% God. He said, “My Lord and my God!” The Scripture found in Luke 24:33-43 expands on Jesus’ appearances after His resurrection. Jesus says, “‘Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I, Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet!” There were many appearances of Jesus, one time to over 500 people. I find it remarkable that the “Mishna,” the recorded minutes of the Sanhedrin, the ruling religious council for Judaism appointed by the Romans, did not in any way record a refutation of the claims of Jesus’ appearances. It was politically impossible, as thousands had seen the resurrected Christ (Messiah). Approximately 5,000 Jewish men, including many priests, believed in Jesus after Peter’s message in the Temple court. Read Peter’s preaching…Acts 3:12 to Acts 4:4. In Acts 6:7 we read, “And the Word of the Lord spread, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” These Jewish priests, now followers of Jesus, continued to function in the Temple for almost 40 more years. The tradition of priests in the Church evolved directly from these priests who had experienced, through Jesus, the Fountain opened in the house of David “for sin and for uncleanness.”

Yours, looking forward to that day when “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” once again (Zechariah 14:4). Jesus changes everything!!!

David

22 thoughts on “Thursday, April 30, 2020”

  1. Great photo with history. Praying David’s prayer, this grey and rainy morning. Jesus changes everything. He is with you, fellow saints in the Lord. Call on His Name for strength and it shall be yours. Amen.

    “When the heart is at peace, yearning for that which is withheld ceases. All things are yours when your heart is at peace. So come to this seat often–this mercy seat. I have promised in My holy Word: I will meet with you here. Learn here the secret of My love.” Helms, Echoes of Eternity, Listening to the Father, Volume 1, April 30

    T’is so Sweet to Trust in Jesus
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DdgkvnsHjM

    Reply ↓

  2. Beverlee: your added quote is so appropriate for these times .
    I love Zechariah 14:20, HOLINESS TO THE LORD shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. My thought immediately was, how can I show to others my love for the Lord- my answer: His love should radiate from from me if am His child, I won’t need to wear any bells . Thinking of all blog friends today and I am asking the Lord to bless each and everyone of you. Eleanor M.

    Reply ↓

    • thank you Eleanor for your beautiful words;
      I am asking for prayers; everything is going sideways; I rebuke the devil, he is nothing;
      I plead the Blood of the Lamb over this prayer site;neighbours;family;my home;car; I thank the Lord every day for that car; He gave it to me 2 years ago;
      I pray also for the right person to come across my path to rent the back room to; I certainly need the funds to go on my loan; I pray Lord God for the right person; someone who works afternoons;non drinker;no smoking;no drugs;no pets; no parties; a person who is respectful and responsible, maybe supporting a family some where; I pray the Lord sends the right person;
      I pray the Lord would bless me with $550,000.00 to clear debts;help family of six; help people in my community;invest the rest for a better income;
      Thank You Lord in Jesus Name I Pray amen amen amen

      Reply ↓

  3. Amen, Beverlee. Prayed David’s prayer as well. Like this song and yes it is so sweet to trust in Jesus! Streams in the Desert says we need a fresh touch from Jesus lest all the past victories in our lives be erased. “I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”(Ps. 92;10). Blessings saints!

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  4. David’s prayer is so succinct.Imagine being in that same room with Jesus after His resurrection?(and still one doubts?).Imagine ” his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, ” and still some may doubt to their shame.

    Salvation

    Sweet Jesus I owe everything to you and to you alone,
    You have shown me my home,you are my anchorstone,
    You have saved me always when stormy winds have blown,
    You have always been my rock,the truest friend I’ve known,
    So why do you think me worthy as a seed you have sown
    What can I ever do to earn all the love you’ve shown .

    Ch:
    Let me know sweet Jesus, let me know beyond my days
    Let me know my savour,when I bow down to you in praise,
    When my time here is drawing short and coming to a close,
    As they carry me away after leading the life I chose,
    I pray that I will leave not sorrow for those that I love,
    But instead to know the joy that waits for us above.

    I am not a wealthy man but I am very rich by far,
    When I walk my journey you’re my guiding star
    And you know that I am honest in all the things I do,
    I have never born false witness,I only say what’s true,
    You have strengthened my soul before I even knew
    Of life’s losses with your love to see me through.

    You have always had your hand placed within my soul,
    You have shown me your light that has made me whole,
    I have never known this love that comes from your grace,
    Nor have I known compassion that shines from your face,
    For I am still a sinner and you are the Son of God
    I can only meet you at the end of the road I trod.
    G W(Bill) Marshall (No copyright intended)
    This started as a melody in my head,over and over about
    315 AM,then followed the first lines of the chorus and I had
    to get up and finish the words,as if taking dictation.(This was
    soon after I surrendered on my knees in my own living room,
    privately,but 20 days before I was baptized at our bible camp.)

    Reply ↓

  5. Thank You, Lord God, for spring, for new life, for making all things new. Thank You for this ministry of Your Word, and all the service of Your church, Lord, that You are still building. Help all Your people remain faithful to You and be the fishers of men You made them (us) to be. Bring the right people, those You choose, into positions of leadership, we ask in Jesus’s great name, amen

    Reply ↓

  6. Here is a link to emojies of all kinds that we can copy and paste, if anyone is interested: https://getemoji.com/

    This is for our rainy day: 🌂
    This is for our hands that pray: 🙏🏻
    This is for our Saviour’s love: 🤍
    As He blesses us from above: ✝️

    Reply ↓

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