WHOLEHEARTED
Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 31
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
From the region of the Qumran caves in Israel, you can see the Dead Sea with the mountains of Moab in the background. Though the Jordan Rift Valley is one of the most uninhabitable desert locations on earth, there is much agriculture.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 31:21
“And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.”
There were three elements for successful living demonstrated by Hezekiah. (1) He was obedient to God. (2) He sought God. (3) He worked wholeheartedly. These are vital principles for us to follow in order to live successfully as Christians. The word “prosperity” has been distorted in our time by some to mean almost exclusively financial success. Let us not be fooled by those who seek material gain for themselves by manipulating others. The prosperity God offers us may indeed include human comforts here in the west, but primarily God’s prosperity results in peace, contentment, and a joyful heart with or without money and the things it can buy.
Jesus taught us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (click Matthew 6:25-34 to understand what “these things” are). We may want to add to this reading 1 Timothy 6:3-11, and let us serve God WHOLEHEARTEDLY!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, most of all I pray for grace to keep the greatest commandment, which is to love You with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind. Also, Lord, grant that I may keep today the second greatest commandment, which is to love my neighbour as myself. Thank You for helping me to watch for the opportunities to direct my love for You into loving others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
One of my grandchildren, Eric David Mainse, is a leader with Youth for Christ (Youth Unlimited – click here). He graduated from the same school from which I graduated in 1959, a seminary now known as Masters College and Seminary. He showed me one of his assignment papers, for which he received a good grade. It was a sermon based in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17. Although we’ve just passed that reading a few days ago, I thought I’d include a few excerpts from Eric’s sermon for you:
It took a lot of faith for King Jehoshaphat to believe that the words Jahaziel claimed to be from God were true. Jehoshaphat chose to believe. Faith is a choice. If you choose to believe, then don’t hide it. BE BOLD and OBEY!…Jehoshaphat proved himself to be humble before God and showed that he had great humility by bowing his face to the ground in worship along with all of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Once he had heard about the promised victory and chose to believe it, he immediately began to worship…Looking back to verse 15 where it says, “For the battle is not yours, but God’s,” we can see that the real battle is a spiritual one and sending in the worshippers first (verse 21) acknowledged that God was sovereign over their lives and prepared the ground for victory! We must do the same, otherwise we are only fighting on the ‘human level’. Praise and worship tear down strongholds of the enemy.
Thank you, Eric, for giving your Grandpa permission to use your work!
Yours for wholeheartedly supporting the next generation,
David
Panoramic view showing more agriculture in the desert of the Jordan Rift Valley by the Dead Sea.
From Streams in the Desert, J. B. Cowman, July 9th
“I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isa. 48:10).
“Does not the Word come like a soft shower, assuaging the fury of the flame? Yes, is it not an asbestos armor, against which the heat has no power? Let the affliction come–God has chosen me. Poverty, thou mayest stride in at my door; but God is in the house already, and He has chosen me. Sickness, thou mayest intrude; but I have a balsam ready–God has chosen me. Whatever befall me in this vale of tears, I know that He has chosen me.”
“Fear not, Christian; Jesus is with thee. In all thy fiery trials, His presence is both thy comfort and safety. He will never leave one whom He has chosen for His own. “Fear not, for I am with thee,” is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in “the furnace of affliction.”–C. H. Spurgeon
I Hold Still
by Julius Sturm
“Pain’s furnace heat within me quivers,
God’s breath upon the flame doth blow;
And all my heart in anguish shivers
And trembles at the fiery glow;
And yet I whisper, “As God will!”
And in the hottest fire hold still.
“He comes and lays my heart, all heated,
On the hard anvil, minded so
Into His own fair shape to beat it
With His great hammer, blow on blow;
And yet I whisper, “As God will!”
And at His heaviest blows hold still.
“He takes my softened heart and beats it;
The sparks fly off at every blow;
He turns it o’er and o’er and heats it,
And lets it cool, and makes it glow;
And yet I whisper, “As God will!”
And in His mighty hand hold still.
“Why should I murmur? for the sorrow
Thus only longer-lived would be;
The end may come, and will tomorrow,
When God has done His work in me;
So I say trusting, “As God will!”
And, trusting to the end, hold still.”
–Julius Sturm
“The burden of suffering seems a tombstone hung about our necks, while in reality it is only the weight which is necessary to keep down the diver while he is hunting for pearls.”–Jean Paul Richter
Thank you for both of these writings this morning. Such hope for all of us who are going through trials and suffering. Praying for you and wanted to let you know Edward takes his 5th chemo pill tonight. He will be off then for 23 days, but will have a blood test on July 19th to see how things are. He is feeling pretty good at the minute, but it is still early days.
Blessings to all, Eleanor M.
Continuing to hold Edward and you in prayer, Eleanor! Praise God!!
Thank you Beverlee🤗
Happy to see your post, Beverlee. May He continue to uphold you and work things out according to His perfect will, in Jesus Name. Amen and amen.
Absolutely Doreen.
Prayers and thanksgiving for God’s precious servant, Beverlee.
(1Peter1..)
Praise and thanksgiving for Blogging Friends.
Amen Doreen, joining you in prayer for Beverlee Kay. May God bless everyone on this blog in
Jesus’ Precious Name, Amen.
Thank you Beverley for Julius Sturm’s poem regarding pain’s furnace heat. It describes what I am feeling right now as I go through some new neurological issues with severe nerve pain as well as 2 broken vertebrae caused by osteoporosis. The last 2 weeks have been a living hell for me, but I know that God is with me to help me cope. Please say a prayer for me.
I have not been writing on here lately, but I read all your comments and pray for all daily.
God speed.
Dear Maria: I am so sorry to hear what you have been going through health wise, I am praying for you. Dear Lord touch Maria’s whole body with your healing power. You know her inside and out, she is your child and she is suffering so much pain. I ask this in your Precious Name the Name of Jesus Amen🙏🙏🙏
Agreeing with Eleanor in prayer for Maria. May the precious blood of Jesus wash over and birng you healing. In His mighty Name we pray. Amen.
Yes, praying for Maria and everyone on this blog. Thankful that Edward is doing well. May The blood tests reveal that the platelets, white blood cells and kidney function are all in good numbers.
Happy to hear from you, Beverlee. Thank you for your post today. I also needed that message.
I pray all is well with Rob. Have not seen his posts for a few days.
May you all be blessed!
I too join in prayer for and with everyone…as I recall David Mainse writing about the never ending prayer meeting going on in the heavenly throne room…may our Heavenly Father bless and bring peace and health and strength to each one of us.
God I pray Edward, Maria, Beverlee for healing In Jesus Name Amen.
Please pray for niece Samantha, Cassandra Vienna and my sister in law Pina.
Health, peace and come to know the Lord.
I follow the blog and pray for you all.