IN HIDING!

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 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).

The most unique rock formations are seen in Meteora, Greece. On the front right you can see Monastery Roussanou.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 22:12

And he (Joash) was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehu was carrying out judgment on the land. Ahaziah was caught and killed because, as they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord with all his heart” (22:9). It seemed as if all the descendants of Jehoshaphat were to be slain, but into the picture stepped Jehoshabeth, the king’s daughter. She rescued Joash, then one year old, and hid him in the Temple. Six years later Joash was anointed king. The enemies of God will try to thwart God’s plan, but it was not God’s will for the righteous influence in the royal family to cease. God had prepared Jehoshabeth and Jehoiada, the high priest, to intervene. Joash was hidden in the Temple for six years.

We learn from this story of God’s love and His power to provide for His people. Sometimes we wonder how God could possibly make a way through a seemingly impossible situation. But He does! For a New Testament reading today, we may want to read about what would seem to be an impossible situation, the shipwreck of Acts 27:13-44.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I need to learn to be hidden in Your place of safety where the enemy cannot find me. I pray with King David, “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:1-3). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

This morning I’ve been singing two hymns, “Rock of Ages” and “Hiding in Thee.” The words of the first are, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee,” and the second are, “Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee, thou blessed Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee” (click here for a medley of these two beautiful hymns). There have been times when I had to hide from the pressures and influences of the world. One such occasion was when a sergeant of the Hamilton, Ontario, city police told me that the average age of the lawbreaker with whom they were dealing was just 12. My heart was broken for the children of our city. I withdrew to my bedroom for a week to fast and pray. Norma-Jean would bring me water and join me from time to time. Directly out of that time of hiding in God came our children’s television ministry, Circle Square, and out of those telecasts came the Circle Square Ranches, where over the years, approximately 250,000 children and teens have spent at least a week each. It’s estimated that around 100,000 of them made first-time decisions to give their lives to Jesus. This Summer I intend to “hide away” and spend much more time hiding in God’s presence, and I need to hear from God about the future!

Yours for hiding for a while,

David

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!!!

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-20

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

A westerly view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. This was Jehoshaphat’s “Parliament Hill.”

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 20:3

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

Jehoshaphat had learned a very hard lesson! When the next crisis came, he began to pray with fasting before he made his plans for battle. After his bad experience with King Ahab, the attack of the Moabites and the Ammonites sent him straight to God. Prior to this he traveled throughout his kingdom and into some territories of the northern kingdom as well, teaching the things of God and bringing the people “back to the Lord God of their fathers” (19:4). Imagine, a political leader who was also a teacher/evangelist. Here in Canada (today is Canada’s birthday) we’ve come close to this model with several of our leaders. Our second Prime Minister, Alexander MacKenzie, was a man of God who not only taught the things of God, but it is recorded that he prayed three times a day, out loud, on his knees with his office door open. The staff crowded around the door to listen in and say “amen” at the conclusion of his prayers. According to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper, our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, found Jesus later in life. Of course, who can forget the longest serving Premier of any Canadian Province, The Hon. Ernest C. Manning, who preached the Word of God on Radio across Canada for 40 years every Sunday morning on what he called “Canada’s National Back to the Bible Hour.” God blessed the leadership of Jehoshaphat, and He promises to bless us too as we learn the lessons for Godly leadership.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray on this, the birthday of our country, for Your blessing on our land. Have Your way Lord! Keep this land glorious and free! Please raise up men and women in whose lives You are Lord! Put it in their hearts and minds to lead in “paths of righteousness for Your Name’s sake.” Please forgive me for my failure to stand more firmly for Your will to be done in my country as it is in Heaven. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

On the eve of Canada Day, 2013, Norma-Jean and I had the honour of riding in the landau (carriage) as guests of honour of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at their Musical Ride (photos below). The magnificent horses performed in an arena with God providing a glorious sunset there in Ottawa. We were the guests of the Chief Superintendent Commanding Officer, National Headquarters of the RCMP, Ronald Mostrey. We were celebrating in this event 50 years of achievement of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Canada. This award encourages young people ages 14 to 25, including youth at risk, to make a difference while exploring their potential, taking on new challenges and finding success. The fund raises money to help in the transformation of the lives of youth at risk by developing local community programs in support of child safety, drug awareness, crime prevention, literacy, internet safety, anti-bullying, and victim assistance. I encourage all blog readers to make a donation to the RCMP Foundation, a charity established for this purpose. The RCMP fund and more information can be found at  WWW.rcmp-f.ca. I’m so impressed with the good works of this charity that Norma-Jean and I are sending a gift. This could be considered a birthday gift to Canada on her 150th birthday. Happy Birthday Canada!!!

Yours for God to bless the lands where we live and the lands of our births all over the world, Amen!!!

David

P.S. Here are some pictures that the official RCMP photographer took just before and during the Musical Ride. Norma-Jean and I were honoured to ride in the landau (carriage) and sit at the front of the viewing stand four years ago. This was part of the Canada Day celebrations in Canada’s capitol city of Ottawa.