“PRAISE THE LORD!” (the last words of today’s reading)

Suggested Reading: Psalms 105

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

The Giza necropolis, situated in the immediate vicinity of the southwestern suburbs of Cairo, is home to the most famous ancient Egyptian monuments. The Great Pyramid of Khufu (on the right) is the oldest and sole remnant of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Over 2 million blocks of stone were used to construct the pyramid during a 20-year period, concluding around 2560 BC, at about the same time period in which Chinese became the world's first written language (don't miss the amazing message from a Chinese Pastor in Singapore attached to yesterday's blog). The pyramid is awe-inspiring, rising 139 metres (455 feet) high, making it the largest pyramid in Egypt. Abraham would have passed by this pyramid on his way into Egypt, and the Hebrew slaves on their way out of Egypt.

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

Key Verses: Psalm 105:1-3

Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name;

Those first three verses of today’s reading sum up what we should do daily. (1) Give thanks! (2) Pray! (3) Communicate! (4) Sing! (5) Testify! These are the five essential elements of the mission of Crossroads Christian Communications Incorpotated in all Crossroads Ministry efforts around the world. Today is the final day of the membership drive for Fall, 2013! In about 3 1/2 hours from the time this blog is posted, Ron, Moira, and our Global Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Hull, will go to air live on the Global Television Network’s land-based transmitters, as well as several satellite television channels across the continent. Later today this telecast will be repeated several times on our CTS network, as well as around the world as a part of the seven television channels which make up Crossroads 360 on the internet. This blog is also an outreach of Crossroads. All of us who do this devotional are urged to call the toll-free telephone number today or tonight (1-888-288-0003) to pledge support which enables Crossroads to continue doing what those five points listed above call us to do! How long are we to do this? Psalm 105:8 lets us know the answer, “For a thousand generations!” Our responsibilities are not over yet! God remembers “His holy promise.” He promised Abraham that in his seed (105:6) all nations would be blessed! Together we will help make the blessing of the “Seed of Abraham,” Jesus, known to the whole world! Read Genesis 22:1-18. God spared Abraham’s son but did not spare His own Son. God provided the final and complete sacrifice for the sins of the entire human family. Our job is to make this known to all generations!!! HELP!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I pray with thanksgiving for Ron, Moira, John, and the entire Crossroads team as they go live to air. I ask for Your Holy Spirit to communicate through them in a powerful way, persuading people who are able to help carry the responsibility throughout the next twelve months to join them, along with Norma-Jean and me, in monthly giving. I ask dear Lord that You will suggest a monthly amount to pledge. Lord God, please encourage the Crossroads team by our calls (Norma-Jean and I are calling in a monthly increase later this morning). Thus we, all of us together, will enable the leadership and the Board to establish the budget for the next year as to what extent we can follow God’s instructions given in our key verses! In the Name of the “Seed” (singular) of Abraham, Jesus, I pray! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As founders of the Crossroads Family of Ministries, Norma-Jean and I have experienced such “joy” and “gladness.” We read those words in verse 43 of today’s reading! We’re now in our 52nd year of soul-winning television productions for children, teens, families, and people of all ages, as our Crossroads Board Chairman, Don Simmonds, says, “For all ages and stages along peoples’ spiritual journeys.” A quarter of a million children and teens have spent at least a week each at our Circle Square Ranches, approximately 60% of whom came from homes where they don’t attend Church. About 100,000 of these have made first-time decisions to give their lives to Jesus! We have graduates from our School of Broadcasting and Communications in over 80 countries of the world, and many of them are reaching their own people on television with the message of Jesus! I could give more examples of what has been accomplished (“remember” as Psalm 105 tells us), but the reason I’m telling this story again is that I know what it is to carry the heavy burden of leadership. It is a huge responsibility before God to make sure sufficient funds are on hand to do all that God expects of us! My heart is heavy for John Hull and our team as they conclude this Fall’s fundraising effort. Ron tells me that they haven’t yet reached the needed goal in order to carry on without cutting back on ministry. Norma-Jean and I, at our ages, 77 & 74, are pressed financially in various ways, but we are cutting back on other things in order to pledge a monthly increase. Our offerings are automatically taken out of our account each month. It saves stamps and the time to write a cheque, tuck it into an envelope and mail it in to Crossroads. We’ve been moved this week to encourage our new leader, John Hull, by giving this increase. This former Pastor of the great missions church, “The People’s Church,” Toronto, has taken on this heavy load. I get the picture in my mind of lifting a piano. Every hand, giving a lift, makes the move possible. Here’s John with a statement he made on the 100 Huntley Street telecast earlier this week (click here).

Yours to help Crossroads not only to survive but to thrive in the saving of precious souls for time and for eternity!

David

P.S. I’ve just watched that clip of John on Crossroads 360. It’s true he smiled once when he acknowledged saying the pledge line telephone number incorrectly, but his body language says that he’s feeling the big burden of his new leadership responsibilities. Let’s all respond so that when he co-hosts with Moira from November 12 to 26, his body language, as well as his words, will show, as in today’s reading, “joy” and “gladness.” You could send an e-mail to John welcoming him to his new calling (johnhull@crossroads.ca). I sense that he needs our uplifting encouragement. Please everybody, please do this! Thank You!!!

The Luxor Temple is located on the east bank of the River Nile in the ancient city of Thebes and was founded in 1400 BC during the New Kingdom, about 100 years after the Hebrew slaves had escaped their bondage in Egypt. Today's reading tells us that, "Egypt was glad when they departed for the fear of them had fallen upon them" (Psalm 105:38). Let us consider the impact of these visual temple scenes on the people! Today's visual support for our message is television!!! Imagine the cost and sacrifice involved in building the pyramids and temples. To fulfill the Crossroads mission, it requires all who will to give sacrificially so that the "Glory" of His holy Name will be seen and heard all over the world!!! Together we are building, not a temple of stone, or a memorial to a dead Pharoah, but a worldwide communications network potentially reaching every person with the saving message of Christ.