GOD WITH US!
Suggested Reading: Psalms 120-124
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
This is the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (Gallicantu = "cock crow"). It's a Roman Catholic Church located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion commemorating Peter's triple rejection of Jesus on the night He was arrested. According to Christian tradition, the location of this church is also the original place of the House of High Priest Caiaphas. In the distance you can see the security fence that divides Israel from Palestinian territory. And even further you can see in the haze across the Jordan valley to the mountains of Moab in Jordan. We are reminded in today's reading to "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Psalm 121:5-8
The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.
Here are five little Psalms with big content!
Psalm 120 is written by a person of peace who did not take vengeance against those who slandered him. We can learn from these words that we should take false accusations to the Lord in prayer!!!
Psalm 121 teaches us that God continually watches over us. This is one of several “Songs of Ascent” to be sung as pilgrims are climbing up the mountain side to its’ highest point on which Jerusalem is located. As they look up they are filled with faith and expectancy as they are facing the City of God!!!
Psalm 122 was sung after entering the gates of Jerusalem. They realize that worship in Jerusalem would continue to be possible only if the city continued to be secure, prosperous and peaceful!!!
Psalm 123 was sung as they approached the Temple. Now they are lifting up their eyes to behold the Lord Himself!!!
Psalm 124 is sung to describe God’s interventions over the years in miraculously protecting the people of God as long as they welcomed His help, knowing that He would not intervene on their behalf if they didn’t want Him to do so. We are created in the image of the One “who made Heaven and earth.” Human free will, given to people who are made in God’s image, means that we must call for His help so that He can respond without violating our free will!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I lift up my eyes to You. I know that You hear me! Therefore, I pray that You will preserve me from all evil! I “pray for the peace of Jerusalem!” Have “mercy on us!” Thank You that I have escaped like a bird. You have broken the trap (snare), and I am free! I pray in the name of the One who is truly on my side, Jesus Himself! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I may have shared this before but here goes the story. My father, Roy Mainse, suffered 3 heart attacks after 21 years as a missionary in Egypt. His Doctor told him that he must return to Canada for any chance of recovering. A 300-mile car ride was necessary, from Assiut to Cairo, in the blazing June sun with no air conditioning. Dad was lying across the back seat (his nephew, Lorne Kenny was driving. Lorne for many years was the head of the Middle Eastern Studies Department at the University of Toronto). Dad told me that he felt he would faint in the intense heat. Somewhere on that trip Dad quoted out loud Psalm 121. Lorne confirmed this story to me several times. As Dad said the words of the old King James version (6a), “The sun shall not smite thee by day,” a small cloud came between the sun and the car. They drove in the shade of that cloud for the remainder of the trip! My Dad and my cousin Lorne both assured me that Egypt, with the desert on both sides of the Nile River, does not have clouds in the sky in June! God was surely on Dad’s side that day! He lived and ministered here in Canada for another 20 years. At 76 years of age, while shovelling snow, he sat down on the steps of his Toronto home when his heart stopped, and he was immediately with the One Who was truly on his side!!! Amen
Yours in recognition of the fact that when we decide to side with God, He will side with us!!!
David
P.S. I have in the display cabinet here in our apartment an ostrich egg on which I had Psalm 121:5-6 painted. I love to show the egg to my great-grandchildren while telling them the story of their great-great-Grandfather and the Egyptian sun! Below is a photo of the egg.
I purchased this egg, emptied of its' contents, in Jordan. Our guide offered to print the words of Psalm 121:5-6 in gold lettering after I had told him my Dad's story. I look quite skinny in this picture. I've put on 20 pounds since this was taken! Praise the Lord!!! Thanks to all blog readers who pray for me!!!
Hi David,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful ‘undertaking’. Love the pic of you & the egg. What an amazing God as he protected your Dad! Your Dad had more work to do here. Glad you’ve gained some weight.
Praying for you, Norma Jean, your family & all of Huntley staff & volunteers. Thx for being there for so many – over the years. You’ve been faithful!
Thank you David for sharing another one of your precious stories , the Lord shall perserve your going out and coming in ,
When you perserve something its made to last , and never change its flavor , or its value and we are perserved in our going out and coming in to keep us safe from harm , Im so glad that the Lord is our keeper as a mother hen sheilds her chicks from all elements Our Lord protects us from whatever we face when we go out and helps us as we call on God for help He is always there praise God for his love and protection
Thank you father God for making David even stronger in his body and healing him I Jesus name Amen God Bless all the blogger buddies and meet all their needs and heal all their diseases I Jesus name Amen 😉
Praise The Lord for what He is doing in your life David and what He is allowing you to do. This daily blog is truly a blessing and miracle. God bless you and continue to strengthen you!
This picture of you brought tears to my eyes as I thought of your faithfulness to the Lord and what He has accomplished through you because of your obedience to His calling on your life. Thank you David for continuing to be obedient by doing this blog. It is a blessing to all.
WOW!!!! What a wonderful Christian heritage to hand down to your great-grandchildren. God cares about all the details in our lives, even the little ones. That story will surely give the little ones great faith in our Big God!!!!
It is wonderful to hear that you have gained some weight and that God is giving you strength and health for the journey for which He has called you. I’ve said it many times and I will probably say it many more times. Thank you again for this inspiring blog each day!! AMEN and PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!
Have a great day blog-buddies and God Bless each one and may He give each person exactly what they need for today and everyday so that we can be witnessess of God’s Grace in everything we do and say. Let us continue to encourage one another with His Word!!
Every one of these Psalms my family and I have experienced these last two years, and we have seen THE MIGHTY HAND Of A LOVING FAITHFUL GOD in each. It gives my heart great joy to experience going through the Bible with you Pastor David, and each of my saintly bloggers each day. THANK YOU will never be enough! Continuing to bring you before our Saviour for continued healing and strength, and for all of Huntley St. For the marvelous word of The Lord they are accomplishing each day.
Blessings to all.
p.s. Ger so glad someone is helping you get some chores done! Bless you too as you continue to heal.
P.p.s. Pastor David, thanks for the picture, and so excited you have gained weight. Also the wonderful story of your dad and how God protected him on that long journey, for the work he still had to do.
Thank you again for your faithfulness David. So glad you are feeling better and have gained weight. My heart is heavy as I have not feared the Lord like I should have. When we are not obedient we lose our peace however I know that God forgives me. Thanks to all the bloggers. Your comments are life giving.
Amen to all the comments before. Good to hear that story of your father again, David and for God’s healing power in your life. These Songs of Ascents are great encouragement and assurance for your tour to Israel. I received the same ones when I went in 2004 and I want to go again. God bless you, Norma-Jean, Ron and Ann; your tour group and all my fellow bloggers today. Yes, we miss you Scott and hope to hear from you soon. I appreciated your prayers and all fellow bloggers when I was ill.
What an inspirational story of your father! It is truly amazing when we open our eyes to see how God has done similar such miracles in our lives, more than coincidence! How important it is to pay attention to His inner small voice in our lives around matters and decisions! Enjoy this day, in His holy presence!
ps. Saved your picture, David. You look great!
I lift my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from. My help comes from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv2H2fJgKpg
Thanks, Sherry!
Good morning David.
You’ve been in my morning prayers for about a year now. May God continue to heal you in his time frame, for his purpose… in Jesus name – Amen.
I had a similar experience as your father when a cloud formed between me and the sun. I used to jog faithfully 3 or 4 times a week. I found it to be quite spiritual as I communed with my heavenly father. I preferred to run not in the heat of the afternoon sun… however on this one summer afternoon I found myself running during the heat of the day…
About half way through my 6 mile run, I began to feel like I was getting a little dehydrated… I can be stubborn at times and God knew this of course and I was determined to finish my run regardless of the way I was feeling…
I prayed to God to give me the strength to complete my run… Within moments of that prayer a small cloud appeared between the sun and I, covering me with a shadow perhaps 500 feet across…
That shadow followed me all the rest of my run until about the last 100 yards. Praise God! Amen!
What marvelous testimonies this morning, real faith builders to be sure! l loved all the great Psalms in our reading this morning. Psalm 122:6 – Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, v.9 – because of the house of the Lord, l will seek your good. l thought about that, and realized that in 1Corr 6:19 – we read that we, who have accepted our Lord, have become the temple of the Holy Spirit, so l will seek your good too and pray for your peace as well! Blessings to all my brothers and sisters “In Christ” You are so loved!
Hi David, I want to thank you for posts as they are inspiring to me. The pictures you are including are awesome as I learn more about Isreal, and also the ostrich egg with the story of your dad builds up my faith.
Kim
Praise God!!! Thank you for sharing such a meaningful story of God’s goodness in protecting your father from the Egyptian sun, David! Psalm 121 is so very special, indeed! Your photo is an incredible testament with your beaming smile as you show your egg!! 🙂 God bless you, fine sir!! It is an honour to pray for you!!
Siding with God, as He sides with us! Blessings today, fellow saints–wishing a day as wonderful and splendid as each and every one of you!
Praise our Lord and Saviour and the mercy He pours upon us!!!!!!!!!! HALELUA!!!!!!!!!!! AMEM!!!!
Oh what a blessing you are to us David Mainse as we follow you on the blog! Everyone is deeply touched by your words and pictures you send on a regular basis. The picture of the iron bars around the school brought me to my teaching days where there was none of this. I retired just before God and His Word was discouraged. Prayer is so needed to keep our young people safe from the evil out there. Then today the very mention of your father’s safety because of his quoting of God’s word that brought on protection from the hot sun. Keeping God’s word in our heart always brings deliverance in time of need. I pray that God will daily fill me with His Holy Spirit so I may glorify Him.
I am picturing you, David with twenty pounds on, and give glory to God for answering all our prayers for you.
Have a great day everyone.
Amen! To all the prayers and testimonies above !!! The Lord sent a pillar of cloud to lead the Israelites, even to this generation, He has given both David’s Dad and you, David L and many others out there the opportunity to experience His wonders!!! Amen!
Sometimes I find myself hoping for The Lord to just use me as a poppet! Reasons being dat, using my own free will almost never does me any good. I always misuse my chances and almost always regret my actions when I use my free will! But my fellow bloggers, when ever I ask for God’s will to be done in my life, the result is always POSITIVE! I love the LORD!! May Your will be done in our lives Lord!
My grandpa is getting better, about 2 days ago, everyone was preparing for d worst, everyone had given up hope… But now, Hope is back and alive !!!! Praise be to our GOD AND FATHER! Thank you all for your prayers and please continue to pray for him!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL
So very happy to hear those words about your grandpa, Patricia! Will continue holding him up in prayer! God bless you!
Wonderful news Payricia and will continue to pray. Give you dear grandpa my best.
Sorry Patricia!!
Thanks for putting your Light on the hilltop. I notice, when my mind is more of the world, it is spiritually dying. Plants need sun and water. People’s souls need God.
Amen, Brad!
Double Amen Amen Brad.
People’s souls need God, that is so true and worth meditating on and praying for. Thank you Brad!
Dear Rev. David M .
Your wonderful testimony of your father being comforted under the Shadow of Our Creator showing us once more how Our Lords timing is The Best Timing and how sweet it is to see your glorious smile besides Psalm 121 .
PS. Patricia so happy to hear of your grandpas improvement . Thank you Lord thank you Jesus . To you all the Glory .
Have a blessed day everyone .
xxxx Carole.
God Bless you David!! We need you here with us!!
Glad to hear you’ve gained weight!! Keep up the good work!!
Good & faithful servant!!!
Love
Nancy
Praise God for His faithfulness to us!!
I live in BC so read David’s 100 Words later than the East. Thank you David Mainse for your blog today. The story of your dad & the cloud is just amazing and touched my heart today. The scriptures are for me today especially Psalm 123:2 KJV “So (my) eyes look to the Lord our God” – I literally read and prayed this prayer earlier this morning and, just now, prayed David’s prayer for myself. My house was sold and vacated on Oct. 31. Offer accepted for a new place then died because of inspection concerns. But word that Sellers may negotiate further to compensate for repairs. So all is on the altar – surrendering all the ‘steps’ – and the ‘stops’ of the Lord. Jacob & I are living in a Motel near near his school and doing well until we land a House. I asked the Lord for the right ‘buyer’ (answered).. and also the right ‘home’ near my wife’s nursing home and Jacob’s new school. The prayer has been made and is my guide – now will you share in thanksgiving with me that God’s perfect plan will go forward without hindrance – whether it is this house or another.
Thank you – and, yes, special prayers for David Maine. “O God, you are touching his life with you healing love, blessing him, strengthening him, energizing Him – “if that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwell in you, dwell in you, it shall quicken (make alive) your mortal body if that Spirit dwell in you” – This is a chorus based on the scripture in Romans. Praise God for the Spirit of the Living God who dwell in David Maines – yes, and all who love the Lord – so Lord, we claim your ‘Word’ – “it shall quicken his mortal (physical) body (because) Your Spirit dwells in Him.” Blessing and Honour to the King of kings and Lord of lords! Samuel
PTL David .M. may the Lord’s healing continue inyou David our prayers remain with you amen….R…
Just read over all the blogs this evening. Thank you for your kind words, Catherine and for all your prayers everyone. Your testimonies are truly inspiring and we serve an awesome God! So happy for you, David and your weight gain.
I love the story of your Dad and your cousin in the hot Egyptian sun. They really did receive a miracle that day. I truly believe in miracles and I ask God for one for you. So happy that you have gained some weight. You are indeed a “Man of God.” May the Lord bless you, your family, and your ministry. To God be all the glory. Amen
Hi David,
I just had to let you know,I also had a cloud in my bedroom,just after my husband went to be with the Lord.Every time I got out of bed it was there and I walk throw it.I mentioned it at church,but no one could explain it.
🙂
M.