Thursday, April 23, 2015

ABBA!

Today’s Reading: Galatians 3-4

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

 

Looking up the stairs from the Chapel of Saint Helen in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, you can see hundreds of crosses that have been carved into the stone walls.

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

 

Key Verse: Galatians 4:6

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

What a great change! We were enemies of God, but have become His friends…and more than friends, we have become children of God. As His enemies, we deserved His wrath. Instead, He has shown us His infinite love. We deserved to be punished, separated from Him forever. Because of His initiative, the opposite has happened. We are welcomed into His Kingdom as members of His family.
In these chapters, Paul explains an astounding change. The Galatian believers have come from being slaves — slaves to sin and from trying to obey God out of a sense of duty — to being heirs of God. In reality, they have the rights, privileges and freedoms of sons and daughters of the King. We have these same rights. Therefore, we can call God “ABBA, DADDY!” If we struggle with this, consider praying the prayer written in our Prayer for Today…

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I pray for the Spirit of Your Son to fill me now. I pray in faith believing that You are now keeping Your promise to me. The promise of the Spirit was given to me by Jesus, Himself, when He said, “How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:11-13). I’m asking, Abba Father, and You are more willing to give of Your Spirit than I am to receive. Therefore, I am receiving the Holy Spirit at this very moment. I praise You! I thank You! I worship You! Hallelujah! Glory to Your Holy Name! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As a child and in my early teens, I would go forward to the altar at church from time to time, asking Jesus to come into my heart and to write my name down in His “Book of Life.” I was confident that He did this at the time. However, when I did something that I knew was wrong, that confidence was gone, and I would give up until the next time I came forward to kneel at the front. We called the bench in front of the pulpit “the penitent form.” Sometimes it was called “the mourners’ bench.” Of course, I knew I was to be “penitent” and I was to “mourn” over my sins. It was not until I was 16 that I realized that I truly am a child of God by faith and faith alone. I believed that even as my human father would not ever cease to be my father, even so God, my Father, my Abba, would not ever take an eraser and rub my name out of His Book. The day after I fully believed that, I went down to the creek behind my sister’s house at Shady Nook, just outside of Pembroke, Ontario, and quoted over and over John 6:37. Jesus said, “The one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out.” I came to Him! He does not lie! Therefore, He does not cast me out. He receives me! What freedom and confidence that fact has given me right up to this day over 62 years later.

Yours for believing Ephesians 2:8-9 (our next New Testament book after we read 1 & 2 Kings): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast,”

David

13 thoughts on “Thursday, April 23, 2015

  1. The hundreds of crosses in the photo that have been carved into the stone walls in the stairs from the Chapel of Saint Helen in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, are rather metaphorical of our deeply etched faith in Jesus Christ that is written in stone and our hearts. The message it signifies is WE BELIEVE!

    We believe in You, Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer! In John 3:16, Jesus says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whomsoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” We believe mountains can be moved by our faith. We believe in miracles because of our love for You! Wishing all saints a blessed day! Amen!

  2. THE EYE OF THE STORM

    Fear not that the whirlwind shall carry thee hence,
    Nor wait for its onslaught in breathless suspense,
    Nor shrink from the whips of the terrible hail,
    But pass through the edge to the heart of the gale,
    For there is a shelter, sunlighted and warm,
    And Faith sees her God through the eye of the storm.
    The passionate tempest with rush and wild roar
    And threatenings of evil may beat on the shore,
    The waves may be mountains, the fields battle plains,
    And the earth be immersed in a deluge of rains,
    Yet, the soul, stayed on God, may sing bravely its psalm,
    For the heart of the storm is the center of calm.
    Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night,
    Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light,
    For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine,
    And the light of God’s heavens, His love shall make thine,
    Let no gloom dim thine eyes, but uplif t them on high
    To the face of thy God and the blue of His sky.
    The storm is thy shelter from danger and sin,
    And God Himself takes thee for safety within;
    The tempest with Him passeth into deep calm,
    And the roar of the winds is the sound of a psalm.
    Be glad and serene when the tempest clouds form;
    God smiles on His child in the eye of the Storm.

    Streams in the Desert, Apr 23

    “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me” (Ps. 138:7).

  3. The crosses etched on the wall of the church…..God’s word etched on the tablets of stone under Moses…..God’s Word (Jesus) etched on living stones, our hearts….how wonderful to have Him alive in us! What a gift! Thank you Father for the Spirit of the Lord residing in us.

  4. How I pray for the migrants out of Libya, trying to cross the Mediterranean.

    “Ultimately, what is going on in the Mediterranean is a tragedy only exceeded by the circumstances that have driven people to attempt the dangerous journey. While they are making this trip of their own accord, and thus are not free from responsibility when it ends in disaster, we must take into account the circumstances from which they flee. As Christians, we should pray for those who see such a voyage as their only chance to escape the conditions in their homeland and strive to help wherever possible. That means not only providing aid to those who are crossing but also providing aid in their homelands as well.

    However, we must also remember that there are those in our cities and our neighborhoods in need of our help as well. The call to help those around you is not less than the call to help those across the world. God cares equally about every person. The need of your neighbor is just as important as the need of the distant stranger and often far easier to meet. God has put the least of these in all of our lives not only for their sake but also for ours. And when they see Christ in you, don’t be surprised if you look back and see Christ in them.” Amen.

    Thank u Rev. M. for your faithfullness to God, our Father and being an inspiration to all in need.
    Blessing.

  5. Interesting photo…beautiful…thank you Rev. Reynold!

    What a blessing for the freedom to call on Our heavenly Father and cry “Abba Father” and to know He hears us and responds to our cry for His Glory.

    Lord Jesus Thank You for opening that door for us, for me! for setting me free from slavery, to be a child of God the Father!! May the truth of that sink deeply into the very depth of my soul. Holy Spirit be my guide be my all in all this day and always. I pray this in Your Mighty Name Jesus, Amen!!!

  6. It’s been about 1 1/2 yr now that I have been faithfully following 100 Words.As I’ve said many times before,I inadvertently clicked ‘unscribe’ and all of my attempts have failed to re-subscribe.(It is just that your total number of followers is probably much higher than you know.)
    I’m an amateur poet and wrote this for you.I tell you truly,I am only His pen:
    It’s certainly not my best but it is honest.Thank you and God bless
    Catch The Fire (4 David Mainse)

    Though you have walked many oceans
    And spread My word to many nations,
    I saw in you and your devotions
    A servant of joyous exhalations.

    You have not asked for earthly wealth,
    But just to be my most humble voice
    And when adversity was kept in stealth
    You still worshiped Me out of free choice.

    So out of free choice I give you
    More time upon the stage of learning,
    Whereby My word you show to be true
    And catch the fire that’s forever burning.
    G W(Bill) Marshall / 01 February, 2014

  7. My heart is full by today’s readings and postings from all our dear saints.

    I attended Grandparent’s Day at the school my grandchildren attend. It was uplifting to see children from Kindergarten to Grade 8 praising and worshipping The Lord Jesus. It warms my heart.

    Blessings dear fellow bloggers.

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