The COHEN FAMILY
Today’s Reading: Joshua 21
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Petra is one of the Ancient Wonders of the World and is without a doubt Jordan’s greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2,000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge over one km in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 80 metre high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colours and formations of the reddish rocks are dazzling. As you reach the end of the Siq you will catch your first glimpse of Al-Khazneh (Treasury). In ancient times, this was in the area of Edom, mentioned several times in our recent blog readings. Edomites were descendents of Esau, who was the brother of Jacob (Israel).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Joshua 21:45
Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
When we come across the Jewish name “Cohen,” we know they are from the line of Kohath, who was the second son of Levi (Joshua 21:20). They are hereditary priests. Moses and Joshua did not give the priests land like the other tribes in order to ensure the distribution of God’s priestly representatives throughout the land in an evenly placed manner. This may have served to retard Israel’s embrace of pagan cultures.
God’s Word will not fail. It may take time, but be assured of eventual fulfillment. Israel failed, not God’s Word. When God promised victory, they ran away in defeat. When God promised prosperity, they broke His rules so that God could not bless them as He wanted to. When God promised to be their leader, they begged for a king like the surrounding nations. When God promised to protect them from their enemies, they made their own unsuccessful battle plans. Are we as foolish as they were? Let us remind ourselves daily that God is totally committed to the fulfillment of all His good promises. Amen!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I’m well aware that there are promises of judgment as well as blessing. Help me to key in on the blessing promises, obeying You in everything that applies to me as a follower of Jesus. I promise to do this, “So help me God.” Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Our photographer, my son Rev. David Reynold Mainse, and his wife Kathy are here in the west for a few days. They are missionaries based in Gulu, Uganda, Africa. Gulu is a city with 100,000 children under the age of 15. In the 80’s and 90’s, many of these children’s parents had been abducted by the rebel group known as The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). They were forced to be child soldiers, and the girls were also used as sex slaves to be raped again and again. I can’t imagine the horror of this, and now Reynold and Kathy have become part of the healing process. Reynold and Kathy have brought together denominational and tribal leaders in unity of purpose, many for the first time ever coming together like this. They have a vision for an outreach to the children and youth called “The 
Champion Centre,” as there are no facilities capable of ministering to thousands of teens and children every day. Reynold and Kathy shared with me that right now their immediate need is $17,000 to keep pursuing the call of God on their lives. I need your help to raise these support dollars. Will you help me do this? (click here for information on how to make a donation). Or if you’d like to contact Reynold directly, his email address is reynold@worldembrace.org.
Thank you for considering what you can do,
David
P.S. I’ll be sharing several of Reynold’s stunning Petra photos over the next few days!
Reynold walking through Petra’s dim, narrow gorge, which winds its way approximately 1.2 km and ends at Petra’s most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury). Reynold is a one-man crew, so he must have his camera on the tripod functioning automatically. Some believe that Petra is the fortress where God will hide and protect the remnant during the apocalypse.
Plan to make a donation for “The Champion Centre” in Uganda as I am very interested in helping children who have suffered from such tragedies. God bless Reynold and Kathy as they rise to meet the need. Fantastic photo today. God bless you saints. Praying for the victims in Quebec City.
Amazing photos!! Beautiful Kathy and Reynold!! Thank you so much for your care of the children and youth in Uganda. I would be honoured to send you a love offering to help raise the funds needed for your ministry and challenge all saints reading the blog to do the same. I can’t imagine having to live a life of such pain as what they have endured. Praise God you are helping them find the love and comfort of Jesus! Blessings dear David, Norma-Jean, Ellen, Nizar, and precious saints in the Lord!
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Ps 46:10 ESV
Jesus I Come (Acoustic Version), Elevation Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Af0DqZrSw
Unfortunately, I no longer have the original Streams in the Desert hard cover book with the special greeting at the beginning of each month. When I ordered a soft leather covered version, I was unaware of this change and re-donated the other book. But I share a portion of February 1st as it is so special.
“Today I place a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things.” –Laura A. Barter Snow
“This is from Me,” the Savior said,
As bending low He kissed my brow,
“For One who loves you thus has led.
Just rest in Me, be patient now,
Your Father knows you have need of this,
Though, why perhaps you cannot see–
Grieve not for things you’ve seemed to miss.
The thing I send is best for thee.”
Then, looking through my tears, I plead,
“Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know,
It will not be hard since You do tread,
Each path before me here below.”
And for my good this thing must be,
His grace sufficient for each test.
So still I’ll sing, “Whatever be
God’s way for me is always best.”
Amen! Thank You Lord for softening our emotions when we are upset and teaching us to re-center in You. We are so grateful for Your amazing grace in our lives! Amen!
Thank you for this message. It reminds me of the saying “We make plans and God laughs.” It is easy to get caught up in our own plans instead of seeking God’s.
Amen, Joni!
Thank you Beverlee Kay for that beautiful poem . It was just what I needed to hear today .
Amen!
Thanks David the blog today. God is faithful in upholding His promises. Also, the information on Reynold & Kathy’s Ministry and for the comments by all the bloggers. Thank you, Beverlee, for the reminder from “Streams”…
I love ‘Streams in the Desert”. This phrase “This thing is from me” is found in I Kings 12:24 (KJV)..was such a help to me when something happened years ago and I was so deeply hurt. “Streams” was such a strength for me. Though I didn’t understand all that happened, when I read that God was saying to me, “This ‘thing’ is from ME”…I could accept it, extend forgiveness as I kept my eyes on the Lord and let God accomplish his perfect plan in my life..regardless of other people’s motives. If we love the Lord, then we are “under the umbrella of divine grace” fully protected by God. If things happen in our lives, then God has allowed to accomplish his own eternal purpose in and through us. I learned not to fight it but to see God IN it and surrender. In that same reading of Feb 1, there is a quote, “Life’s disappointments (and might I add, hurts etc) are veiled love’s appointments” – Rev. C.A Fox. The whole page is worth reading.
Praying for a Spiritual Awakening. God promised it – it will happen. We definitely need a great outpouring of God’s Spirit..bringing conviction of sin, forgiveness, deliverance…”Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. Let God, let God Arise!”
Praying for the Muslim Families whose fathers were murdered and others still
recovering from their wounds, all who are traumatized, and a prayer for greater sensitivity of how we think and what we say about others who are different from us.
Praying today for World Embrace, for the Ministry of Reynold & Kathy, and “The Champion Centre”, a safe redemptive place for the children & Youth. I will be helping with a donation.
Praying for so many areas of turbulence in todays world. It just seems that this turbulence is escalating…”the signs of the times” becoming so much more obvious.
It seems the activities of the evil one is escalating. Thus, we continue to put on the whole armour of God and “having done all, to stand. Stand therefore” (Ephesians 6:10-20 “praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit”.
Amen, Pastor Samuel, amen!
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.
Ps 18:6 NIV
Amen! I agree with you in prayer.
What a faithful God we have, as Joshua 21:45 says “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the House of Israel. All came to pass.”
We can trust Him to direct us in all our ways as we lean on Him and not on our own understanding. Lord Jesus help me to lean on you in all me ways, I pray this in Your Name, Amen!!
Agreeing with you in prayer Pastor David!
Yes, spectacular photo’s …thank you Reynold!! Thank you Pastor David for posting them!
The need and ministry of Reynold and Kathy is worth our support, and I plan to do so. May our Lord continue to bless and strengthen them in all they do.
Have blessed day all!