RESTORATION
Today’s Reading: Judges 16
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Tel Lachish National Park. According to the Bible, the Israelites captured and destroyed Lachish for joining the league against the Gibeonites (Joshua 10:31-33), but its territory was later assigned to the tribe of Judah (15:39) and became a part of the Kingdom of Israel. In this picture you see an ancient wall of the Commander’s palace that has been excavated.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Judges 16:20
And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
Here is a very sad verse. A mighty champion of God has compromised himself. He has let down the standards with which he was raised and conducted himself in a way that would guarantee shame for him, his people, and most of all, his God. Here is a man who was unaware that the Lord was no longer with him. Defeat was inevitable. During his humiliating imprisonment, doing a job that an ox would normally do, he repented to God. That most often repeated verse in the Bible, “His mercy endures forever,” took hold. God restored His supernatural strength in Sampson once more.
If we wonder where God’s strength has gone from our lives, just look back and almost always we’ll find a time when we departed from Him. He did not leave us or forsake us; we forsook Him by going our own way. He’s always there waiting for us to return. The word, “repent” means, “turn around with sorrow for our disobedience.” Let us return to the crossroads where we went our own way, ask forgiveness, and make a new start.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You always did the will of Your Father. According to Your promise, You live in me. Therefore, I pray with confidence, believing that You are leading me in the way I should go. Keep me by Your grace on the straight and narrow path of consistent Christian living. In Your Name, Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
As a teen I heard a preacher who entitled his sermon, “A haircut in the devil’s barber shop.” From the time I was a small child I knew the story that was coming. I would feel so sad for God, for Samson, and for all the people. And yet there was hope. I knew that with repentance, God would restore that which was lost.
A letter from several years ago stands out in my memory. A preacher from New Brunswick had turned away from God, left his calling, and gone into a life of rebellion against God. He may have had his reasons, but the letter did not tell that story. What it did tell was that one day, while watching the 100 Huntley Street telecast, God’s Spirit overwhelmed this old preacher, and he cried out in repentance and was restored to God. The next week, the preacher went to his ungodly son and asked his forgiveness for failing to live a consistent Christian life. His son forgave his Dad and together they prayed. The son came to faith in Christ. One week later, the son was killed in a car accident. I marvel at the grace of God. God knew of the son’s impending death. He brought Dad back to Himself just in time. Truly, God’s “mercy endures forever.”
Yours in celebration of God’s unfailing love,
David
Further excavations in ancient Lachish reveal many rooms.
May God grant us all patience, peace, grace and mercy!
very interesting on the Dr. Oz show; doctors spoke of how prayer is so very important in the operating room! He shared how many doctors have read the Scripture when Jesus called Lazarus. He spoke of how doctors call out in “Jesus Name” to help a patient to wake up after surgery……
so appreciated the poem on Love (yesterday) very nice…..
praying that everyone’s health is good! warm weather is on the way!
pray for our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family! It is quite a job to govern a country! pray that God gives him wisdom in dealing with other countries and with issues in our own country!
P.S. I also enjoy the pictures on this blog!
Amen! Sah.
Yes, Amen Sah!
Thank You, Lord, for Your loving mercy and grace. When we fall, and come back to You with repentance in our hearts, You forgive us. When we call to You for help and submit to You, You open new doors for us to go through. Oh, God’s mercy endures forever. Today’s story of Sampson is so important for us to grasp. Thank you, David, for your wonderful message and prayer. Praying for healing of your pain, comfort and peace. Know how very much we love you. Blessings fellow saints in the Lord.
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Ps 136:1 NKJV
My Tribute (To God Be The Glory) – Andrae Crouch & All Star Choir –WOW!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RZTYDPavEY
My Utmost for His Highest, February 15:
“”You shall be witnesses to Me…” (Acts 1:8). How many of us are willing to spend every bit of our nervous, mental, moral, and spiritual energy for Jesus Christ? That is what God means when He uses the word witness. But it takes time, so be patient with yourself. Why has God left us on the earth? Is it simply to be saved and sanctified? No, it is to be at work in service to Him. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured-out wine for Him? Am I willing to be of no value to this age or this life except for one purpose and one alone— to be used to disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life of service to God is the way I say “thank you” to Him for His inexpressibly wonderful salvation. Remember, it is quite possible for God to set any of us aside if we refuse to be of service to Him— “…lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).”
You are the epitome of this, David Mainse–and we thank you!
Hi Beverlee. Your comments “broken bread and poured-out wine” reminded me of one of my favourite songs in our Song Book that I sing in my commitment to the Lord and truly believe in the depth of my heart: Here are the verses:
“My life must be Christ’s broken bread,
My love His outpoured wine,
A cup o’erfilled, a table spread
Beneath His Name and sign.
That other souls refreshed and fed,
May share His life through mine.
My all is in the Master’s hands
For Him to bless and break:
Beyond the brook His winepress stands,
And thence my way I take,
Resolved the whole of love’s demands,
To give, for His dear sake.
Lord, let me share that grace of thine
Wherewith Thou didst sustain
The burden of the fruitful vine,
The gift of buried grain.
Who dies with Thee, O Word Divine,
Shall rise and live again.”
Author, Albert Orsborn
Such a powerful song!
Amen, Pastor Samuel! Thank you for sharing that song! I have the book Pebbles from the Brink to send you, if you can relay your contact info, I will get it to you.
Yes, Amen “To God be the Glory”!!
Yes, very good posting and apt story today David. Thank God Samson saw his need of repentance to God. We need to pray for the Motion 103 which is being voted on tomorrow. And please pray for me as I am in a battle because I believe in the Trinity. God bless you saints!
Lord Jesus I lift up Ger’s hands in Your Name, that she be strengthened in you to stand tall in her convictions, for the truth!!! thank you Jesus. Amen!!
Calling out for protection of angels for you, Ger, which you always have–BELIEVE, dear sister-in-Christ!
MOTION 103 facebook petition:
http://citizengo.org/en-ca/pc/41042-stop-speech-restrictive-anti-blasphemy-motion-103?m=5
Thank you, Beverlee for putting this link on the blog!
We owe it to our children! Please sign everybody! We need to be a voice!
Love that song Beverlee and have sung it in a few places!
Amen, Ger! I could see you singing it, too! It is full of such deep passion!!
Amen Sah!
My husband came off the ventilator on Monday afternoon, and was moved out of I.CU. on Tuesday, he still is not talking any fluids by mouth, but is fed by tube at present. He has been up sitting in a chair, maybe today he will take a few steps!!
Please pray that he will be able to swallow properly and can go on fluids and then solids by mouth.
My surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday, at 12:30 p.m.
Thank you all for your prayers, Mary, may God richly bless you all.
My mother had a favourite poem, part of which is:
Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttle cease to fly,
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why
The dark clouds are as neadful, in the weavers skilful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver, in the pattern He has planned.
Looking forward to the threads of gold and silver.
Also the poem goes on to say we see the underside,
He see the beautiful pattern!!
Continue to lift you and your husband in prayer. Definitely in my thoughts. Good news that your husband is out of ICU and sitting up. May recovery continue step by step. Blessings and encouragement as you undergo surgery next Wednesday.
Part of the poem you quoted is titled,
“The Divine Weaver”. Love it.
“My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me;
I cannot choose the colours He worketh steadily.
Oftimes He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride,
Forget that He seeth the upper and I the under side.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skillful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.”
Author Unknown.
Thank you for this message of hope amidst the darkness . Thank you God for healing of pain and disease .
Thank you Rev. David Maines for your faithfulness and commitment.you are always so “real “.your stories of your life inspire me so much.
I thank God for you and your precious Queen Norma Jean whom I always enjoyed on 100 Huntley …..especially the singing and playing piano .
May God. Bless you in every way abundantly along with special sons and daughters and their children .
What a blessing to see our children’s children growing in the Lord.
Your blog is always there for me ‘refreshing every morning ‘.
With love margarethe
Prayer for you Sah.
Oh but for the Grace of God, there go I.
Joined in prayer with you Pastor David.
Yes Lord Jesus, You live in me; and I believe your word: Ps. 23:1-3 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.
Lord Jesus I pray, keep me on the paths of righteousness. Amen and Amen!!
Prov. 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”. 3:7-8 Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to you navel,m and marrow to your bones.”
Thank You Jesus!!!
Thank you Irene and Beverlee for your prayers and for all the inspiring poems and scriptures today dear saints. Prayers also for your husband Mary and you and our government and Motion 103.