THE MANY AND THE FEW
Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 14
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 an Akkadian cuneiform writing clay tablet piece and is the oldest document to mention Jerusalem. It was discovered in the south wall area of the Old City of Jerusalem and is dated at 14th century BC.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 14:6b
For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, as I read these words and pause often to worship You, I’m conscious that I’m partaking of the sweetness of Your provision for me. Like Jonathan, my countenance has brightened. I pray that this energy level will continue in order that I may “fight the good fight of faith,” as I read in 1 Timothy 6:11-16. In Jesus’ conquering Name I pray, Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
In selecting the key verse for today, I thought of God’s provision over the years for the financial well-being of the Crossroads ministry. Sometimes God has used the many and sometimes the few. Without the participation of thousands of precious partners, this ministry, that has brought many to a saving knowledge of Jesus, would have shut down years ago. But the Lord has also used the few. Our former bank manager at the TD bank in downtown Toronto (gone to be with the Lord in Heaven now) knew our need the day that our lighting package for the new TV production studios arrived. I needed cash in order to have the shipment released. A line of credit had not been authorized. One of the “few,” whose name I do not know, sent through $50,000 directly to the bank, telling the manager that he could arrange a charitable giving receipt, but that I was not to know who it was that gave this money. The only information I was given was that it was someone from Ottawa who did not know of the need to pay for the shipment that very day but felt led of God to transfer the money. There are few who could give such a gift. Perhaps you are one of the few. We should perhaps read on in 1Timothy 6:17-19. One thing I’ve learned is that God uses BOTH the MANY and the FEW to support His work. When we sold the farm in which Norma-Jean, my wife, was born, we got to be one of “the few” one time, but every month we are one of “the many” that keep the ministry winning spiritual battles every day. That monthly offering, and the offerings of many more, are absolutely essential to the great cause to which God has called Crossroads. More of “the few” and more of “the many” would also be a big help right now. God is leading the Ministry in new initiatives for the Gospel that need us all to take up the challenge of giving sacrificially. The funds are not just sitting there in the bank doing nothing for Jesus! Crossroads continues to be a faith ministry. Please pray asking God for His instructions (click here for giving instructions).
Yours to encourage us all to be “the many” and some of us to be “the few,”
David
P.S. My granddaughter Elena has a beautiful baby girl named Chelsea (below is a photo of her at two years old). A few years back, 100 Huntley Street did a feature on the amazing story of how Bruce & Elaine Stacey adopted Elena and her brother Alex from an orphanage in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Click here for the video.
Our great-granddaughter, Chelsea Gilmour, and her birthday buddy!
Watched the video again–wonderful!! Thank you Elaine and Bruce Stacey for being such wonderful role models for others to follow. What a beautiful family you have and how great is our God, indeed! We worship You, our Heavenly King, Prince of Peace, Lord Adonai. To You, we give our thanks and praise! May His light shine within you, today, blessed saints in the Lord! For oh, how He loves you, so!!
Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
Leviticus 20:8 ESV
Worthy is the Lamb with Lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYnCVk76L_s
P.S. The Lord bless you and keep you, Elena, and your beautiful daughter, Chelsea!! ????
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
“There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them.”
The Place of Help, 1032 L
Amen Beverlee!
Wonderful story of the adoption of Elena, and her brother and now the birth of Chelsea. God bless all of you, including your husband and Bruce and Elaine.
Thank you Beverlee for your postings!
Another good quote by Dr. Jim Denison who is visiting Israel now with a group he is guiding:
“When we pray for the lost to come to Christ, meet physical needs to meet spiritual needs, share our faith story, and seek to persuade lost people to trust in Jesus, we are giving them literally the greatest gift in the world.
If you possessed a cure for all death, wouldn’t you be obligated and inspired to share it with every dying person you could?”
How beautiful is little Chelsea. Thank you Lord for bringing her into a family that serves our heavenly Father. Praying Chelsea and all children will “learn more about Jesus’ teachings from being in her parents presence, and in the presence of her visitors, than from well-intended efforts at direct teaching.” Amen.
May God give Crossroads the funds they need to keep 100 Huntley St. programming going as long as needed. Amen.
God bless all saints now and forever.
Amen Lynda!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Verse Concepts
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
She was a beautiful little girl in that pic and no doubt still is.Children are the 2nd greatest gift.My fears were allayed when I first laid eyes on my newly born adopted son at the HFX airport.I fell hopelessly in love with him.(Unknowingly then,this was the answer to a very fervent prayer,on my knees,long before I was even going to church.)
God should have said:”Don’t do as your neighbour does but do in your life as my laws guide you’.His laws are in us for us to follow.
I am on the final pages of Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby,a book that could have been written by Pastor David and one I’m sure he would have approved.One of the best I’ve ever read.Their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/blackabyministries/
God bless
2 Corinthians 5:17
Verse Concepts
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
She was a beautiful little girl in that pic and no doubt still is.Children are the 2nd greatest gift.My fears were allayed when I first laid eyes on my newly born adopted son at the HFX airport.I fell hopelessly in love with him.(Unknowingly then,this was the answer to a very fervent prayer,on my knees,long before I was even going to church.)
God should have said:”Don’t do as your neighbour does but do in your life as my laws guide you’.His laws are in us for us to follow.
I am on the final pages of Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby,a book that could have been written by Pastor David and one I’m sure he would have approved.One of the best I’ve ever read.Their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/blackabyministries/
God bless
The Borders Of Faith
Oh Lord,do You seek me out,
That I might be the breath You shout,
Though I might bear a sinner’s doubt,
Your call will find one so devout.
Your word speaks of those who served,
Ancient servants of doubtful minds,
Weak in faith who became unnerved
Until your whisper,the soul reminds.
I will bide,You’re in control
And You will summon this servant,
Then I will find praise to extol
And serve You in love so fervent.
It is then I’ll come to know,
Words that will come on high with wings,
Where past the borders of faith grow
The harvest for the King of kings.
G W (Bill) Marshall / September 06, 2013
Amen William, your poems always meaningful!
Great prayer by David;; also the picture of lovely Chelsea; Praise the Lord for Bruce and Elaine for their tender hearts and obedience to the LORD’s call. What a wonderful gift ti Elena Alex!
I pray for the financial need 100HuntlyStreet Ministries; A ministry blessed of the Lord! that both Few and Many would respond to the need!
Bless you on this day of the Lord all you Saints!
Beautiful child & story. We have 2 adopted children also in our family. One from Cambodia (born 3 months premature & now a wonderful young man who a good job in Calgary) & one Canadian Native from Northern Ontario, also an early birth child! He is a wonderful, caring person & we are proud of him. Thank You Lord.
God bless you Doreen, TY for sharing….I used to do Foster Care for children in the system; it was a way for my children to get to know other children and back then I took everyone to church and Sunday School and they all joined choir, it was great fun, it was sad sometimes but I did this for 10 years and when a child contacts you after 15 years on living their own life and they say they had a good time when they lived with us and they remembered their prayers….it makes me say Thank You Lord for that time in their lives; I believe I learned from them and I do believe they felt the love from me and my family, again I say ;`THANK YOU LORD….
Blessings to all….
Bless you Doreen, thanks for sharing that wonderful story !!
if anyone who deal with mental illness and you may be feeling very “different” right now; I just heard that from Feb 20 to March 20 the sun and the moon have been in a different place in the planets and there is a name for this time of year, it’s about 20 letters long; BUT if you have felt like sleeping more, maybe even more depressed, it is not your imagination; you will begin to feel much better and this “thing” won’t be around for another 30 years….so……sleep well, pray well, be well, be thankful; love others as God has loved you, forgive others as we have been forgiven; enjoy your life, may God bless our families IN Jesus Name we Pray amen