Monday, May 20, 2019

RELIGION AND TRUTH

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 15-16

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

 

In Rome stands a national monument known as the Altar of the Fatherland, honouring Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. It is a very impressive sight to see. As in today’s reading, the kings of history come and go, but not the King of Kings. He remains forever!

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

 

Key Verse: 2 Kings 16:14

He also brought the bronze altar which was before the Lord, from the front of the temple–from between the new altar and the house of the Lord–and put it on the north side of the new altar.

King Ahaz of Judah made slight changes in the pattern of worship in the Temple of Solomon, as our key verse shows. He was impressed by an altar he saw in Damascus, and brought the design home with him to Jerusalem. Through the centuries, customs, patterns, and traditions have developed which may be useful in the worship of God, or may be distractions leading us away from God. Jesus, Himself, participated fully in the worship at the Jerusalem Temple, and while the Temple is no more, the customs, liturgies, etc., live on, after a fashion, in churches today. These traditions were brought into Christian practices by Jewish priests who became followers of Jesus (Acts 6:7). These priests were scattered over the world by the persecutions in Jerusalem and the destruction of Herod’s Temple in 70 A.D. They brought their robes and temple liturgies right into their Christian gatherings as we would expect, as the early Christians were almost all Jews.

Just as in the times of Ahaz, and much later in the times of the Apostle Peter, and in our day also, there are those who mess with the truth of God, turning people away from the true worship of God. Please, please let us not start another denomination or another congregation unaffiliated with an existing fellowship of churches. Let us seek the widest possible connection of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We may want to think about the words of 2 Peter 2:1-22. Don’t be discouraged. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I pray for a daily illumination of Truth from the Scriptures I am reading. Grant that I may always find Your Person revealed clearly to my understanding. Keep me true to You in my thoughts, words, and deeds. In Your Name I ask these mercies, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I mentioned yesterday that I would tell the story of what happened to my Arab son-in-law, Nizar Shaheen, in Gath Hepher, modern day Mishad, the ancestral home of the prophet Jonah. Today it is a Muslim village, located between Nazareth and Cana.

Nizar’s brothers are stone masons from Cana and are much in demand. Nizar was a student at the University of Haifa while his oldest brother had the contract to build a new mosque in Mishad. While helping his brother, Nizar fell from the top of the mosque and should’ve been killed. He said that he felt that he was being turned as he fell, by unseen hands. He landed on his hands and feet in the only place on the ground which was clear of stones and pieces of steel bars. His brothers loaded him in the back seat of their car and rushed him to the hospital in Nazareth. As he went he says that he heard a voice speaking to him saying, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are Mine.” He was unaware at the time that these were words from Isaiah 43:1. This was one of the major factors in Nizar’s decision to become a believer in Jesus Christ.

Check out the ministry of “Light for all Nations.” Nizar and his wife, my daughter Ellen, and their team are reaching the entire Arabic-speaking world with the message of Jesus (click here).

Yours for following Jesus more closely than ever,

David

Inside Rome’s Altar of the Fatherland is another altar that appears to be a small walk-by chapel.

 

20 thoughts on “Monday, May 20, 2019

  1. Amen for God’s hands on and the voice of the Holy Spirit to Nizar!! Amen for the work He has done through him! A missions trip to Lebanon and Syria in August 2019–wow! Also watched the first Day 2 Day video–excellent!! Thanks so much for the link! So happy to have Elaine and Bruce Stacey lead worship at Wesley Acres, yesterday morning. So enjoyed it!! God’s blessings on fellow saints, today. May His light and love shine through you!

    For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
    Psalm 33:4 NIV

    So Will I (100 Billion X) – Hillsong Worship
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfVd5x9W1Xc

    • “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 NIV

      “It is a message for those who oppose and persecute. Have you prayed for those who did you an injustice? Have you prayed for those who oppose you? I urge you to pray and wait to see what the Lord will do. He will break all the bones. Open doors and change hearts. And they will come to know Jesus Christ. The jailer asked, what must I do to be saved?… Call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved.”

    • Thank you, Nan. It is always nice to hear your loving voice. ❤

      Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
      Psalm 34:3 ESV

  2. Yes, Nizar is doing a great work! Could not access The Power of Prayer as said it was not a secure site. Always enjoy reading Nizar’s amazing testimony of salvation. Am rejoicing of some victories as saw some family members come out to a Gospel Sing and church on Sunday. Thanks Beverlee for your posts! Blessings everyone!

  3. Saints, would you pray for my sister Sylvia who has MS and is now in the hospital with pneumonia. Thank you and God bless you.

    • We pray to you, our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and to the sanctity of the Holy Spirit for Ger’s dear sister, Sylvia. Lord God, we place her in Your care to heal her pneumonia and ask You to work through the hands of the doctors and nurses in hospital. Thank You God, for getting her to the place where she needs to be for rest and medical care. Give her strength to continue to battle the MS. Give comfort to our dear sister-in-Christ, Ger, and take away her worry, Lord. For we trust Sylvia will be taken care of by Your love and grace. In Jesus’ precious Name, we pray. Amen, amen, and amen.

        • Yes dear Lord! We entrust Sylvia to your loving care. Give guidance and wisdom to those who are looking after her health. Strengthen her physically and spiritually. Clear her lungs that she will be able to breath freely and remove every trace of the pneumonia from her body.

          Encourage our dear sister Ger and give her that peace that comes only from you! We rejoice with her that some family members attended a place of worship. May Your Holy Spirit continue to minister to them and bring them to the knowledge of Your Saving Grace! Amen!

  4. PRAISE God for the ministry of Nizar and Ellen’ May God continue to bless them and strengthen and encourage them always!

    I have attended their fund raising banquets; and appreciated hearing all the Lord is doing through their ministry.

    always good to receive this blog, including blogger comments; thank you!

  5. Dear Lord, may Your Presence be felt by Sylvia as she receives treatment in hospital and may healing & strengthening take place. Bless Ger & encourage her as well. Amen

  6. Thank you Luisa, Irene and Doreen for your loving concern and prayers. May God bless you and will keep you informed.

  7. Lord we pray for healing for Sylvia! TY Lord!
    Lord we pray for a financial windfall to happen; to enable us to clear debts;help family;invest some,spend time serving others;
    Lord we pray for good neighbours; we pray You will enter the hearts of the neighbours and that they would be kind; respectful;
    We thank You Lord in Jesus Name we Pray amen

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