LOST AND FOUND
Today’s Reading: Luke 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 on the right-hand side).
Near Tabgha Beach, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, stands the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter. This square building of black basalt, built in 1934, is where Jesus is believed to have made a third appearance to His disciples after His Resurrection. As the event is described in the 21st chapter of John’s Gospel, Peter and six other disciples had been fishing all night without catching anything. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, though they did not recognize Him. Jesus told the disciples to cast their net on the right side of the boat and the net filled with 153 fish. When the disciples dragged the net ashore, they found that Jesus had cooked them breakfast on a charcoal fire. The rock incorporated in the church floor is traditionally believed to be the place where Jesus prepared breakfast. It was known to medieval pilgrims as Mensa Christ (the table of Christ). Numbers are very significant to people who know Hebrew. The number 153 translates into “Ana Elohim.” “I am God!”
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: Luke 15:4-5
What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it, and when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
The lost sheep! The lost coin! The lost son! Do we get it? Our reading finishes with the story of the lost rich man, his lost brothers, and the salvation of the beggar Lazarus. Jesus really cares about lost people. We must recognize the infinite value of one precious person. If we want to be like Jesus, there is no other way than to focus our attention on finding the lost and bringing them to our Father in Heaven. Do we look for the prodigal as the father did in the story, or do we betray an essential selfishness like the older brother who had been faithful but uncaring for his lost brother? Chapter 16 introduces money into the mix. Giving time is equal to giving money. We need to do both!!! Are our priorities right before God and before people?
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, in today’s reading, You are getting through to me. There are lost souls all around me. Help me to bring the lost back home to You today and every day. Help me, and help my church and the ministries I support, to constantly find opportunities to reach out to those lost in the maze of man-made philosophies, self-centred goals, and all the traps set by the enemy of our souls. I pray this, determined to look for the lost, in Your Name, Lord Jesus. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
One tool that the Crossroads ministry has used to find the lost and bring them to Jesus has been to encourage Christian pavilions at World Expos. The last Expo in which we were involved was Germany’s first…Expo 2000 in Hanover. The great fish, sketched out on the dining room table of our home, designed by architect Rob Adsett of Australia and pictured below, was voted the “Icon of the Expo” by the German people. The content of the pavilion in Hanover, Germany, was a movie based on the story of the prodigal son and the story of Jonah, written and produced by Bruce Stacey. Out of the millions who visited the pavilions in four Expos, at least 100,000 lost souls were found and brought home to our Father God. Names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, were recorded. They signed up for a Bible correspondence course and they were followed up by Scripture Union and churches around the world. I’ve learned that while these great efforts are important, they are not to be considered a substitute for my personal, one-to-one, soul winning.
Yours for finding lost people and bringing them home with us,
David
P.S. For several days now I’ve been writing here about the reliability of the Scriptures. Yesterday I referenced Tacitus, a primary historian of the Roman Empire (Annals 15:44). Today it’s Josephus, the most prominent Jewish historian. Josephus writes of James, whom we know as “the brother of our Lord” and author of the epistle of James. Josephus tells us of a trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin of “a man named James, the brother of Jesus who was called the Christ” (Antiquities 20:198-202).
“The Pavilion of Hope” at Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany, was shaped like a “great fish.” This design was first sketched out on our dining room table by our Australian architect friend. His skills were evident at three World Expos, as well as in the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario. The German people voted to keep this as a symbol of Expo 2000 and the icon of the Expo. Today it serves as the offices for World Vision Germany.
Such an amazing witness to the world (Pavilion of Promise) and the follow up of each person who requested it. I will bring the “fish building” to the attention of some family members here in Ontario who work @ World Vision Canada – they would be interested in knowing the Fish houses one of their offices! EVERY LIFE MATTERS is really emphasized in today’s reading. Blessings all.
Amen
Yes, Amen, Doreen
Thank You, Father, for loving us and looking out for us -and for others! Help people the world over to come to their senses and return to You. Help each one of Your children to have loving hearts for You and for those around us. Thank You, Lord, that Your Word is going out – may it keep going out through all of us. In Jesus’s name, amen
Amen Rob.
Amen
Agreeing with your prayer, Rob
Amen!
Amen Rob
It is pleasing that it is used for godly purposes.
“…here will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
“…there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
What Do We Take
What do we take when we go
And leave this nursery here below,
Do we take a bank account
To what would that amount?
We take happiness and love,
For that is all there is above
There will be no pain or hate
When we’re through Heaven’s gate.
There’ll be not one single tear,
Nor any danger or evil to fear,
And envy’s lies will not be near,
Nor sorrows cries will we hear.
All our hopes and dreams stay
With the things we give away,
For once we leave this place
We’ll gaze upon His holy face.
G W (Bill) Marshall /17.10.2011
Amen William
Amen
Thank you William for sharing, “Praise Jesus, we will see His face”
Amen William
Marilyn Busse,re your knee surgery:I had both knees replaced 3 years ago,Jan 30,2017 and Dec 6,2017.They had me up standing the same day and discharged in 2 days.I live alone and had to do everything myself.Some friends brought 2-3 meals and I had in-home therapy once a week until I could drive to therapy 3 times a week.Make sure you take your pain meds well before therapy so ‘you can do’ your therapy,regardless of if you are in pain then.I did not at first and suffered later….and do your exercises faithfully.Some people have hardly any pain,our senior deacon was 80 when he had one knee done and did extremely well.
FYI.A lady cut me off at a stop sign and caused my bike to fall when I hit the break.My ‘newest knee’ hit the asphalt and was only bruised so the knees are very strong.God bless
…
I just want to take the time to thank those people who responded to my prayer request thank you from the bottom of my heart your prayers and thoughts are greatly appreciated and to William thank you for your insight to to your experience I too am having both knees done but like I said the left will be in October and the the right will be done sometime in in the future so thank you so much for your insight and and for sharing your experience it is gracefully appreciated William God bless and thank you
Marilyn: That was very good advise you had from William about meds and exercise. A friend of mine didn’t do her exercises like she should have, she had a lot of trouble because of this.
Praying that everything will go well with you during the surgery. May the Lord Bless you and keep you in His care.
Eleanor M.
Yes, Amen, Eleanor M., may it be so, in Jesus Name, I pray, Amen!
Amen In Jesus Name be with our sister.
Interesting blog and replies today. Thank you. Thinking of you today Beverlee. Trust you are alright. Had a sinus attack yesterday so didn’t get to church but discovered that one Benadryl pill cleared it up. The change in temperature brings this on. God sees us as He did Hagar in the desert, has compassion and helps us. Praise His Name! Please pray for a step niece of mine who has recently lost her young boys due to marriage problems and needs to come to the Lord. God bless you. Yes, we need to be seeking the lost as David said. Thank you Ron for keeping this blog alive!
Lord Jesus, I pray for Your intervention in this situation, that it be resolved, with compassion, and love, so that the children will be returned to their mother, thank you Jesus, Amen!
I pray for peace of mind and heart for Ger’s step niece in Jesus Name.
Agreeing in prayer for Ger’s step niece and her family’s situation. I pray that she will turn to the Lord for help and that He will intervene and restore their relationship.
Praying also for Marilyn as she goes for knee surgery. May the surgery be a complete success and may the recovery be quick.
We miss you, Beverlee . Praying all is well with you! 🙏
Agreeing with Luisa in prayer for Marilyn and Beverlee!
Yes agreeing for all the prayer requests
In Jesus Name.
My niece got married on Saturday and it was a blessed time.
Thank you God and my Blog friends for praying.
“If we could push ajar the gates of life,
And stand within, and all God’s working see,
We might interpret all this doubt and strife,
And for each mystery could find the key.
But not today. Then be content, dear heart;
God’s plans, like lilies pure and white, unfold.
We must not tear the lose-shut leaves apart___
Time will someday reveal the blooms of gold.
And if, through patient toil, we reach the land
Where tired feet, with sandals loosed, may rest,
When we shall clearly know and understand,
I think that we will say, “God knew best.”
taken from
Streams in the Desert
Great photo of St. Peter’s church; David’s prayer, David’s 100 Personal Words!
scripture lesson; everyone matters, especially the lost.
Thank you Mainse family for this daily bread.
Amen
Prayer request for a workmate, Malene who has become such a dear friend over the years. She fell from a ladder hitting her head. Airlifted to hospital and underwent immediate surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain. The doctor’s prognosis is not good but we serve a miracle working God. Thank you for holding Malene and her family before God.
Agreeing with Charlene’s prayer for complete and quick recovery, for Malene; I pray for wisdom for those attending to her that nothing will be done that should not be done; I pray for the Lord’s intervention for a miracle; nothing is impossible with God, I pray this in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen and Amen!!
Amen, Irene. Praying along with you for Malene.
Thank you for your prayers. So appreciated. I will provide updates