PASSOVER

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 35

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

The Great Sphinx of Giza, commonly referred to as the Sphinx, is a limestone statue of a reclining or couchant sphinx that stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. In today’s reading, King Josiah unwisely decides to pick a fight with an Egyptian Pharaoh.

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

Key Verses: 2 Chronicles 35:1, 22b

Now Josiah kept a Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month….[Josiah] did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.

At 26 years old, King Josiah served God faithfully, following in detail God’s instructions for the celebration of the Passover. This was to be the annual observance for remembering the time when God delivered the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14). No doubt Josiah learned how to do this from the Bible Scrolls which were discovered in the Temple. Josiah, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 34:31, had read aloud the entire book in the hearing of all the leaders of the people. Josiah was obedient to the words he had read.

But when it came to another encounter of the Children of Israel with Egypt, there is no record of Josiah praying for guidance in his decision to engage Pharaoh Necho in war. We can learn from this tragic end to Josiah’s life that we need to add prayer and waiting on God before we make our decisions…waiting on God for His directions. Poor and destructive decisions will result from failure to hear clearly from God. Amazingly, God warned Josiah through the mouth of Necho, but still Josiah stubbornly went into battle.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

O Lord Jesus, teach me to pray as You taught Your disciples (at this point let’s pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” slowly and carefully, found in Luke 11:1-4). Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In thinking about what Josiah did when he was 26, I was reminded of one decision I made at the same age, about which I prayed a great deal. When I felt the “go-ahead” from God, I called Wes Millar, formerly the accountant at Healey Motors in Pembroke (where I had worked when I was 16). Now, 10 years later, Wes was a co-owner of a car dealership in Cornwall, Ontario. Someone had told me that they saw a used school bus on his car lot. After our chat, Wes and his partners decided to donate the bus for our Deep River Sunday School. I was so excited as I went to buy a bus ticket to travel to Cornwall to pick up the bus. As I drove it back, I could see it in my mind’s eye…the bus filled with Sunday School students. That’s what happened! On one side of the bus I painted the words, “TEACH ME THY WAYS, O LORD. PSALM 86:11.” On the other side I put the words, “STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD. 2 TIMOTHY 2:15.” For at least the next three years, that bus ran steadily every Sunday morning from Deep River to Deux Rivieres and back, and in the afternoon to Chalk River and back. Our new little Sunday School in Deep River grew to almost 150 students, and in Chalk River we reached another 50 children. God was in that decision to ask for the bus. He taught us His ways, and we studied His Word. His ways are discovered only through much prayer and complete obedience.

Yours for reading and studying God’s Word, obeying God’s Word, and praying until we are convinced we’ve heard from God concerning decisions which will have far-reaching effects,

David

Me as a young pastor with a bus full of kids!

The Temple of Luxor was originally founded by Pharaoh Amenophis III but altered in later years by Tutankhamun, Horemheb, and Ramses II. At night the temple is illuminated with yellow lights to reveal a golden halo around the ruins and statues.

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

DILIGENCE

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 34

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

An actor from “Nazareth Village” in Nazareth holds a scroll in the synagogue as he depicts Jesus from Luke 4:14-20. Perhaps it was a scroll resembling this one from which young king Josiah read aloud in the hearing of his people, and which produced nation-changing results.

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

Key Verses: 2 Chronicles 34:19, 31

Now it happened that when the king heard the words of the law, that he tore his clothes…Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.

Back in 2 Chronicles 24, we read of the boy king, Joash, who became king at seven years old. He did well as long as he had his teacher present, but then went astray. Now we have an eight-year-old, Josiah, made king. No doubt he also had strong guidance from godly people. Unlike Joash, Josiah stayed true to the God of Israel all his life. It seems reasonable to suggest that finding the lost manuscript of the Bible made all the difference. The turning points of Josiah’s life are as follows: At eight he became king. Josiah would’ve been six when his grandfather, Manasseh, died. Manasseh had turned from God and then returned in repentance. Perhaps Josiah’s grandpa had told him the stories of the tragedies that resulted from ungodly behaviour. At 16 Josiah began to seek the God of King David. At 20 he began to destroy the idols such as the Baals which the people had been worshipping. The northern tribes had been dispersed throughout the world in what is now known as ethnic cleansing, but the remnant who remained came under Josiah’s leadership. At 24 Josiah began to repair the ancient Temple of God built by Solomon. Then comes the words of our key verses.

We need to cherish the Book we are reading together. Many years before the workmen discovered the manuscript of the Bible (probably Deuteronomy), diligent people had spent countless hours copying, by hand, the Words. There were no print shops where copies could be run off. All the effort at copying was rewarded long after the writers had passed on. Do we wonder if we will ever see the fruit of our labours? Don’t lose heart! Rejoice in our sowing of good seed; we can trust God with the reaping of results in His timing.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for determination to serve You well today, leaving the results of my labours up to You and Your timing. Thank You, Father God, for the opportunity to sow seeds which will yield a good harvest. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Twenty-four year old King Josiah tore his clothes to indicate his profound grief at the failure of Israel to keep true to the writings on the scroll which was found hidden in the Temple. The King, himself, read aloud from the Bible in the hearing of all the elders of Israel. I often read the Word of God out loud when it is called for. One of those times was in Regina, Saskatchewan. Dr. Shapiro, a Jewish medical doctor, had, like Josiah, torn his clothes to show extreme grief. I don’t have space to tell the story here. It’s on pages 113 -116 in my book, This Far by Faith. A great turn-around happened in the doctor’s life as a result. I find it interesting that offerings are often the lead-up to blessings. Again and again in our readings, I find the connection between giving and receiving. That has certainly been my personal experience through the years. A New Testament reading on which I’ve just meditated is 2 Corinthians chapter 9 (click here to read with me).

Yours for finding our Bibles and for reading carefully its transformative message daily!

David

Jesus portrayed by an actor entering the synagogue in Nazareth. In this synagogue I take delight during our tours in reading from Isaiah, as Jesus did here in His hometown synagogue.

A 180 DEGREE TURN

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 33

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

An hour’s drive north of the Sea of Galilee is Caesarea Philippi, also known as Banias. Here you can view the remnants of the Temple of Pan. It was here that Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-20). As in today’s reading, here is evidence of the people of God turning to false gods.

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

Key Verses: 2 Chronicles 33:3, 15

For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them…He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the Lord…

Manasseh was just 12 when he was crowned king. His father, Hezekiah, was a man of the true God, but he died, and obviously those around the new boy king exerted a great influence. Not only did Manasseh reintroduce idol worship, he led the people deeply into the occult, practising witchcraft, sorcery, and consulting mediums and spiritists. This list sounds as if it could be lifted from today’s newspapers and magazines. Manasseh worshipped the starry hosts. Does that sound like reading the horoscopes? Ouija boards, fortune telling, and palm reading are prominent in our time. Let us run from such practises into the truth of Jesus, our Saviour and Lord!

Manasseh repented, making a 180 degree turn, but only after he had paid a horrible price. Nevertheless, God is full of mercy, and the latter days of Manasseh’s 55-year reign produced a return to God and God’s blessings upon the people of Judah and Israel. The story of Amon, Manasseh’s son, was a return to evil practises. However, Amon reigned for only two years. For that we can be thankful. How crucial it is for each generation to have its personal encounter with the true God!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for total freedom in my life from any and all influences that come from the “rulers of the darkness of this age.” I run into Your complete protection! Keep me pure in Your sight, Lord Jesus. In Your holy and all-powerful Name I ask, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In tours that Norma-Jean and I have led to Israel, I have spoken at the location of today’s photos regarding the confession Peter made there, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). May I suggest that all of us read Matthew 16:12-23. Could it have been the influence of the spirits inhabiting this shrine that caused Jesus to have to say to Peter shortly thereafter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me.” In order to always think like God thinks, I must be faithful in reading, underlining, meditating and assimilating God’s thoughts, His Word.

Here’s a powerful 100 Huntley Street testimony of a woman who was deeply involved in the occult, as Manasseh was, who found deliverance in Christ (click here for part 1 of the story of Carole Kornacki and click here for part 2).

Yours for turning away from any influence whatsoever from the occult,

David

This was a “high place” in ancient Caesarea Philippi. It was a temple where various gods were worshipped. The main source of the Jordan River flows from under this mountain.

Jesus and His disciples likely walked on these very steps when they visited Caesarea Philippi.

This is a depiction of what the sacred high places in Caesarea Philippi may have looked like at the time of Jesus.

CRY OUT

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 32

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

The biggest stone in the Western Wall of the Temple Mount, often called the Western Stone, is revealed within the tunnel excavations. That stone ranks as one of the heaviest objects ever lifted by human beings without powered machinery. The stone has a length of 13.6 metres (45 ft), height of 3 metres (9.8 ft), and an estimated width of between 3.5 metres (11 ft) and 4.5 metres (15 ft). Estimates place its weight at 570 tons.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 32:20

Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven.

There is a consistent message which runs through the entire Bible: If we choose to stand with the Lord, we cannot lose. The claim has often been made, “God is with us!” However, the more important consideration is, “Are we with God?” Being with God may not always mean success in terms understood by the world around us. Hebrews 11 tells us of many who found victory by suffering and dying for the cause of the Lord. Throughout history, whether to live or die, a person standing with God has been found to be unbeatable.

King Sennacherib was right when he proclaimed that his armies had triumphed everywhere. But he did not know the God of Hezekiah and Isaiah! What a powerful team these two made. The King and the Prophet! They proved that there is more strength in fervent prayer than in weaponry, more power in faith in God than in armies.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, like Hezekiah and Isaiah, I’m praying and crying out to Heaven. The key verse for today and Your response bring great encouragement to me. When Your cause, Your Church, and Your people are mocked and held up to ridicule, I rejoice because I know that the scoffers will return home ashamed, as Sennacherib did. Thank You, Lord, for responding when I pray, and thank You for prayer partners. Like Hezekiah, I’m not alone! I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Many 100 Huntley Street viewers will remember Rev. Norm MacLaren. He led our prayer partners team for many years and would report daily from the prayer phones with news of what was happening on the phones and what God was doing in lives. Norm would give us a Word from God which helped provide courage to continue. Norm now serves with the great “Teen Challenge” ministry, helping to transform lives for time and eternity.

I had known Norm for years before he came on our full-time team. He and his family had told their story of God’s answer to prayer on the telecast when he was a New Brunswick Pastor. Shortly thereafter he was elected to the Board of Directors of Crossroads, where he served for 8 years. Then came a really big battle in the Crossroads ministry. In 1992 we found ourselves facing a large overrun in the costs of building the new Crossroads Centre. I would be in the Chapel crying out to God for His supply very early each morning. Then one morning I found a prayer partner who drove all the way from Kitchener-Waterloo to Burlington. Every morning, Monday through Friday, for several months he joined me in crying out to God in fervent prayer. You guessed it. It was Norm, who was at that time a Pastor of a great church in Kitchener, Ontario. He had big responsibilities in his congregation and he would be back on the job there at the usual time when he would be expected to be at his church, never neglecting his congregation. Like the two in today’s reading, we cried out to Heaven, and the Lord answered from Heaven and gave us a great victory. Thanks Norm for being an Isaiah to this would-be leader. The new building and TV production equipment was all paid for within several years without cutting back on existing outreach ministry television productions, and fresh new soul winning programs were developed. With changes in leadership Crossroads has debt once again and needs your sacrificial help. I’m sure there are blog partners reading this who also prayed and gave sacrificially to God so the ministry would continue strongly. Lorna, our precious and strong leader today, needs your help big time!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! Please forgive me for going way over my 100 words goal.

Yours for finding a prayer partner. Jesus said, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in Heaven” (Matthew 18:19). AMEN!!!

David

The Western Wall Tunnel is an underground tunnel exposing the full length of the Western Wall. The tunnel is adjacent to the Western Wall and is located under buildings of the Old City of Jerusalem. While the open-air portion of the Western Wall is approximately 60 metres (200 ft) long, the majority of its original length is hidden underground. The tunnel allows access to an additional 485 metres (1,591 ft) of the Wall. Since the Temple Mount is controlled by Muslims, these Jewish women are as close as they can get to what was the Holy of Holies.

This photo was also taken in the Western Wall Tunnel and is looking straight down through plexiglass on which visitors can walk. The excavations have gone quite deep.

WHOLEHEARTED

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 31

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

From the region of the Qumran caves in Israel, you can see the Dead Sea with the mountains of Moab in the background. Though the Jordan Rift Valley is one of the most uninhabitable desert locations on earth, there is much agriculture.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 31:21

“And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.”

There were three elements for successful living demonstrated by Hezekiah. (1) He was obedient to God. (2) He sought God. (3) He worked wholeheartedly. These are vital principles for us to follow in order to live successfully as Christians. The word “prosperity” has been distorted in our time by some to mean almost exclusively financial success. Let us not be fooled by those who seek material gain for themselves by manipulating others. The prosperity God offers us may indeed include human comforts here in the west, but primarily God’s prosperity results in peace, contentment, and a joyful heart with or without money and the things it can buy.

Jesus taught us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (click Matthew 6:25-34 to understand what “these things” are). We may want to add to this reading 1 Timothy 6:3-11, and let us serve God WHOLEHEARTEDLY!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, most of all I pray for grace to keep the greatest commandment, which is to love You with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind. Also, Lord, grant that I may keep today the second greatest commandment, which is to love my neighbour as myself. Thank You for helping me to watch for the opportunities to direct my love for You into loving others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

One of my grandchildren, Eric David Mainse, is a leader with Youth for Christ (Youth Unlimited – click here). He graduated from the same school from which I graduated in 1959, a seminary now known as Masters College and Seminary. He showed me one of his assignment papers, for which he received a good grade. It was a sermon based in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17. Although we’ve just passed that reading a few days ago, I thought I’d include a few excerpts from Eric’s sermon for you:

It took a lot of faith for King Jehoshaphat to believe that the words Jahaziel claimed to be from God were true. Jehoshaphat chose to believe. Faith is a choice. If you choose to believe, then don’t hide it. BE BOLD and OBEY!…Jehoshaphat proved himself to be humble before God and showed that he had great humility by bowing his face to the ground in worship along with all of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Once he had heard about the promised victory and chose to believe it, he immediately began to worship…Looking back to verse 15 where it says, “For the battle is not yours, but God’s,” we can see that the real battle is a spiritual one and sending in the worshippers first (verse 21) acknowledged that God was sovereign over their lives and prepared the ground for victory! We must do the same, otherwise we are only fighting on the ‘human level’. Praise and worship tear down strongholds of the enemy.

Thank you, Eric, for giving your Grandpa permission to use your work!

Yours for wholeheartedly supporting the next generation,

David

Panoramic view showing more agriculture in the desert of the Jordan Rift Valley by the Dead Sea.

THE RUNNERS

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 30

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

Arch of Titus in Rome was constructed in 82 AD by the Roman Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus to commemorate Titus’ victory in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Arch of Titus has provided the general model for many of the triumphal arches erected since the 16th century, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 30:26

So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.

Today’s reading is such an encouragement. The sequence of events that resulted in the “joy in Jerusalem” is as follows. (1) Letters were sent to both the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah. They were carried by “runners” who functioned like the town criers who brought the news before newspapers, radio, TV, and the Internet. In New Testament times these newscasters were called evangelists. So those who took the Gospel everywhere and announced the news of Christ were called Evangelists. (2) These “runners” refused to be discouraged in spite of the fact that in some places “they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.” (3) “Many people, a very great congregation, assembled at Jerusalem.” (4) In spite of the compromise with the world, which was very evident in the culture, a powerful remnant of faithful people remained true to the Word of God and followed the lead of the man of God, King Hezekiah. (5) Hezekiah prayed for the people that, in spite of the fact that some people were ignorant of the proper preparation for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur in the present Jewish calendar), the Lord would provide atonement for everyone. This atonement is ours today through the passover sacrifice of Jesus as the final Sacrifice as the Lamb of God.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, please make me a more effective runner with the Good News of the message of Jesus’ passover feast in Jerusalem. As was the case with Hezekiah, I pray that everyone (the whole world for whom Jesus offered His life as the final Sacrifice for atonement) will hear the message and come to know Him as Saviour and Lord. I pray for Crossroads Family of Ministries. May every team member burn with a holy unquenchable flame to bring people to Jesus. May winning souls to Jesus continue to be the #1 priority. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen and Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The greatest example of a true Evangelist to masses of people in our time is Billy Graham. The greatest motivator for personal evangelism in our time is the late Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. In Billy Graham’s appearances on the 100 Huntley Street telecasts, without fail, he turned to the camera and gave an invitation for people to come to Christ. Bill Bright did the same in his appearances with me on television. I took Bill Bright to lunch several times and without fail he witnessed for Christ to the waiter or waitress serving us. I made sure to leave a larger than usual tip in order to underline the love with which Bill spoke of Jesus.

I can never be content to maintain the status quo in ministry. If TV programs, camping ministries, World Expos, etc., in which Crossroads has been involved were not winning souls to Christ, I would become more and more desperate in the fervency of my prayers until I would see results in more people coming to Christ. I pray with all my heart that Crossroads Christian Communications will continue to produce soul-winning telecasts and that the leadership will continue to be filled with a passion for souls until the moment of Christ’s return.

Yours for running with the Good News throughout the world via the TV and internet (check out www.100huntley.com),

David

EARLY

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 29

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

Looking up to the western side of the southwest containment wall of the Temple Mount, you can see protruding from the wall what is now called Robinson’s Arch. This was once a magnificent staircase that led up to the Temple Mount. The two pictures below are from inside a ritual bath just beneath Robinson’s Arch, where pilgrims had to cleanse themselves before entering the Temple Mount.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 29:20

Then King Hezekiah rose EARLY, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord.

Consider the word “EARLY.” Hezekiah had his priorities in order. Abraham, the friend of God, began “EARLY” (recorded 4 times). Moses and the word “EARLY” connect 6 times. Joshua, 5 times, and in the Psalms and Proverbs we are encouraged to be “EARLY” 11 times. In the Gospels (NKJV) the word “EARLY” shows up 9 times. To get to my motivating verse for my 4 a.m. rising time to prepare my heart and mind for the daily blog, I quote to myself frequently from the New International Version, Mark 1:35, “Very EARLY in the morning, while it was yet dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Jesus always lived His life as “Son of man,” not using the fact that He was 100% God to help Himself. I’m convinced that the EARLY time with His Father was the reason He could say, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him” (John 8:29). Like Jesus, we need to wait on God EARLY, if possible, in order to get our instructions for the day. Making notes or journaling as we pray is a very effective way to check up on ourselves. I’ve just given 3 cheers for Hezekiah…Hip Hip Hooray!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for consistency in my appointments with You every morning. Jesus shows me the way to learn how to please You every day. I give myself to You as fully as I know how. I’m listening for Your voice within my spirit just now, then I expect to receive the grace to obey. In the Name of the One who always pleased You, Lord God, Jesus, Himself, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

My son Ron asked if he could write the “100 Personal Words” today with a story of his own. I said Yes:

Hi, Ron here. This is one of my favourite “EARLY” stories about Dad…

When I was a teenager, I was part of our high school basketball team. I remember having to wake up extremely early one morning in order to attend a practice, which our overly zealous coach had scheduled well before the school day began. My teammates and I were far from enthusiastic about having to get our bodies out of bed that early, but that was the only time the gymnasium was available before our big championship game. So I set my alarm for “dark and early.” When the dreaded beeping noise hit my ears, I reluctantly rolled out of bed, got dressed, and tiptoed my way through the dark hallway and down the stairs, being careful not to wake anyone else in the family. However, when I got to the living room, I was surprised to see the lights on and hear someone speaking. When I looked to my left, I saw my Dad kneeling next to the couch with dozens of pieces of paper spread out all over the furniture. I paused long enough to figure out what was going on. Dad was in prayer, weeping and interceding before God on behalf of the many who had written to him as a result of the recently launched 100 Huntley Street daily TV program. He never saw me as I continued tiptoeing out the door and off to my practice. That experience deeply impacted me. It strongly reinforced to my heart the truth of Dad’s genuine passion for God and passion for people. He wasn’t on television because of any ego trip or because he needed a job. He was called by God to share the love of Jesus to a lost and hurting world. He often says, “One soul is worth more than the whole world!”…and he has always lived what he believes. After that, I could think of nothing else I wanted to do with my life than work with my Dad… and I had the privilege of doing that for 30 years. — Ron Mainse

Looking up from the Mikvot (ritual bath), you can see Robinson’s Arch, which was one of the ancient entrances to the Temple Mount. You can see the divider in the stairway to separate those who were unclean from those who came up purified.

ROLLER COASTER RESULTS

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 26-28

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

Looking east through the Valley of Hinnom (also known as the Valley of Gehenna) in Jerusalem. In today’s reading, it is referred to as “The Valley of the Son of Hinnom,” where Ahaz committed evil acts (2 Chronicles 28:3).

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 26:5

He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

The history of Judah is like a roller coaster. Two Kings, Uzziah, and his son Jotham, did what was right. God blessed them and all of Judah. The grandson, Ahaz, did evil when he became king, and we’ve learned by now that when God is not honoured and wanted, He withdraws and the result is disaster. Let’s look more closely at the action and the results. (1) Uzziah “sought the Lord.” Result – “God made him to prosper.” (2) Jotham “prepared his ways before the Lord his God.” Result – “He became mighty.” (3) Ahaz “became increasingly unfaithful to the Lord.” Result – “The ruin of him and all Israel.”

Let us not despair. We expect to meet a truly Godly leader in tomorrow’s reading, Uzziah’s great-grandson, Hezekiah.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, grant grace and wisdom to me that I may influence family members and others in Your ways of doing what is right in Your sight. I pray that I may successfully communicate the fact that You will not force Your blessings on those who, by their free will, turn away from You and from doing what is right in Your sight. Grant Your favour upon us all I pray fervently. In Jesus’ Name I ask these requests, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I have a Bible open beside me as I type, and when I think about it, I’m amazed by some of the stories and people that have made that possible. For example, we rarely hear of Myles Coverdale. He made a complete translation of the Bible into English 76 years before the King James authorized version was published. The impact of Coverdale’s translation on the English language is immense! William Shakespeare quoted approximately 2,500 verses out of this amazing translation in his plays. Shakespeare’s plays were performed in outdoor theatres to hundreds of thousands of people during, and after, his lifetime. Many of these statements have passed into our language without people knowing their source. Of course, there were others, such as William Tyndale and John Wycliffe, who made amazing efforts to get God’s Word to everyone. Before the Latin translation by Jerome was made the official Bible of the Roman Empire, there may have been as many as 200 other languages into which at least part of the Scriptures had been translated and written on sheep’s skin or papyrus. I highly treasure my Bible. For that reason, I’m making this daily blog with the prayer that others, who may not otherwise read the Bible in depth from cover to cover with a measure of understanding, will do so and be blessed! (click here for more information on Myles Coverdale).

Yours for a greater appreciation of our Bibles,

David

P.S. I recorded a video for the special 100 Huntley Street Canada Day live broadcast from Kingston, Ontario [July 1, 2017]. If you’d like to hear what I said, you can watch it HERE.

Looking south from the hills of Samaria in the direction of Jerusalem, which lies just over the horizon.

A LOYAL HEART

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 25

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

Zion Gate is located in the southern part of the Old City. This gate was used by the Israel Defense Forces in 1967 to enter and capture the Old City. The stones surrounding the gate are still pockmarked by weapons fire. This entrance leads to the Jewish and Armenian Quarters.

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

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 25:2

And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.

What can we learn from King Amaziah? Loyalty to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and loyalty one to another as fellow believers in Christ is so very important. This could be described as true friendship. Loyalty says, “You can count on me to be true to you, to be there for you, to do my best to serve you in good times and bad, in sickness and in health.” This is sounding like the marriage vows. Well…maybe that’s not far off. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25-27 that we men are to love our wives as Christ loved the Church. According to the book called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” there are three kinds of believers in the church: hot, cold, and lukewarm. Revelation 3:14-22 would be a good New Testament reading for today.

Even after his initial disobedience, God gave Amaziah other chances. He sent a prophet to him and Amaziah listened to him, but he soon fell away again. As we read this, God may be calling us to repentance once again. Let’s hear His voice and obey!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, Your Son and my Saviour, Jesus Christ, modelled true loyalty. I pray for that kind of 100% loyalty to You and to all those to whom I’ve given my word of commitment. Please forgive me for those times when my love for You and others is less than hot (lukewarm). I repent and trust You for the fire of Your Spirit to burn white hot within me every day. In Jesus’ Name I ask for the blessing of true loyalty, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Through the years I’ve trusted God for the blessing of loyalty. Loyalty works both ways. I am loyal to God, to my family, to my church, to my community, to my country, and also to my blog readers. Yes, that’s you I’m writing about! You are in my heart as my new extended family. I’m so very thankful to God for you. I want the very best for you. I pray by name from time to time for all who respond to this blog in writing in the same way I pray for my family members, for the leaders of the Crossroads ministry, for my neighbours of the last 60 years. It always amazes me how I can remember names when I pray. I believe God brings names to my mind. Of course, when I say those names before God my memories stay fresh.

I ask for the prayers of all who read this blog…for me, my family, and for the Crossroads ministry team members in particular.

Yours for the fire of the Holy Spirit within us, keeping us “HOT” with a loyal heart!

David

Just outside the Zion Gate, the Lion of Judah is symbolized on the Jerusalem flag.

ROCK SOLID

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 24

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

The hill of Golgotha, next to The Garden Tomb. The Cross of Christ and the empty tomb are the solid bedrock of our faith! (John 19:41; Matthew 27:59-60). The north face of a Mt. Moriah quarry has the appearance of a skull, if one uses his or her imagination. The stones used in the Temple construction probably came from this quarry.

Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 24:2

Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

Yes, as long as Joash had the powerful influence of Jehoiada, he did well, but when Jehoiada was gone, he was like a ship without an anchor. He moved with the next wind that blew. The new influences moved him away from God to introduce idolatry back into Judah.

What more could Jehoiada have done to cause King Joash to be unmovable in his faith and service to the true God? Perhaps Jehoiada kept control for too long. After all, he had ruled as regent while Joash was still a child. Let us who are in the older generation be sensitive to the next generation. In wisdom, let us know when to back off our authority, using our influence wisely, so that those who follow us will become strong in their own relationship with God.

Jesus said that the wise man built his house on a rock (Matthew 7:24-27). It seems that Joash had built upon shifting sand.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I need to understand in a greater way that You, and You alone, are my solid Rock! By Your grace I pray that I will build my life on You, not being moved off my foundation by the floods of the current opinions of those who would push me away from You. Also, please let me know how and when to use my influence, so that those who follow after me will not be so dependent upon me that they will not be strong in You themselves. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Today is “Independence Day” in the United States. The time came when the leaders of 13 of the colonies of the United Kingdom had to stand on their own, not being ruled by King George III and the government across the Atlantic. The Americans had a faith in the God of their fathers and honoured Him in strong statements of their faith, which are found in the documents of the new republic. It was obviously important for these colonies to take a stand. The result is there for all to see. Happy 4th of July to my American blog readers. There is a book I’ve read more than once called, “The Light and the Glory” by Peter Marshall Jr. and David Manuel. To any who want to know the true history of the United States before the historical revisionists wrote their books, this is the one! (click here for information on getting this excellent book).

In 1982, Crossroads produced video segments honouring the United States and highlighting their Christian roots (click here for a sample of our efforts).

Yours for a strong Rock-solid foundation on which to build our lives and our countries,

David

The signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776. The Founding Fathers of the United States believed that their reading of the Bible gave them the right to resist tyranny. They had a “Rock solid” conviction that they had the blessing of God.