WISDOM

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 3-4

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

Zedekiah’s Cave, also known as King Solomon’s Quarries, is a 5-acre underground limestone quarry that runs the length of five city blocks under the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was carved over a period of several thousand years and is a remnant of the largest quarry in Jerusalem. Seen in this photo is the largest room in the quarry. The stones for Solomon’s Temple may have been hewn and taken from this quarry around 970 BC (1 Kings 6:1, 5:15-18).

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

Key Verse: 1 Kings 3:9

Therefore, give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord God, because of Your love for me, You have offered me, in the promises I find everywhere in the Bible, many blessings. Grant me a selfless attitude, an outlook on life that is “others” centred. May I focus on Your will and not mine. I pray these mercies in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I would like to simply rejoice with Solomon, but I know what is coming later in his life. It could have been so different if he had made the right choices consistently. The previous book in our readings was the Apostle Paul’s letter to the people of Galatia. I’m reminded of a very sad comment Paul made about those people. Paul wrote, “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” (Galatians 5:7). God has blessed me greatly with His Salvation in Jesus Christ, with a wonderful family, and with many ministry opportunities. I must be so very careful to make wise decisions in my old age. It would be so easy to sit on the couch watching TV (other than 100 Huntley Street, the news and some other wholesome programs) and be inundated by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Oh, it wouldn’t be deliberate on my part, but ever so gradually, spiritual strength would drain away, leaving me weak and almost helpless in the face of life’s challenges. I am more determined than ever to make the right choices, to pray fervently each day, to read God’s Word each day, and to share Jesus, as the opportunity arises. By having a Christian will, my wife and I do not intend to leave anything to the government. Yes, we are remembering our children, but God’s work is a priority. We want those causes that God has called us to support to continue to prosper. It would be fine if my epitaph read, “He ran well, and he kept on running well!”

Yours for doing well and finishing well,

David

P.S. May I suggest an extra reading of one of Solomon’s wise writings: Proverbs 3.

Walking into the depths of King Solomon’s Quarries.

Here is an entrance to the quarry. It is cut into the bedrock below the city walls of Jerusalem.

SUCCESSOR

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 2

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

King David’s Tomb is a site traditionally viewed as the burial place of David, King of Israel. It is located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, near the Hagia Maria Sion Abbey.

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

Key Verse: 1 Kings 2:3

And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for grace to obey Your instructions in all matters. With all my heart and mind, I desire to walk in Your ways. In the Name of Jesus, the only One who ever walked 100% of the time in Your ways, I ask this request. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Five of our Circle Square Ranches were given by Crossroads in 2011 to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship to join with their already very successful Pioneer Camps. The other ranches are now operated by other worthy ministries. It’s time to register our children and our teens at a Christian summer camp. Check out the camp nearest you, run by various Christian organizations across Canada…click here. Or if you’re in the USA, click here. When I first received the vision from God for the Circle Square Ranch ministry, I became convinced that an in-depth work of God’s Spirit and His Word could be accomplished in one week at a Bible camp, more than in any other way, such as seven Sundays in Sunday School. Don’t get me wrong. I’m the biggest fan of faithful Sunday School attendance. But that concentrated week, day and night, at camp is very, very effective. Because of the television opportunities we enjoyed, our registration records showed approximately 60% of the campers came from homes where the children had no church background. From 1978 to 2010, Circle Square Ranches hosted approximately 250,000 children and teens for at least a week each. It has been estimated that as many as 100,000 of these infinitely precious souls made first-time decisions to give their lives to Jesus. I’m praying fervently for a great response this summer at every camp which is committed to serving Jesus.

Yours for future generations of followers of Christ. “Indeed, [One] greater than Solomon is here” (Luke 11:31b),

David

THE NEW KING

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 1

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

Jesus would have walked on this now crumpled road that runs along the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. You see on the left openings where shops once were, and it was also the support structure for the walkway that led up into the Temple Mount. On the wall near the top you can see where the base of the walkway bridge was. It is called Robinson’s Arch, after Biblical scholar Edward Robinson who identified its remnants in 1838 (see the extra photos below for some close-up views and an artists rendering of how the walkway likely looked at the time of Jesus).

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

Key Verse: 1 Kings 1:48

Also the king said thus, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord Jesus, have dominion over my life, my family, the church worldwide, as well as my local congregation. May Your influence be strong in the governing of our land and other lands. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem, Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and the other Arab states. I pray for Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China and the Koreas. Please raise up people in those and in other states who call upon You, Lord God. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The tragedy of the slaughter of the innocents in abortion, with no protection whatsoever in Canadian law, came about in the 1970’s. However, I thought that all was not lost in regard to the protection of these little ones when our government changed the words of our national anthem to include “God Keep Our Land.” These words are belted out at every hockey game, baseball game, football game, etc. For many who sing them, it may only be lip service, but for me it’s a fervent prayer. The other thing that encouraged me was that God was recognized in our new constitution in the early 1980’s. I was so hopeful when the Minister of Health, the Hon. Jake Epp, presented a bill to Parliament in the mid 1980’s, which would have protected the lives of some precious ones still in the womb. This bill passed with the votes of the elected members of the House of Commons but failed by one vote in the Senate. These people, most of whom were appointed by a previous government, overturned the will of the people as expressed by the elected members of the House. God takes most seriously, I believe, the commitment of Canada’s founders, who made Psalm 72:8 the motto of our Land: “He shall have dominion from sea to sea.” That scripture is carved in stone at the entrance to our Houses of Parliament. Therefore, I haven’t given up hope that somehow our representatives will all come to their senses and do something to stop these little bodies from being poisoned or torn apart in their mothers’ wombs. While Jake Epp’s bill would not have stopped all abortions, it is apparent that at least 100,000 Canadians are with us today as a result of the threat of passing that bill, which stopped many hospitals from performing abortions for a brief time. May God have mercy on us!

Yours for decisions that will please God in every area of human life,

David

Here is an up-close view of the shops and support structure that led up to the Temple Mount.

Robinson’s Arch

Robinson’s Arch and Temple Mount at the time of Jesus.

LIBERTY! FREEDOM!

Today’s Reading: Galatians 5-6

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

Ruins of the theatre of ancient Pergamos, one of the seven cities of Revelation (Rev. 2:12-17), located in north-western Turkey. Galatia is not far from here.

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

Key Verse: Galatians 5:6

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision or uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

The word “circumcision” is used in one form or another 10 times in today’s reading. I think Paul wants us to pay attention! The practice of circumcision was the most unique demand of the Law. The Jewish man was set aside in this way from all other men. Paul, himself, would have been circumcised, as was Jesus, on the eighth day after His birth. Dr. Nelles Silverthorne, renowned pediatrician, said on a 100 Huntley Street telecast that on the eighth day of a child’s life, the blood congeals more quickly than at any other time. God, who initiated this practice, chose the right day of a boy’s life. In today’s reading, Paul addresses those who wanted to convert non-Jewish believers in Jesus into Jews and were insisting that men, whether they be 30 or 70, must go through this practice in order to be saved. This is why Paul, the Apostle of Jesus, made such a strong statement: “Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). Both Jewish and non-Jewish believers in Jesus are a new creation. Jesus has changed lives and practices dramatically! What a glorious difference He makes!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I thank You for the liberty You bring. It’s fine for a non-Jew to remain as they are in terms of the outward physical sign of circumcision. I need Your Life in me to produce the outward manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit. This is Your new law! Help me to “through love serve one another,” and to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Thank You for reminding me through Paul that “all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, you shall love your neighbour as yourself, but if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:14-15). I pray that I will learn these lessons well. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

It’s amazing to me that the same kind of people who sought to put the Galatian men into bondage are still at it today. One of my grandsons, David Shaheen, once worked in a warehouse where he unloaded trucks from suppliers and then loads other trucks for distribution to the big box stores. His co-worker, a man in his 30’s, came in one day in great discomfort. He was obviously in some pain, and my grandson had to do work which had been shared between them in the past. Finally, my grandson learned the truth. This man from Latin America was in a cult that demanded men, non-Jews, to be circumcised in order to fulfill the Law. I wonder what Paul meant in Galatians 5:12 where he wrote, “I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!” Paul used very strong language to make his point absolutely clear.

Yours to encourage us to “stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,”

David

ABBA!

Today’s Reading: Galatians 3-4

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 the stairs from the Chapel of Saint Helen in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, you can see hundreds of crosses that have been carved into the stone walls.

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

Key Verse: Galatians 4:6

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I pray for the Spirit of Your Son to fill me now. I pray in faith believing that You are now keeping Your promise to me. The promise of the Spirit was given to me by Jesus, Himself, when He said, “How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:11-13). I’m asking, Abba Father, and You are more willing to give of Your Spirit than I am to receive. Therefore, I am receiving the Holy Spirit at this very moment. I praise You! I thank You! I worship You! Hallelujah! Glory to Your Holy Name! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As a child and in my early teens, I would go forward to the altar at church from time to time, asking Jesus to come into my heart and to write my name down in His “Book of Life.” I was confident that He did this at the time. However, when I did something that I knew was wrong, that confidence was gone, and I would give up until the next time I came forward to kneel at the front. We called the bench in front of the pulpit “the penitent form.” Sometimes it was called “the mourners’ bench.” Of course, I knew I was to be “penitent” and I was to “mourn” over my sins. It was not until I was 16 that I realized that I truly am a child of God by faith and faith alone. I believed that even as my human father would not ever cease to be my father, even so God, my Father, my Abba, would not ever take an eraser and rub my name out of His Book. The day after I fully believed that, I went down to the creek behind my sister’s house at Shady Nook, just outside of Pembroke, Ontario, and quoted over and over John 6:37. Jesus said, “The one who comes to Me, I will by no means cast out.” I came to Him! He does not lie! Therefore, He does not cast me out. He receives me! What freedom and confidence that fact has given me right up to this day, over 64 years later.

Yours for believing Ephesians 2:8-9 (our next New Testament book after we read 1 & 2 Kings): “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast,”

David

FREEDOM

Today’s Reading: Galatians 1-2

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

In today’s reading, Paul refers to Antioch (Galatians 2:11), which was the base for Paul’s missionary journeys, and where Jesus’ followers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). This photo shows an overview of the modern city of Antakya, Turkey, which is in the area of ancient Antioch.

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

Key Verse: Galatians 1:6

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.

As believers in Jesus, can we recall the first days of our lives as Christians…days of enormous joy and peace? This should be particularly memorable if we came to faith in our late teens or older. There is an immense freedom we felt when we realized that Jesus loves us just as we are. We need to ask ourselves, “Am I still full of that joy, peace, freedom and sense of acceptance?” For many Christians, these important things quickly fade as the enemy sneaks in like a thief and steals these precious gifts from God.

This is what happened to the Galatian Christians. They had discovered the freedom that was available in Christ but soon turned to “another gospel,” which was no gospel (“good news”) at all. They started out well and wanted to please God, but they became joyless legalists as their lives became focused on merely following a set of rules. Paul wrote some very hard words to these brothers and sisters in Christ. He told them, clearly and directly, that they were wrong. He called them back to the freedom that was theirs in Christ, to the joy of serving Jesus, not because of bondage to duty, but because of the love of God and the power of the Spirit.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I pray for a daily renewal of Your life, Your joy, Your peace, and Your love! I need You, Lord. Thank You for Your promise of Your presence! Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

At 13 years old I joined the Church. I tried to live in a way that was pleasing to God, but by the time I was 15, I gave up. It was too hard to always do what was right. I was placed in a Christian boarding school for my Grade 11 high school. I really messed up, sufficiently enough to have me removed from the school. Therefore, I had no alternative but to move in with my sister Willa and her husband Harold Hodgins. I enrolled at the Pembroke Collegiate, and this was destiny for me. There were four Christian teenagers in my class, one Baptist and three Pentecostals. I watched them closely for three months, and then came my night of decision. I understood clearly for the first time that my salvation was totally the work of Jesus and not by my behaviour. My first public confession of faith was at a Youth For Christ rally in the high school auditorium. It consisted of one sentence from the Bible, words which have reinforced my faith ever since. Paul’s letter to Titus, chapter 3, verse 5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.”

Yours for learning the lessons which the Apostle Paul taught,

David

P.S. I had the honour of attending the glorious home-going celebration for George Beverly Shea in April, 2013. At 104 years old, God called him home. He and I had similar backgrounds. We’ve compared notes several times. I hosted a documentary on the life of this man who has sung in person to more people than Elvis, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and The Rolling Stones combined! He served for 60 years as Billy Graham’s soloist, and much more. For a 2013 video of Will Graham and I showing clips from the documentary, click HERE. As a Canadian, George was honoured at his funeral by a representative of one of Canada’s finest (picture below).

At Bev Shea’s homegoing celebration in April 2013 with Chief Superintendent Ronald G. Mostrey, commanding officer of the National Headquarters of the RCMP in Ottawa.

FROM KING DAVID TO KING JESUS

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 24

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

Mount Tabor is located in Lower Galilee, Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, 11 miles west of the Sea of Galilee. It was the site of the Mount Tabor battle between Barak, under the leadership of the Israelite judge Deborah, and the army of Jabin, commanded by Sisera, in the mid 14th century BC. It is believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Here in the mosaic dome above the altar, where as recorded in Mathew 17, Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah on either side, with Peter, James and John looking on.

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

Key Verse: 2 Samuel 24:24

Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, the way I live my life will inevitably have an effect on others. I pray for Your grace and power in my life to be obedient to You 100% of the time. Please forgive my sin and bring healing to those who have been hurt in any way because of my sin. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I often heard my Dad pray in our family prayers as we knelt at our chairs after supper, “O God, may the smile of Your approval be on our lives.” I knew my parents would tend to smile when I was obedient and did something good, and I feared their frowns when I did the opposite. I knew that punishment was to follow on the heels of my transgression.

Tomorrow, God willing, I will read, with my blog partners, Galatians chapters 1 & 2. I’m so thankful that because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, I am now, on the basis of faith, not of works, free to enjoy freedom from sin and its power over my life. Judaism, the expression of the faith revealed in the Old Testament, is often called the cradle of the Christian faith. In Galatians, we will learn that the practice of Judaism almost became the grave of Christianity. I’m excited at the prospect of moving from King David to his descendant, King Jesus!

Yours for victory over sin, and for healing from sin’s effects through the Lord Jesus Christ,

David

LOYALTY

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 23

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

The Acrocorinth above ancient Corinth was first a Greek acropolis, then a Roman citadel. Later, it became a Byzantine fortress. The Franks captured it in 1210, and it then fell into the hands of one of the rulers of Naples. An arms manufacturer and banker then owned it, followed by the Knights of Rhodes, the Turks, the Venetians, then the Turks again, and finally the Greeks once more…phew! The kingdoms of men are temporary, but God’s Kingdom is forever.

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

Key Verse: 2 Samuel 23:3b, 4

He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for my pastors, those who have the primary responsibility for spiritual oversight in my life. I pray for those who have civil authority as well. Please grant Your strength so that I will be loyal, not in a blind way, but in praying for these leaders, in paying my tithe and my taxes, and grant me opportunity for input into the lives of those who lead. In Jesus’ Name I ask these mercies, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When my sons were on football scholarships at an American University, I was given the opportunity to address the team and the coaches. My message was from today’s reading, 2 Samuel 23. I highlighted the stories of David’s mighty men. Some fought an offensive battle, and some were on defence. Most of all, they were loyal to their leaders. The result was victory! My sons, over 30 years later, remind me from time to time of that message. I don’t remember the results of the game following my talk, but I do remember that they were fired up to win.

“The first three” of David’s mighty men are singled out for honourable mention. Peter, James, and John were singled out by Jesus. I’ve often wondered why. I’ve come to believe that they were the most fervent, the most loyal, and had developed character traits that Jesus knew would be effective in leadership. Jesus responded directly to their level of commitment. His choices were not based on favouritism.

Yours for loyalty, integrity, wisdom and all those qualities that we want in our leaders and in ourselves,

David

P.S. Have you watched the video version of my blog lately? It’s a short, two-minute summary of each day’s key verse, commentary and prayer, and it airs daily on YES-TV during commercial breaks. My son Ron and I have recorded them together lately. You can find these “vlogs” HERE.

THE ROCK OF MY SALVATION

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 22

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

The fortress of Masada stands high above the Jordan Valley floor. It was here that Herod built his highly protected palace to which he could escape. Later it was used by Jewish freedom fighters who, for a couple of years, resisted a Roman siege. It was in this area where David hid from those who sought to destroy him. He may have had this scene in mind as he sang, “The Lord is my Rock.”

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

Key Verse: 2 Samuel 22:2

And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer…”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I run into Your loving arms. You are my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer. Keep me, I pray, from foolish human pride which would make me think, even for a moment, that I can go it alone. In Your strong Name, Jesus, I ask for Your grace 24/7, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

David burst into song when he realized all God had done for him. I’ve done the same just now. As I sing “Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself in Thee,” I think of my dear friend, George Beverly Shea, who, at the age of 104, went into the immediate presence of his Rock, his Fortress and his Deliverer, the Lord Jesus. George, or Bev, as he became known, was raised in Canada’s capital region and was a graduate of Annesley College in Ottawa, where my parents served. As Billy Graham’s soloist, he has probably sung to more people in person than anyone else (click here to hear him sing about the “Rock of Ages”). I can never read 2 Samuel 22 without also singing a children’s song, the words taken from this Scripture, and the music composed by my son-in-law, Bruce Stacey. My great-grandchildren began singing this when they were two years old. Click here for the God Rocks team with “The Lord is my Rock,” sung by my granddaughter, Sheryl Neilson.

Yours, singing for joy at the knowledge that “He is my Rock,”

David

CHANGE

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 20-21

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

Israeli army recruits stand atop an old tank that was used in a previous armed conflict. There are hundreds of tanks on display at the Armoured Corps Memorial at Latrun, Israel.

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

Key Verses: 2 Samuel 21:1, 14b

Now there was famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.”…So they performed all that the king had commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land.

As the above photo illustrates, not much has changed in the human condition. Yes, there were no battle tanks mentioned in today’s reading, just swords and spears, but people are people… except for the night and day change that happens in the human heart when Jesus comes in to dwell. We may well have been discouraged after today’s reading. Just in case that is the case, our key verses point out to us that God answered prayer for people 3,000 years ago. He still answers prayer today. Samuel was dead. Nathan the prophet did not show up with a Word from God. It appears that the political and military leaders did their own thing. It’s important that we don’t blame God for the mess Israel was in. Even so today, it’s our fault that the world is so badly messed up. It’s the story of fallen humanity. A humanity given free will by God needs to turn around, repent, and find God’s will.

The words found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 tell us that if we humble ourselves and pray, God will forgive our sins and heal our land. For encouragement we may want to read 2 Chronicles 7:12-18.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I humble myself in Your presence. I seek Your face as You told David’s son, Solomon, to do. I turn away from all wickedness, repenting with deep sorrow. I claim Your promise of forgiveness and healing. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Please forgive me, but I can’t possibly cover what is in my heart and mind in just 100 words — here goes!

I recently read a book called, Rome’s Last Citizen, the life and legacy of Cato, who is called by the authors the “mortal enemy of Caesar.” The years covered in the book are in the decades prior to the coming of Jesus. It describes a history of even greater evil than that of Israel in King David’s time.  For four years I studied Latin, the language of Rome, doing translations on examination papers and learning about the longest lasting empire ever. Before the Caesar dynasty, Rome had, for some time, operated in a hit-and-miss fashion under a constitution. It sounded good on paper, but the reality was that the leaders manipulated the constitution and the people for their own self-centred purposes. In 1968 I made my first visit to the Soviet Union. I read carefully their constitution. It was filled with high ideals which would appear to be the fulfillment of the Words of the Bible, like “Love your neighbour as yourself.” I was well aware that under that constitution Lenin and Stalin murdered millions of people. What evil there is in human hearts. My consistent longing, whether reading the history of Rome or the Soviet constitution, or today’s reading about Israel, is “O Jesus, only You can change the human heart. Only Your indwelling presence can enable me to live up to God’s standards of moral behaviour, truly loving my neighbour as myself.” In modern Rome, “Vivere al Cento Per Cento,” our Italian television productions, were released in the 1980’s. The way of salvation, by faith in Jesus alone, was clearly presented. This was a first, to my knowledge. In the Soviet Union, the Crossroads Creation series and our children’s series, Kingdom Adventure, were released on state television across all 15 republics (translated into Russian). This was another first for the message of Jesus in an officially atheistic state. In Israel, my son-in-law, Nizar Shaheen, who is ordained in the Nazareth Baptist Church, shared the Gospel of Jesus on Channel One in both of his first languages, Arabic and Hebrew. This was state television, and for several years prior for Christmas and Easter, Nizar was asked to explain how Christians understood the Hebrew prophecies concerning the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. I’m more convinced than ever that “Jesus changes everything” when He lives in the hearts of people.

Yours with an expression of Joy as I heard a new believer say, “Three cheers for Jesus!”

David

P.S. Below are pictures of two of the three mobile TV production trucks that Crossroads supporters provided for Europe. They served in Rome, The Soviet Union, and Israel. They moved around to Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria and Finland. Our world desperately needs Jesus and His message. The latest report I have received shows that our School of Broadcasting graduates are serving the Lord in TV in at least 90 countries. These are spiritual battle tanks!