A STRONG HAND

Today’s Reading: Exodus 13

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).

Looking at the sunrise over the Judean desert, we can see the Dead Sea in the distance beyond the mountain of Masada, which was Herod’s fortress and the place where the Jewish freedom fighters made their last stand in 72 A.D.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 13:14

So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, “What is this” that you shall say to him, “By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage…”

Four times in today’s reading God’s “Strong Hand” is emphasized. Repetition in Scripture indicates the importance of, in this case, the word picture presented to us. Throughout the millennia, the Children of Israel, known today as Jews, have continued to repeat over and over those words in their annual family ritual known as the “Passover.” In every observant household a child will ask, “What is this?” Again in the Scriptures we read the word, “ordinance.” Simply put, it’s an order from God. Of course the Jews who were the first followers of Jesus continued this “remembrance” every year. It was at “Passover” that Jesus said, as He gave His disciples the bread and wine, “This do in remembrance of Me.” When must obedient Christians partake? There is no set time as is the case of “Passover.” The word “often” is important. It can be daily; it can be weekly; it can be monthly or even annually. But time must be set aside regularly to obey the orders of Jesus to partake in the “Lord’s Supper.” For supplementary reading, go to Matt. 26:26-29, Luke 22:14-20, 1 Cor. 11:23-31.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You established what we refer to as “Communion.” Please grant me the grace of consistently obeying Your standing orders to repeat often the observance You established. May I partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine with a deep discernment of Your sacrifice. With Your “Strong Hand” You reached out to the whole human family, and we nailed Your Hands to the Cross. Thank You for the Gift of Your Body and Blood. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I want to introduce you to Sam Moore, former owner and operator of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the company which financed the new translation of the King James Version of the Bible. Approximately every 100 years another translation of the classic version, KJV, is presented to the world. I was raised on an older translation. For example, the words “thee” and “thou” are no longer in use in everyday conversation. It would be next to impossible for anyone today to read with understanding the actual translation from 1611. A spoken language is constantly changing. Sam’s vision to bring together the finest scholars during the 1970’s caught my attention. He came several times as a guest on TV with me. Some of his scholars were also my guests. The entire Bible translation was completed and published in 1982. Sam was an immigrant from Lebanon to the USA who began selling Bibles from door to door as a university student to pay for his board, room and education, and he was so successful that I have beside me as I type, the New King James Version, my favourite modern translation of God’s Word. Thank You Sam! Click here to find his biography book.

Yours for a greater understanding of God’s revelation of His thoughts printed in the language I know best, English,

David

THE PASSOVER

Today’s Reading: Exodus 12

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).

Children of Israel on a school field trip to En Gedi enjoy the waterfall pools. King David hid from Saul in a nearby cave.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 12:14

So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.

Be sure to tell the next generations that Christ is our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). Choose that time with the children carefully. Repeat the story in a variety of ways over and over. Ask God for creativity in the way you do it (Deut. 11:19). Christ was without defect (Ex. 12:5). The lamb was consumed by fire (verses 6 – 9). Christ took the “fire” in suffering. Not a bone was to be broken (Ex. 12:46, Ps. 22:17, Jn. 19:36). The blood of the sacrifice was applied (Ex. 12:22-23, Col. 1:20, 1 Jn. 1:8-9). Keeping this “ordinance” (an order) was absolutely essential (Ex. 12:24, Heb. 9:22). Please do your best over the next hours to look up these references. Make this not just a devotional but a Bible study.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I believe You were sacrificed as my Passover Lamb. I believe that Your blood was shed for me. I apply, by faith, Your blood to the doorposts of my household for salvation and protection. I can only say “thanks” by giving my life to You and by leaving the bondage of sin in obedience to Your orders. I have a brand new life because of Your precious blood. It’s all through You, Christ Jesus, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

After our children were tucked into bed, Norma-Jean and I would kiss them and say, “Lord Jesus, cover them with Your precious blood. Keep them safe.” Norma-Jean would sing, “All hail King Jesus, all hail Emmanuel, King of kings, Lord of lords, bright Morning Star…”  What a confidence! What a comfort! I’m an old softie and I still do this when I’m with our now 53, 54, 56, & 57 year-old children. Of course I don’t tuck them in, but I pray with them as often as I can. It is my conviction that having fathered children, the greatest tragedy would be for them to be lost for all eternity. One of my children, when a teenager, strayed away from God one evening, coming home later than our rules allowed. I went to my knees and said, “Lord, if I die on this spot, I’m not stopping my cries to You until this child repents.” At about 2 a.m. I felt an arm around my neck and heard sobbing, and the words, “Daddy, I won’t do these things ever again. I’m sorry. I’ve asked God to forgive me and I’m asking you to forgive me too.” We wept together.

Yours for our children, our children’s children, and beyond,

David

Our four children singing on the set of the Crossroads weekly TV program around 1972, before the daily “100 Huntley Street” program began in 1977. In the back are Ellen (left) and Elaine (right), and in the front are Reynold (left) and Ron (right).

THE PLAGUES

Today’s Reading: Exodus 10-11

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).

The Great Lake at Karnak Temple is 2.5 km north of Luxor, Egypt

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, Click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 11:5

And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.

Eighty years earlier, the grandfather of the Exodus Pharaoh ordered the death of all Israel’s boy babies. Moses is now threatened with death (Ex. 10:28-29). Some say that the decision for the final plague came from the mouth of Pharaoh himself. In verse eight it states that Moses was “hot with anger” when he left this last meeting with Pharaoh. According to Numbers 12:3, “Moses was very meek.” Meekness means “strength under control.” When all else fails, God brings severe judgment. We cannot trifle with God or view Him as a celestial Santa Claus. We are to love God and fear God at the same time. There is a tension here that brings balance. We embrace God, who cares for His people, but at the same time, God, who will accomplish His purposes, has the right to pronounce and execute judgment.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Almighty and eternal God, Your judgment fell upon Your firstborn and only begotten Son, Jesus, our Saviour and our Lord. I thank You with all my heart that Your love and Your judgment came together at the Cross. You suffered greater pain than any of us can begin to comprehend. I love You and I fear You. I come boldly before You because Jesus took my place. In His Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The Children of Israel were slaves. In slave-based economies, slaves represented the greatest wealth of the nation. I’ve watched several times the movie on the life of that great Christian, William Wilberforce, who brought about the deliverance of the slaves in Britain and throughout the Empire. If you’ve not seen this or read the book by Eric Metaxas (Eric has served as our100 Huntley Street USA host) on which the movie was based, I urge you to avail yourself of his history of this modern Moses (find the book HERE or the movie HERE).

Bob Hogan was my age. He’s ageless now as he passed into the presence of his Lord and Saviour two years ago. When Norma-Jean and I built our home on Dog Lake following my decision to step aside from hosting the daily 100 Huntley Street telecast, Bob and his wonderful family were a great help. We’ve sold that place because I did not want to leave Norma-Jean 200 miles away from our children after my death, which was predicted by the cancer specialist to have happened by March 2014. God had a different plan for me. Before Bob passed through the fine curtain that separates us from eternity, I heard Bob was in hospital and may not live, so I rode my motorcycle to Kingston to see him. As I knelt by his bed, I said, “Bob, the last time I visited you we did business with God. Right?” He nodded a definite Yes! (Bob prayed a most sincere prayer of faith for his eternal salvation during that last visit). Then I said, “Now we are going to pray for God’s healing…by more years here or by entering into eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.” Again the oxygen mask he was wearing almost came off his face as he nodded vigorously. His eyes spoke volumes about his confidence in God. Below is a photograph Reynold took a few years back of Bob and a very special friend. I’ll see you soon my brother in faith.

Yours for freedom to do the will of God,

David

My friend Bob Hogan and his dog. Bob is now with his Lord.

A HARD HEART (PHARAOH)

Today’s Reading: Exodus 9

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).

The Temple of Kom Ombo stands on the east bank of the Nile, right next to the river. It was dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 9:7b

But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

From the pictures of the Egypt of the Pharaohs, we get an idea of the pride and splendour of what was the most impressive empire for hundreds of years. The temples show that “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), whose original sin was pride and who sought to overturn the rule of the God of the universe, was still seeking to oppose the will of the great Creator, Almighty God (Rev. 12:7-9). The war goes on, even today. The “god of this age” still takes advantage of hearts that are hard toward the rule of the true Sovereign God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our response for hard hearts must be “repentance;” not as a temporary fix like Pharaoh, but true “repentance” is turning away totally from our disobedience and doing what the Eternal God tells us to do.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Almighty God, grant me the gift of a soft heart so that I will do Your will and not my own. Please give me the grace of obedience to You in all things, and the gift of true repentance so that, having turned away from my own way, I will continue consistently in Your way. Through Jesus Christ, who dwells within me. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Today is Norma-Jean’s birthday. When we were married, September 19, 1958, I was 22 and she was 19. I love her and wanted to make her my wife. I also wanted God’s will more than anything. I was hard headed (not hard hearted) enough to pray on the way to the church, “Lord, one final time, if this marriage is not Your perfect will, You can still cause something to happen so that either Norma-Jean or I are stopped from getting to the altar.” God didn’t stop either of us, and now we’ve been married almost 58 years and have 4 children and their spouses, 16 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. The second letter Norma-Jean wrote to me had printed on it, 1st Thes. 5:18, which says it all, “This is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I agreed!

Yours for God’s will in everything,

David

P.S. Ron found an outstanding documentary video with scientific proof of the “Exodus” story. For example, it shows video from the bottom of the Red Sea, revealing coral-encrusted Egyptian chariot wheels scattered across the sea bottom. Online last week the Egyptian department of antiquities announced a confirmation of these findings. Reputable scientists used the same equipment that photographed the Titanic on the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. A recent survey showed that a majority of Canadians said that the Bible was not reliable. If you know anyone who feels that way, show them this video!!! Of course the old saying is, “Convince a man against his will, he stays the same opinion still.” This amazing documentary is 90 minutes long. There are pauses about every 15 or 20 minutes. You may want to spread out your viewing over the next few days as we continue our Exodus readings. Please, please don’t miss this, and also share it with others. To watch it click HERE.

NOTE from Ron Mainse: Today would have been Dad’s 86th birthday. We all miss him very much. Six years ago, when he wrote this blog post, there was a special edition of 100 Huntley Street to celebrate his 80th birthday. You can watch the entire hour HERE. Also, tomorrow is my Mom’s birthday (Norma-Jean Mainse).

THE WORD OF MOSES

Today’s Reading: Exodus 8

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).

The Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is located beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 8:13a

So the Lord did according to the word of Moses.

Moses spoke, and God backed him up with supernatural power. Some have used this reality to get God to do their will. No, no, we are to do God’s will. First we find out the will of God, and then we speak, and God acts accordingly. Jesus’ word was always effective, 100% of the time. Why? Because He could say, “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do” (John 5:19). Jesus got up very early each morning to spend time with His Father in prayer (Mark 1:35). Jesus functioned as a Man filled with the Holy Spirit. He was, is, and ever shall be fully God, but He laid aside the exercise of His Diety. He took time to find His Father’s plan for the new day, and then did what His Father wanted Him to do. This is also the way we can know what to speak, and God will do that which we speak as He did for Moses.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, I want what You want. Help me to speak out that which You give me to speak so that “Your will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” I pray this in the Name of Jesus Who always, without fail, did Your perfect will. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I remember Norma-Jean coming home with a booklet entitled, “Hung by the Tongue.” It pointed out the power of our words for good or evil, for positive or negative results. Jesus never ever used His essential divinity for selfish purposes. He lived as a Holy Spirit-filled Human Being. The temptation of Jesus is an example of this (Matthew 4:3-4). He could’ve turned the stones into bread as Satan suggested, but He refused to help Himself in this way. It’s sad to report that there are those today who claim “prosperity” for themselves, twisting the Scriptures, seeking to manipulate God for their own purposes, taking advantage of their position of influence to manipulate people into giving sacrifically so that the manipulator may prosper. Simon the sorcerer did this. Please look this up as I have done (Acts 8:9-25). Run from those who, like Simon, are “claiming to be someone great,” and (as verse 10 says), “All gave heed to him from the least to the greatest saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.'”

Yours for hearing from God each morning and then speaking and doing His will,

David

PURPOSE

Today’s Reading: Exodus 7

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).

“On the way to the ‘old’ city of Jerusalem I saw this ‘new’ light rail train suspension bridge. Where are the train tracks? Down below, but I found the cables and sky far more interesting. It is designed to represent the harp of King David.” – Reynold

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 7:5

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

God’s purposes will be carried out in His timing, with or without the willing co-operation of His people, and in spite of the opposition of His enemies. Please look up and read Psalm 105:26-36 where the plagues that came upon the Egyptians are capsulized. Pharaoh set himself to oppose God’s purposes. Pharaoh does not win this battle. I recommend also that we read Revelation 15 & 16. The plagues listed in Revelation are in the future and come upon mankind to fulfill God’s purposes. “God is Love” (1 John 4:8), and it must hurt Him far more than we can conceive when He must allow judgment, which people bring upon themselves, so that His purposes come to pass. As our Father, He knows what is best for His children, and He will do what is right for time and for eternity.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord God, I humbly ask for Your grace that I may fulfill Your purposes in obedience to Your will. I understand so very little about Your ways in which You do things; but I’m trusting You that “Your will may be done in earth as it is in Heaven.” I know that to do Your will cost Jesus of Nazareth His life. Whatever it takes, Lord, I’m Yours forever. I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Reynold’s photo for today speaks to me of the fact that the Children of Israel made it to the Promised Land twice (in ancient AND modern times). The first time 40 years after their deliverance from Egypt and the second time after the demonic anti-semitism of Hitler and others. The first deliverance was 1400 B.C. approximately, and the second in 1948 A.D., when Israel became a sovereign state once again. I remember the first because at family devotions we read the words of Moses, and the second time I remember because we read the Ottawa Citizen newspaper and discussed the purposes of God for His ancient people (I was almost 12 at the time). When God asks in His Word that we should pray for something, I try to remember to do it. He tells us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). That prayer is sure needed today!

Yours, praying for God’s will to be done in His way and in His timing,

David

GOD SPEAKS

Today’s Reading: Exodus 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 on the right-hand side).

The Temple of Edfu is located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. The statue in the foreground is known as “The Lord of Darkness.” Satan desired all to worship him. He is known in Scripture as “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). We recognize that this statue is just a chunk of stone. We worship the LORD GOD, THE GREAT I AM, THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 6:2

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord.”

In yesterday’s reading, Exodus 3 & 4, God said His Name is “I Am.” Now He adds greater insight into His Eternal Being. He is “the Lord.” The original Hebrew, in its English form, is “Jehovah.” This means “self existent or eternal.” Translated as “Lord,” this word is found over 10,000 times in the Bible. I have in front of me Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, a book about three inches thick. In this computer savvy generation, you can click here and access an online concordance to find where every word that comes to mind appears in the Bible. The Bible is the “Word of God.” That does not indicate that God spoke every word. It does inform us that God supervised the writing of every word in the original languages over a 1,500-year period of time by various people so that what God wanted written was done as He wanted it done. God speaks and introduces Himself to us. Isn’t that great!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I worship You, and as Jesus said, I am to love You with “all my heart, my soul, and my mind” (Matthew 22:37-38). You would not have commanded me to do this without giving the grace to me so that I could obey You. I pray and believe for that grace now, Lord God. In the Name of the One who loved You completely, Father God, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I am at a loss to express adequately with my heart, soul and mind the infinite greatness of the Lord God. The magnificent anthem, “How Great Thou Art” is a wonderful expression of awe toward God. When this blog is posted, I plan to look up the words of that song and sing them. My son-in-law, Bruce Stacey, came close to expressing fully how I feel in his composition called, The Scroll. This work has been the centrepiece of “The Pavilion of Promise” at three World Expos, Vancouver ’86, Brisbane ’88 and Seville ’92.  I’m asking Ron to add to this a link to the great words and music to which I’ve referred and also the simplest way for you to support Crossroads. Together we can make that “Name” known in a greater way than ever.

Yours for the Glory of the Lord God Jehovah, the Great, “I am,”

David

P.S. I could go on at length about the ways God has used The Scroll. Here’s just one mighty occasion: When the city of Leningrad, Russia, changed its name from honouring the atheist Lenin back to its original Christian name, “St. Petersburg,” they wanted a modern musical work as part of their celebration to be performed in their most famous theatre. You guessed it, they chose a Russian translation of The Scroll for repeated performances. The “Great I Am” was glorified! O.K. Ron, how will you connect our readers to those anthems?…

From Ron: OK, Dad, I’m on it!… First, let me give you the simplest ways to respond with a donation to help the ongoing mission of Crossroads…you can call 1-800-265-3100 (during business hours) or you can give online by clicking here.

Dad referred to the hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” so here’s a link to the words for you (and Dad)…click here to read them. And let me also include a link to an old video from 1957 of George Beverly Shea singing “How Great Thou Art” at a Billy Graham Crusade…click here to watch it.

Also, below are the lyrics to one of the songs from The Scroll musical by Bruce W. Stacey, referring to “The Great I Am”…

Worthy Is The Son

NARRATION: “A great quiet fell upon all of heaven and earth as the Son returned and appeared at the right hand of the Father. Taking the scroll from the Great I Am, He held it out for all to see. Holding it high above the throne, He broke the seven seals, releasing the Great I Am’s final judgment on all evil and wickedness. All of heaven and earth fell upon their knees and worshipped the King and the Son…the Great I Am.”

SONG: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because You were slain

And with Your blood You purchased men for God

From every tribe and nation

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God

And they will reign on the earth

Worthy, worthy is the Son who was slain, who was slain

Worthy, worthy is the Son who was slain, who was slain

To receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength,

honor and glory and praise

Alleluia! We praise the King, the Great I Am

We worship You

Alleluia, we worship You, Most High

Bruce W. Stacey, The Scroll, 1981

PLEASE SEND SOMEONE ELSE

Today’s Reading: Exodus 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 on the right-hand side).

An image of Pharaoh and his story in Hieroglyphics. The lives of the people of Egypt and those of Israel were intertwined for 400 years.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, Click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 4:13

But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

Moses was 40 when he tried to protect his people with his own strength, killing the Egyptian who was cruel to the Hebrew workers. Now he’s 80. Instead of living as a son of the royal household of Egypt, he’s had 40 more years as a shepherd, working for his Father-in-law and raising a family. Is he ready to lead in the deliverance of the Children of Israel from slavery? According to God, “Yes.” According to Moses, “No.” Just think of all God has done to prepare Moses. There was the miraculous rescue by Pharaoh’s daughter; his Hebrew early childhood education in his parents’ home; his ongoing education in the palace in all the ways of the Egyptians; the supernatural revelation of the burning bush; the signs he asked for; the Name of God given to him, “I am that I am;” and now he still doesn’t think he’s up to the job. When God calls us, there is only one acceptable answer, “YES, LORD.” Today, let us go through the doors God opens. Failure to do so will displease God, as was recorded of Moses in Exodus 4:14.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, here I am by Your grace. May I never try to do Your work on my own. I need You desperately. I praise You for the ways in which You’ve prepared me for today’s challenges. Let’s go forward. I pray this in the Name of Jesus who obeyed You 100%. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Back in the early 1970’s at our family altar, my son Reynold, our blog photographer, prayed night after night for at least 2 weeks, “O God, please help Daddy to help those poor children in India.” Somehow his heart had been touched by their need. I would mumble under my breath something like this, “Lord, I’ve got enough to do, please send someone else.” I was awakened in the middle of the night by a very insistent telephone ringing over and over. Finally, I got up, went downstairs to the phone, and gave a half-awake grumpy “Hello.” The voice on the other end said, “David, it’s Mark Buntain in Calcutta. I’ve got 800 children to feed and school, and I’ve just received a cable message that we’ve been cut off from our funding. Can you help me?” Within a month, through our weekly Crossroads Telecast (before “100 Huntley Street”) we raised sponsors for over 1,000 children, increased the monthly amount Mark received per child, and turned the sponsors over to the organization with the lowest operational overhead costs at the time, World Vision of Canada. That experience introduced World Vision to the effectiveness of using TV to raise child sponsorships.

Yours for obedience to God’s call,

David

P.S. Over 40 years have passed since God answered Reynold’s prayers to help the children in India. He and his wife Kathy are in Africa where God has called them to teach and encourage biblical unity between followers of Jesus from various church denominations and tribes…to see people move from stranger to friend and friend to family, and also to see them bring transformation to their communities (click here for an overview of their World Embrace ministry).

GOD REMEMBERED

Today’s Reading: Exodus 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 on the right-hand side).

This large Egyptian temple overlooks the Nile River.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Exodus 2:24

So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

Here we are in Exodus, the book of departure which starts with the word “Now.” On July 23rd we completed Genesis with the key verse being God’s promise (Genesis 49:10), which was consistent with His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Fast forward to “Now,” approximately 400 years later. Israel now numbers at perhaps 2,000,000 people. “God remembered” does not infer that God forgot. Of course, He forgets nothing. It does highlight the timing of God. In His dealings with Israel and with us, there are unique times when God moves to bring about His will. Moses makes his appearance in God’s time. The enemy of God’s purposes tried to kill Moses in a sweeping decision to kill all the boy babies. That enemy did the same through King Herod to try to kill Jesus. Let us remember that God will fulfill His plan in His time regardless of the opposition.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father God, Thank You for Your timing in bringing about Your plan for Israel. You’ve made hundreds of promises recorded in Scripture which I can claim for my people and for me personally. I stand today on Jeremiah 29:11-13. You promised, “a future and a hope.” You promised, “then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” You give me such great encouragement. Thank You! I receive Your blessings and Your timing. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

In Exodus 2:23, the Children of Israel “cried out” to God. This was a groaning for God’s intervention. Because of my parents’ years as missionaries in the Middle East, Egypt in particular, and my first cousin’s former position at the University of Toronto as Head of Middle East Studies, I took great interest in the “Camp David Accords.” This was an agreement that was negotiated in 1978 and signed in 1979 by President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Prime Minister Begin of Israel, and President Carter of the U.S.A. (see photo below). The first night that they were at Camp David, I could not sleep. Around midnight I began to cry out to God for His purposes to be fulfilled. I can only describe what happened to me as the most intense intercessory cry to God I had ever experienced. God answered my prayer and the prayers of many others. On the White House Lawn they announced that they (from three different religions) had prayed to the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” and the rest is history. Sadat was assasinated, but, by the grace of God, I had the opportunity of sharing my experience of that night with both Begin and Carter…Begin at his home in Jerusalem and Carter on a “Habitat for Humanity” building site in Kitchener, Ontario. Sorry! I’m well over 100 words. I’m finding the commitment to keep to 100 words in each section a big challenge, but I’ll keep trying.

Yours to help us all to take God’s promises most seriously, because He remembers,

David

President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Prime Minister Begin of Israel, and President Carter of the U.S.A…after signing the historic peace treaty of the Camp David Accords in 1979.

HE IS RISEN!

Today’s Reading: Mark 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).

Many believe that it was inside this “Garden Tomb” in Jerusalem that Jesus’ body was laid. This tomb was originally made for a shorter man, perhaps Joseph of Arimathea, but as you can see on the right, the end was dug out to fit a taller man’s body.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verse: Mark 16:15

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

It’s a fact! Jesus is literally and physically risen from the dead and is alive forevermore. This is the cornerstone of the Church. According to Dr. Paul Maier, Professor of Ancient History at Western Michigan University, this is the most reliable truth from the first century in terms of documentation and is the reason for the exceedingly rapid growth of the Church. Prior to Jesus’ death, except for the time He sent out His followers on a practice run (Luke 10), He carried the ministry of the Word and the Holy Spirit Himself. The miraculous confirmation of the Word with miracles following was a normal occurrence. Now, Jesus passes the mission on to you and me, His followers. He commissions us to “GO!” When an imperative in grammar is spoken or written, the “YOU” is said to be “UNDERSTOOD.” Do we really understand? I pray that the answer in “YES!”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I hear You “Loud and Clear.” By Your grace and my obedience, I am obeying Your command to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” I’m going in my  intercessory prayers, in my sacrificial giving of money, and in time. I say with Isaiah, as I read in Isaiah 6:1-8, “Here am I, send me.” In Your all-powerful Name, Jesus Christ, I pray. AMEN!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

(NOTE: This blog was written by David Mainse on August 8th, 2016)

On the 13th & 14th of this month, Norma-Jean and I celebrate our Birthdays. She’ll be 77 on the 14th and I’ll be 80 on the 13th. Culture and the communications media have dramatically changed since we started on TV. Norma-Jean was 22 and I was 25. Several Crossroads supporters have told me that they believe God has spoken to them that the television ministry is being given “NEW Wineskins” (click here for Jesus’ Words on wineskins). The new leadership at Crossroads has been called by God to fill the new containers, pouring the wine of God’s Word, Presence and Power into millions of precious lives.

Yours for “ALL THE WORLD!”

David

P.S. Please keep Crossroads in prayer, and if God should lead you to help out financially, please call with your support at 1-800-265-3100 or give online by clicking HERE. God bless you!