Saturday, August 26, 2017

IF

Today’s Reading: Job 31

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

 

Northwest hillside of the Sea of Galilee. Mount Arbel can be seen in the background. My friend, Jimmy Snow, son of Hank Snow, and Johnny Cash’s Pastor, believes Arbel is the mount where Jesus was transfigured. He is a brilliant student of the Scriptures and was often a guest on the 100 Huntley Street telecast.

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

 

Key Verse: Job 31:35

Oh, that I had one to hear me! Here is my mark. Oh, that the Almighty would answer me, that my Prosecutor had written a book!

 

Job…He does hear you! God, the One you mistakenly think is prosecuting you, has indeed written a book! We are studying it every day on this blog. Job…in today’s reading you’ve used the word “if” 18 times. That word “if” is just a little word, but it is filled with uncertainty. You can be certain and know God answers prayer!

In a handwritten book dated January 20, 1953, my father, Roy Mainse, D.Th, wrote about the conditions of prevailing prayer:

(1) Entire dependence on the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way for a claim of blessing! (see John 14:13-14).

(2) Separation from all known sin. Psalm 66:18 tells us, “If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us.”

(3) Faith in God’s promises as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him out to be a liar and perjurer (see Hebrews 6:13-20).

(4) Our motives must be godly; we must not seek any gift of God to consume it on our own selfish desires (see James 4:1-10).

(5) Importunity and supplication! There must be waiting on God with consistency (see Luke 18:1-8).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, through James, the man known as Your brother, You told us that, “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16b). You are the “Righteous One,” therefore, I come to You, Lord God, in and through the Person and work of Your Son and my Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ. Here are my prayer requests for today ……….. AMEN!!! (I spent considerable time in prayer before composing this blog.)

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’ve been meditating on that little but powerful word “if.” I went into Google and found the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling written in 1894 entitled “If” (click here). Job might have been helped by this poem. One of the lines says, “If you can wait, and not be tired of waiting, or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, or, being hated, don’t give way to hating…” The poem ends with these words: “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, Yours is the earth and everything in it, And — what is more— you’ll be a man, my son!” My Dad pointed me to this poem when I was still a child. After his death in 1972, I found amongst Dad’s writings the following poem he wrote in his own handwriting. It’s also entitled “If”…

“If” is a word of great import,
But of such dwarfish dimensions
Using the future to support
It’s great and varied intentions
“If” is a fact like a barn-door hinge,
On which our movements seem to swing,
And we are no doubt hindering
Our best laid plans ere they can wing
Their way into the world of things,
Where they can claim to be a fact,
On which the future thus may act,
And discard “If” forevermore
Among the gods of old folk-lore.

Yours, for reaching out diligently for God’s perfect will,

David

P.S. I came across a picture (below) taken in 1924 of my Dad in front of the place where one of the prayers of Jesus was answered, the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus said on this occasion, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me” (John 11:41-42). This is the reason we pray, “In Jesus’ Name!”

P.P.S. This blog is made possible by the ministry of Crossroads, and here is Crossroads CEO Lorna Dueck’s important message for this month of August…

This has been a remarkable year at 100 Huntley Street with a growing audience on TV and an exploding audience on the web through our website, social media platforms and on You Tube (where we now reach almost 1 million views every month).  It’s also looking like a turnaround yearfinanciallybecause we’re SO CLOSE to finishing our fiscal year (August 31) with a balanced budget…the first time in six years!  Lots of hard work, cost-cutting, financial restraint and generous donors who believe in this ministry have made this goal achievable. We have exciting, new plans in mind for our new media mission year that begins in September.  I’m so committed that Crossroads be Canada’s “megaphone of the Gospel”…and we will not be silent about how Jesus can change lives… Jesus alone offers hope! Your donation today will make a difference in many lives.  – Lorna            

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A SPECIAL YEAR-END GIFT TO HELP US BALANCE THE BUDGET AND YOUR DONATION WILL BE MATCHED THROUGH A SPECIAL $10,000 CHALLENGE GRANT! YOU CAN ALSO CALL 1-800-265-3100 TO DONATE BY PHONE.

7 thoughts on “Saturday, August 26, 2017

  1. You gave much of yourself and your thought into today’s blog; filled with scripture links and your Dad’s words of wisdom and poem, and heartfelt prayer I prayed together with you. I pray that you be strengthened of the Lord today and always. And I thank you for your input into this blog.
    Your Dad was a man worthy of your admiration of him, how blessed you are to have had such an example in your life for so many years, to guide you into the man you have become!

    Thank you Jesus for Your Word to us to guide us into Your Way! Thank you that “This is the Day that the Lord has made and I choose to rejoice and be glad in it”
    God bless your day all you bloggers.

  2. Luv the pics of Israel posted!I am blessed to be in Israel today and am staying for 1 month!I was actually swimming in the Sea of Galilee today!A timely picture for me indeed!God bless,l Iove 100 words!

    • Jennifer:
      PRAISE AND THANK THE LORD FOR THE INTERNET! THIS IS SO COOL, YOU POSTING FROM ISRAEL, AND WENT SWIMMING IN THE SEA OF GALILEE!
      I GOT GOOSE BUMPS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR BLOG!
      I PRAY FOR YOUR SAFETY AND TOTAL ENJOYMENT OF YOUR STAY!

      PLEASE KEEP US POSTED, GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS POSTING……AWESOME…..

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