Sunday, April 15, 2018

MARVELOUS THINGS

Today’s Reading: Micah 7

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

 

Once inside The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, you can look to the right and see the entrance to the adjoining building, which is an Armenian monastery. The present leader of the Armenian Church was once the atheist leader of the Young Communists of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. He testifies to an amazing conversion to Christ.

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

 

Key Verse: Micah 7:19

He will again have compassion on us,

And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our sins

Into the depths of the sea.

 

Most of Micah’s words tell of the troubles that will come on the world because of sin, personal and collective. The cumulative result of rejecting God is stated in Micah 7:13, “The land shall be desolate because of those who dwell in it, and for the fruit of their deeds.” Man’s efforts at creating a utopian society have ended up in “desolation.” Consider the end results of the world’s mass murderers in the 20th century. The communism of Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot, (perhaps 100,000,000 murders) and the national socialists of Hitler (perhaps 20,000,000). The first four were atheists, and Hitler and the leaders around him, who tried to introduce the ancient pagan gods, despised Jesus and the writers of the Bible because they were Jews. Surely these abysmal failures of mere man are cause for despair. But don’t give up! The future is bright because God is not finished with the world yet. Read the last seven verses of Micah again!!! God has done, and will do, “marvelous things”!!!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, who is a God like You…pardoning iniquity, delighting in mercy, and having compassion on us? Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I’m overwhelmed by You, Lord. I give You my life again for this new day! I pray that I will not dredge up from the depths of the sea my past sins or the sins of others. May I think, speak and act in the Truth of Your Word and in the same mercy which You have sworn to give us “from days of old!” (last four words of Micah). In the Name of the One Whose mercy and truth took Him to the Cross and out from the empty tomb, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I was 17 years old when I sang a solo in the Baptist Church of Renfrew, Ontario. I was very nervous, but as I got into it, the truth of which I sang gripped my heart and the fear left. The song’s words were “Down, down, down, down (I sang the words with my voice going lower and lower), down in the depths of the sea. The sins of the past are all gone at last; down in  the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19b). I had given my life to Christ just over a year before, and I realized that when I expressed the Word of God with my voice, I grew in confidence that those Words were true! (I’ve Googled that song and here’s what I found…click here).

Gossips, backbiters, and judgmental people go fishing down there in the “depths of the sea.” Then they often put what they find in their “net”…on the aptly named “inter-net.” Please, please, don’t even go there into the sludge of these bottom feeders. I’m sure that there are many lies there. Besides, when sin is confessed, forgiven by God, and cast into His sea of forgetfulness, He puts up a sign that says, “No Fishing!”

Yours with thankfulness for sins forgiven,

David

12 thoughts on “Sunday, April 15, 2018

  1. Such a surreal photo and inscription–glory for our God! Amen to David’s message and prayer–no fishing, for our sins are forgiven. Amen!! Wishing safety to all saints, today, with such terrible weather upon us.

    “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake,
    and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25 NIV

    Jeremy Camp – King Jesus with lyrics
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4aviEbCLB4

  2. Wise and wonderful words from Micah and David Mainse. Love the old hymn with down, down, down, down in my heart in it. Have a blessed day dear saints. We’re having half decent weather in the west where we live… not sure about Edmonton and Calgary though. Regardless, Jesus is with us.

  3. Thankful for the truth of the Word. God is with us. Our sky is gray and rain is promised, but the magnolias are blossoming, as are the cherry trees.. Such beauty in nature!
    thinking of the many who have snow and/or icy conditions.

  4. Churches canceled here too. Would love to see those flowers, Ruth! Seems like a long winter this year. Great to be able to get services on TV & the internet. God bless all today where ever you may be.

  5. Good afternoon all, our church services were cancelled as well. The road grader just went passed, it has a scarfer on it to scar up the ice on the gravel road.
    Although we have not gone anywhere in a couple of days now, I have been blessed here at home. It’s amazing what alone time in a hot bath and the Lord can do for your soul.
    I pray my sin in law has a safe trip home from work. I’m sure the roads have been salted quite a bit. Strong winds out there. We live in mid western Ont.
    Blessings to all.

  6. Sorry For all that snow down east, We are having beautitul sunny
    skys here on Van. Isl. My tulips and Hyzins are all in bloom.
    I am enjoying them…R…

  7. Enjoyed the hymn “down, down, down, …can’t imagine David Mainse singing it at age 17; I can relate to the nervousness.
    Agreed with David’s prayer…Praise God, my sins are washed whiter than snow, never to be remembered again. The past is the past;” I am a new creation in Christ Jesus old things are past away; behold all things are become new”2Cor.5:17.
    Impressive photo, almost scary, would not want to walk through there alone; makes me think of Ps. 23:4″Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”.
    Keep your eyes on the Lord, for He cares for you!

    • yes I can relate to his being nervous! I sang at an early age in church also, I was scared the first time, not so bad after that….a little bit of nerves is a good thing….keeps a person on their toes…
      blessings to all

      prayers of healing for:
      Monica – heal her lungs
      Janet – remove cancer cells from her lungs
      Walt – heal his fractured arm & maybe broken shoulder
      Shelby – healing of her broken bones
      Lord You are our Healer, Our Lord and Saviour, we bring these pp to You for complete healing, we thank you for all the blessings of this day;
      OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN,
      HALLOWED BY THY NAME,
      THY KINGDOM COME,
      THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN;
      TY LORD TY LORD amen amen amen

  8. Here in Edmonton spring is trying to break through, the temp is above 0, but the winds are cold. However, the forecast for Tuesday is snow!

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