Day 332 of the 2nd Bible Study Journey 2nd Day of Advent - 28 November 2022 reflections
Day 331, 27 November 2022
1) 2 Corinthians 6:14-10
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
The Temple of the Living God
14 (1Co 5:9; 7:39) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?
What communion has light with darkness?
15 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has he who believes
with an unbeliever?
16 (Lev 26:12; Ex 29:45) What agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will live in them
and walk in them.
I will be their God,
and they shall be My people."(Lev 26:12; Jer 32:38; Eze 37:27.)
17 (Isa 52:11; Rev 18:4) Therefore,
"Come out from among them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
and I will receive you." (Jer 9:24.)
18 (Isa 43:6; Jer 31:9) "I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty." (2Sa 7:14.)
[14] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness?
[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel?
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the
temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7
1 (Pr 8:13; 2Co 6:17-18) Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
[1] Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God.
Paul's Joy at the Church's Repentance
2 (Ac 20:33) Accept us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one,
and we have defrauded no one.
3 (2Co 6:11-12) I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before
that you are in our hearts, so that we would die or live with you.
4 (2Co 1:4; 3:12) Great is my boldness of speech toward you; great is
my boasting of you. I am filled with comfort, and I am exceedingly joyful
in all our tribulation.
5 (Dt 32:25; 2Co 2:13) For when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest,
and we were troubled on every side. On the outside were conflicts; on the
inside were fears.
6 (2Co 1:3-4; 7:13) Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us
through the coming of Titus,
7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was
comforted in you, when he told us about your sincere desire, your mourning,
and your zeal toward me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8 Though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though
I did regret it. For I perceive that this same letter has caused you sorrow,
though only for a while.
9 (Ac 20:21) Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that your
sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorrowful in a godly way, that
you might not suffer loss in any way through us.
10 (Ac 11:18; 2Sa 12:13) Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads
to salvation and brings no regret, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11 (2Co 7:7) For observe this very thing, which you sorrowed in a godly way:
What carefulness it produced in you, what vindication of yourselves, what
indignation, what fear, what intense desire, what zeal, what avenging
of wrong! In all things you have proven yourselves to be innocent in this
matter.
12 (2Co 2:9) So though I wrote to you, I did it not because of him who had
done the wrong, nor because of him who suffered wrong, but that our care
for you in the sight of God might be evident to you.
13 (2Co 7:6; Ro 15:32) Therefore we were comforted in your comfort.
Yes, and we were exceedingly the more joyful for the sake of Titus,
because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 (2Co 7:4; 8:24) So I am not ashamed if I have boasted of anything to him
regarding you. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even our boasting
in the presence of Titus is found to be true.
15 (Php 2:12; 2Co 2:9) Now his affection abounds all the more toward you, as
he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you
received him.
16 (2Co 2:3) Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
[2] Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have
defrauded no man.
[3] I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in
our hearts to die and live with you.
[4] Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you:
I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
[5] For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we
were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
[6] Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us
by the coming of Titus;
[7] And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was
comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your
fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
[8] For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did
repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it
were but for a season.
[9] Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to
repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might
receive damage by us in nothing.
[10] For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:
but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
[11] For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,
what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea,
what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal,
yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in
this matter.
[12] Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had
done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for
you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
[13] Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the
more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you
all.
[14] For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as
we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made
before Titus, is found a truth.
[15] And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he
remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye
received him.
[16] I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
2 Corinthians 8
Liberal Giving
1 (Ac 16:9) Moreover, brothers, we want you to experience the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia,
2 how in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty overflowed toward the riches of their generous giving.
3 (1Co 16:2) For I bear record that according to their means,
and beyond their means, they freely gave,
4 (Ac 24:17; 1Co 16:3-4) begging us with much urgency that we would receive
the gift and the fellowship of ministering to the saints.
5 This they did, not as we expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord,
and then to us by the will of God.
6 (2Co 12:18; 8:4) So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also
complete this gracious deed for you.
7 (2Co 9:8; 1Co 1:5; Ro 15:14) But as you abound in everything-in faith, in
utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to
us-see that you abound in this grace also.
8 (1Co 7:6) I say this not as a command, but to prove through the authenticity
of others, the sincerity also of your love.
9 (Mt 20:28; 2Co 6:10; 13:14) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that through His
poverty you might be rich.
10 (1Co 7:25; 2Co 9:2) And in this matter I give my advice. It is appropriate
for you, who began last year not only to give, but also to willingly give.
11 Now therefore complete the task, so that, as there was a willingness to do
so, there may be a performance of it according to your means.
12 (2Co 9:7) For if there is a willing mind first, the gift is accepted
according to what a man possesses and not according to what he does not
possess.
13 I do not mean that other men have relief, and you be burdened,
14 (2Co 9:12; Ac 4:34_ but for equality, that your abundance now at this time
may supply their need, and their abundance may supply your need-that there
may be equality.
15 (Ex 16:18) As it is written, "He who gathered much had no excess. And he
who gathered little had no lack."(Ex 16:18.)
16 (Rev 17:17) But thanks be to God, who placed the same sincere care
in the heart of Titus for you.
17 (2Co 8:6) For indeed he accepted the exhortation. But being more zealous,
he went to you of his own accord.
18 (2Co 12:18; 1Co 7:17) And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is
in the gospel throughout all the churches.
19 (1Co 16:3-4; 2Co 4:15) And not only that, but he was also chosen
by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which we administer
to the glory of the same Lord, and to declare your willing mind,
20 to prevent any man from blaming us in administering this abundant gift,
21 (Ro 12:17; 14:18) providing for honest things, not only in the sight
of the Lord but also in the sight of men.
22 Furthermore, we have sent with them our brother whom we have frequently
proved diligent in many things, but now is much more diligent,
due to the great confidence which he has in you.
23 (Php 2:25; Phm 1:17; 2Co 8:6) If anyone inquires about Titus,
he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you.
Or if our brothers are inquired about, they are the messengers
of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24 (2Co 7:14; 7:4) Therefore show to them, and before the churches,
the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
[1] Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the
churches of Macedonia;
[2] How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
[3] For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves;
[4] Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
[5] And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to
the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
[6] Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also
finish in you the same grace also.
[7] Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and
knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound
in this grace also.
[8] I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
[9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might
be rich.
[10] And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have
begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
[11] Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to
will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
[12] For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that
a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
[13] For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
[14] But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a
supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your
want: that there may be equality:
[15] As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he
that had gathered little had no lack.
[16] But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of
Titus for you.
[17] For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his
own accord he went unto you.
[18] And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel
throughout all the churches;
[19] And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel
with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the
same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
[20] Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is
administered by us:
[21] Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but
also in the sight of men.
[22] And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved
diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great
confidence which I have in you.
[23] Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper
concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of
the churches, and the glory of Christ.
[24] Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your
love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
2 Corinthians 9
The Offering for the Saints
1 It is redundant for me to write to you concerning the ministry
to the saints.
2 (2Co 8:10; 8:8; 8:24) I know your willingness, for which I boast
of you to those in Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago,
and your zeal has stirred up most of them.
3 (2Co 8:6) Yet I have sent the brothers, lest our boasting of you might
be in vain in this case, that, as I said, you may be ready;
4 and lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared,
we (not to mention you) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.
5 (Ge 33:11; 1Sa 25:27) Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the
brothers to go ahead to you and arrange beforehand your bountiful gift you
previously promised, that it might be prepared as a gift, not as a matter of
greed.
6 (Pr 22:9; Lk 6:38) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 (Ex 25:2; 2Co 8:12) Let every man give according to the purposes
in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful
giver.
8 God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you,
always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work.
9 (Ps 112:9) As it is written:
"He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor;
His righteousness remains forever."(Ps 112:9.)
10 (Isa 55:10; Hos 10:12) Now He who supplies seed to the sower and supplies
bread for your food will also multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits
of your righteousness.
11 (2Co 1:11; 1Co 1:5) So you will be enriched in everything to all
bountifulness, which makes us give thanks to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the need
of the saints, but is abundant also through many thanksgivings to God.
13 (Mt 5:16) Meanwhile, through the performance of this ministry,
they glorify God for the profession of your faith in the gospel of Christ
and for your liberal sharing with them and with all others.
14 And in their prayer for you, they long for you because of the surpassing
grace of God in you.
15 (2Co 2:14; Jn 3:16) Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
[1] For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me
to write to you:
[2] For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to
them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath
provoked very many.
[3] Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain
in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
[4] Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared,
we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
[5] Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would
go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had
notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not
as of covetousness.
[6] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and
he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
[7] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
[8] And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
[9] (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor:
his righteousness remaineth for ever.
[10] Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your
food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your
righteousness;)
[11] Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth
through us thanksgiving to God.
[12] For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of
the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
[13] Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your
professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal
distribution unto them, and unto all men;
[14] And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding
grace of God in you.
[15] Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians 10
Paul Defends His Ministry
1 (Mt 11:29; 2Co 10:10) Now I, Paul, who am lowly in presence among you but
bold toward you while absent, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness
of Christ.
2 (2Co 13:2; 13:10) I beg you that when I am present, I might not have to be
bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who
think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 (Jer 1:10; 2Co 6:7) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,
5 (Isa 2:11-12; 1Co 1:19) casting down imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 (2Co 2:9; 7:15) and being ready to punish all disobedience
when your obedience is complete.
7 (2Co 5:12; Jn 7:24; 1Co 14:37) Do you look at things from the outward
appearance? If any man trusts that he is Christ's, let him consider again
that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8 (2Co 13:10) For even if I should boast somewhat more of our authority,
which the Lord has given us for edification and not for your destruction,
I shall not be ashamed,
9 lest I appear to frighten you by my letters.
10 (1Co 1:17; 2Co 11:6) "For his letters," they say, "are weighty and
powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
11 Let such a person consider this: that as we are in word by letters
when we are absent, we will also be in deed when we are present.
12 (2Co 3:1; Pr 26:12) For we dare not count or compare ourselves with those
who commend themselves. They who measure themselves by one another
and compare themselves with one another are not wise.
13 (Ro 15:20) But we will not boast beyond measure, but within the boundaries
which God has appointed us, which reach even you.
14 (1Co 4:15) For we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not
reach you, since we have come to you, preaching the gospel of Christ.
15 (Ro 15:20; 2Co 10:13) We are not boasting of things beyond our measure
in other men's labors. But we have hope that when your faith is increased,
our region shall be greatly enlarged by you,
16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another
man's accomplishments.
17 (1Co 1:31; Jer 9:23-24) But, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(Jer 9:24.)
18 (Ro 2:29; 1Co 4:5) For it is not he who commends himself who is approved,
but he whom the Lord commends.
[1] Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,
who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
[2] But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that
confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as
if we walked according to the flesh.
[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
[4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strong holds;)
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ;
[6] And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.
[7] Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to
himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as
he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
[8] For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord
hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be
ashamed:
[9] That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
[10] For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
[11] Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters
when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
[12] For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with
some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
[13] But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to
the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach
even unto you.
[14] For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached
not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel
of Christ:
[15] Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's
labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be
enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
[16] To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in
another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
[17] But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
[18] For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord
commendeth.
2) Our Daily Bread for 28 November 2022
Entitled "Walk with Me"
Titus 2:11-14
11 (1Ti 2:4; Ac 11:23) For the grace of God that brings salvation
has appeared to all men,
12 (Lk 1:75; Ro 6:19) teaching us that, denying ungodliness
and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously,
and in godliness in this present world,
13 (2Ti 4:8; Titus 1:2) as we await the blessed hope and the appearing
of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 (Eph 2:10; Heb 9:14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
from all lawlessness and purify for Himself a special people,
zealous of good works.
[11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
[12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
[13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
[14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
A few years ago, a popular song hit the charts, with a gospel choir singing
the chorus, "Jesus walks with me." Behind the lyrics lies a powerful story.
The choir was started by jazz musician Curtis Lundy when he entered a
treatment program for cocaine addiction. Drawing fellow addicts together and
finding inspiration in an old hymnal, he wrote that chorus as a hymn of hope
for those in rehab. "We were singing for our lives," one choir member says of
the song. "We were asking Jesus to save us, to help us get out of the drugs."
Another found that her chronic pain subsided when she sang the song. That
choir wasn't just singing words on a sheet but offering desperate prayers
for redemption.
Today's Scripture reading describes their experience well. In Christ, our God
has appeared to offer salvation to all people (Titus 2:11). While eternal
life is part of this gift (v. 13), God is working on us now, empowering us to
regain self-control, say no to worldly passions, and redeem us for life with
Him (vv. 12, 14). As the choir members found, Jesus doesn't just forgive our sins-He frees us from destructive lifestyles.
Jesus walks with me. And you. And anyone who cries out to Him for help.
He's with us, offering hope for the future and salvation now.
By: Sheridan Voysey
Reflect & Pray
What do you need Jesus to change in you today?
How desperate are you for Him to do it?
Dear Jesus, I need You. Forgive my sins,
free me from destructive habits, and change me from the inside out.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 7 Promises of Grace - Day 2 - Due Season
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary in doing good,
for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Jackie's preschool class took on an exciting project: they were going to grow
flowers from seeds, Each child took the seed, planted it carefully in the
bedding soil, watered, and waited. But Jackie couldn't wait. Every day
for a week he ran to the window box, looked for his plants, poked, prodded,
unplanted the seeds and then planted them again. "It's no use,"
he pouted after the first week. "Nothing's gonna grow in there."
We live in an instant society - microwave dinners, quick fixes, easy answers.
We are conditioned by our environment to expect - even to demand -
immediate response, and when we have to wait,
we become impatient and irritable.
Paul's exhortation to the Galatians, "Let us not become weary in doing good,"
is as appropriate for twentieth-century believers as it was for the new church
at Galatia. We lose motivation when we don't see results,
and weariness sets in.
If our work does not seem to be producing as we hope, we want to abandon it
and move on to a new project.
But God says, "You will reap a harvest if you don't give up." We give up too
soon in our prayers for a loved one's salvation. We abandon hope too readily
when we don't see spiritual growth in our own lives, when our investment in
another's spiritual maturity seems to have no return. The Lord says,
"The harvest is coming; be patient; trust me."
In due season the harvest comes; when it's the right time. When the seed has
had time to germinate, when the roots are string enough, when the conditions
are right, the reaping time will come. But we must be willing to wait for
the due season, the moment of ripeness, when our labor brings its return.
Application
a) Have I ever felt that my spiritual labors have produced no harvest at all?
b) What does it mean to my own spiritual growth that there is a "due season"
for reaping the harvest?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Proverbs 22:7
7 The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Saddened by Loss
John 14:1 - 7
1 "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me.
2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places.
If it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again
and receive you to Myself,
that where I am, you may be also.
4 You know where I am going, and you know the way."
5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know
where You are going. How can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.
From now on you do know Him and have seen Him."
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Total population 527000
Muslim population (est.) 2065
As of Autumn 2014, St. John's does not have a local CNMM network. Pray with us
for God's people to come together in prayer
and cooperative efforts to reach Muslims with the Good News.
St. John's has one mosque and 2 more musallas , or prayer locations, which
may grow into mosques of their own. The mosque is called Masjid an Noor,
The Mosque of the Light, and mosque historical documents record a trip in 1986
to Saudi Arabia to raise funds for the land purchase and construction costs.
A small number of Muslim families had come prior to 1964, but moved on to
other places after a short time. After this date, a small community began
to remain and grow , reaching about 25 families in the 1980s. A number
of international students also join the community annually
ranging from 25 to 60.
In 2014 the mosque website reports the community is made up of some 200
families and many university students attending Memorial University. A
small number of native Newfoundlanders have also converted to the Islamic
faith, one saying of this religion in Newfoundland, "Islam is a growing face".
With the growth of the community, the current challenge is lack of space
in the mosque, which they are now looking at expanding.
Pray for
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
Day 28 of the Month
a) Pray for new Canadians, that they will have opportunity to hear
and respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
(
John 5:24
24 (Jn 3:18; 1Jn 3:14; Jn 3:36) "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever
hears My word and believes in Him who sent
Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation,
but has passed from death into life."
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
)
b) Pray for God's kingdom to come in the life of someone you
know today . (
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. "
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
)
Advent Day 2
Phillippians 2:6-7
6 (Jn 5:18; 10:33) who, being in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
7 (Mt 20:28; Jn 1:14) But He emptied Himself,
taking upon Himself the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men.
From C.S. Lewis a Grand Miracle
"The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe,
became mot only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside
a Woman's body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like
to become a slug or a crab." -C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity p.179
The Distance He traveled
My longest trip took me from the Midwestern USA to the Southeast Asian
city of Singapore, a distance of 9290 miles as the crow files.
Astronauts have traveled almost 250 000 miles , the distance from
Earth to the moon. Since 1977, Voyager 2 has traveled to 4 planets
and their moons, passing Neptune in 1989 and moving beyond the solar system.
Today it is more than 8 000 000 000 miles from the Sun.
God traveled even further than that, although we're not measuring
the distance in miles. The infinite Creator stepped inside an unborn baby,
the weakest of humans. Paul says it this way,
"who, being in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
But He emptied Himself," That's a long trip, from majesty to humility,
from deity to humanity, from God to God-man.
For God to make himself nothing is to travel from the infinite ot the finite.
Try as we might, we cannot fully comprehend that distance. The best
we can do is to make comparisons. Lewis compares the Incarnation of God
to the idea of becoming a slug or a crab. That brings a smile to our faces.
That would be a huge distance to travel, a humbling of oneself,
changing from human to animal. I can't really imagine it. Can you?
What Jesus did is all the more remarkable.
Jesus, Immanuel, Thank You for going the distance to
become one of us, God with us. Amen.
From Follow the Story by Marva J. Dawn
FIRST Monday OF ADVENT
Credentials
Luke 1:5-7
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest
named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And his wife was
of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren,
and they both were now well advanced in years.
Luke, the historian, want to inform us that Zechariah was
a real man. He places him carefully in the datable reign
of King Heard of Judea and in the priestly order of Abijah.
To add to his credentials, Luke tells us that Zechariah's wife
Elizabath was also of the Aaronic priestly order. Not only were
they righteous, but they were blameless in following all the
Lord's precepts. We know that no one is perfect, for "All have sinned"
(Romans 3:23), but they had done their best to keep God's statutes
and had come as close to rectitude as possible for human beings.
So what went wrong? Why is Elizabeth barren and looked down on in
and by their culture for being so? Is their goodness not
sufficient to merit God's favour? No, and none of ours is.
Rather this text and its emphasis on her growing older is
setting us up for an extraordinary divine intervention.
Isn't it arresting that God blows the rules of nature to
accomplish his purposes?
Prayer
God , thank you for beginning this Advent with you astonishing
- and love-inducing- works! Amen.
The AH-HAs of Advent by Rich Bimler
Ps 130:5-6
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait;
I long for His Word!
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
FIRST MONDAY OF ADVENT
AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ANEW!
We may find it hard to wait for Christmas to come, especially since
we have been hearing Christmas carols in the shopping malls since
Labour Day and seeing smiling stuffed Santas on neighbourhood lawns
since Halloween! but in a way, that's all right, because it helps us to remind
ourselves that the Lord comes to us anew each day, to renew us anew in out Baptism!
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait;
I long for His Word!
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
Seeing advent anew occurs when we do more watching and waiting for
God's presence and promise in and around us and when we do less
waiting and worrying about peripheral things. Watch and wait to see how
the weighty issues of worries, woes and wars fall into new and refreshing
ways of looking at life in the Lord! Advent renews us to remember that
Christ came to us in the manger ... that Christ will come again ...
and that Christ comes to us each day - in water and Word, in words and
wonders, in wows and other winsome ways.
Prayer
Lord, thanks for calling us to be your AH-HA people. Thanks for refreshing
is anew with your love, your forgiveness and your precious presence among us.
It's a new day, Lord, in you.
In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to b oure in the sight of Jesus.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear Jesus, I need You. Forgive my sins,
free me from destructive habits, and change me from the inside out."
Pray to the Lord and pray for patient as you plant His Spiritual seeds.
Pray to the Lord and pray to remember what happenes to borrowers.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know thaT THE Lord
is preparing a place in Heaven for you!
Pray for in Newfoundland and Labrador
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for newcomers to your country, that they will have opportunity to hear
and respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Pray for God's kingdom to come in the life of someone you
know today .
Pray Jesus, Immanuel, Thank You for going the distance to
become one of us, God with us. Amen.
Pray God , thank you for beginning this Advent with you astonishing
- and love-inducing- works! Amen.
Pray Lord, thanks for calling us to be your AH-HA people. Thanks for refreshing
is anew with your love, your forgiveness and your precious presence among us.
It's a new day, Lord, in you.
In Jesus' name. Amen
Pray that a church closed by Indonesian officials will be permitted to
reopen.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1) 2 Corinthians 6:14-10
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
The Temple of the Living God
14 (1Co 5:9; 7:39) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?
What communion has light with darkness?
15 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part has he who believes
with an unbeliever?
16 (Lev 26:12; Ex 29:45) What agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will live in them
and walk in them.
I will be their God,
and they shall be My people."(Lev 26:12; Jer 32:38; Eze 37:27.)
17 (Isa 52:11; Rev 18:4) Therefore,
"Come out from among them
and be separate,
says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
and I will receive you." (Jer 9:24.)
18 (Isa 43:6; Jer 31:9) "I will be a Father to you,
and you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty." (2Sa 7:14.)
[14] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness?
[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
believeth with an infidel?
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the
temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk
in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 7
1 (Pr 8:13; 2Co 6:17-18) Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
[1] Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
in the fear of God.
Paul's Joy at the Church's Repentance
2 (Ac 20:33) Accept us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one,
and we have defrauded no one.
3 (2Co 6:11-12) I do not say this to condemn you, for I have said before
that you are in our hearts, so that we would die or live with you.
4 (2Co 1:4; 3:12) Great is my boldness of speech toward you; great is
my boasting of you. I am filled with comfort, and I am exceedingly joyful
in all our tribulation.
5 (Dt 32:25; 2Co 2:13) For when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest,
and we were troubled on every side. On the outside were conflicts; on the
inside were fears.
6 (2Co 1:3-4; 7:13) Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us
through the coming of Titus,
7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was
comforted in you, when he told us about your sincere desire, your mourning,
and your zeal toward me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8 Though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it, though
I did regret it. For I perceive that this same letter has caused you sorrow,
though only for a while.
9 (Ac 20:21) Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that your
sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorrowful in a godly way, that
you might not suffer loss in any way through us.
10 (Ac 11:18; 2Sa 12:13) Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads
to salvation and brings no regret, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11 (2Co 7:7) For observe this very thing, which you sorrowed in a godly way:
What carefulness it produced in you, what vindication of yourselves, what
indignation, what fear, what intense desire, what zeal, what avenging
of wrong! In all things you have proven yourselves to be innocent in this
matter.
12 (2Co 2:9) So though I wrote to you, I did it not because of him who had
done the wrong, nor because of him who suffered wrong, but that our care
for you in the sight of God might be evident to you.
13 (2Co 7:6; Ro 15:32) Therefore we were comforted in your comfort.
Yes, and we were exceedingly the more joyful for the sake of Titus,
because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 (2Co 7:4; 8:24) So I am not ashamed if I have boasted of anything to him
regarding you. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even our boasting
in the presence of Titus is found to be true.
15 (Php 2:12; 2Co 2:9) Now his affection abounds all the more toward you, as
he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you
received him.
16 (2Co 2:3) Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
[2] Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have
defrauded no man.
[3] I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in
our hearts to die and live with you.
[4] Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you:
I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
[5] For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we
were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
[6] Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us
by the coming of Titus;
[7] And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was
comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your
fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
[8] For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did
repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it
were but for a season.
[9] Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to
repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might
receive damage by us in nothing.
[10] For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:
but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
[11] For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,
what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea,
what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal,
yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in
this matter.
[12] Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had
done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for
you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
[13] Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the
more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you
all.
[14] For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as
we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made
before Titus, is found a truth.
[15] And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he
remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye
received him.
[16] I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
2 Corinthians 8
Liberal Giving
1 (Ac 16:9) Moreover, brothers, we want you to experience the grace of God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia,
2 how in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty overflowed toward the riches of their generous giving.
3 (1Co 16:2) For I bear record that according to their means,
and beyond their means, they freely gave,
4 (Ac 24:17; 1Co 16:3-4) begging us with much urgency that we would receive
the gift and the fellowship of ministering to the saints.
5 This they did, not as we expected. First, they gave themselves to the Lord,
and then to us by the will of God.
6 (2Co 12:18; 8:4) So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also
complete this gracious deed for you.
7 (2Co 9:8; 1Co 1:5; Ro 15:14) But as you abound in everything-in faith, in
utterance, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love to
us-see that you abound in this grace also.
8 (1Co 7:6) I say this not as a command, but to prove through the authenticity
of others, the sincerity also of your love.
9 (Mt 20:28; 2Co 6:10; 13:14) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that through His
poverty you might be rich.
10 (1Co 7:25; 2Co 9:2) And in this matter I give my advice. It is appropriate
for you, who began last year not only to give, but also to willingly give.
11 Now therefore complete the task, so that, as there was a willingness to do
so, there may be a performance of it according to your means.
12 (2Co 9:7) For if there is a willing mind first, the gift is accepted
according to what a man possesses and not according to what he does not
possess.
13 I do not mean that other men have relief, and you be burdened,
14 (2Co 9:12; Ac 4:34_ but for equality, that your abundance now at this time
may supply their need, and their abundance may supply your need-that there
may be equality.
15 (Ex 16:18) As it is written, "He who gathered much had no excess. And he
who gathered little had no lack."(Ex 16:18.)
16 (Rev 17:17) But thanks be to God, who placed the same sincere care
in the heart of Titus for you.
17 (2Co 8:6) For indeed he accepted the exhortation. But being more zealous,
he went to you of his own accord.
18 (2Co 12:18; 1Co 7:17) And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is
in the gospel throughout all the churches.
19 (1Co 16:3-4; 2Co 4:15) And not only that, but he was also chosen
by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which we administer
to the glory of the same Lord, and to declare your willing mind,
20 to prevent any man from blaming us in administering this abundant gift,
21 (Ro 12:17; 14:18) providing for honest things, not only in the sight
of the Lord but also in the sight of men.
22 Furthermore, we have sent with them our brother whom we have frequently
proved diligent in many things, but now is much more diligent,
due to the great confidence which he has in you.
23 (Php 2:25; Phm 1:17; 2Co 8:6) If anyone inquires about Titus,
he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you.
Or if our brothers are inquired about, they are the messengers
of the churches, and the glory of Christ.
24 (2Co 7:14; 7:4) Therefore show to them, and before the churches,
the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.
[1] Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the
churches of Macedonia;
[2] How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
[3] For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves;
[4] Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
[5] And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to
the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
[6] Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also
finish in you the same grace also.
[7] Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and
knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound
in this grace also.
[8] I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
[9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might
be rich.
[10] And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have
begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
[11] Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to
will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
[12] For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that
a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
[13] For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
[14] But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a
supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your
want: that there may be equality:
[15] As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he
that had gathered little had no lack.
[16] But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of
Titus for you.
[17] For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his
own accord he went unto you.
[18] And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel
throughout all the churches;
[19] And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel
with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the
same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
[20] Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is
administered by us:
[21] Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but
also in the sight of men.
[22] And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved
diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great
confidence which I have in you.
[23] Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper
concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of
the churches, and the glory of Christ.
[24] Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your
love, and of our boasting on your behalf.
2 Corinthians 9
The Offering for the Saints
1 It is redundant for me to write to you concerning the ministry
to the saints.
2 (2Co 8:10; 8:8; 8:24) I know your willingness, for which I boast
of you to those in Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago,
and your zeal has stirred up most of them.
3 (2Co 8:6) Yet I have sent the brothers, lest our boasting of you might
be in vain in this case, that, as I said, you may be ready;
4 and lest if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared,
we (not to mention you) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.
5 (Ge 33:11; 1Sa 25:27) Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the
brothers to go ahead to you and arrange beforehand your bountiful gift you
previously promised, that it might be prepared as a gift, not as a matter of
greed.
6 (Pr 22:9; Lk 6:38) But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap
sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 (Ex 25:2; 2Co 8:12) Let every man give according to the purposes
in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful
giver.
8 God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you,
always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work.
9 (Ps 112:9) As it is written:
"He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor;
His righteousness remains forever."(Ps 112:9.)
10 (Isa 55:10; Hos 10:12) Now He who supplies seed to the sower and supplies
bread for your food will also multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits
of your righteousness.
11 (2Co 1:11; 1Co 1:5) So you will be enriched in everything to all
bountifulness, which makes us give thanks to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the need
of the saints, but is abundant also through many thanksgivings to God.
13 (Mt 5:16) Meanwhile, through the performance of this ministry,
they glorify God for the profession of your faith in the gospel of Christ
and for your liberal sharing with them and with all others.
14 And in their prayer for you, they long for you because of the surpassing
grace of God in you.
15 (2Co 2:14; Jn 3:16) Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.
[1] For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me
to write to you:
[2] For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to
them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath
provoked very many.
[3] Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain
in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
[4] Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared,
we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
[5] Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would
go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had
notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not
as of covetousness.
[6] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and
he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
[7] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
[8] And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
[9] (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor:
his righteousness remaineth for ever.
[10] Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your
food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your
righteousness;)
[11] Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth
through us thanksgiving to God.
[12] For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of
the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
[13] Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your
professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal
distribution unto them, and unto all men;
[14] And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding
grace of God in you.
[15] Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
2 Corinthians 10
Paul Defends His Ministry
1 (Mt 11:29; 2Co 10:10) Now I, Paul, who am lowly in presence among you but
bold toward you while absent, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness
of Christ.
2 (2Co 13:2; 13:10) I beg you that when I am present, I might not have to be
bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who
think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 (Jer 1:10; 2Co 6:7) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,
5 (Isa 2:11-12; 1Co 1:19) casting down imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ,
6 (2Co 2:9; 7:15) and being ready to punish all disobedience
when your obedience is complete.
7 (2Co 5:12; Jn 7:24; 1Co 14:37) Do you look at things from the outward
appearance? If any man trusts that he is Christ's, let him consider again
that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8 (2Co 13:10) For even if I should boast somewhat more of our authority,
which the Lord has given us for edification and not for your destruction,
I shall not be ashamed,
9 lest I appear to frighten you by my letters.
10 (1Co 1:17; 2Co 11:6) "For his letters," they say, "are weighty and
powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible."
11 Let such a person consider this: that as we are in word by letters
when we are absent, we will also be in deed when we are present.
12 (2Co 3:1; Pr 26:12) For we dare not count or compare ourselves with those
who commend themselves. They who measure themselves by one another
and compare themselves with one another are not wise.
13 (Ro 15:20) But we will not boast beyond measure, but within the boundaries
which God has appointed us, which reach even you.
14 (1Co 4:15) For we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not
reach you, since we have come to you, preaching the gospel of Christ.
15 (Ro 15:20; 2Co 10:13) We are not boasting of things beyond our measure
in other men's labors. But we have hope that when your faith is increased,
our region shall be greatly enlarged by you,
16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another
man's accomplishments.
17 (1Co 1:31; Jer 9:23-24) But, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(Jer 9:24.)
18 (Ro 2:29; 1Co 4:5) For it is not he who commends himself who is approved,
but he whom the Lord commends.
[1] Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,
who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
[2] But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that
confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as
if we walked according to the flesh.
[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
[4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strong holds;)
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ;
[6] And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.
[7] Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to
himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as
he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
[8] For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord
hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be
ashamed:
[9] That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
[10] For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
[11] Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters
when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
[12] For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with
some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves,
and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
[13] But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to
the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach
even unto you.
[14] For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached
not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel
of Christ:
[15] Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's
labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be
enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
[16] To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in
another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
[17] But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
[18] For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord
commendeth.
2) Our Daily Bread for 28 November 2022
Entitled "Walk with Me"
Titus 2:11-14
11 (1Ti 2:4; Ac 11:23) For the grace of God that brings salvation
has appeared to all men,
12 (Lk 1:75; Ro 6:19) teaching us that, denying ungodliness
and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously,
and in godliness in this present world,
13 (2Ti 4:8; Titus 1:2) as we await the blessed hope and the appearing
of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 (Eph 2:10; Heb 9:14) who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
from all lawlessness and purify for Himself a special people,
zealous of good works.
[11] For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
[12] Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
[13] Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
[14] Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
A few years ago, a popular song hit the charts, with a gospel choir singing
the chorus, "Jesus walks with me." Behind the lyrics lies a powerful story.
The choir was started by jazz musician Curtis Lundy when he entered a
treatment program for cocaine addiction. Drawing fellow addicts together and
finding inspiration in an old hymnal, he wrote that chorus as a hymn of hope
for those in rehab. "We were singing for our lives," one choir member says of
the song. "We were asking Jesus to save us, to help us get out of the drugs."
Another found that her chronic pain subsided when she sang the song. That
choir wasn't just singing words on a sheet but offering desperate prayers
for redemption.
Today's Scripture reading describes their experience well. In Christ, our God
has appeared to offer salvation to all people (Titus 2:11). While eternal
life is part of this gift (v. 13), God is working on us now, empowering us to
regain self-control, say no to worldly passions, and redeem us for life with
Him (vv. 12, 14). As the choir members found, Jesus doesn't just forgive our sins-He frees us from destructive lifestyles.
Jesus walks with me. And you. And anyone who cries out to Him for help.
He's with us, offering hope for the future and salvation now.
By: Sheridan Voysey
Reflect & Pray
What do you need Jesus to change in you today?
How desperate are you for Him to do it?
Dear Jesus, I need You. Forgive my sins,
free me from destructive habits, and change me from the inside out.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 7 Promises of Grace - Day 2 - Due Season
Gal 6:9
9 And let us not grow weary in doing good,
for in due season we shall reap, if we do not give up.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Jackie's preschool class took on an exciting project: they were going to grow
flowers from seeds, Each child took the seed, planted it carefully in the
bedding soil, watered, and waited. But Jackie couldn't wait. Every day
for a week he ran to the window box, looked for his plants, poked, prodded,
unplanted the seeds and then planted them again. "It's no use,"
he pouted after the first week. "Nothing's gonna grow in there."
We live in an instant society - microwave dinners, quick fixes, easy answers.
We are conditioned by our environment to expect - even to demand -
immediate response, and when we have to wait,
we become impatient and irritable.
Paul's exhortation to the Galatians, "Let us not become weary in doing good,"
is as appropriate for twentieth-century believers as it was for the new church
at Galatia. We lose motivation when we don't see results,
and weariness sets in.
If our work does not seem to be producing as we hope, we want to abandon it
and move on to a new project.
But God says, "You will reap a harvest if you don't give up." We give up too
soon in our prayers for a loved one's salvation. We abandon hope too readily
when we don't see spiritual growth in our own lives, when our investment in
another's spiritual maturity seems to have no return. The Lord says,
"The harvest is coming; be patient; trust me."
In due season the harvest comes; when it's the right time. When the seed has
had time to germinate, when the roots are string enough, when the conditions
are right, the reaping time will come. But we must be willing to wait for
the due season, the moment of ripeness, when our labor brings its return.
Application
a) Have I ever felt that my spiritual labors have produced no harvest at all?
b) What does it mean to my own spiritual growth that there is a "due season"
for reaping the harvest?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Proverbs 22:7
7 The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the lender.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Saddened by Loss
John 14:1 - 7
1 "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God. Believe also in Me.
2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places.
If it were not so, I would have told you.
I am going to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again
and receive you to Myself,
that where I am, you may be also.
4 You know where I am going, and you know the way."
5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know
where You are going. How can we know the way?"
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.
From now on you do know Him and have seen Him."
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also:
and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Total population 527000
Muslim population (est.) 2065
As of Autumn 2014, St. John's does not have a local CNMM network. Pray with us
for God's people to come together in prayer
and cooperative efforts to reach Muslims with the Good News.
St. John's has one mosque and 2 more musallas , or prayer locations, which
may grow into mosques of their own. The mosque is called Masjid an Noor,
The Mosque of the Light, and mosque historical documents record a trip in 1986
to Saudi Arabia to raise funds for the land purchase and construction costs.
A small number of Muslim families had come prior to 1964, but moved on to
other places after a short time. After this date, a small community began
to remain and grow , reaching about 25 families in the 1980s. A number
of international students also join the community annually
ranging from 25 to 60.
In 2014 the mosque website reports the community is made up of some 200
families and many university students attending Memorial University. A
small number of native Newfoundlanders have also converted to the Islamic
faith, one saying of this religion in Newfoundland, "Islam is a growing face".
With the growth of the community, the current challenge is lack of space
in the mosque, which they are now looking at expanding.
Pray for
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
Day 28 of the Month
a) Pray for new Canadians, that they will have opportunity to hear
and respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
(
John 5:24
24 (Jn 3:18; 1Jn 3:14; Jn 3:36) "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever
hears My word and believes in Him who sent
Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation,
but has passed from death into life."
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
)
b) Pray for God's kingdom to come in the life of someone you
know today . (
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. "
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
)
Advent Day 2
Phillippians 2:6-7
6 (Jn 5:18; 10:33) who, being in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
7 (Mt 20:28; Jn 1:14) But He emptied Himself,
taking upon Himself the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men.
From C.S. Lewis a Grand Miracle
"The Eternal Being, who knows everything and who created the whole universe,
became mot only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside
a Woman's body. If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like
to become a slug or a crab." -C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity p.179
The Distance He traveled
My longest trip took me from the Midwestern USA to the Southeast Asian
city of Singapore, a distance of 9290 miles as the crow files.
Astronauts have traveled almost 250 000 miles , the distance from
Earth to the moon. Since 1977, Voyager 2 has traveled to 4 planets
and their moons, passing Neptune in 1989 and moving beyond the solar system.
Today it is more than 8 000 000 000 miles from the Sun.
God traveled even further than that, although we're not measuring
the distance in miles. The infinite Creator stepped inside an unborn baby,
the weakest of humans. Paul says it this way,
"who, being in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
But He emptied Himself," That's a long trip, from majesty to humility,
from deity to humanity, from God to God-man.
For God to make himself nothing is to travel from the infinite ot the finite.
Try as we might, we cannot fully comprehend that distance. The best
we can do is to make comparisons. Lewis compares the Incarnation of God
to the idea of becoming a slug or a crab. That brings a smile to our faces.
That would be a huge distance to travel, a humbling of oneself,
changing from human to animal. I can't really imagine it. Can you?
What Jesus did is all the more remarkable.
Jesus, Immanuel, Thank You for going the distance to
become one of us, God with us. Amen.
From Follow the Story by Marva J. Dawn
FIRST Monday OF ADVENT
Credentials
Luke 1:5-7
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest
named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And his wife was
of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments
and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren,
and they both were now well advanced in years.
Luke, the historian, want to inform us that Zechariah was
a real man. He places him carefully in the datable reign
of King Heard of Judea and in the priestly order of Abijah.
To add to his credentials, Luke tells us that Zechariah's wife
Elizabath was also of the Aaronic priestly order. Not only were
they righteous, but they were blameless in following all the
Lord's precepts. We know that no one is perfect, for "All have sinned"
(Romans 3:23), but they had done their best to keep God's statutes
and had come as close to rectitude as possible for human beings.
So what went wrong? Why is Elizabeth barren and looked down on in
and by their culture for being so? Is their goodness not
sufficient to merit God's favour? No, and none of ours is.
Rather this text and its emphasis on her growing older is
setting us up for an extraordinary divine intervention.
Isn't it arresting that God blows the rules of nature to
accomplish his purposes?
Prayer
God , thank you for beginning this Advent with you astonishing
- and love-inducing- works! Amen.
The AH-HAs of Advent by Rich Bimler
Ps 130:5-6
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait;
I long for His Word!
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
FIRST MONDAY OF ADVENT
AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ANEW!
We may find it hard to wait for Christmas to come, especially since
we have been hearing Christmas carols in the shopping malls since
Labour Day and seeing smiling stuffed Santas on neighbourhood lawns
since Halloween! but in a way, that's all right, because it helps us to remind
ourselves that the Lord comes to us anew each day, to renew us anew in out Baptism!
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) I wait for the Lord, with bated breath I wait;
I long for His Word!
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
Seeing advent anew occurs when we do more watching and waiting for
God's presence and promise in and around us and when we do less
waiting and worrying about peripheral things. Watch and wait to see how
the weighty issues of worries, woes and wars fall into new and refreshing
ways of looking at life in the Lord! Advent renews us to remember that
Christ came to us in the manger ... that Christ will come again ...
and that Christ comes to us each day - in water and Word, in words and
wonders, in wows and other winsome ways.
Prayer
Lord, thanks for calling us to be your AH-HA people. Thanks for refreshing
is anew with your love, your forgiveness and your precious presence among us.
It's a new day, Lord, in you.
In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to b oure in the sight of Jesus.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear Jesus, I need You. Forgive my sins,
free me from destructive habits, and change me from the inside out."
Pray to the Lord and pray for patient as you plant His Spiritual seeds.
Pray to the Lord and pray to remember what happenes to borrowers.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know thaT THE Lord
is preparing a place in Heaven for you!
Pray for in Newfoundland and Labrador
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray for newcomers to your country, that they will have opportunity to hear
and respond to the Gospel and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Pray for God's kingdom to come in the life of someone you
know today .
Pray Jesus, Immanuel, Thank You for going the distance to
become one of us, God with us. Amen.
Pray God , thank you for beginning this Advent with you astonishing
- and love-inducing- works! Amen.
Pray Lord, thanks for calling us to be your AH-HA people. Thanks for refreshing
is anew with your love, your forgiveness and your precious presence among us.
It's a new day, Lord, in you.
In Jesus' name. Amen
Pray that a church closed by Indonesian officials will be permitted to
reopen.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
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