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Day 363 of My 3rd Bible Study Journey - 29 December 2023 reflections Part 2

2) Our Daily Bread for 29 December 2023 titled



The Crown of Life




James 1:1-12



Salutation



1 (Jn 7:35; Ac 12:17) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.



[1] James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve

tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.



Faith and Wisdom



2 (Jas 1:12) My brothers, count it all joy

when you fall into diverse temptations,

3 (Heb 10:36; 2Pe 1:6) knowing that the trying

of your faith develops patience.

4 (Mt 5:48; Lk 21:19) But let patience perfect its work,

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 (Pr 2:3-6; Jn 15:7) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,

who gives to all men liberally and without criticism,

and it will be given to him.

6 (Eph 4:14) But let him ask in faith, without wavering. For he who wavers

is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed with the wind.

7 Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

8 (Jas 4:8; 2Pe 2:14) A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.



[2] My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

[3] Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

[4] But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and

entire, wanting nothing.

[5] If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men

liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

[6] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like

a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

[7] For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

[8] A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.



Poverty and Riches



9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,

10 (1Co 7:31; 1Pe 1:24) but the rich in that he is made low,

because as the flower of the grass he will pass away.

11 (Isa 40:7-8) For the sun rises with a burning heat

and it withers the grass, and its flowers fall, and its beauty perishes.

So will the rich man wither away in his ways.



[9] Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

[10] But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the

grass he shall pass away.

[11] For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth

the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of

it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.



Trial and Temptation



12 (Jas 2:5; 1Co 9:25; 2Ti 4:8) Blessed is the man who endures temptation,

for when he is tried, he will receive the crown of life,

which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.



[12] Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he

shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that

love him.



Twelve-year-old LeeAdianez Rodriguez-Espada was worried that she'd be late for

a 5K run (just over 3 miles). Her anxiousness led her to take off with a group

of runners fifteen minutes earlier than her start time with participants of the

half-marathon (more than 13 miles)! LeeAdianez fell in pace with other runners

and put one foot in front of the other. At mile four, with the finish line

nowhere in sight, she realized that she was in a longer and more difficult

race. Instead of dropping out, she simply kept running. The accidental

half-marathoner completed her 13.1-mile race and placed 1885th out of 2111

finishers. Now that's perseverance!



While undergoing persecution, many first-century believers in Jesus wanted to

drop out of the race for Christ, but James encouraged them to keep running. If

they patiently endured testing, God promised a double reward (James 1:4, 12).

First, "perseverance [would] finish its work" so they could be "mature and

complete, not lacking anything" (v. 4). Second, God would give them the

"crown of life"-life in Jesus on earth and the promise of being in His

presence in the life to come (v. 12).



Some days the Christian race feels like it's not the one we signed up for-it's

something longer and more difficult than we expected. But as God provides what

we need, we can persevere and keep on running.



By: Marvin Williams



Reflect & Pray



What difficulty are you enduring right now?

What can you do to remain faithful to God as you undergo testing?



Dear God, my legs are tired, and I feel like giving up. Please strengthen me.







3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation



Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools



Week 7 Promises of Grace - Day 6 Humility and Exaltation



1 Peter 5:6-7



6 (Jas 4:10; Mt 23:12) Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you in due time.

7 (Ps 55:22; 37:5) Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.



6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you in due time:

7 casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.



"I was so humble I was given an award for humility," the pastor quipped.

"They gave me a humility plaque - but they had to take it back when I hung it

on my office wall."

Humility is rare among 20th Century Christians. Our pride takes two

seemingly contradictory forms: Self-exaltation and self-denial. But both

focus on self, not on God.

Francois Fenelon, 17th century French archbishop, From his

"Letters of Spiritual Counsel" wrote:

"He who so completely forget himself that he never thinks of self ... is

truly humble. If we had the light to discern it, we should see clearly that

when we think we are humbling ourselves we are exalting ourselves;

when we think we are annihilating ourselves we are seeking out own life."

True humility, as Fenelon implies, means recognising who we are in the light

of who God is. Excess of self-importance and low self-esteem are both

self-centered perspectives; true humility is God-centered.

When we humble ourselves, we become intensely aware of God and less

aware of ourselves. We can focus on his face and get our eyes off our own

image. We can stop worrying about how others perceive us. Such humbling

is difficult - as one 70-year-old saint joked, "It ain't the heat that gets

you, it's the humility." But when we submit to him and fell the weight of the

"Mighty hand of God" upon us, we can forget ourselves, abandon

ourselves to his presence, and cast our cares upon him.



Application



a) What form does my pride usually take - self-exaltation or self-degradation?



b) Why must I humble myself in order for the Lord to lift me up?



c) How can today's verse encourage me when times are tough?







4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland



Hebr 11:6



6 (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13-14) And without faith it is impossible to please God,

for he who comes to God must believe that He exists

and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.



6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh

to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them

that diligently seek him.



5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:



When you are Burdened by Doubt



Matt 7:7-11



Ask, Seek, Knock



Lk 11:9-13



7(Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;

knock and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,

and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

9 "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,

will give him a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?

11 (Ge 6:5; 8:21) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts

to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give

good things to those who ask Him!



7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,

and it shall be opened unto you:

8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;

and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,

will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,

how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things

to them that ask 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 2023 edition?)



The Northern Territories of Canada



Yukon



Yukon Total population (2015) 36500 Muslim (est) 69



In Whitehorse the Muslim population grew from 2 families

in 2001 to more than 60 people in 2014. Originally meeting in a church,

they now meet for prayer service in a former office space.



Pray for Muslims and believers in Whitehorse to come together,

and for Muslims to find faith in Jesus Christ.



Northwest Territories (NWT)



NWT population (2015) 43600 Muslim (est) 473



The Muslim community of Yellowknife has grown from 275 to 330 un the past year.

To replace their inadequate facility, they are planning a C$2 to C$2.5 million

Islamic Centre.



Pray that the Muslims in Yellowknife and all of the NWT will awaken to

spiritual hunger and be open to saving faith in Jesus Christ.



Nunavut (NU)



NU total population (2015) 36600 Muslim (est) 86



The Islamic Centre of Iqaluit now claim about 100 Muslims and have surpassed

80 % of their funding goal to building the first mosque in this territory.

Their stated goal is "To spread the message of Islam

in the far northern reaches of Canada."



Pray that believers in Iqaluit take up Jesus' command to love and reach

their Muslim neighbours with the Gospel.



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 29 of the Month



a) Pray that God will enlighten those in medicine and health care

to acknowledge the sanctity of life and server with true

integrity and compassion (



Ps 139:13-16



13 You brought my inner parts into being;

You wove me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder;

marvelous are Your works,

and You know me completely.

15 My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

and intricately put together in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw me unformed,

yet in Your book

all my days were written,

before any of them came into being.



13 For thou hast possessed my reins:

Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:

Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee,

When I was made in secret, and curiously wrought

in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;

And in thy book all my members were written,

Which in continuance were fashioned,

When as yet there was none of them.



)



b) Pray that the Church in Canada will remember the poor

and compassionately respond to their plight (



Gal 2:10



10 (Ac 24:17) Only they requested that we should remember the poor,

which I also was eager to do.



10 Only they would that we should remember the poor;

the same which I also was forward to do.



)



Conclusion:



Pray to the Lord and pray to know why He died on the Cross.



Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, my legs are tired,

and I feel like giving up. Please strengthen me."



Pray to the Lord and pray to be humble in your life.



Pray to the Lord and pray to know Him in faith.



Pray to the Lord and pray to be persistent in prayer.



Pray for Muslims and believers in Whitehorse and the Yukon to come together,

and for Muslims to find faith in Jesus Christ.



Pray for Muslims and believers in Yellowknife to come together,

and for Muslims to find faith in Jesus Christ.



Pray that believers in Iqaluit take up Jesus' command to love and reach

their Muslim neighbours with the Gospel.



- 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 that God will enlighten those in medicine and health care

to acknowledge the sanctity of life and server with true

integrity and compassion



Pray that the Church will remember the poor

and compassionately respond to their plight



Pray that women in Egypt who have been expelled from their homes

because of their Christian faith will receive safe shelter.



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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