Day 1 of My 4th Bible Study Journey - 1 January reflections
Day 1, 1 January 2024
1) Genesis 1 , Genesis 2, Genesis 3
The Creation
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was
formless and void,[a] darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the
Spirit of God was moving[b] over the surface of the water.
(God came into being on his own please note)
3 God said, "œLet there be light," and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good,
and God separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.
So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,
and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7 So God made the expanse
and separated the waters which were under the expanse from the waters
which were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse Heaven.
So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together
into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.
10 God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters
He called Seas. Then God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation:[c] plants yielding seed
and fruit trees on the earth yielding fruit after their kind with seed in them.
" And it was so. 12 The earth produced vegetation, plants yielding seed after
their kind and trees yielding fruit with seed in them after their kind. And God
saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate
the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons, and days,
and years. 15 Let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light
on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights: the greater light
to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
17 Then God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the
darkness. Then God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning
were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures
and let the birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves,
with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged
bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill
the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."
23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to
their kinds: livestock, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth
according to their kinds." And it was so.
25 So God made the beasts of the earth according to their kind,
and the livestock according to their kind, and everything that
creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds
of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds
of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29 Then God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is
on the face of all the earth and every tree which has fruit yielding seed.
It shall be food for you. 30 To every beast of the earth and to every bird
of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth which has the breath
of life in it, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1
[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
[2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
[3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
[4] And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from
the darkness.
[5] And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the
evening and the morning were the first day.
[6] And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and
let it divide the waters from the waters.
[7] And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the
firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
[8] And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning
were the second day.
[9] And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto
one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
[10] And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the
waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
[11] And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed,
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself,
upon the earth: and it was so.
[12] And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his
kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind:
and God saw that it was good.
[13] And the evening and the morning were the third day.
[14] And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons,
and for days, and years:
[15] And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth: and it was so.
[16] And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and
the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
[17] And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the
earth,
[18] And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light
from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
[19] And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
[20] And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature
that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament
of heaven.
[21] And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth,
which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every
winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
[22] And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the
waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
[23] And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
[24] And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his
kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and
it was so.
[25] And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after
their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and
God saw that it was good.
[26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.
[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them.
[28] And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.
[29] And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit
of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
[30] And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to
every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have
given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
[31] And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very
good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Gen 2:1 So the heavens and the earth, and all their hosts, were finished.
2 On the seventh day God completed His work which He had done,
and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it He had rested from all His work which He had created and made.
(Interesting that God and the Holy Trinity created the Universe
with the help of divine servants created by the Lord himself.
Noted one of the 10 commandments)
Adam and Eve
4 This is the account[d] of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
5 no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field
had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth,
and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6 But a mist[e] arose from t
he earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God
formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life, and man became a living being.
8 The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He placed the
man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every
tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also
in the midst of the garden, along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and
became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it encompasses the
whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good;
bdellium and the onyx stone are there.
13 The name of the second river is Gihon;
it encompasses the whole land of Cush.
14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it goes toward the east of Assyria.
The fourth river is the Euphrates.
( I wonder if the world was one continent at this time)
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and
to keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,
"Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, 17 but of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat
from it you will surely die."
(Note what the Lord says to Adam in Genesis 2:16-17)
18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone.
I will make him a helper suitable for him."
19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every
bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them.
Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky,
and to every beast of the field, but for Adam[f] there was not found a helper
suitable for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept.
Then He took one of his ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man,
He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 Then Adam said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she will be called Woman,
for she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2
[1] Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
[2] And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
[3] And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it
he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
[4] These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were
created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
[5] And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb
of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon
the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
[6] But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of
the ground.
[7] And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
[8] And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the
man whom he had formed.
[9] And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst
of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
[10] And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it
was parted, and became into four heads.
[11] The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole
land of Havilah, where there is gold;
[12] And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx
stone.
[13] And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that
compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
[14] And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth
toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
[15] And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it.
[16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden
thou mayest freely eat:
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
[18] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him.
[19] And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and
every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call
them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name
thereof.
[20] And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to
every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for
him.
[21] And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
[22] And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man.
[23] And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
[24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
[25] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(Just before going on I would like to preface the Serpent aka Satan
/ Lucifer;
From Isaiah 14
12 How are you fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
(- Please note Son of the Morning NOT Morning Star )
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who weaken the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart,
"I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit also on the mount of the congregation,
in the recesses of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High."
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Hell,
to the sides of the pit.
Satan created a rebellion in Heaven
and From Jesus himself Luke 10:18 He said to them, "
I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven." And so the spiritual war begins)
The Fall
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman,
"Has God said, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"
2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit from the trees
of the garden; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden, God has said, 'You will not eat of it, nor will you touch it, or else
you will die.'?"
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!
5 For God knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasing to
the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit
and ate; and she gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool
of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 The Lord God called to the
man and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 He said, "I heard Your voice in the garden and was afraid because I
was naked, so I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from
the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of
the tree, and I ate."
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?"
And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
(Blame game - IT is not my fault, it is someone else)
14 The Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this,
You are cursed above all livestock, and above every beast of the field;
you will go on your belly, and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring
and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel."
(This is the foreshadowing of the Crucifixion of
Jesus The Lamb for Sinners Slain)
16 To the woman He said,
"I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth,
and in pain you will bring forth children;
your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you."
17 And to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying,
'You shall not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground on account of you;
in hard labor you will eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Thorns and thistles it will bring forth for you, and you will eat
the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground,
because out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you will return."
20 The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother
of all the living.
21 The Lord God made garments of skins for both Adam and his wife and clothed
them. 22 The Lord God said, "The man has become like one of us, knowing good
and evil. And now, he might reach out his hand, and take also from the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever" 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from
the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove the
man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a
flaming sword which turned in every direction, to guard the way to the tree
of life.
Genesis 3
[1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall
not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden:
[3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
[4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
[5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
[6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and
he did eat.
[7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
[8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of
the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
[9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
[10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because
I was naked; and I hid myself.
[11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the
tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
[12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me
of the tree, and I did eat.
[13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
[14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this,
thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon
thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
[15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
[16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall
be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
[17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of
thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying,
Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
[18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt
eat the herb of the field;
[19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return.
[20] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all
living.
[21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins,
and clothed them.
[22] And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know
good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
[23] Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till
the ground from whence he was taken.
[24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of
Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way
of the tree of life.
And This point I would like to cross reference some verse in John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were
created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines
in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
...
9 The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world
did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive
Him. 12 Yet to all who received Him, He gave the power to become sons of God,
to those who believed in His name, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Given Genesis 1 to 3 the above portion of John 1
makes an interesting cross reference to the above
Footnotes
Genesis 1:2 Or a waste and emptiness.
Genesis 1:2 Or hovering.
Genesis 1:11 Or grass.
Genesis 2:4 Lit. These are the generations.
Genesis 2:6 Or flow.
Genesis 2:20 MT the man, or the Adam.
2) Our Daily Bread for 1 January 2024
New Identity in Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:14-21, 1 John 3:1
14 (Ro 5:15) For the love of Christ constrains us, because we thus judge:
that if one died for all, then all have died.
15 (Ro 14:7-9) And He died for all, that those who live should not from
now on live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 (Php 3:7-8) So from now on we do not regard anyone according to the flesh.
Yes, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not
regard Him as such from now on.
17 (Jn 3:3; Ro 16:7) Therefore, if any man is in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have
become new.
18 (Ro 5:10-11; 1Jn 2:2) All this is from God, who has reconciled us to
Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation,
19 (Isa 43:25; Mt 1:23) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world
to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the
message of reconciliation.
20 (2Co 6:1; Eph 6:20) So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God
were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ's stead: Be reconciled to
God.
21 (Ro 1:17; 1Co 1:30) God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him.
[14] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if
one died for all, then were all dead:
[15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
[16] Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we
have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
[17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
[18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
[20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you
by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
[21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 (Jn 1:12; 3:16) Consider how much love the Father has given to us,
that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know
us, because it did not know Him.
2 (Ro 8:18; 8:29) Beloved, now are we children of God, and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He appears, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.
"I'm not who I once was. I'm a new person." Those simple words from my son,
spoken to students at a school assembly, describe the change God made in his
life. Once addicted to heroin, Geoffrey previously saw himself through his
sins and mistakes. But now he sees himself as a child of God.
The Bible encourages us with this promise: "Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17). No matter who we've been or what we've done
in our past, when we trust Jesus for our salvation and receive the forgiveness
offered through His cross, we become someone new. Since the garden of Eden,
the guilt of our sins has separated us from God, but He has now "reconciled us
to himself through Christ," "not counting" our sins against us (vv. 18–19). We are His dearly loved children (1 John 3:1–2), washed clean and made new in the likeness of His Son.
Jesus liberates us from sin and its dominating power and restores us into a
new relationship with God-where we're free to no longer live for ourselves but
"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
(2 Corinthians 5:15). On this New Year's Day, let's remember that His
transforming love compels us to live with new identity and purpose. It helps
us point others to our Saviour, the One who can make them new people too!
By: James Banks
Reflect & Pray
What does it mean to you that a new beginning is possible with God?
How can you live as His "new creation"?
Abba, Father, thank You for sending
Your Son to save me. Please send me to someone who needs You too.
3) 3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 2 - God's purpose: The Image of Christ
Romans 8:28-29
28 (Gal 1:15; Ge 50:20) We know that all things work together for
good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 (Ro 11:2; 1Co 15:49; Eph 1:11) For those whom He foreknew,
He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
A baby dies of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and the parents are
devastated, plagued with guilt, and Asking "Why?" A 17-year-old plunges
headfirst into a pond and to the surface a quadriplegic. A single mother
of 3, struck down by leukemia, has to release he children to foster homes.
And in all these cases, well-meaning Christians stand by and attempt to
comfort: "All things work together for good, you know," they say blithely,
"just trust God, and praise him for everything."
Such pat answers are often repeated because they do contain an element
of truth; they become "pat", meaningless, and superficial, when they are
used as a panacea for all ills, whether the cure fits or not.
The truth is, God does use everything for the benefit of his people -
even disaster and tragedy. Romans 8:28 says, "In all things God works ...."
God foes not cause human suffering. He is not the author of pain
and misery. But what the Enemy of our souls intends for
destruction, God can use for growth.
The key to understanding Romans 8:28 is Romans 8:29 . The Lord makes
clear what "his purpose" is: that we be "conformed to the
likeness of his Son." Everything that happens is not good,
but nothing is wasted in the economy of God. Even the sorrow,
misfortune, and calamity that strike all of us cam be used by the Spirit
to transform us into the image of Christ.
Application
a) Have I ever had experiences that made me doubt the
"all things work together for good"?
b) How does Romans 8:29 clarify Romans 8:28?
c) How can these verses help me deal with the struggles I have in my
own life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
2 Cor 9:6
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Worried Over Money
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
that we can carry nothing out.
8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these things.
9 But those who desire
to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish
and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil.
While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
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?)
2015 Population - 4631302 Muslims about 136493
British Columbia - British Columbia's Muslim Population is growing constantly.
Every week there are immigrants ad refugees coming to the Greater Vancouver
and surrounding areas. There are also significant Muslim student populations
in our colleges and universities. Some have even suggested that there are
between 4000 and 5000 Saudi Arabian students alone, without counting all
other nationalities.
Greater Vancouver has an estimated 180000 Muslims, and there are significant
and growing communities in the Fraser Valley such as in Langley, Abbotsford,
Chilliwack, etc. Including these communities the total population for this
region is about 200000.
Of these, there are an estimated 100000 Iranians, 35000 Arabs, 15000 Ismailis,
more than 20000 Afghanis, 10000 South Asian Muslims, 3000 Turks, and small
numbers from other countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Albania, etc.
We are seeing some Muslims coming to Christ and we rejoice in that.
A few people also have some ongoing ministry to Muslims in the area,
for which we also rejoice. Let us agree in that
- the church will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
- the church will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
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 "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.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- 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, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
1st Day of the month
a) Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
Joel 2:28 And it will be that, afterwards,
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, and your young men will see visions.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit
upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Acts 2:17 "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.
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
b) Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water;
He turns it to any place He will.
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
As the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and Thank Him for being the just Creator.
Pray to the Lord : "Abba, Father, thank You for sending
Your Son to save me. Please send me to someone who needs You too. "
Pray to the Lord and pray to him all thigns work to His good.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a bountiful sower.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be content with Godliness.
Pray the church in BC will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
Pray the church in BC will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada!
Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God.
Pray for Christians in the Philippines who were driven from their homes by
Islamic militants, as well as all those affected by the earthquake.
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) Genesis 1 , Genesis 2, Genesis 3
The Creation
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was
formless and void,[a] darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the
Spirit of God was moving[b] over the surface of the water.
(God came into being on his own please note)
3 God said, "œLet there be light," and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good,
and God separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.
So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,
and let it separate the waters from the waters." 7 So God made the expanse
and separated the waters which were under the expanse from the waters
which were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 God called the expanse Heaven.
So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together
into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.
10 God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters
He called Seas. Then God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation:[c] plants yielding seed
and fruit trees on the earth yielding fruit after their kind with seed in them.
" And it was so. 12 The earth produced vegetation, plants yielding seed after
their kind and trees yielding fruit with seed in them after their kind. And God
saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate
the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons, and days,
and years. 15 Let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light
on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights: the greater light
to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
17 Then God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the
darkness. Then God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning
were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures
and let the birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves,
with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged
bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill
the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."
23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to
their kinds: livestock, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth
according to their kinds." And it was so.
25 So God made the beasts of the earth according to their kind,
and the livestock according to their kind, and everything that
creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds
of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 So God created man in His own image;
in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds
of the air and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29 Then God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is
on the face of all the earth and every tree which has fruit yielding seed.
It shall be food for you. 30 To every beast of the earth and to every bird
of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth which has the breath
of life in it, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1
[1] In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
[2] And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
[3] And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
[4] And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from
the darkness.
[5] And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the
evening and the morning were the first day.
[6] And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and
let it divide the waters from the waters.
[7] And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the
firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
[8] And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning
were the second day.
[9] And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto
one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
[10] And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the
waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
[11] And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed,
and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself,
upon the earth: and it was so.
[12] And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his
kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind:
and God saw that it was good.
[13] And the evening and the morning were the third day.
[14] And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons,
and for days, and years:
[15] And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth: and it was so.
[16] And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and
the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
[17] And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the
earth,
[18] And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light
from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
[19] And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
[20] And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature
that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament
of heaven.
[21] And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth,
which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every
winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
[22] And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the
waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
[23] And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
[24] And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his
kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and
it was so.
[25] And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after
their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and
God saw that it was good.
[26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth.
[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he
him; male and female created he them.
[28] And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth.
[29] And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which
is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit
of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
[30] And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to
every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have
given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
[31] And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very
good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Gen 2:1 So the heavens and the earth, and all their hosts, were finished.
2 On the seventh day God completed His work which He had done,
and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it He had rested from all His work which He had created and made.
(Interesting that God and the Holy Trinity created the Universe
with the help of divine servants created by the Lord himself.
Noted one of the 10 commandments)
Adam and Eve
4 This is the account[d] of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
5 no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field
had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth,
and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6 But a mist[e] arose from t
he earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God
formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life, and man became a living being.
8 The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden, and there He placed the
man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every
tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also
in the midst of the garden, along with the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and
became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it encompasses the
whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good;
bdellium and the onyx stone are there.
13 The name of the second river is Gihon;
it encompasses the whole land of Cush.
14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it goes toward the east of Assyria.
The fourth river is the Euphrates.
( I wonder if the world was one continent at this time)
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and
to keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,
"Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, 17 but of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat
from it you will surely die."
(Note what the Lord says to Adam in Genesis 2:16-17)
18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone.
I will make him a helper suitable for him."
19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every
bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them.
Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky,
and to every beast of the field, but for Adam[f] there was not found a helper
suitable for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept.
Then He took one of his ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man,
He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 Then Adam said,
"This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she will be called Woman,
for she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
25 They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
Genesis 2
[1] Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
[2] And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
[3] And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it
he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
[4] These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were
created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
[5] And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb
of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon
the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
[6] But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of
the ground.
[7] And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
[8] And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the
man whom he had formed.
[9] And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst
of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
[10] And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it
was parted, and became into four heads.
[11] The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole
land of Havilah, where there is gold;
[12] And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx
stone.
[13] And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that
compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
[14] And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth
toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
[15] And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to
dress it and to keep it.
[16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden
thou mayest freely eat:
[17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
[18] And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him.
[19] And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and
every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call
them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name
thereof.
[20] And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to
every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for
him.
[21] And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept:
and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
[22] And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man.
[23] And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
[24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
[25] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
(Just before going on I would like to preface the Serpent aka Satan
/ Lucifer;
From Isaiah 14
12 How are you fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
(- Please note Son of the Morning NOT Morning Star )
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who weaken the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart,
"I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit also on the mount of the congregation,
in the recesses of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High."
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Hell,
to the sides of the pit.
Satan created a rebellion in Heaven
and From Jesus himself Luke 10:18 He said to them, "
I saw Satan as lightning fall from heaven." And so the spiritual war begins)
The Fall
Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman,
"Has God said, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"
2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit from the trees
of the garden; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the
garden, God has said, 'You will not eat of it, nor will you touch it, or else
you will die.'?"
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die!
5 For God knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasing to
the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit
and ate; and she gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.
So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool
of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 The Lord God called to the
man and said to him, "Where are you?"
10 He said, "I heard Your voice in the garden and was afraid because I
was naked, so I hid myself."
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from
the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of
the tree, and I ate."
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?"
And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
(Blame game - IT is not my fault, it is someone else)
14 The Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this,
You are cursed above all livestock, and above every beast of the field;
you will go on your belly, and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring
and her offspring; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel."
(This is the foreshadowing of the Crucifixion of
Jesus The Lamb for Sinners Slain)
16 To the woman He said,
"I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth,
and in pain you will bring forth children;
your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you."
17 And to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying,
'You shall not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground on account of you;
in hard labor you will eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Thorns and thistles it will bring forth for you, and you will eat
the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground,
because out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you will return."
20 The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother
of all the living.
21 The Lord God made garments of skins for both Adam and his wife and clothed
them. 22 The Lord God said, "The man has become like one of us, knowing good
and evil. And now, he might reach out his hand, and take also from the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever" 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from
the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove the
man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a
flaming sword which turned in every direction, to guard the way to the tree
of life.
Genesis 3
[1] Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall
not eat of every tree of the garden?
[2] And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden:
[3] But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
[4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
[5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
[6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and
he did eat.
[7] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
[8] And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of
the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
[9] And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
[10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because
I was naked; and I hid myself.
[11] And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the
tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
[12] And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me
of the tree, and I did eat.
[13] And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
[14] And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this,
thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon
thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
[15] And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
[16] Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall
be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
[17] And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of
thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying,
Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt
thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
[18] Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt
eat the herb of the field;
[19] In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto
the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust
shalt thou return.
[20] And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all
living.
[21] Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins,
and clothed them.
[22] And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know
good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
[23] Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till
the ground from whence he was taken.
[24] So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of
Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way
of the tree of life.
And This point I would like to cross reference some verse in John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were
created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines
in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
...
9 The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world
did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive
Him. 12 Yet to all who received Him, He gave the power to become sons of God,
to those who believed in His name, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,
the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Given Genesis 1 to 3 the above portion of John 1
makes an interesting cross reference to the above
Footnotes
Genesis 1:2 Or a waste and emptiness.
Genesis 1:2 Or hovering.
Genesis 1:11 Or grass.
Genesis 2:4 Lit. These are the generations.
Genesis 2:6 Or flow.
Genesis 2:20 MT the man, or the Adam.
2) Our Daily Bread for 1 January 2024
New Identity in Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:14-21, 1 John 3:1
14 (Ro 5:15) For the love of Christ constrains us, because we thus judge:
that if one died for all, then all have died.
15 (Ro 14:7-9) And He died for all, that those who live should not from
now on live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 (Php 3:7-8) So from now on we do not regard anyone according to the flesh.
Yes, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not
regard Him as such from now on.
17 (Jn 3:3; Ro 16:7) Therefore, if any man is in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have
become new.
18 (Ro 5:10-11; 1Jn 2:2) All this is from God, who has reconciled us to
Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation,
19 (Isa 43:25; Mt 1:23) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world
to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the
message of reconciliation.
20 (2Co 6:1; Eph 6:20) So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God
were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ's stead: Be reconciled to
God.
21 (Ro 1:17; 1Co 1:30) God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him.
[14] For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if
one died for all, then were all dead:
[15] And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
[16] Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we
have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
[17] Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
[18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation.
[20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you
by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
[21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 (Jn 1:12; 3:16) Consider how much love the Father has given to us,
that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know
us, because it did not know Him.
2 (Ro 8:18; 8:29) Beloved, now are we children of God, and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He appears, we shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for
we shall see him as he is.
"I'm not who I once was. I'm a new person." Those simple words from my son,
spoken to students at a school assembly, describe the change God made in his
life. Once addicted to heroin, Geoffrey previously saw himself through his
sins and mistakes. But now he sees himself as a child of God.
The Bible encourages us with this promise: "Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17). No matter who we've been or what we've done
in our past, when we trust Jesus for our salvation and receive the forgiveness
offered through His cross, we become someone new. Since the garden of Eden,
the guilt of our sins has separated us from God, but He has now "reconciled us
to himself through Christ," "not counting" our sins against us (vv. 18–19). We are His dearly loved children (1 John 3:1–2), washed clean and made new in the likeness of His Son.
Jesus liberates us from sin and its dominating power and restores us into a
new relationship with God-where we're free to no longer live for ourselves but
"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
(2 Corinthians 5:15). On this New Year's Day, let's remember that His
transforming love compels us to live with new identity and purpose. It helps
us point others to our Saviour, the One who can make them new people too!
By: James Banks
Reflect & Pray
What does it mean to you that a new beginning is possible with God?
How can you live as His "new creation"?
Abba, Father, thank You for sending
Your Son to save me. Please send me to someone who needs You too.
3) 3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 2 - God's purpose: The Image of Christ
Romans 8:28-29
28 (Gal 1:15; Ge 50:20) We know that all things work together for
good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 (Ro 11:2; 1Co 15:49; Eph 1:11) For those whom He foreknew,
He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,
so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
A baby dies of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and the parents are
devastated, plagued with guilt, and Asking "Why?" A 17-year-old plunges
headfirst into a pond and to the surface a quadriplegic. A single mother
of 3, struck down by leukemia, has to release he children to foster homes.
And in all these cases, well-meaning Christians stand by and attempt to
comfort: "All things work together for good, you know," they say blithely,
"just trust God, and praise him for everything."
Such pat answers are often repeated because they do contain an element
of truth; they become "pat", meaningless, and superficial, when they are
used as a panacea for all ills, whether the cure fits or not.
The truth is, God does use everything for the benefit of his people -
even disaster and tragedy. Romans 8:28 says, "In all things God works ...."
God foes not cause human suffering. He is not the author of pain
and misery. But what the Enemy of our souls intends for
destruction, God can use for growth.
The key to understanding Romans 8:28 is Romans 8:29 . The Lord makes
clear what "his purpose" is: that we be "conformed to the
likeness of his Son." Everything that happens is not good,
but nothing is wasted in the economy of God. Even the sorrow,
misfortune, and calamity that strike all of us cam be used by the Spirit
to transform us into the image of Christ.
Application
a) Have I ever had experiences that made me doubt the
"all things work together for good"?
b) How does Romans 8:29 clarify Romans 8:28?
c) How can these verses help me deal with the struggles I have in my
own life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
2 Cor 9:6
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Worried Over Money
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
that we can carry nothing out.
8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these things.
9 But those who desire
to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish
and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil.
While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
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?)
2015 Population - 4631302 Muslims about 136493
British Columbia - British Columbia's Muslim Population is growing constantly.
Every week there are immigrants ad refugees coming to the Greater Vancouver
and surrounding areas. There are also significant Muslim student populations
in our colleges and universities. Some have even suggested that there are
between 4000 and 5000 Saudi Arabian students alone, without counting all
other nationalities.
Greater Vancouver has an estimated 180000 Muslims, and there are significant
and growing communities in the Fraser Valley such as in Langley, Abbotsford,
Chilliwack, etc. Including these communities the total population for this
region is about 200000.
Of these, there are an estimated 100000 Iranians, 35000 Arabs, 15000 Ismailis,
more than 20000 Afghanis, 10000 South Asian Muslims, 3000 Turks, and small
numbers from other countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Albania, etc.
We are seeing some Muslims coming to Christ and we rejoice in that.
A few people also have some ongoing ministry to Muslims in the area,
for which we also rejoice. Let us agree in that
- the church will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
- the church will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
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 "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.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- 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, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
1st Day of the month
a) Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
Joel 2:28 And it will be that, afterwards,
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, and your young men will see visions.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit
upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Acts 2:17 "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.
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
b) Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water;
He turns it to any place He will.
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
As the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and Thank Him for being the just Creator.
Pray to the Lord : "Abba, Father, thank You for sending
Your Son to save me. Please send me to someone who needs You too. "
Pray to the Lord and pray to him all thigns work to His good.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a bountiful sower.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be content with Godliness.
Pray the church in BC will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
Pray the church in BC will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada!
Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God.
Pray for Christians in the Philippines who were driven from their homes by
Islamic militants, as well as all those affected by the earthquake.
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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