Start of Journey Day 1 1 Jan 2021
Let us start. I will mostly use the Modern English Version bible close
to the King James Version.
1) Today Genesis chapters 1 to 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.
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.
(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.
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.
Not ready yet to cross reference 1 Chronicles.
Next is Our Daily Bread Which I will quote
https://odb.org/CA/2021/01/01/uncharted-waters-2
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Isaiah 43:1-7:
The Redeemer of Israel
43:1 But now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
2 When you pass through waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle on you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;
I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honourable,
and I have loved you; therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your
life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from
the east, and gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south,
"Do not keep them back. Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters
from the ends of the earth, 7 even everyone who is called by My name,
for I have created him for My glory; I have formed him, and I have made him. "
The ball drops in New York's Times Square. The crowd counts down to Big Ben
chiming. Sydney Harbor erupts in fireworks. However your city marks it,
there's something exciting about welcoming in a new year and the fresh start it
brings. On New Year's Day we push out into new waters. What friendships
and opportunities might we find?
For all its excitement, though, a new year can be unsettling. None of us knows
the future or what storms it may hold. Many New Year's traditions reflect this:
Fireworks were invented in China to supposedly ward off evil spirits and make a
new season prosperous. And New Year's resolutions date back to the Babylonians
who made vows to appease their gods. Such acts were an attempt to make
an unknown future secure.
When they weren't making vows, the Babylonians were busy conquering people
- including Israel. In time, God sent the enslaved Jews this message:
"Do not fear - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you"
(Isaiah 43:1-2). Later, Jesus said something similar when He a
nd the disciples were caught sailing in a violent storm.
" Why are you so afraid?" He told them before commanding the waters to be still
(Matthew 8:23-27).
Today we push out from the shore into new, uncharted waters. Whatever we face,
He's with us,and He has the power to calm the waves. - Sheridan Voysey
What possibilities excite you as you look forward to 2021?
What worries can you place in god's hands?
God, think You that whatever this year brings, You will be with me in it!
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and forever Day 6 - Eternal Life, Beginning now
John 10:28 - I give them eternal life. They shall never perish,
nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand.
In C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, one of the Spirits in heaven, identifying
himself as George MacDonald, makes some startling statements on the nature of
eternal life. Depending upon the individual's choice for or against Christ,
MacDonald says, everything in life takes on the character of haven or hell.
"At the end of ALL THINGS, when the sun rises here (in heaven) and the twilight
turns to blackness down there, the Blessed will say, 'We have never lived
anywhere except in Heaven,' and the Lost, 'We were always in Hell.'
And both will speak truly" - From the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.
Lewis was not trying to make a theological case, but to demonstrate
a principle: eterenal life begins now.
The choices that we make for or against obedience to God, the life we live,
the patterns we establish, all move us in one direction of the other.
And when we have decided to choose obedience to God (the forsakeness of sin),
when we give ourselves fully into his hands, he is able to take the worst of
circumstances and redeem them for our good, use them to mature us in his image.
Again Jesus says in John 10:28
"I give them eternal life. They shall never perish,
nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. ".
In Christ is a very secure place to be. No experience is lost, no pain is
wasted. Everything in our lives is redeemed by God for our benefit.
Application
a) How have I experienced the truth that "eternal life begins now"?
b) How can this verse help me put life in perspective during times
of stress and anxiety?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Genesis 26:12-14
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold;
the Lord blessed him. 13 The man became rich and continued to prosper until he
became very wealthy. 14 For he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great
number of servants so that the Philistines envied him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are anxious
Phillipians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with
gratitude, make your requests known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 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
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Conclusion and prayers for the day
Off to a start - All polite opinions are welcome!
Thought of prayer
1) Seek the Heart of God
2) Ask the Lord in this year of 2021 to seek his will
3) Repent of and turn away from your sins
4) Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
to the King James Version.
1) Today Genesis chapters 1 to 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.
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.
(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.
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.
Not ready yet to cross reference 1 Chronicles.
Next is Our Daily Bread Which I will quote
https://odb.org/CA/2021/01/01/uncharted-waters-2
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Isaiah 43:1-7:
The Redeemer of Israel
43:1 But now, thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
2 When you pass through waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle on you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;
I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honourable,
and I have loved you; therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your
life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from
the east, and gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," and to the south,
"Do not keep them back. Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters
from the ends of the earth, 7 even everyone who is called by My name,
for I have created him for My glory; I have formed him, and I have made him. "
The ball drops in New York's Times Square. The crowd counts down to Big Ben
chiming. Sydney Harbor erupts in fireworks. However your city marks it,
there's something exciting about welcoming in a new year and the fresh start it
brings. On New Year's Day we push out into new waters. What friendships
and opportunities might we find?
For all its excitement, though, a new year can be unsettling. None of us knows
the future or what storms it may hold. Many New Year's traditions reflect this:
Fireworks were invented in China to supposedly ward off evil spirits and make a
new season prosperous. And New Year's resolutions date back to the Babylonians
who made vows to appease their gods. Such acts were an attempt to make
an unknown future secure.
When they weren't making vows, the Babylonians were busy conquering people
- including Israel. In time, God sent the enslaved Jews this message:
"Do not fear - When you pass through the waters, I will be with you"
(Isaiah 43:1-2). Later, Jesus said something similar when He a
nd the disciples were caught sailing in a violent storm.
" Why are you so afraid?" He told them before commanding the waters to be still
(Matthew 8:23-27).
Today we push out from the shore into new, uncharted waters. Whatever we face,
He's with us,and He has the power to calm the waves. - Sheridan Voysey
What possibilities excite you as you look forward to 2021?
What worries can you place in god's hands?
God, think You that whatever this year brings, You will be with me in it!
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and forever Day 6 - Eternal Life, Beginning now
John 10:28 - I give them eternal life. They shall never perish,
nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand.
In C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce, one of the Spirits in heaven, identifying
himself as George MacDonald, makes some startling statements on the nature of
eternal life. Depending upon the individual's choice for or against Christ,
MacDonald says, everything in life takes on the character of haven or hell.
"At the end of ALL THINGS, when the sun rises here (in heaven) and the twilight
turns to blackness down there, the Blessed will say, 'We have never lived
anywhere except in Heaven,' and the Lost, 'We were always in Hell.'
And both will speak truly" - From the Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.
Lewis was not trying to make a theological case, but to demonstrate
a principle: eterenal life begins now.
The choices that we make for or against obedience to God, the life we live,
the patterns we establish, all move us in one direction of the other.
And when we have decided to choose obedience to God (the forsakeness of sin),
when we give ourselves fully into his hands, he is able to take the worst of
circumstances and redeem them for our good, use them to mature us in his image.
Again Jesus says in John 10:28
"I give them eternal life. They shall never perish,
nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. ".
In Christ is a very secure place to be. No experience is lost, no pain is
wasted. Everything in our lives is redeemed by God for our benefit.
Application
a) How have I experienced the truth that "eternal life begins now"?
b) How can this verse help me put life in perspective during times
of stress and anxiety?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Genesis 26:12-14
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold;
the Lord blessed him. 13 The man became rich and continued to prosper until he
became very wealthy. 14 For he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great
number of servants so that the Philistines envied him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are anxious
Phillipians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with
gratitude, make your requests known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 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
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Conclusion and prayers for the day Off to a start - All polite opinions are welcome!
Thought of prayer
1) Seek the Heart of God
2) Ask the Lord in this year of 2021 to seek his will
3) Repent of and turn away from your sins
4) Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.