Day 92 - 2 Aprl 2021 Good Friday Reflections
Day 92, 2 Apr 2021 Happy Good Friday 2021
Judges 8-9
JUDGES 8
Zebah and Zalmunna
1 (2Sa 19:41) Then the men of Ephraim said to him,
"What have you done to us by not calling us to go
and wage war against Midian?" They argued heatedly with him.
2 He said to them, "What have I done now compared to you?
Are not the gleanings of the grapes of Ephraim better
than the harvest of Abiezer?
3 (Pr 15:1; Jdg 7:24-25) It was into your hands that God gave t
he Midianite commanders, Oreb and Zeeb. What was I able to do compared
to you?" When Gideon said this, their anger against him cooled down.
4 Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over,
he and the three hundred men who were with him, exhausted but still pursuing.
5 (Ge 33:17; Ps 60:6) He said to the men of Sukkoth, "Please give some
loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are exhausted,
and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian."
6 (1Ki 20:11) The officials of Sukkoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna already in your hands that we should give bread to your army?â€
7 So Gideon said, "Because of this, when the Lord gives Zebah and Zalmunna
into my hands, I will tear your bodies with desert thorns and briers."
8 (Ge 32:30-31; 1Ki 12:25) He went up from there to Peniel
and spoke to them in the same way. The men of Peniel answered him
just as the men of Sukkoth had.
9 (Jdg 8:17; 1Ki 22:27-28) So he also said to the men of Peniel,
"When I return safely, I will tear down this tower."
10 (Jdg 7:12; 20:2) Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies,
about 15000 survivors; they were all who were left of all the army
of the Kedemites, for 120000 arms-bearing men had fallen.
11 (Nu 32:35; 32:42) Gideon went up on the route of the tent dwellers
east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the camp while the army
was off guard.
12 (Ps 83:11) Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and Gideon chased after them.
He captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian,
and the entire army was terrified.
13 Gideon son of Joash returned from battle by the Pass of Heres.
14 He captured a young man from among the men of Sukkoth
and asked him to write the names of the leaders and elders of Sukkoth, 77 men.
15 Then he came to the men of Sukkoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna,
about whom you taunted me. You said, 'Have you subjugated
Zebah and Zalmunna that we should give bread to your weary army?' "
16 (Jdg 8:7) He took the city elders and disciplined the men of Sukkoth
with thorns and briers of the wilderness.
17 (Jdg 8:9; 1Ki 12:25) He tore down the tower of Peniel
and killed the men of the city.
18 (Jdg 4:6) Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna,
"What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?â€"
They said, "They were like you. Each one looked like the son of a king."
19 He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother.
As the Lord lives, if you had allowed them to live, I would not kill you."
20 Gideon said to his firstborn Jether, "Rise and kill them!"
Yet the young man did not draw his sword because he was afraid,
for he was still a young man.
21 (Jdg 8:26; Ps 83:11) Then Zebah and Zalmunna said,
"You get up and attack us, for a man is judged by his strength."
So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna
and took the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon's Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, you, and your son,
and your grandson, for you have saved us from the hands of Midian."
23 (1Sa 10:19; 12:12) Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you,
and my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."
24 (Ge 25:13; 37:25) Gideon continued, "I have a request to make of you,
that each man would give me an earring from his spoils."
(Their enemy had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 They said, "We will certainly give them."
So they spread out a cloak, and each man threw a ring of his spoils there.
26 The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1700 gold shekels.
[About 43 pounds, or 20 kilograms.]
This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry,
and purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian, as well as the chains
hanging on the necks of their camels.
27 (Jdg 17:5; 18:14) Gideon used these things to make an ephod.
He put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves
to it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
28 (Jdg 5:31; 3:11) The Midianites were humbled before the children of Israel
and did not lift their heads high again. The land had peace
for 40 years in the days of Gideon.
The Death of Gideon
29 (Jdg 6:32; 7:1) Jerub-Baal son of Joash went to his house and lived there.
30 (Jdg 9:2; 9:5) Gideon had seventy sons, for he had many wives.
31 His concubine who lived in Shechem also bore him a son,
and he named him Abimelek.
32 (Ge 25:8; 15:15) Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age,
and he was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 (Jdg 9:4; 9:46) After Gideon died, the children of Israel turned again
to prostitute themselves with the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.
34 (Ps 78:11; 78:42) The children of Israel did not remember the Lord
their God, who had delivered them from the hands of their enemies around them,
35 and they did not keep faith with the family of Jerub-Baal
(that is, Gideon), for all the good he had done for Israel.
JUDGES 9
Abimelek
1 (Jdg 8:31) Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem,
to his mother's brothers. He spoke to them and to the house
of his mother's father saying,
2 (Ge 29:14; Jdg 8:30) "Please say in the hearing of all of the leaders of Shechem,
'Which is better for you, to have all seventy sons of Jerub-Baal rule
over you, or for one man to rule over you?
Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.' "
3 (Ge 29:15) So his mother's brothers spoke all these things about him
in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined
toward Abimelek, for they said, "He is our brother."
4 (Jdg 8:33; 11:3) They gave him seventy silver coins
[About 1 3/4 pounds, or 800 grams.]
from the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelek hired unprincipled
and undisciplined men, and they followed him.
5 (2Ki 11:1-2; Jdg 6:24) He went to his father’s house at Ophrah
and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal, on a single stone.
Yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, survived because he hid himself.
6 (2Sa 5:9) All the leaders of Shechem and everyone from Beth Millo
gathered together by the oak near the pillar in Shechem to make Abimelek king.
7 (Dt 11:29; 27:12) When Jotham heard this, he went
and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim.
He raised his voice and called out, saying to them,
"Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
8 (Jdg 8:22-23; 2Ki 14:9) The trees once went out to anoint a king over them.
They said to the olive tree, 'Rule over us!'
9 "Yet the olive tree said to them, 'Should I stop making oil,
by which God and men are honored, to go and sway over the trees?'
10 "So the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and rule over us.'
11 "Yet the fig tree said to them, 'Should I stop making my sweet aroma
and my fruit, to go and sway over the trees?'
12 "So the trees said to the grapevine, 'You come and rule over us.'
13 (Ps 104:15) "Yet the grapevine said to them, 'Should I stop making
my fresh wine, which cheers God and men, to go and sway over the trees?'
14 "So the trees said to the thorn bush, 'You come and rule over us.'
15 (Jdg 9:20; Isa 2:13) "The thorn bush said to the trees,
'If you really want to anoint me king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade. If not, let fire come out
from the thorn bush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'
16 (Jdg 8:35) "Now then, did you show good faith and integrity
when you made Abimelek king? Did you deal well with Jerub-Baal
and his family? Did you do to him as his actions deserved,
17 considering that my father waged war for you, risked his life for you,
and delivered you from the hands of Midian?
18 (Jdg 9:5-6) Yet you have taken a stand against my father's family today.
You killed his seventy sons, each on a single stone.
You made Abimelek, son of his slave woman, king over the leaders of Shechem
because he is your brother.
19 (Isa 8:6) So if you did show good faith and integrity in what you did with
Jerub-Baal and his family today, then rejoice in Abimelek,
and may he also rejoice in you.
20 (Jdg 9:15; 9:56-57) If not, let fire come out from Abimelek
and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo,
and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem
and from Beth Millo and consume Abimelek!"
21 (Nu 21:16) Then Jotham ran away and fled. He went to Beer
and lived there because of Abimelek his brother.
The Downfall of Abimelek
22 After Abimelek ruled over Israel for three years,
23 (Isa 33:1; 19:14) God sent an evil spirit between Abimelek
and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem
dealt treacherously with Abimelek,
24 (1Ki 2:32; Est 9:25) so that the violence done to the seventy
sons of Jerub-Baal and their blood might come back upon
Abimelek their brother, who killed them, and upon the leaders of Shechem,
who empowered him to kill his brothers.
25 The leaders of Shechem set ambushes against him on the hilltops
and robbed all who passed by them on the road. This was told to Abimelek.
26 Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came to Shechem,
and the leaders of Shechem trusted him.
27 (Jdg 9:4) They went out to the field, gathered
and trod their grapes, and had a celebration.
They went to the temple of their god and ate, drank,
and cursed Abimelek.
28 (Ge 34:2; 34:6) Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelek,
and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?
Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his officer?
Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
Why should we serve Abimelek?
29 (2Sa 15:4) If only this people were under my command,
I would get rid of AbimÂelek." So he said to Abimelek, "Muster your army
and come out!"
30 Then Zebul the city ruler heard the words of Gaal
son of Ebed and he burned with anger.
31 He secretly sent messengers to AbimÂelek, saying, "Gaal, the son of Ebed,
and his brothers have come to Shechem and are fortifying the city against you.
32 So now, get up at night, you and the people with you,
and lie in wait in the field.
33 (1Sa 10:7; Ecc 9:10) In the morning at sunrise, get up early and attack
the city. He and the people with him will come out to you,
then you can do to them as you find opportunity."
34 So Abimelek and all the people who were with him got up at night
and lay in wait by Shechem in four companies.
35 When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate
then Abimelek and the people who were with him
got up from their hiding places.
36 Gaal saw these people and said to Zebul,
"Look, people are coming down from the hilltops."
Zebul said to him, "The shadows of the hills look like men to you."
37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down the middle
of the land, and a company is coming by way of the Diviner's Oak."
38 (Jdg 9:28-29) Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now,
which said, 'Who is Abimelek, that we should serve him?'
Are not these the people you dismissed out of hand?
Go now, I pray, and fight against them."
39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelek.
40 Abimelek chased him, and Gaal fled from him. Many fell wounded
at the entrance of the gate.
41 Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal
and his brothers from living in Shechem.
42 The next day the people went out into
the field, and this was told to Abimelek.
43 So he took the people and divided them into three companies,
and they laid in wait in the field. When the people came out from the city,
he rose up against them and struck them down.
44 Abimelek and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood
at the entrance of the city gate. The two other combat units attacked everyone
in the field and struck them down.
45 (2Ki 3:25; Dt 29:23) Abimelek fought against the city all that day.
He captured the city and killed the people inside it;
he tore down the city and spread salt over it.
46 (Jdg 8:33; 9:4) When the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard this,
they entered the fortified temple of El-Berith.
47 Abimelek was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem
had gathered together.
48 (Ps 68:14) So Abimelek and all the people who were with him went
up Mount Zalmon. He took an axe in his hand and cut off a tree branch,
lifted it, and carried it on his shoulder. Then he said to the men
who were with him, "What you have seen me do, hurry and do the same."
49 So everyone likewise cut off a branch and followed Abimelek.
They placed them on the fortification and set the fortification
on fire over them. So all the people of the Tower of Shechem died,
about 1000 men and women.
50 Then Abimelek went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it.
51 But there was a fortified tower within the city, so all of the men and women
and the leaders of the city fled there.
They shut themselves in and went up to the top of the tower.
52 Abimelek came to the tower and fought against it. But as he drew near
to the tower entrance to burn it with fire,
53 (2Sa 11:21) a certain woman dropped an upper millstone
on the head of Abimelek, and it crushed his skull.
54 Urgently he called to the young man who carried his gear and said to him,
"Draw your sword and kill me, so that people may not say about me,
'A woman killed him.' "
So the young man pierced him through, and he died.
55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelek was dead, so everyone went home.
56 (Ps 94:23; Jdg 9:24) Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelek,
which he committed against his father by killing his seventy brothers.
57 (Jdg 9:20) God also repaid the evil deeds of the men of Shechem,
and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came upon them.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 Apr 2021 Good Friday
https://www.odb.org/CA/2021/04/02/the-cost-2
entitled The Cost
John 19:25-20
25 (Lk 23:49; Mt 27:55-56; Mk 15:40-41) But standing by the cross of Jesus
were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
26 (Jn 13:23; 2:4; 20:2) When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple
whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,
"Woman, here is your son."
27 (Jn 16:32; 1:11) Then He said to the disciple, "Here is your mother."
From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.
The Death of Jesus
Mt 27:45-56; Mk 15:33-41; Lk 23:44=49
28 (Ps 69:21; Jn 13:1) After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was
now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst."
29 (Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36) A bowl full of sour wine was placed there.
So they put a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it to His mouth.
30 (Lk 23:46; Jn 17:4) When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,
"“It is finished." And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Michelangelo's works explored many facets of the life of Jesus,
yet one of the most poignant was also one of the most simple.
In the 1540s he sketched a pieta (a picture of Jesus' mother
holding the body of the dead Christ) for his friend Vittoria Colonna.
Done in chalk, the drawing depicts Mary looking to the heavens
as she cradles her Son's still form. Rising behind Mary,
the upright beam of the cross carries these words from Dante's Paradise,
"There they don't think of how much blood it costs." Michelangelo's
point was profound: when we contemplate the death of Jesus,
we must consider the price He paid.
The price paid by Christ is captured in His dying declaration,
"It is finished" (John 19:30). The term for "it is finished" (tetelestai)
was used in several ways-to show a bill had been paid, a task finished,
a sacrifice offered, a masterpiece completed. Each of them applies to what
Jesus did on our behalf on the cross! Perhaps that's why the apostle
Paul wrote, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world"
(Galatians 6:14).
Jesus' willingness to take our place is the eternal evidence of how much
God loves us. As we contemplate the price He paid, may we also celebrate
His love-and give thanks for the cross.
By: Bill Crowder
Reflect & Pray
How could each meaning of tetelestai be applied to the cross of Jesus
and what He accomplished there? Why does each one have meaning to you?
Father, when I consider the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf, I am humbled
and deeply grateful. Thank You for Jesus, and thank You for the cross.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 6 - Through The Fire
Is 43:2
2 (Ps 66:12; Da 3:25–27) 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.
In the Book of Daniel, 3 young men provide one of the world's best-known
Bible stories. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three of the finest young
men of Israel, were taken into capitivity to Babylon. There King
Nebuchadnezzar, filled with his own importance, commanded that
everyone bow down and worship his image.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship anyone
except the One True god, they were cast into Nebuchadnezzar's
furnace of fire.
Is 43:2 brings their experience into focus for us. There the Lord says,
"When you pass throught the fire ... when you walk through the water ..."
Not if, but when. If we are committed to serving and honouring the Lord,
at some point we will be faced with "passing through the fire" for hm.
We may not face a physical frunace, but we may face the fires of
persecution, anger, hostility or suffering. And God says:
"I will be with you."
When the three young Israelites stepped into the king's furnace, all
the people looked and saw, not three, but four men in the fire, their
bonds burned away, walking freely among the flames. They did not
escape the fate decreed for them. But the Lord was with them in
the fire, as surely as he has promised to be with us in the flood
and the fire, as surely as he has promised to be with us in the
flood and fire tht life brings to us. The promise of god remains:
"I will be with you; the waters will not overflow, nor will the
flames burn you."
Application
a) What kinds of "fires" and "Floods" have I experienced?
b) How was I aware of the Lord's presence with me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Mark 10:29-30
29 (Mk 8:35) Jesus answered, "Truly I say to you,
there is no one who has left a house or brothers
or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields,
for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
30 (Mt 12:32) who shall not receive a hundred times as
much now in this age, houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and fields,
with persecution, and in the age to come, eternal life.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's GIft of Salvation
Eph 2:1-10
EPHESIANS 2
From Death to Life
1 (Col 2:13; Lk 15:24) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 (Jn 12:31; Eph 6:12; 2:3) in which you formerly walked according
to the age of this world and according to
the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 (Gal 2:15–16; Ps 51:5) among them we all also once
lived in the lusts of our flesh,
doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 (Ro 2:4; Eph 1:7) But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 (Eph 2:1; Ac 15:11; Eph 2:8) even when we were dead in sins,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 (Eph 1:3) and He raised us up and seated us together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 (Titus 3:4; Eph 2:4) so that in the coming ages He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 (Eph 2:5; Mk 16:16) For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,
9 (2Ti 1:9; Ro 3:20) not of works, so that no one should boast.
10 (Eph 4:24; 2Co 5:17; Eph 1:4) For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
so that we should walk in them.
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."
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Manitoba
Quick facts on Muslims in Manitoba
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1 282 000
est Muslim Population 21 349
CNMM Networks: Winnipeg
The Muslim population of Manitoba, understandably centred in Winnipeg, is very
diverse and represents some 48 different cultural and ethinic backgrounds.
Conservative estimates put their number at 21000 , with some suggesting
it might be twice that size.
Some outreach among Muslims has started, yet in comparison to the size
of this community, there is the need and opportunity for far more engagement.
Continued influx of new immigrants and refugees continues to see the growth
of this Muslim centre in Manitoba.
We rejoice in the Arabic fellowship meeting there and the energetic workers
among Muslims in Winnipeg.
Let us intercede in unity for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipiling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
From https://www.30daysprayer.com/
WHAT IS IT AND WHY?
The 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, is an international movement that began in 1993. It calls the church to make a deliberate but respectful effort to learn about, pray for and reach out to our world’s Muslim neighbors. It coincides annually with the important Islamic month of religious observation — Ramadan, a time of the year when Muslims are much more deeply aware of spiritual matters.
While Media sound bites about Islamic extremism can too easily incite anger, fear and even hatred towards Muslims, we seek to resist this temptation to generalize, and instead, resolve to respond and pray with the mind and heart of Christ.
Join the millions of Christians around the world, and churches and ministries from many denominations, who regularly participate in this largest ongoing prayer focus on the Muslim world. A new full-color prayer guide booklet — available each year in both adult and kids versions — is a proven tool to help Christians to understand and to persistently pray for Muslim neighbors and nations.
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
2nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians
( Rom 10:14-15 -
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 I And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those
who preach the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!"
)
b) Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's
heart for vision,wisdom and direction.
(Jer 33:3 - Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. )
Conclusion:
Pray ot the Lord that you leave a good inheritence.
Pray to the Lord to thank him for the Sacrifice of The Cross.
Pray to the Lord to make His presence felt in you
when you go through challenging times.
Pray to the Lord for those who persecute you.
Pray to the Lord for His Salvation.
Pray for Muslims in Manitoba to receive Christ as Saviour .
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians .
Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's
heart for vision,wisdom and direction..
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.
Judges 8-9
JUDGES 8
Zebah and Zalmunna
1 (2Sa 19:41) Then the men of Ephraim said to him,
"What have you done to us by not calling us to go
and wage war against Midian?" They argued heatedly with him.
2 He said to them, "What have I done now compared to you?
Are not the gleanings of the grapes of Ephraim better
than the harvest of Abiezer?
3 (Pr 15:1; Jdg 7:24-25) It was into your hands that God gave t
he Midianite commanders, Oreb and Zeeb. What was I able to do compared
to you?" When Gideon said this, their anger against him cooled down.
4 Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over,
he and the three hundred men who were with him, exhausted but still pursuing.
5 (Ge 33:17; Ps 60:6) He said to the men of Sukkoth, "Please give some
loaves of bread to the people who are following me, for they are exhausted,
and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian."
6 (1Ki 20:11) The officials of Sukkoth said, "Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna already in your hands that we should give bread to your army?â€
7 So Gideon said, "Because of this, when the Lord gives Zebah and Zalmunna
into my hands, I will tear your bodies with desert thorns and briers."
8 (Ge 32:30-31; 1Ki 12:25) He went up from there to Peniel
and spoke to them in the same way. The men of Peniel answered him
just as the men of Sukkoth had.
9 (Jdg 8:17; 1Ki 22:27-28) So he also said to the men of Peniel,
"When I return safely, I will tear down this tower."
10 (Jdg 7:12; 20:2) Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their armies,
about 15000 survivors; they were all who were left of all the army
of the Kedemites, for 120000 arms-bearing men had fallen.
11 (Nu 32:35; 32:42) Gideon went up on the route of the tent dwellers
east of Nobah and Jogbehah and attacked the camp while the army
was off guard.
12 (Ps 83:11) Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and Gideon chased after them.
He captured Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian,
and the entire army was terrified.
13 Gideon son of Joash returned from battle by the Pass of Heres.
14 He captured a young man from among the men of Sukkoth
and asked him to write the names of the leaders and elders of Sukkoth, 77 men.
15 Then he came to the men of Sukkoth and said, "Here are Zebah and Zalmunna,
about whom you taunted me. You said, 'Have you subjugated
Zebah and Zalmunna that we should give bread to your weary army?' "
16 (Jdg 8:7) He took the city elders and disciplined the men of Sukkoth
with thorns and briers of the wilderness.
17 (Jdg 8:9; 1Ki 12:25) He tore down the tower of Peniel
and killed the men of the city.
18 (Jdg 4:6) Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna,
"What kind of men did you kill at Tabor?â€"
They said, "They were like you. Each one looked like the son of a king."
19 He said, "They were my brothers, the sons of my mother.
As the Lord lives, if you had allowed them to live, I would not kill you."
20 Gideon said to his firstborn Jether, "Rise and kill them!"
Yet the young man did not draw his sword because he was afraid,
for he was still a young man.
21 (Jdg 8:26; Ps 83:11) Then Zebah and Zalmunna said,
"You get up and attack us, for a man is judged by his strength."
So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna
and took the crescent-shaped ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
Gideon's Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, "Rule over us, you, and your son,
and your grandson, for you have saved us from the hands of Midian."
23 (1Sa 10:19; 12:12) Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you,
and my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."
24 (Ge 25:13; 37:25) Gideon continued, "I have a request to make of you,
that each man would give me an earring from his spoils."
(Their enemy had golden earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 They said, "We will certainly give them."
So they spread out a cloak, and each man threw a ring of his spoils there.
26 The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1700 gold shekels.
[About 43 pounds, or 20 kilograms.]
This was in addition to the crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry,
and purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian, as well as the chains
hanging on the necks of their camels.
27 (Jdg 17:5; 18:14) Gideon used these things to make an ephod.
He put it in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel prostituted themselves
to it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.
28 (Jdg 5:31; 3:11) The Midianites were humbled before the children of Israel
and did not lift their heads high again. The land had peace
for 40 years in the days of Gideon.
The Death of Gideon
29 (Jdg 6:32; 7:1) Jerub-Baal son of Joash went to his house and lived there.
30 (Jdg 9:2; 9:5) Gideon had seventy sons, for he had many wives.
31 His concubine who lived in Shechem also bore him a son,
and he named him Abimelek.
32 (Ge 25:8; 15:15) Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age,
and he was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 (Jdg 9:4; 9:46) After Gideon died, the children of Israel turned again
to prostitute themselves with the Baals. They made Baal-Berith their god.
34 (Ps 78:11; 78:42) The children of Israel did not remember the Lord
their God, who had delivered them from the hands of their enemies around them,
35 and they did not keep faith with the family of Jerub-Baal
(that is, Gideon), for all the good he had done for Israel.
JUDGES 9
Abimelek
1 (Jdg 8:31) Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem,
to his mother's brothers. He spoke to them and to the house
of his mother's father saying,
2 (Ge 29:14; Jdg 8:30) "Please say in the hearing of all of the leaders of Shechem,
'Which is better for you, to have all seventy sons of Jerub-Baal rule
over you, or for one man to rule over you?
Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.' "
3 (Ge 29:15) So his mother's brothers spoke all these things about him
in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined
toward Abimelek, for they said, "He is our brother."
4 (Jdg 8:33; 11:3) They gave him seventy silver coins
[About 1 3/4 pounds, or 800 grams.]
from the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelek hired unprincipled
and undisciplined men, and they followed him.
5 (2Ki 11:1-2; Jdg 6:24) He went to his father’s house at Ophrah
and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal, on a single stone.
Yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, survived because he hid himself.
6 (2Sa 5:9) All the leaders of Shechem and everyone from Beth Millo
gathered together by the oak near the pillar in Shechem to make Abimelek king.
7 (Dt 11:29; 27:12) When Jotham heard this, he went
and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim.
He raised his voice and called out, saying to them,
"Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
8 (Jdg 8:22-23; 2Ki 14:9) The trees once went out to anoint a king over them.
They said to the olive tree, 'Rule over us!'
9 "Yet the olive tree said to them, 'Should I stop making oil,
by which God and men are honored, to go and sway over the trees?'
10 "So the trees said to the fig tree, 'You come and rule over us.'
11 "Yet the fig tree said to them, 'Should I stop making my sweet aroma
and my fruit, to go and sway over the trees?'
12 "So the trees said to the grapevine, 'You come and rule over us.'
13 (Ps 104:15) "Yet the grapevine said to them, 'Should I stop making
my fresh wine, which cheers God and men, to go and sway over the trees?'
14 "So the trees said to the thorn bush, 'You come and rule over us.'
15 (Jdg 9:20; Isa 2:13) "The thorn bush said to the trees,
'If you really want to anoint me king over you,
then come and take refuge in my shade. If not, let fire come out
from the thorn bush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'
16 (Jdg 8:35) "Now then, did you show good faith and integrity
when you made Abimelek king? Did you deal well with Jerub-Baal
and his family? Did you do to him as his actions deserved,
17 considering that my father waged war for you, risked his life for you,
and delivered you from the hands of Midian?
18 (Jdg 9:5-6) Yet you have taken a stand against my father's family today.
You killed his seventy sons, each on a single stone.
You made Abimelek, son of his slave woman, king over the leaders of Shechem
because he is your brother.
19 (Isa 8:6) So if you did show good faith and integrity in what you did with
Jerub-Baal and his family today, then rejoice in Abimelek,
and may he also rejoice in you.
20 (Jdg 9:15; 9:56-57) If not, let fire come out from Abimelek
and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo,
and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem
and from Beth Millo and consume Abimelek!"
21 (Nu 21:16) Then Jotham ran away and fled. He went to Beer
and lived there because of Abimelek his brother.
The Downfall of Abimelek
22 After Abimelek ruled over Israel for three years,
23 (Isa 33:1; 19:14) God sent an evil spirit between Abimelek
and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem
dealt treacherously with Abimelek,
24 (1Ki 2:32; Est 9:25) so that the violence done to the seventy
sons of Jerub-Baal and their blood might come back upon
Abimelek their brother, who killed them, and upon the leaders of Shechem,
who empowered him to kill his brothers.
25 The leaders of Shechem set ambushes against him on the hilltops
and robbed all who passed by them on the road. This was told to Abimelek.
26 Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brothers came to Shechem,
and the leaders of Shechem trusted him.
27 (Jdg 9:4) They went out to the field, gathered
and trod their grapes, and had a celebration.
They went to the temple of their god and ate, drank,
and cursed Abimelek.
28 (Ge 34:2; 34:6) Gaal son of Ebed said, "Who is Abimelek,
and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?
Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul his officer?
Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
Why should we serve Abimelek?
29 (2Sa 15:4) If only this people were under my command,
I would get rid of AbimÂelek." So he said to Abimelek, "Muster your army
and come out!"
30 Then Zebul the city ruler heard the words of Gaal
son of Ebed and he burned with anger.
31 He secretly sent messengers to AbimÂelek, saying, "Gaal, the son of Ebed,
and his brothers have come to Shechem and are fortifying the city against you.
32 So now, get up at night, you and the people with you,
and lie in wait in the field.
33 (1Sa 10:7; Ecc 9:10) In the morning at sunrise, get up early and attack
the city. He and the people with him will come out to you,
then you can do to them as you find opportunity."
34 So Abimelek and all the people who were with him got up at night
and lay in wait by Shechem in four companies.
35 When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood at the entrance of the city gate
then Abimelek and the people who were with him
got up from their hiding places.
36 Gaal saw these people and said to Zebul,
"Look, people are coming down from the hilltops."
Zebul said to him, "The shadows of the hills look like men to you."
37 Gaal spoke again and said, "Look, people are coming down the middle
of the land, and a company is coming by way of the Diviner's Oak."
38 (Jdg 9:28-29) Then Zebul said to him, "Where is your mouth now,
which said, 'Who is Abimelek, that we should serve him?'
Are not these the people you dismissed out of hand?
Go now, I pray, and fight against them."
39 So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem and fought Abimelek.
40 Abimelek chased him, and Gaal fled from him. Many fell wounded
at the entrance of the gate.
41 Abimelek stayed in Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal
and his brothers from living in Shechem.
42 The next day the people went out into
the field, and this was told to Abimelek.
43 So he took the people and divided them into three companies,
and they laid in wait in the field. When the people came out from the city,
he rose up against them and struck them down.
44 Abimelek and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood
at the entrance of the city gate. The two other combat units attacked everyone
in the field and struck them down.
45 (2Ki 3:25; Dt 29:23) Abimelek fought against the city all that day.
He captured the city and killed the people inside it;
he tore down the city and spread salt over it.
46 (Jdg 8:33; 9:4) When the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard this,
they entered the fortified temple of El-Berith.
47 Abimelek was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem
had gathered together.
48 (Ps 68:14) So Abimelek and all the people who were with him went
up Mount Zalmon. He took an axe in his hand and cut off a tree branch,
lifted it, and carried it on his shoulder. Then he said to the men
who were with him, "What you have seen me do, hurry and do the same."
49 So everyone likewise cut off a branch and followed Abimelek.
They placed them on the fortification and set the fortification
on fire over them. So all the people of the Tower of Shechem died,
about 1000 men and women.
50 Then Abimelek went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it.
51 But there was a fortified tower within the city, so all of the men and women
and the leaders of the city fled there.
They shut themselves in and went up to the top of the tower.
52 Abimelek came to the tower and fought against it. But as he drew near
to the tower entrance to burn it with fire,
53 (2Sa 11:21) a certain woman dropped an upper millstone
on the head of Abimelek, and it crushed his skull.
54 Urgently he called to the young man who carried his gear and said to him,
"Draw your sword and kill me, so that people may not say about me,
'A woman killed him.' "
So the young man pierced him through, and he died.
55 Then the men of Israel saw that Abimelek was dead, so everyone went home.
56 (Ps 94:23; Jdg 9:24) Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelek,
which he committed against his father by killing his seventy brothers.
57 (Jdg 9:20) God also repaid the evil deeds of the men of Shechem,
and the curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came upon them.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 Apr 2021 Good Friday
https://www.odb.org/CA/2021/04/02/the-cost-2
entitled The Cost
John 19:25-20
25 (Lk 23:49; Mt 27:55-56; Mk 15:40-41) But standing by the cross of Jesus
were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
26 (Jn 13:23; 2:4; 20:2) When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple
whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,
"Woman, here is your son."
27 (Jn 16:32; 1:11) Then He said to the disciple, "Here is your mother."
From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.
The Death of Jesus
Mt 27:45-56; Mk 15:33-41; Lk 23:44=49
28 (Ps 69:21; Jn 13:1) After this, Jesus, knowing that everything was
now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst."
29 (Mt 27:48; Mk 15:36) A bowl full of sour wine was placed there.
So they put a sponge full of sour wine on hyssop and held it to His mouth.
30 (Lk 23:46; Jn 17:4) When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said,
"“It is finished." And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Michelangelo's works explored many facets of the life of Jesus,
yet one of the most poignant was also one of the most simple.
In the 1540s he sketched a pieta (a picture of Jesus' mother
holding the body of the dead Christ) for his friend Vittoria Colonna.
Done in chalk, the drawing depicts Mary looking to the heavens
as she cradles her Son's still form. Rising behind Mary,
the upright beam of the cross carries these words from Dante's Paradise,
"There they don't think of how much blood it costs." Michelangelo's
point was profound: when we contemplate the death of Jesus,
we must consider the price He paid.
The price paid by Christ is captured in His dying declaration,
"It is finished" (John 19:30). The term for "it is finished" (tetelestai)
was used in several ways-to show a bill had been paid, a task finished,
a sacrifice offered, a masterpiece completed. Each of them applies to what
Jesus did on our behalf on the cross! Perhaps that's why the apostle
Paul wrote, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world"
(Galatians 6:14).
Jesus' willingness to take our place is the eternal evidence of how much
God loves us. As we contemplate the price He paid, may we also celebrate
His love-and give thanks for the cross.
By: Bill Crowder
Reflect & Pray
How could each meaning of tetelestai be applied to the cross of Jesus
and what He accomplished there? Why does each one have meaning to you?
Father, when I consider the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf, I am humbled
and deeply grateful. Thank You for Jesus, and thank You for the cross.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 6 - Through The Fire
Is 43:2
2 (Ps 66:12; Da 3:25–27) 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.
In the Book of Daniel, 3 young men provide one of the world's best-known
Bible stories. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, three of the finest young
men of Israel, were taken into capitivity to Babylon. There King
Nebuchadnezzar, filled with his own importance, commanded that
everyone bow down and worship his image.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship anyone
except the One True god, they were cast into Nebuchadnezzar's
furnace of fire.
Is 43:2 brings their experience into focus for us. There the Lord says,
"When you pass throught the fire ... when you walk through the water ..."
Not if, but when. If we are committed to serving and honouring the Lord,
at some point we will be faced with "passing through the fire" for hm.
We may not face a physical frunace, but we may face the fires of
persecution, anger, hostility or suffering. And God says:
"I will be with you."
When the three young Israelites stepped into the king's furnace, all
the people looked and saw, not three, but four men in the fire, their
bonds burned away, walking freely among the flames. They did not
escape the fate decreed for them. But the Lord was with them in
the fire, as surely as he has promised to be with us in the flood
and the fire, as surely as he has promised to be with us in the
flood and fire tht life brings to us. The promise of god remains:
"I will be with you; the waters will not overflow, nor will the
flames burn you."
Application
a) What kinds of "fires" and "Floods" have I experienced?
b) How was I aware of the Lord's presence with me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Mark 10:29-30
29 (Mk 8:35) Jesus answered, "Truly I say to you,
there is no one who has left a house or brothers
or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields,
for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,
30 (Mt 12:32) who shall not receive a hundred times as
much now in this age, houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and fields,
with persecution, and in the age to come, eternal life.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's GIft of Salvation
Eph 2:1-10
EPHESIANS 2
From Death to Life
1 (Col 2:13; Lk 15:24) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 (Jn 12:31; Eph 6:12; 2:3) in which you formerly walked according
to the age of this world and according to
the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3 (Gal 2:15–16; Ps 51:5) among them we all also once
lived in the lusts of our flesh,
doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
4 (Ro 2:4; Eph 1:7) But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
5 (Eph 2:1; Ac 15:11; Eph 2:8) even when we were dead in sins,
made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 (Eph 1:3) and He raised us up and seated us together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 (Titus 3:4; Eph 2:4) so that in the coming ages He might show
the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 (Eph 2:5; Mk 16:16) For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,
9 (2Ti 1:9; Ro 3:20) not of works, so that no one should boast.
10 (Eph 4:24; 2Co 5:17; Eph 1:4) For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
so that we should walk in them.
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."
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Manitoba
Quick facts on Muslims in Manitoba
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1 282 000
est Muslim Population 21 349
CNMM Networks: Winnipeg
The Muslim population of Manitoba, understandably centred in Winnipeg, is very
diverse and represents some 48 different cultural and ethinic backgrounds.
Conservative estimates put their number at 21000 , with some suggesting
it might be twice that size.
Some outreach among Muslims has started, yet in comparison to the size
of this community, there is the need and opportunity for far more engagement.
Continued influx of new immigrants and refugees continues to see the growth
of this Muslim centre in Manitoba.
We rejoice in the Arabic fellowship meeting there and the energetic workers
among Muslims in Winnipeg.
Let us intercede in unity for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipiling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
From https://www.30daysprayer.com/
WHAT IS IT AND WHY?
The 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World, is an international movement that began in 1993. It calls the church to make a deliberate but respectful effort to learn about, pray for and reach out to our world’s Muslim neighbors. It coincides annually with the important Islamic month of religious observation — Ramadan, a time of the year when Muslims are much more deeply aware of spiritual matters.
While Media sound bites about Islamic extremism can too easily incite anger, fear and even hatred towards Muslims, we seek to resist this temptation to generalize, and instead, resolve to respond and pray with the mind and heart of Christ.
Join the millions of Christians around the world, and churches and ministries from many denominations, who regularly participate in this largest ongoing prayer focus on the Muslim world. A new full-color prayer guide booklet — available each year in both adult and kids versions — is a proven tool to help Christians to understand and to persistently pray for Muslim neighbors and nations.
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
2nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians
( Rom 10:14-15 -
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 I And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those
who preach the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!"
)
b) Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's
heart for vision,wisdom and direction.
(Jer 33:3 - Call to Me, and I will answer you,
and show you great and mighty things which you do not know. )
Conclusion:
Pray ot the Lord that you leave a good inheritence.
Pray to the Lord to thank him for the Sacrifice of The Cross.
Pray to the Lord to make His presence felt in you
when you go through challenging times.
Pray to the Lord for those who persecute you.
Pray to the Lord for His Salvation.
Pray for Muslims in Manitoba to receive Christ as Saviour .
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians .
Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's
heart for vision,wisdom and direction..
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.