Day 214 - 2 August 2021 reflections
Day 214, 2 August 2021
2 Chron 32-33
2 Chronicles 32
Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem
2Ki 18:17-35; 19:35-37; Isa 36:2-20; 37:36-38
1 After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib
king of Assyria came to Judah and encamped against the fortified cities
thinking that he would break through them for himself.
2 When Hezekiah observed that Sennacherib had come
and that he turned to war against Jerusalem,
3 he consulted with his officials and military men to stop up the waters
of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped in this.
4 So, many people assembled and worked to stop up all the springs
and the stream flowing through the area. They reasoned,
"Why should the king of Assyria come and find a great amount of water?"
5 He then worked hard to build up all the walls that were broken down
and to raise up towers. Then he built another wall outside that one
and strengthened the Millo in the City of David.
And he made weapons and shields in abundance.
6 And he designated commanders for fighting over the people,
and he gathered them to himself at the open square of the gate of the city
and spoke encouragingly to them saying,
7 "Be strong and brave. Do not fear or have terror before the king of Assyria
or before all this army that is with him because there are more who are with
us than with him.
8 With this king is a strong arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God who
will help us and fight our battles." So the people leaned on the words
of Hezekiah king of Judah.
9 After all this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem
-while he was at Lachish with all his military force that was with him-to
Hezekiah king of Judah and to all Judah that was in Jerusalem stating,
10 "Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria: By what do you all trust that
you remain in a besieged Jerusalem?
11 Is not Hezekiah leading you all astray to give you over to death by famine
and thirst when he tells you, 'The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand
of the king of Assyria'?
12 Has not Hezekiah himself taken down this god's high places
and altars by ordering Judah and Jerusalem, 'You all will bow down
at one altar and on it burn sacrifices'?
13 "Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples
of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of these lands surely able
to rescue their lands from my hand?
14 Who from among all the gods of these nations that my fathers utterly
destroyed was able to rescue his people from my hand? For will your god
be able to rescue you all from my hand?
15 Now do not let Hezekiah trick or lead you all astray in this.
And do not believe him, for no god from any nation or kingdom
has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my fathers.
How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?"
16 And his servants continued to speak against the Lord God and Hezekiah
his servant.
17 He also wrote letters to insult the Lord God of Israel, speaking against
Him, "As the gods of the nations of other lands did not rescue their people
from my hand, so the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand."
18 And they proclaimed it also in a loud voice in the Judean language against
the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall to frighten and terrify them
in order to capture the city.
19 They spoke about the God of Jerusalem like the gods of the other peoples
of the earth, which are only objects made by men’s hands.
The Death of Sennacherib
20 So Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet son of Amoz prayed
concerning this. And they called out to heaven.
21 So the Lord sent an angel and destroyed the mighty army, leaders,
and officials in the camp of the king of Assyria. So the king returned
in shame to his own land. When he entered the temple of his god,
some of his sons fell on him there with the sword.
22 So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand
of Sennacherib king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others,
and gave them rest on every side.
23 Many brought tribute to the Lord in Jerusalem a
nd choice gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah so that he was lifted
up before the eyes of all the nations from then on.
Hezekiah's Pride
24 In those days Hezekiah became ill even to the point of death,
so he prayed to the Lord. He spoke to the king and gave him a sign.
25 But Hezekiah did not make recompense for what was given to him
because his heart was proud. So divine anger was on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.
26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself from his arrogant heart,
both he and those who lived in Jerusalem, and the anger of the Lord did not
come over them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 And Hezekiah had a vast amount of riches and honor,
and he made treasures for himself from silver, gold, costly stones, spices,
shields, and all types of precious items.
28 He made storehouses for the produce of grain, wine, and oil;
and stalls for all types of livestock and flocks.
29 He also built cities for himself and acquired numbers of flocks and herds,
for God had given to him a vast amount of possessions.
30 And Hezekiah shut up the upper outlet of the waters of the Gihon
and directed them downward to the western side of the City of David.
And Hezekiah found success in all his works.
31 But the envoys came from the officials of Babylon who were sent to him
to inquire about the sign that had been given in the land. God left him alone
in order to test Hezekiah, to know what was in his heart.
The Death of Hezekiah
2Ki 20:1-21; Isa 37:21-38; 38:1-8
32 And the remainder of the acts of Hezekiah and his kind acts,
they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, son of Amoz,
in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper tombs
of the sons of David. And all those from Judah and those living in Jerusalem
paid him honor at his death. Then Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
2 Chronicles 33
Manasseh, King of Judah
2Ki 21:1-18
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king,
and he was king in Jerusalem for fifty-five years.
2 But he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations
of the nations whom the Lord previously cast out before the sons of Israel.
3 And he turned again to build the high places that his father Hezekiah
had torn down, and he set up altars to the Baals, and made Asherah poles,
and worshipped the starry assembly of heaven and served them.
4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord where the Lord said,
"In Jerusalem My name will be perpetual."
5 And he built altars for the starry assembly of heaven in the two courtyards
of the house of the Lord.
6 He even made his sons pass through the fire in the
Valley of Ben Hinnom; and he had conjurers, and practitioners of divination
and sorcery, and necromancers, and mediums. So he did a great amount of evil
in the eyes of the Lord, so that God was provoked.
7 And he set the carved image of a statue that he made and put in the house
of God where God said to David and to Solomon his son,
"In this house and in Jerusalem where I have chosen from among all the tribes
of Israel, there I have set My name perpetually.
8 And I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the ground that I have
designated to your fathers, if only they will keep on doing everything that
I have commanded them, the whole law, statutes, and judgments from
the hand of Moses."
9 So Manasseh made Judah and those living in Jerusalem to wander
and to perform more evil than the nations that the Lord destroyed
from before Israel.
Manasseh's Repentance
10 The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not pay attention.
11 So the Lord brought on them the officials
of the army of the king of Assyria. They captured Manasseh with hooks,
and they bound him in bronze chains and led him to Babylon.
12 And when he was distressed, he entreated the face of the Lord his God,
and he greatly humbled himself before the God of his fathers.
13 And he prayed to God, and He was moved and responded
to his plea and returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.
14 After this he built an outer wall for the City of David, west of Gihon,
in the valley and toward the entrance of the Fish Gate, where it went
around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. Then he positioned
military commanders in all the fortified cities in Judah.
15 And he removed the foreign gods and statues from the house of the Lord,
and all the altars that he built on the hill of the house of the Lord
and Jerusalem, and he cast them outside the city.
16 He also restored the altar of the Lord, and he sacrificed fellowship and
thanksgiving offerings, and he ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.
17 However, the people continued to sacrifice at the high places,
but only to the Lord their God.
The Death of Manasseh
18 And the remainder of the acts of Manasseh and his prayer to God
and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the Lord God
of Israel are written in the annals of the kings of Israel.
19 And his prayer and how God received his entreaty, and all his sin
and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and where he set
up the Asherah poles and images before he humbled himself,
indeed they are written in the sayings of Hozai.
20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his palace,
and Amon his son reigned in his place.
Amon, King of Judah
2Ki 21:19-24
21And Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign,
and he was king for two years in Jerusalem.
22 And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord as his father Manasseh
had done. And Amon sacrificed to and served all the idols that Manasseh
his father had made.
23 He did not humble himself before the Lord as his father humbled himself.
But he increased his guilt all the more.
24 And his servants plotted against him, and they killed him in his palace.
25Then the people of the land struck down all those who conspired against
King Amon. The people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 August 2021
https://odb.org/CA/2021/08/02/adopted-by-god
entitled The Beauty of Adoption
Galatians 3:26–4:7
26 You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized
into Christ have put on Christ.
28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free,
and there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
1 Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ from
a servant though he is lord of all.
2 But he is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father.
3 So when we were children, we were in bondage to the elements of the world.
4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son,
born from a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth into
our hearts the Spirit of His Son, crying, "Abba, Father!"
7 Therefore you are no longer a servant, but a son,
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
The 2009 film The Blind Side depicts the true story of Michael Oher,
a homeless teenager. A family takes him in and helps him overcome
learning difficulties and achieve excellence in American football.
In one scene, the family talks with Michael about the possibility of adopting
him after he'd been living with them for several months. In a sweet
and tender reply, Michael exclaims that he thought he already
was a part of the family!
It’s a beautiful moment, just as adoption is a beautiful thing.
Love is extended and full inclusion is offered as a family opens
its arms to a new member. Adoption changes lives,
just as it profoundly changed Michael's life.
In Jesus, believers are made "children of God" through faith
in Him (Galatians 3:26). We're adopted by God and become
His sons and daughters (4:5). As God's adopted children,
we receive the Spirit of His Son, we call God "Father" (v. 6),
and we become His heirs (v. 7) and coheirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
We become full members of His family.
When Michael Oher was adopted, it changed his life, his identity,
and his future. How much more for us who are adopted by God!
Our life changes as we know Him as Father.
Our identity changes as we belong to Him. And our future changes
as we're promised a glorious, eternal inheritance.
By: Con Campbell
Reflect & Pray
How does being a child of God affect your self-identity?
In what ways does this change the way you view yourself?
Thank You, Father, for making me Yours.
Help me to understand my identity as Your child.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 2 - Saved by Grace - Day 2 - Earning Death
Romans 6:23
23 (Ro 5:12; Ge 2:17; Ro 2:7) For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
"I only want my rights," declares the belligerant Big Ghost, one of the
characters in C. S. Lewis's classic, The Great Divorce. "I'm not asking
for anybody's bleeding charity."
"Then do. At once," his angleic friend Len urges. "Ask for the Bleeding
Charity. Everything is here for the asking and nothing can be bought."
Often we are much like the Ghost in Lewis's tale of heaven and hell.
We want "What we deserve," and being blind to our own sin, we think
we deserve praise, or al least mercy. But Paul is very clear on what
we have coming: "The wages of sin is death".
We work for our wages - we've earned our paycheque, and we deserve it.
We don't have to thank anyone for paying us - it's our due, not a gift.
Similarly, the paycheque issued to us in renumeration for our sin is
what we deserve: death.
Yet, if we are willing to lay aside our pride and accept God's gift,
we can live. "The gift of God is eternal life." Nothing we can do or say
can make us worthy of the gift of life. We are sinners by nature and we
rebel against God in our choices. Yet God, in Christ, offers grace to us,
freedom from sin, liberty from the burden of trying to earn his favour.
Ironically, freedom and peace in the Christian life come not through
justifying ourselves and making ourselves look good, but through
acknowledging the depth of our sin ad our ability to do anything about it.
When we realise that we are trapped in out sinful selves and only
Christ can free us, then we are ready to journey toward grace and freedom.
Application
a) In what way's have I treid to "earn" the gift of eternal life?
b) What can I do to focus on God's grace and realise
that I cannot accomplish my own salvation?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Mark 4:20-25
20 (Mk 4:8; Jn 15:4–5) "Still others are seed sown on good ground,
those who hear the word, and receive it, and bear fruit:
thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much."
A Light Under a Basket
Lk 8:16–18
21 (Mt 5:15; Lk 8:16) He said to them, "Is a candle brought to be put
under a basket or under a bed and not to be set on a candlestick?
22 (Lk 8:17) For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed;
neither is anything kept secret except to be proclaimed.
23 (Mk 4:9; Mt 11:15)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24 (Mt 7:2) He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.
The measure you give will be measured for you,
and to you who hear will more be given.
25 (Mt 13:12; Lk 8:18) For to him who has will more be given.
And from him who has not will be taken, even what he has."
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Help in Times of Temptation
Hebrews 4:14-16
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 (Heb 6:20; 1:2–3) Since then we have a great High Priest
Who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold firmly to our confession.
15 (2Co 5:21; Jn 8:46) For we do not have a High Priest
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.
16 (Eph 3:12; Php 4:6–7) Let us then come with confidence
to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need.
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?)
New Brunswick
Total population 753900
Muslim population (est.) 4543
Moncton, followed by Fredericton and Saint John, each have a growing Muslim
population in New Brunswick, In 2007, the buliding that was formerly a Baptist
chruch was converted into Moncton's 1st mosque. The University of Moncton
also has a Muslim studentt association hosting prayer services, fellowship
getherings, and outreaches on campus.
Fredericton also has one mosque and a Muslim student assoication serving the
campusus of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Fredericton's MUslim population consists in 2014 of about 50 families,
and between 300 to 400 university students.
Saint John is home to the 1st Muslim Association for the province,
which also helped foster the Islamic asociations of Fredericton and Moncton.
a 'musalla', or prayer location that is not officially structured as a mosque,
has been established in the Uptown area with the intention of seeing it grow
into a 2nd official place of Muslim worship. Demand for this new location has
been primarily for university students moving into the area.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in JEsus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
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. )
(Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord,
as the rivers of water;)
Conclusion:
Pray a prayer of repentance of your sins to the Lord like Manessah
and Hezekiah did.
Pray to the Lord "Thank You, Father, for making me Yours.
Help me to understand my identity as Your child."
Pray to the Lord and ask for forgiveness of your sins.
Pray to the Lord and ask Him to a light to your community.
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for His sacrifice on the cross
Pray for Muslims in New Brunswick to know Jesus as Saviour.
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.
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all
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.