Day 309 - 5 November 2021 reflections
Day 309, 5 November 2021
1)
Matthew 24
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
Mk 13:1-2; Lk 21:5-6
1 Jesus departed from the temple and was leaving
when His disciples came to show Him the temple buildings.
2 (Lk 19:44) Jesus answered them, "Do you not see all these things?
Truly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another
that shall not be thrown down."
Troubles and Persecutions
Mk 13:3-13; Lk 21:7-19
3 (Mt 21:1; Ac 1:7) As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be,
and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?"
4 (Jer 29:8; Eph 5:6)Jesus answered them,
"Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 (Mt 24:11; 24:24) For many will come in My name, saying,
'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
6 (2Th 2:2) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are
not troubled. For all these things must happen, but the end is not yet.
7 (Isa 19:2; Ac 11:28) For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, epidemics,
and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 (Jn 16:2; Mt 23:34) "Then they will hand you over to be persecuted
and will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10 (Mt 10:21; 11:6) Then many will fall away, and betray one another,
and hate one another.
11 (Mt 7:15; 24:24) And many false prophets will rise and will deceive many.
12 Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 (Mt 10:22; Ro 2:7) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 (Ro 10:18; Col 1:6; 1:23) And this gospel of the kingdom will be
preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations,
and then the end will come.
The Great Tribulation
Mk 13:14-23; Lk 21:20-24
15 (Da 9:27; 12:11; Mk 13:14) "So when you see the
'abomination of desolation,' (Da 9:27.) spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 (Mt 10:27) Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything
out of his house.
18 Let him who is in the field not return to take his clothes.
19 Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse in those days!
20 Pray that your escape will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath.
21 (Da 12:1; Joel 2:2) For then will be great tribulation, such as has
not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever
shall be.
22 (Isa 65:8-9; Mt 24:24) "Unless those days were shortened, no one would
be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
23 (Lk 21:8) Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ,'
or 'There He is,' do not believe it.
24 (Mt 24:11; 2Th 2:9-11) For false christs and false prophets will
arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible,
even the elect.
25 Listen, I have told you beforehand.
26 (Ac 21:38) "So, if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert,'
do not go there; or, 'Look, He is in the private chambers,'
do not believe it.
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west,
so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
28 (Lk 17:37) Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be
gathered together.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Mk 13:24-27; Lk 21:25-28
29 (Isa 13:10; Joel 2:10) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days,
'the sun will be darkened,
the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.' (Joel 2:10.)
30 (Rev 1:7; Da 7:13; Mt 24:3) "Then the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.
31 (Mt 13:41; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16) And He will send His angels with
a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from
the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Mk 13:28-31; Lk 21:29-33
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch
becomes tender and grows leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 (Jas 5:9) So also, when you shall see all these things,
you know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 (Mt 16:28; 23:36) Truly I say to you, this generation
will not pass away until all these things take place.
35 (Mt 5:18; Ps 102:26) Heaven and earth will pass away,
but My words will never pass away.
The Unknown Day and Hour
Mk 13:32-37; Lk 17:26-30, 34-36
36 (Ac 1:7; Mt 25:13; Mk 13:32) "Concerning that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
37 (Lk 17:26-27) As were the days of Noah, so will be
the coming of the Son of Man.
38 (Mt 22:30) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah
entered the ark,
39 (Mt 24:37) and did not know until the flood came
and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two will be in the field; one will be taken, and the other left.
41 (Ex 11:5; Isa 47:2) Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and the other left.
42 (Mt 25:13; 24:44) "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour
your Lord will come.
43 (Lk 12:39) But know this, that if the owner of the house had known
what hour the thief would come, he would have watched
and not have let his house be broken into.
44 (Mt 25:10; 25:13) Therefore you also must be ready, for in an hour
when you least expect, the Son of Man is coming.
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant
Lk 12:41-48
45 (Mt 25:21; 25:23) "Who then is a faithful and wise servant,
whom his master has made ruler over his household to give them food
at the appointed time?
46 (Rev 16:15) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find
so doing when he comes.
47 (Mt 25:21; 25:23) Truly, I say to you that he will make him
ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master delays his coming,'
49 and begins to strike his fellow servants
and eat and drink with the drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not look
for him and in an hour he is not aware of
51 (Mt 8:12) and will cut him in pieces and appoint him his portion
with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
2) Our Daily Bread for 5 November 2021
https://odb.org/us/2021/11/05/finding-joy-in-the-meaningless
entitled Finding Joy in the Meaningless
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Ecclesiastes 2
The Vanity of Pleasure
1 (Ecc 8:15; Lk 12:19) And I said in my heart, "Come, and I will test you
with selfish pleasures to experience desires."
And notice that this too is vanity.
2 (Pr 14:13) And I said of frivolous fun, "They are only senseless ideas";
and regarding selfish pleasure, "What purpose is this?"
3 (Pr 20:1; Ecc 1:17) I investigated how to cheer up my body with wine, while my heart was still guiding me with wisdom, in order to grasp folly until I might experience what is good for sons of men to do under heaven during the number of days that they might have life.
4 (1Ki 7:1-12) I accomplished great works. I built houses for myself,
and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made for myself royal gardens and parks,
and I planted in them all sorts of fruit trees.
6 (Ne 2:14) I made for myself pools of water to irrigate
the forests of growing trees.
7 I even bought male and female slaves; even some were born to me in my house.
I had also great possessions of herds and flocks more than any who had
been in Jerusalem before me.
8 (2Sa 19:35; 1Ki 9:28) I also gathered for myself silver and gold
and treasures of kings and provinces. I obtained singers, both men
and women, and the delights of the sons of men, and many concubines.
9 (1Ch 29:25; Ecc 1:16) So I became great and surpassed anyone who had
been in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom remained with me.
10 (Ecc 3:22; 5:18) And everything that my eyes wanted I did not refuse them.
And I did not withhold my heart from any selfish pleasure,
for my heart was glad from all my efforts;
and this was my reward for all my efforts.
11 (Ecc 1:14; 1:3) Then I turned to all the work that my hands
had designed
and all the labor that I had toiled to make;
and notice, all of it was vanity and chasing the wind.
And there was no benefit under the sun.
in 2010, James Ward, the creator of the blog "I Like Boring Things," launched
a conference called the "Boring Conference." It's a one-day celebration of
the mundane, the ordinary, and the overlooked. In the past, speakers have
addressed seemingly meaningless topics like sneezing, sounds that vending
machines make, and inkjet printers of 1999. Ward knows the topics may be
boring, but the speakers can take a mundane subject
and make it interesting, meaningful, and even joyful.
Several millennia ago, Solomon, the wisest of kings, launched his own search
for joy in the meaningless and mundane. He pursued work, bought flocks,
built wealth, acquired singers,
and constructed buildings (Ecclesiastes 2:4-9). Some of these pursuits
were honourable and some were not. Ultimately, in his pursuit of meaning,
the king found nothing but boredom (v. 11). Solomon maintained a worldview
that didn't press beyond the limits of human experience to include God.
Ultimately, however, he realized that he'd find joy in the mundane only w
hen he remembered and worshiped God (12:1-7).
When we find ourselves in the whirlwind of tedium, let's launch our own daily
mini-conference, as we "remember [our] Creator" (v. 1)-the God who fills
the mundane with meaning. As we remember and worship Him,
we'll find wonder in the ordinary, gratitude in the mundane,
and joy in the seemingly meaningless things of life.
By: Marvin Williams
Reflect & Pray
Why is it so hard to find meaning in things that can never satisfy?
How do you need to reprioritise your commitment to and worship of God
so you can find your meaning in Him?
God, take the unremarkable moments of my life
and infuse them with Your joy and wonder.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 7 Promises of Grace - Day 6 Humility and Exaltation
1 Peter 5:6-7
6 (Jas 4:10; Mt 23:12) Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time.
7 (Ps 55:22; 37:5) Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.
"I was so humble I was given an award for humility," the pastor quipped.
"They gave me a humility plaque - but they had to take it back when I hung it
on my office wall."
Humility is rare among 20th Century Christians. Our pride takes two
seemingly contradictory forms: Self-exaltation and self-denial. But both
focus on self, not on God.
Francois Fenelon, 17th century French archbishop, From his
"Letters of Spiritual Counsel" wrote:
"He who so completely forget himself that he never thinks of self ... is
truly humble. If we had the light to discern it, we should see clearly that
when we think we are humbling ourselves we are exalting ourselves;
when we think we are annihilating ourselves we are seeking out own life."
True humility, as Fenelon implies, means recognising who we are in the light
of who God is. Excess of self-importance and low self-esteem are both
self-centered perspectives; true humility is God-centered.
When we humble ourselves, we become intensely aware of God and less
aware of ourselves. We can focus on his face and get our eyes off our own
image. We can stop worrying about how others perceive us. Such humbling
is difficult - as one 70-year-old saint joked, "It ain't the heat that gets
you, it's the humility." But when we submit to him and fell the weight of the
"Mighty hand of God" upon us, we can forget ourselves, abandon
ourselves to his presence, and cast our cares upon him.
Application
a) What form does my pride usually take - self-exaltation or self-degradation?
b) Why must I humble myself in order for the Lord to lift me up?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Philip 4:19
19 (Ro 2:4) But my God shall supply your every need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Reconciling Peace
Ps 85:8-13
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints,
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Surely His salvation is near to them who fear Him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Truth springs from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord gives that which is good,
and our land shall yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him
and prepare a way for His footsteps.
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?)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Total population 527000
Muslim population (est.) 2065
As of Autumn 2014, St. John's does not have a local CNMM network. Pray with us
for God's people to come together in prayer and cooperative efforts to reach Muslims with the Good News.
St. John's has one mosque and 2 more musallas , or prayer locations, which
may grow into mosques of their own. The mosque is called Masjid an Noor,
The Mosque of the Light, and mosque historical documents record a trip in 1986
to Saudi Arabia to raise funds for the land purchase and construction costs.
A small number of Muslim families had come prior to 1964, but moved on to
other places after a short time. After this date, a small community began
to remain and grow , reaching about 25 families in the 1980s. A number
of international students also join the community annually
ranging from 25 to 60.
In 2014 the mosque website reports the community is made up of some 200
families and many university students attending Memorial University. A
small number of native Newfoundlanders have also converted to the Islamic
faith, one saying of this religion in Newfoundland, "Islam is a growing face".
With the growth of the community, the current challenge is lack of space
in the mosque, which they are now looking at expanding.
Pray for
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
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
5th Day of the Month
a) Pray for Canada's First Nation peoples, that the Lord will draw them to Himself
(PS 145:13-18
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all wait upon You,
and You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways
and loving in all His works.
18 The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him,
to all who call upon Him in truth.
)
b) Pray for the Lord to search your life , reveal anything offensive
and cleanse you from unrighteousness
( ps 139:24 and see if there is any rebellious way in me,
and lead me in the ancient way.
1: John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to lean on the Lord during persecution and
hard times.
Pray to the Lord "God, take the unremarkable moments of my life
and infuse them with Your joy and wonder."
Pray to the Lord and pray and ask him to keep you humble.
Pray to the Lord and pray to trust him with you riches in Glory .
Pray to the Lord and pray to be righteous in His Eyes.
Pray for in Newfoundland and Labrador
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Pray for Canada's First Nation peoples, that the Lord will draw them to Himself
Pray for the Lord to search your life , reveal anything offensive
and cleanse you from unrighteousness
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1)
Matthew 24
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
Mk 13:1-2; Lk 21:5-6
1 Jesus departed from the temple and was leaving
when His disciples came to show Him the temple buildings.
2 (Lk 19:44) Jesus answered them, "Do you not see all these things?
Truly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another
that shall not be thrown down."
Troubles and Persecutions
Mk 13:3-13; Lk 21:7-19
3 (Mt 21:1; Ac 1:7) As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples
came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be,
and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?"
4 (Jer 29:8; Eph 5:6)Jesus answered them,
"Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 (Mt 24:11; 24:24) For many will come in My name, saying,
'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
6 (2Th 2:2) You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are
not troubled. For all these things must happen, but the end is not yet.
7 (Isa 19:2; Ac 11:28) For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, epidemics,
and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 (Jn 16:2; Mt 23:34) "Then they will hand you over to be persecuted
and will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10 (Mt 10:21; 11:6) Then many will fall away, and betray one another,
and hate one another.
11 (Mt 7:15; 24:24) And many false prophets will rise and will deceive many.
12 Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
13 (Mt 10:22; Ro 2:7) But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
14 (Ro 10:18; Col 1:6; 1:23) And this gospel of the kingdom will be
preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations,
and then the end will come.
The Great Tribulation
Mk 13:14-23; Lk 21:20-24
15 (Da 9:27; 12:11; Mk 13:14) "So when you see the
'abomination of desolation,' (Da 9:27.) spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 (Mt 10:27) Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything
out of his house.
18 Let him who is in the field not return to take his clothes.
19 Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse in those days!
20 Pray that your escape will not be in the winter or on the Sabbath.
21 (Da 12:1; Joel 2:2) For then will be great tribulation, such as has
not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever
shall be.
22 (Isa 65:8-9; Mt 24:24) "Unless those days were shortened, no one would
be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
23 (Lk 21:8) Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ,'
or 'There He is,' do not believe it.
24 (Mt 24:11; 2Th 2:9-11) For false christs and false prophets will
arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible,
even the elect.
25 Listen, I have told you beforehand.
26 (Ac 21:38) "So, if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert,'
do not go there; or, 'Look, He is in the private chambers,'
do not believe it.
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west,
so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
28 (Lk 17:37) Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be
gathered together.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Mk 13:24-27; Lk 21:25-28
29 (Isa 13:10; Joel 2:10) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days,
'the sun will be darkened,
the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.' (Joel 2:10.)
30 (Rev 1:7; Da 7:13; Mt 24:3) "Then the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.
31 (Mt 13:41; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16) And He will send His angels with
a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from
the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Mk 13:28-31; Lk 21:29-33
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch
becomes tender and grows leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 (Jas 5:9) So also, when you shall see all these things,
you know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 (Mt 16:28; 23:36) Truly I say to you, this generation
will not pass away until all these things take place.
35 (Mt 5:18; Ps 102:26) Heaven and earth will pass away,
but My words will never pass away.
The Unknown Day and Hour
Mk 13:32-37; Lk 17:26-30, 34-36
36 (Ac 1:7; Mt 25:13; Mk 13:32) "Concerning that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
37 (Lk 17:26-27) As were the days of Noah, so will be
the coming of the Son of Man.
38 (Mt 22:30) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah
entered the ark,
39 (Mt 24:37) and did not know until the flood came
and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two will be in the field; one will be taken, and the other left.
41 (Ex 11:5; Isa 47:2) Two women will be grinding at the mill;
one will be taken, and the other left.
42 (Mt 25:13; 24:44) "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour
your Lord will come.
43 (Lk 12:39) But know this, that if the owner of the house had known
what hour the thief would come, he would have watched
and not have let his house be broken into.
44 (Mt 25:10; 25:13) Therefore you also must be ready, for in an hour
when you least expect, the Son of Man is coming.
The Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant
Lk 12:41-48
45 (Mt 25:21; 25:23) "Who then is a faithful and wise servant,
whom his master has made ruler over his household to give them food
at the appointed time?
46 (Rev 16:15) Blessed is that servant whom his master will find
so doing when he comes.
47 (Mt 25:21; 25:23) Truly, I say to you that he will make him
ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master delays his coming,'
49 and begins to strike his fellow servants
and eat and drink with the drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not look
for him and in an hour he is not aware of
51 (Mt 8:12) and will cut him in pieces and appoint him his portion
with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
2) Our Daily Bread for 5 November 2021
https://odb.org/us/2021/11/05/finding-joy-in-the-meaningless
entitled Finding Joy in the Meaningless
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Ecclesiastes 2
The Vanity of Pleasure
1 (Ecc 8:15; Lk 12:19) And I said in my heart, "Come, and I will test you
with selfish pleasures to experience desires."
And notice that this too is vanity.
2 (Pr 14:13) And I said of frivolous fun, "They are only senseless ideas";
and regarding selfish pleasure, "What purpose is this?"
3 (Pr 20:1; Ecc 1:17) I investigated how to cheer up my body with wine, while my heart was still guiding me with wisdom, in order to grasp folly until I might experience what is good for sons of men to do under heaven during the number of days that they might have life.
4 (1Ki 7:1-12) I accomplished great works. I built houses for myself,
and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made for myself royal gardens and parks,
and I planted in them all sorts of fruit trees.
6 (Ne 2:14) I made for myself pools of water to irrigate
the forests of growing trees.
7 I even bought male and female slaves; even some were born to me in my house.
I had also great possessions of herds and flocks more than any who had
been in Jerusalem before me.
8 (2Sa 19:35; 1Ki 9:28) I also gathered for myself silver and gold
and treasures of kings and provinces. I obtained singers, both men
and women, and the delights of the sons of men, and many concubines.
9 (1Ch 29:25; Ecc 1:16) So I became great and surpassed anyone who had
been in Jerusalem before me. All the while my wisdom remained with me.
10 (Ecc 3:22; 5:18) And everything that my eyes wanted I did not refuse them.
And I did not withhold my heart from any selfish pleasure,
for my heart was glad from all my efforts;
and this was my reward for all my efforts.
11 (Ecc 1:14; 1:3) Then I turned to all the work that my hands
had designed
and all the labor that I had toiled to make;
and notice, all of it was vanity and chasing the wind.
And there was no benefit under the sun.
in 2010, James Ward, the creator of the blog "I Like Boring Things," launched
a conference called the "Boring Conference." It's a one-day celebration of
the mundane, the ordinary, and the overlooked. In the past, speakers have
addressed seemingly meaningless topics like sneezing, sounds that vending
machines make, and inkjet printers of 1999. Ward knows the topics may be
boring, but the speakers can take a mundane subject
and make it interesting, meaningful, and even joyful.
Several millennia ago, Solomon, the wisest of kings, launched his own search
for joy in the meaningless and mundane. He pursued work, bought flocks,
built wealth, acquired singers,
and constructed buildings (Ecclesiastes 2:4-9). Some of these pursuits
were honourable and some were not. Ultimately, in his pursuit of meaning,
the king found nothing but boredom (v. 11). Solomon maintained a worldview
that didn't press beyond the limits of human experience to include God.
Ultimately, however, he realized that he'd find joy in the mundane only w
hen he remembered and worshiped God (12:1-7).
When we find ourselves in the whirlwind of tedium, let's launch our own daily
mini-conference, as we "remember [our] Creator" (v. 1)-the God who fills
the mundane with meaning. As we remember and worship Him,
we'll find wonder in the ordinary, gratitude in the mundane,
and joy in the seemingly meaningless things of life.
By: Marvin Williams
Reflect & Pray
Why is it so hard to find meaning in things that can never satisfy?
How do you need to reprioritise your commitment to and worship of God
so you can find your meaning in Him?
God, take the unremarkable moments of my life
and infuse them with Your joy and wonder.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 7 Promises of Grace - Day 6 Humility and Exaltation
1 Peter 5:6-7
6 (Jas 4:10; Mt 23:12) Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time.
7 (Ps 55:22; 37:5) Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.
"I was so humble I was given an award for humility," the pastor quipped.
"They gave me a humility plaque - but they had to take it back when I hung it
on my office wall."
Humility is rare among 20th Century Christians. Our pride takes two
seemingly contradictory forms: Self-exaltation and self-denial. But both
focus on self, not on God.
Francois Fenelon, 17th century French archbishop, From his
"Letters of Spiritual Counsel" wrote:
"He who so completely forget himself that he never thinks of self ... is
truly humble. If we had the light to discern it, we should see clearly that
when we think we are humbling ourselves we are exalting ourselves;
when we think we are annihilating ourselves we are seeking out own life."
True humility, as Fenelon implies, means recognising who we are in the light
of who God is. Excess of self-importance and low self-esteem are both
self-centered perspectives; true humility is God-centered.
When we humble ourselves, we become intensely aware of God and less
aware of ourselves. We can focus on his face and get our eyes off our own
image. We can stop worrying about how others perceive us. Such humbling
is difficult - as one 70-year-old saint joked, "It ain't the heat that gets
you, it's the humility." But when we submit to him and fell the weight of the
"Mighty hand of God" upon us, we can forget ourselves, abandon
ourselves to his presence, and cast our cares upon him.
Application
a) What form does my pride usually take - self-exaltation or self-degradation?
b) Why must I humble myself in order for the Lord to lift me up?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Philip 4:19
19 (Ro 2:4) But my God shall supply your every need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Reconciling Peace
Ps 85:8-13
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints,
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Surely His salvation is near to them who fear Him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Truth springs from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord gives that which is good,
and our land shall yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him
and prepare a way for His footsteps.
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?)
Newfoundland & Labrador
Total population 527000
Muslim population (est.) 2065
As of Autumn 2014, St. John's does not have a local CNMM network. Pray with us
for God's people to come together in prayer and cooperative efforts to reach Muslims with the Good News.
St. John's has one mosque and 2 more musallas , or prayer locations, which
may grow into mosques of their own. The mosque is called Masjid an Noor,
The Mosque of the Light, and mosque historical documents record a trip in 1986
to Saudi Arabia to raise funds for the land purchase and construction costs.
A small number of Muslim families had come prior to 1964, but moved on to
other places after a short time. After this date, a small community began
to remain and grow , reaching about 25 families in the 1980s. A number
of international students also join the community annually
ranging from 25 to 60.
In 2014 the mosque website reports the community is made up of some 200
families and many university students attending Memorial University. A
small number of native Newfoundlanders have also converted to the Islamic
faith, one saying of this religion in Newfoundland, "Islam is a growing face".
With the growth of the community, the current challenge is lack of space
in the mosque, which they are now looking at expanding.
Pray for
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
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
5th Day of the Month
a) Pray for Canada's First Nation peoples, that the Lord will draw them to Himself
(PS 145:13-18
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all wait upon You,
and You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways
and loving in all His works.
18 The Lord is near to all those who call upon Him,
to all who call upon Him in truth.
)
b) Pray for the Lord to search your life , reveal anything offensive
and cleanse you from unrighteousness
( ps 139:24 and see if there is any rebellious way in me,
and lead me in the ancient way.
1: John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to lean on the Lord during persecution and
hard times.
Pray to the Lord "God, take the unremarkable moments of my life
and infuse them with Your joy and wonder."
Pray to the Lord and pray and ask him to keep you humble.
Pray to the Lord and pray to trust him with you riches in Glory .
Pray to the Lord and pray to be righteous in His Eyes.
Pray for in Newfoundland and Labrador
- The true Light of life, Jesus Christ, to be revealed to Muslims
in Newfoundland through the word, dreams, visions and answers to prayer.
- Christians to be as "wise as serpents and harmless as doves" regarding
Islam and reaching out in loving witness to Muslims in St. John's.
- for a dedicated, intentional witness to the growing number of Muslim
students on the university, college and trade school campuses.
Pray for Canada's First Nation peoples, that the Lord will draw them to Himself
Pray for the Lord to search your life , reveal anything offensive
and cleanse you from unrighteousness
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.