Day 4 of the second Bible Study Journey 4 Jan 2022 reflections
Day 3, 3 January 2022
1) Job 7-10
Job 7
Job: My Suffering Is Endless
1(Job 14:5-6; Ps 39:4)
"Is there not a time of hard service for a man upon earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired worker?
2(Lev 19:13; Jer 6:4) Like a servant, he longs for the shade,
and like a hired worker, he looks for his wages,
3(Ps 6:6) so I have been assigned months of futility,
and nights of trouble have been appointed to me.
4(Dt 28:67; Job 7:13-14) When I lie down, I say,
'When will I arise and the night be ended?'
And I am full of restlessness until the dawn.
5(Job 17:14; Isa 14:11) My flesh is covered with worms and caked with dirt;
my skin is broken, and has become loathsome.
6(Job 9:25; 17:15) 'My days fly more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle,
and are spent without hope.
7(Ps 78:39; Jas 4:14) Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8(Job 20:9; Ps 37:36) The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
your eyes will be on me, but I will be no more.
9(2Sa 12:23; Job 30:15) As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.
10(Job 8:18; 20:9) He will never return to his house,
and his place will not recognize him anymore.
11(Ps 40:9; 1Sa 1:10) 'Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that You set a guard over me?
13(Ps 6:6) When I say, 'My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint,'
14 then You scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that my soul chooses strangling,
even death rather than my life.
16(Job 10:1; 6:9) I loathe my life; I would not live forever;
let me alone, for my days are emptiness.
17(Ps 8:4; 144:3) 'What is man, that You should exalt him,
and that You should set Your heart on him,
18 and that You should visit him every morning,
and test him every moment?
19 (Job 9:18) How long until You look away from me?
Will You not let me alone until I swallow my saliva?
20(Ps 36:6; La 3:12) Have I sinned? What am I doing to You,
O You watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
so that I am a burden to myself?
21(Job 10:14; Da 12:2) And why do You not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
and You will seek me diligently, but I will not be."
(Do you well an injustice has been done to you? Ask the Lord for Direction)
Job 8
Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent
1(Job 2:11)Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2(Job 6:26; 1Ki 19:11) "How long will you speak these things,
and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3(Ge 18:25; Dt 32:4) Does God pervert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4(Job 1:5; 1:18-19) If your children sinned against Him,
He cast them away for their transgression.
5(Job 11:13) If you yourself would seek God earnestly,
and seek favor from the Almighty,
6(Ps 7:6) if you were pure and upright,
surely now He would rouse Himself on your behalf,
and He would prosper your righteous dwelling.
7 Though your beginning was small,
your end will increase greatly.
8(Job 15:18; Dt 4:32; 32:7) 'Please, ask the former generation,
and prepare yourself for what their fathers searched out;
9(1Ch 29:15; Ge 47:9) for we were born but yesterday and know nothing,
because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you, and tell you,
and bring forth words out of their heart?
11 Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reed grow without water?
12(Jer 17:6) While it is yet green and not cut down,
it withers before any other plant.
13(Job 13:16; 15:34) So are the paths of all who forget God;
and the hypocrite's hope will perish,
14(Isa 59:5-6) whose confidence will be cut off,
and whose trust will be a spider's web.
15(Job 27:18) He will lean upon his house, but it will not stand;
he will hold it fast, but it will not endure.
16(Ps 80:11) He is green before the sun,
and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped around the rock heap,
and he sees the place of stones.
18 (Job 7:10; 7:8) If he is uprooted from his place,
then it will deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'
19(Job 20:5; 1Sa 2:8) See, this is the joy of his way,
and out of the ground others will grow.
20(Job 4:7) 'Surely, God will not cast away a perfect man,
nor will He strengthen the evildoers,
21(Ps 126:2; Ge 21:6) until He fills your mouth with laughing,
and your lips with rejoicing.
22(Ps 132:18; 35:26) Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing."
(Ask in Pray in supplication what happened - You do not know it all)
Job 9
Job Replies: There Is No Mediator
1 Then Job answered:
2(Job 4:17; 25:4) "Truly, I know it is so,
but how can a man be righteous with God?
3(Job 10:2; 40:2) If one would dispute with Him,
he cannot answer Him once in a thousand times.
4(Job 36:5; 9:19) He is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 He who removes mountains, and they know not,
who overturns them in His anger.
6(Isa 2:21; Hag 2:6) He who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble.
7(Isa 13:10) He who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
he seals off the stars.
8(Job 37:18; Ps 104:2-3) He who alone spreads out the heavens,
and treads on the waves of the sea.
9(Am 5:8; Ge 1:16) He who makes the Bear, Orion, and Pleiades,
and the constellations of the south.
10(Job 5:9; Ps 71:15) He who does great things, beyond discovery,
yes, and wonders beyond number.
11(Job 23:8-9; 35:14) Yes, He would cross before me, and I would not see Him;
He would pass on by, but I would not perceive Him.
12(Job 11:10; Isa 45:9) Yes, He takes away; who can hinder Him?
Who will say to Him, 'What are You doing?'
13(Job 26:12; Isa 30:7) God will not withdraw His anger.
The proud helpers bow down beneath Him.
14 'How, then, can I myself answer Him,
and choose my words to reason with Him?
15(Job 8:5; 10:15) Even if I were righteous I could not answer;
I would plead to my Judge for favor.
16 If I called, and He answered me,
I would not believe that He had listened to my voice.
17 (Job 2:3; 16:14) For He crushes me with a storm
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 (Job 7:19) He will not allow me to get my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19 (Job 9:4 )If it is a matter of strength, indeed, He is strong;
and if of justice, who will set me a time to plead?
20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
though I were perfect, it would prove me perverse.
21 (Job 1:1) 'Though I were perfect,
I would not know myself;
I would despise my life.
22 It is all one thing; therefore I said,
'He destroys both the perfect and the wicked.'
23 If the whip kills suddenly,
He will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 (Job 10:3; 24:25) The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 (Job 7:6-7) 'Now my days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away; they see no good.
26 (Hab 1:8; Isa 18:2) They pass by like reed skiffs,
like an eagle rushing upon its prey.
27 (Job 7:13) If I say, 'I will forget my complaint;
I will leave off my sad face and brighten up,'
28 (Ps 119:120) I am afraid of all my sorrows;
I know that You will not hold me innocent.
29 If I am guilty,
why then do I labor in vain?
30(Jer 2:22) If I wash myself with snow water
and cleanse my hands with soap,
31 yet You will plunge me into the pit,
and my own clothes will abhor me.
32 (Ecc 6:10; Ro 9:20) 'For He is not a man as I am, that I should answer Him,
and we should come together in judgment.
33(1Sa 2:25; Job 9:19) Nor is there a mediator between us,
who may lay his hand upon us both.
34(Ps 39:10; Job 33:7) Let Him take His rod away from me,
and let not dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,
but it is not so with me.
(Thank you Lord for sending Jesus Christ as or mediator)
Job: I Abhor My Life
10:1 "My soul loathes my life;
I will freely give my complaint,
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
show me why You contend with me.
3 Is it good for You that You should oppress,
that You should despise the work of Your hands
and smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days as the days of man?
Are Your years as the days of a mortal,
6 that You inquire after my iniquity
and search after my sin?
7 You know that I am not wicked,
and there is none who can deliver out of Your hand.
8 "Your hands have shaped me and made me completely,
yet You destroy me.
9 Remember, I pray,
that You have made me as the clay.
And would You return me to dust?
10 Have You not poured me out as milk
and curdled me like cheese?
11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh,
and have knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and loyal love,
and Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 "These things You have hid in Your heart.
I know that this is with You.
14 If I have sinned, then You would watch me,
and You would not acquit me from my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, woe unto me;
and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.
I am full of shame;
look at my affliction!
16 For if my head is lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion,
and again You show Yourself marvelous to me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me
and increase Your indignation upon me.
Your troops come against me.
18s "Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb?
Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
19 I should have been as though I had not been;
I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? Stop then,
and leave me alone that I may cheer up a little,
21 before I go and do not return,
even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22 a land of darkness, as darkness itself;
and of the shadow of death, without any order,
and where the light is as thick darkness."
2) Our Daily Bread for 4 January 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/01/04/resilient-faith
entitled Resilient Faith
Matthew 7:24-27
24 (Lk 6:47-49) "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them,
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
25 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded a rock.
26 And every one who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them
will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house. And it fell. And its fall was great."
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Towering dunes along the north shore of Silver Lake put nearby homes
at risk of sinking into shifting sands. Though residents tried moving mounds
of sand in efforts to protect their homes, they watched helplessly as
well-built houses were buried right before their eyes. As a local sheriff
oversaw the cleanup of a recently destroyed cottage, he affirmed the process
couldn't be prevented. No matter how hard homeowners tried to avoid the
dangers of these unsteady embankments, the dunes simply couldn't provide
a strong foundational support.
Jesus knew the futility of building a house on sand. After warning
the disciples to be wary of false prophets, He assured them that
loving obedience demonstrates wisdom (Matthew 7:15-23). He said that everyone
who hears His words and "puts them into practice is like a wise man who
built his house on the rock" (v. 24). The one who hears God's words
and chooses not to put them into practice, however, is
"like a foolish man who built his house on sand" (v. 26).
When circumstances feel like shifting sands burying us under the weight
of affliction or worries, we can place our hope in Christ, our Rock.
He will help us develop resilient faith built on the unshakable
foundation of His unchanging character.
By: Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
How does obedience demonstrate your trust in God?
In what areas of your life are you standing on the shifting sands
of disobedience to Him?
Jesus, please help me develop resilient faith.
Empower me to demonstrate my trust through loving obedience to You.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 3 - The Promise of Completion
Philippians 1:6
6 (1Co 1:8; Jn 6:29) I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it
until the day of Jesus Christ.
6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
"Elizabeth is a good student", the note on the side of the report card read,
"but she doesn't finish what she starts. She has a lot of good ideas, but
rarely brings then to completion."
Many of us are like Elizabeth. We start into a new venture with high hopes
and great motivation. Bit somewhere along the way, we become discouraged.
Someone tells us that our ideas are stupid, or that we are not capable of
doing what we dream. We get a particularly difficult hurdle and give up.
Sometimes we fell the Christian like is like that, too. We start well, and
believe that in Christ we can accomplish anything. But then our prayers
become rote, our Bible reading ritual. We can't seem to regain that sense
of God's presence; we have, we conclude, "Lost our first love." (Rev 2)
But God has a different perspective. He began the work of salvation in us;
he leads and guides us in his will, and he will complete what he has begun.
Often we fail to see God's grace in the ongoing process of walking with him
because his agenda is different from ours. We know what we want to see
happen in our lives; God knows what needs to happen.
"When I fist came into a relationship with Christ," one woman explained,
"I knew I had a lot of changing to do. But, strangely enough, the things God
changed weren't on my list at all!"
When God begins his work in oue lives, he has a plan for our maturity.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. And what God
has begun, he will finish.
Application
a) Have I ever tried to "decide" for God what problems in my life
needed dealing with?
b) Has God ever pointed out issues that were a surprise to me?
c) How can today's verse help me relax in God's will and
have confidence in the direction of my life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Deut 30:19-20
19 (Dt 4:26; 30:1) I call heaven and earth to witnesses against you this day,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.
Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 (Dt 10:20; Ps 27:1) that you may love the Lord your God,
that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him,
for He is your life and the length of your days;
and that you may dwell in the land that the Lord
swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 that thou mayest love the LORD thy God,
and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him:
for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:
that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD
sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Freeing Forgiveness
Ps 103:1-14
PSALMS 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits,
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases,
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) who satisfies your mouth with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8–9) The Lord does righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the people of Israel.
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) He will not always accuse,
neither will He keep his anger forever.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord gives compassion to those who fear Him.
14 For He knows how we are formed;
He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul:
And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment
For all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses,
His acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide:
Neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth,
So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children,
So the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame;
He remembereth that we are dust.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
2015 Population - 4631302 Muslims about 136493
British Columbia - British Columbia's Muslim Population is growing constantly.
Every week there are immigrants ad refugees coming to the Greater Vancouver
and surrounding areas. There are also significant Muslim student populations
in our colleges and universities. Some have even suggested that there are
between 4000 and 5000 Saudi Arabian students alone, without counting all
other nationalities.
Greater Vancouver has an estimated 180000 Muslims, and there are significant
and growing communities in the Fraser Valley such as in Langley, Abbotsford,
Chilliwack, etc. Including these communities the total population for this
region is about 200000.
Of these, there are an estimated 100000 Iranians, 35000 Arabs, 15000 Ismailis,
more than 20000 Afghanis, 10000 South Asian Muslims, 3000 Turks, and small
numbers from other countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Albania, etc.
We are seeing some Muslims coming to Christ and we rejoice in that.
A few people also have some ongoing ministry to Muslims in the area,
for which we also rejoice. Let us agree in that
- the church will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
- the church will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
4nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the preservation of godly values in Canada
(Prov 14:34 - Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.)
b) Pray the political leaders will be awakened by God to the right
use of power and the right stewardship of their positions.
prayandfast.ca
Day 2 of 21
Fasting
Verses
Daniel 10:2-3
2 (Ezr 9:4-5; Ne 1:4) In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.
3 (Da 6:18; Mt 6:17) I ate no tasty food, no meat or wine entered my mouth,
nor did I anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were fulfilled.
2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth,
neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Matthew 6:16-18,
16 (Mt 6:2; Ps 35:13) "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the
hypocrites with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces
so they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you,
they have their reward.
17 (Ru 3:3) But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 (Mt 6:4; 6:6) so that you will not appear to men to be fasting,
but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret
will reward you openly.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance:
for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret,
shall reward thee openly.
Psalm 69:10,
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) When I wept with fasting for my soul,
it became an insult to me.
10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting,
That was to my reproach.
John 6:35
35 (Mt 11:28; Jn 5:40) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me
shall never thirst. "
35 (Mt 11:28; Jn 5:40) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me
shall never thirst."
DEVOTION:
A great definition for prayer and fasting:
To pray and fast is to voluntarily go without food
in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God.
Fasting is markedly counter-cultural in our consumerist society.
Fasting is for this world. To stretch our hearts and get fresh air
beyond the pain and trouble around us. It is for the battle against
the sin and weakness inside us. We express our discontent with
our sinful selves and our longing for more of Christ.
Christian fasting turns our attention to Jesus. Christian fasting
seeks to take the pains of hunger and transpose them into a spiritual
fight against sin, pleading for someone’s salvation, or simply
longing for a greater taste of Jesus.
When prayer and fasting are combined and dedicated to God's glory,
they reach their full effectiveness.
*Definition adapted from www.allaboutprayer.org and Fasting For Beginners.
REFLECTION:
While I am fasting, what exactly am I believing God to do in,
for, or through me?
PRAYER:
Father in Heaven, over this time of prayer and fasting,
I seek to draw closer to you. I pray Lord that you will
take away any hunger and give me strength to do this fast well.
During these days of prayer and fasting, I trust you for
the breakthroughs I am seeking. You will strengthen me
when I am hungry and weak. God grant me strength to stay strong,
and if I fall or stumble, to get back up again
and stay focused on you each time I feel weak.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for direction in the case of injustice.
Pray to the Lord
"Jesus, please help me develop resilient faith.
Empower me to demonstrate my trust through loving obedience to You."
Pray to the Lord and Thank Him for He will complete a good work in you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be obedient to Him.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to remove your sins.
Pray the church in BC will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
Pray the church in BC will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Pray for the preservation of godly values in Canada
Pray the political leaders will be awakened by God to the right
use of power and the right stewardship of their positions.
Pray for Bible distributions in Kurdistan and the growth
oh House churches (Iraq).
Father in Heaven, over this time of prayer and fasting,
I seek to draw closer to you. I pray Lord that you will
take away any hunger and give me strength to do this fast well.
During these days of prayer and fasting, I trust you for
the breakthroughs I am seeking. You will strengthen me
when I am hungry and weak. God grant me strength to stay strong,
and if I fall or stumble, to get back up again
and stay focused on you each time I feel weak.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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) Job 7-10
Job 7
Job: My Suffering Is Endless
1(Job 14:5-6; Ps 39:4)
"Is there not a time of hard service for a man upon earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired worker?
2(Lev 19:13; Jer 6:4) Like a servant, he longs for the shade,
and like a hired worker, he looks for his wages,
3(Ps 6:6) so I have been assigned months of futility,
and nights of trouble have been appointed to me.
4(Dt 28:67; Job 7:13-14) When I lie down, I say,
'When will I arise and the night be ended?'
And I am full of restlessness until the dawn.
5(Job 17:14; Isa 14:11) My flesh is covered with worms and caked with dirt;
my skin is broken, and has become loathsome.
6(Job 9:25; 17:15) 'My days fly more swiftly than a weaver's shuttle,
and are spent without hope.
7(Ps 78:39; Jas 4:14) Oh, remember that my life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8(Job 20:9; Ps 37:36) The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
your eyes will be on me, but I will be no more.
9(2Sa 12:23; Job 30:15) As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
so he who goes down to Sheol will come up no more.
10(Job 8:18; 20:9) He will never return to his house,
and his place will not recognize him anymore.
11(Ps 40:9; 1Sa 1:10) 'Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
that You set a guard over me?
13(Ps 6:6) When I say, 'My bed will comfort me,
my couch will ease my complaint,'
14 then You scare me with dreams
and terrify me with visions,
15 so that my soul chooses strangling,
even death rather than my life.
16(Job 10:1; 6:9) I loathe my life; I would not live forever;
let me alone, for my days are emptiness.
17(Ps 8:4; 144:3) 'What is man, that You should exalt him,
and that You should set Your heart on him,
18 and that You should visit him every morning,
and test him every moment?
19 (Job 9:18) How long until You look away from me?
Will You not let me alone until I swallow my saliva?
20(Ps 36:6; La 3:12) Have I sinned? What am I doing to You,
O You watcher of men?
Why have You set me as Your target,
so that I am a burden to myself?
21(Job 10:14; Da 12:2) And why do You not pardon my transgression
and take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
and You will seek me diligently, but I will not be."
(Do you well an injustice has been done to you? Ask the Lord for Direction)
Job 8
Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent
1(Job 2:11)Then Bildad the Shuhite answered:
2(Job 6:26; 1Ki 19:11) "How long will you speak these things,
and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3(Ge 18:25; Dt 32:4) Does God pervert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4(Job 1:5; 1:18-19) If your children sinned against Him,
He cast them away for their transgression.
5(Job 11:13) If you yourself would seek God earnestly,
and seek favor from the Almighty,
6(Ps 7:6) if you were pure and upright,
surely now He would rouse Himself on your behalf,
and He would prosper your righteous dwelling.
7 Though your beginning was small,
your end will increase greatly.
8(Job 15:18; Dt 4:32; 32:7) 'Please, ask the former generation,
and prepare yourself for what their fathers searched out;
9(1Ch 29:15; Ge 47:9) for we were born but yesterday and know nothing,
because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you, and tell you,
and bring forth words out of their heart?
11 Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reed grow without water?
12(Jer 17:6) While it is yet green and not cut down,
it withers before any other plant.
13(Job 13:16; 15:34) So are the paths of all who forget God;
and the hypocrite's hope will perish,
14(Isa 59:5-6) whose confidence will be cut off,
and whose trust will be a spider's web.
15(Job 27:18) He will lean upon his house, but it will not stand;
he will hold it fast, but it will not endure.
16(Ps 80:11) He is green before the sun,
and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
17 His roots are wrapped around the rock heap,
and he sees the place of stones.
18 (Job 7:10; 7:8) If he is uprooted from his place,
then it will deny him, saying, 'I have not seen you.'
19(Job 20:5; 1Sa 2:8) See, this is the joy of his way,
and out of the ground others will grow.
20(Job 4:7) 'Surely, God will not cast away a perfect man,
nor will He strengthen the evildoers,
21(Ps 126:2; Ge 21:6) until He fills your mouth with laughing,
and your lips with rejoicing.
22(Ps 132:18; 35:26) Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing."
(Ask in Pray in supplication what happened - You do not know it all)
Job 9
Job Replies: There Is No Mediator
1 Then Job answered:
2(Job 4:17; 25:4) "Truly, I know it is so,
but how can a man be righteous with God?
3(Job 10:2; 40:2) If one would dispute with Him,
he cannot answer Him once in a thousand times.
4(Job 36:5; 9:19) He is wise in heart and mighty in strength.
Who has hardened himself against Him and prospered?
5 He who removes mountains, and they know not,
who overturns them in His anger.
6(Isa 2:21; Hag 2:6) He who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble.
7(Isa 13:10) He who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
he seals off the stars.
8(Job 37:18; Ps 104:2-3) He who alone spreads out the heavens,
and treads on the waves of the sea.
9(Am 5:8; Ge 1:16) He who makes the Bear, Orion, and Pleiades,
and the constellations of the south.
10(Job 5:9; Ps 71:15) He who does great things, beyond discovery,
yes, and wonders beyond number.
11(Job 23:8-9; 35:14) Yes, He would cross before me, and I would not see Him;
He would pass on by, but I would not perceive Him.
12(Job 11:10; Isa 45:9) Yes, He takes away; who can hinder Him?
Who will say to Him, 'What are You doing?'
13(Job 26:12; Isa 30:7) God will not withdraw His anger.
The proud helpers bow down beneath Him.
14 'How, then, can I myself answer Him,
and choose my words to reason with Him?
15(Job 8:5; 10:15) Even if I were righteous I could not answer;
I would plead to my Judge for favor.
16 If I called, and He answered me,
I would not believe that He had listened to my voice.
17 (Job 2:3; 16:14) For He crushes me with a storm
and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 (Job 7:19) He will not allow me to get my breath,
but fills me with bitterness.
19 (Job 9:4 )If it is a matter of strength, indeed, He is strong;
and if of justice, who will set me a time to plead?
20 Though I were righteous, my own mouth would condemn me;
though I were perfect, it would prove me perverse.
21 (Job 1:1) 'Though I were perfect,
I would not know myself;
I would despise my life.
22 It is all one thing; therefore I said,
'He destroys both the perfect and the wicked.'
23 If the whip kills suddenly,
He will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 (Job 10:3; 24:25) The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?
25 (Job 7:6-7) 'Now my days are swifter than a runner;
they flee away; they see no good.
26 (Hab 1:8; Isa 18:2) They pass by like reed skiffs,
like an eagle rushing upon its prey.
27 (Job 7:13) If I say, 'I will forget my complaint;
I will leave off my sad face and brighten up,'
28 (Ps 119:120) I am afraid of all my sorrows;
I know that You will not hold me innocent.
29 If I am guilty,
why then do I labor in vain?
30(Jer 2:22) If I wash myself with snow water
and cleanse my hands with soap,
31 yet You will plunge me into the pit,
and my own clothes will abhor me.
32 (Ecc 6:10; Ro 9:20) 'For He is not a man as I am, that I should answer Him,
and we should come together in judgment.
33(1Sa 2:25; Job 9:19) Nor is there a mediator between us,
who may lay his hand upon us both.
34(Ps 39:10; Job 33:7) Let Him take His rod away from me,
and let not dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear Him,
but it is not so with me.
(Thank you Lord for sending Jesus Christ as or mediator)
Job: I Abhor My Life
10:1 "My soul loathes my life;
I will freely give my complaint,
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
show me why You contend with me.
3 Is it good for You that You should oppress,
that You should despise the work of Your hands
and smile on the counsel of the wicked?
4 Do You have eyes of flesh?
Or do You see as man sees?
5 Are Your days as the days of man?
Are Your years as the days of a mortal,
6 that You inquire after my iniquity
and search after my sin?
7 You know that I am not wicked,
and there is none who can deliver out of Your hand.
8 "Your hands have shaped me and made me completely,
yet You destroy me.
9 Remember, I pray,
that You have made me as the clay.
And would You return me to dust?
10 Have You not poured me out as milk
and curdled me like cheese?
11 You have clothed me with skin and flesh,
and have knit me together with bones and sinews.
12 You have granted me life and loyal love,
and Your care has preserved my spirit.
13 "These things You have hid in Your heart.
I know that this is with You.
14 If I have sinned, then You would watch me,
and You would not acquit me from my iniquity.
15 If I am wicked, woe unto me;
and if I am righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.
I am full of shame;
look at my affliction!
16 For if my head is lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion,
and again You show Yourself marvelous to me.
17 You renew Your witnesses against me
and increase Your indignation upon me.
Your troops come against me.
18s "Why then did You bring me forth out of the womb?
Oh, that I had died, and no eye had seen me!
19 I should have been as though I had not been;
I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? Stop then,
and leave me alone that I may cheer up a little,
21 before I go and do not return,
even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death,
22 a land of darkness, as darkness itself;
and of the shadow of death, without any order,
and where the light is as thick darkness."
2) Our Daily Bread for 4 January 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/01/04/resilient-faith
entitled Resilient Faith
Matthew 7:24-27
24 (Lk 6:47-49) "Whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them,
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock.
25 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded a rock.
26 And every one who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them
will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house. And it fell. And its fall was great."
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Towering dunes along the north shore of Silver Lake put nearby homes
at risk of sinking into shifting sands. Though residents tried moving mounds
of sand in efforts to protect their homes, they watched helplessly as
well-built houses were buried right before their eyes. As a local sheriff
oversaw the cleanup of a recently destroyed cottage, he affirmed the process
couldn't be prevented. No matter how hard homeowners tried to avoid the
dangers of these unsteady embankments, the dunes simply couldn't provide
a strong foundational support.
Jesus knew the futility of building a house on sand. After warning
the disciples to be wary of false prophets, He assured them that
loving obedience demonstrates wisdom (Matthew 7:15-23). He said that everyone
who hears His words and "puts them into practice is like a wise man who
built his house on the rock" (v. 24). The one who hears God's words
and chooses not to put them into practice, however, is
"like a foolish man who built his house on sand" (v. 26).
When circumstances feel like shifting sands burying us under the weight
of affliction or worries, we can place our hope in Christ, our Rock.
He will help us develop resilient faith built on the unshakable
foundation of His unchanging character.
By: Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
How does obedience demonstrate your trust in God?
In what areas of your life are you standing on the shifting sands
of disobedience to Him?
Jesus, please help me develop resilient faith.
Empower me to demonstrate my trust through loving obedience to You.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 8 Guided by Grace Day 3 - The Promise of Completion
Philippians 1:6
6 (1Co 1:8; Jn 6:29) I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you will perfect it
until the day of Jesus Christ.
6 being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun
a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
"Elizabeth is a good student", the note on the side of the report card read,
"but she doesn't finish what she starts. She has a lot of good ideas, but
rarely brings then to completion."
Many of us are like Elizabeth. We start into a new venture with high hopes
and great motivation. Bit somewhere along the way, we become discouraged.
Someone tells us that our ideas are stupid, or that we are not capable of
doing what we dream. We get a particularly difficult hurdle and give up.
Sometimes we fell the Christian like is like that, too. We start well, and
believe that in Christ we can accomplish anything. But then our prayers
become rote, our Bible reading ritual. We can't seem to regain that sense
of God's presence; we have, we conclude, "Lost our first love." (Rev 2)
But God has a different perspective. He began the work of salvation in us;
he leads and guides us in his will, and he will complete what he has begun.
Often we fail to see God's grace in the ongoing process of walking with him
because his agenda is different from ours. We know what we want to see
happen in our lives; God knows what needs to happen.
"When I fist came into a relationship with Christ," one woman explained,
"I knew I had a lot of changing to do. But, strangely enough, the things God
changed weren't on my list at all!"
When God begins his work in oue lives, he has a plan for our maturity.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. And what God
has begun, he will finish.
Application
a) Have I ever tried to "decide" for God what problems in my life
needed dealing with?
b) Has God ever pointed out issues that were a surprise to me?
c) How can today's verse help me relax in God's will and
have confidence in the direction of my life?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Deut 30:19-20
19 (Dt 4:26; 30:1) I call heaven and earth to witnesses against you this day,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.
Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 (Dt 10:20; Ps 27:1) that you may love the Lord your God,
that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him,
for He is your life and the length of your days;
and that you may dwell in the land that the Lord
swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 that thou mayest love the LORD thy God,
and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him:
for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:
that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD
sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Freeing Forgiveness
Ps 103:1-14
PSALMS 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits,
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases,
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) who satisfies your mouth with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8–9) The Lord does righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the people of Israel.
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) He will not always accuse,
neither will He keep his anger forever.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) He does not treat us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord gives compassion to those who fear Him.
14 For He knows how we are formed;
He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul:
And all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment
For all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses,
His acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide:
Neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins;
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth,
So great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children,
So the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame;
He remembereth that we are dust.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
2015 Population - 4631302 Muslims about 136493
British Columbia - British Columbia's Muslim Population is growing constantly.
Every week there are immigrants ad refugees coming to the Greater Vancouver
and surrounding areas. There are also significant Muslim student populations
in our colleges and universities. Some have even suggested that there are
between 4000 and 5000 Saudi Arabian students alone, without counting all
other nationalities.
Greater Vancouver has an estimated 180000 Muslims, and there are significant
and growing communities in the Fraser Valley such as in Langley, Abbotsford,
Chilliwack, etc. Including these communities the total population for this
region is about 200000.
Of these, there are an estimated 100000 Iranians, 35000 Arabs, 15000 Ismailis,
more than 20000 Afghanis, 10000 South Asian Muslims, 3000 Turks, and small
numbers from other countries such as Sudan, Somalia, Albania, etc.
We are seeing some Muslims coming to Christ and we rejoice in that.
A few people also have some ongoing ministry to Muslims in the area,
for which we also rejoice. Let us agree in that
- the church will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
- the church will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
4nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the preservation of godly values in Canada
(Prov 14:34 - Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.)
b) Pray the political leaders will be awakened by God to the right
use of power and the right stewardship of their positions.
prayandfast.caDay 2 of 21
Fasting
Verses
Daniel 10:2-3
2 (Ezr 9:4-5; Ne 1:4) In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.
3 (Da 6:18; Mt 6:17) I ate no tasty food, no meat or wine entered my mouth,
nor did I anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were fulfilled.
2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth,
neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Matthew 6:16-18,
16 (Mt 6:2; Ps 35:13) "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the
hypocrites with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces
so they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you,
they have their reward.
17 (Ru 3:3) But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 (Mt 6:4; 6:6) so that you will not appear to men to be fasting,
but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret
will reward you openly.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance:
for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret,
shall reward thee openly.
Psalm 69:10,
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) When I wept with fasting for my soul,
it became an insult to me.
10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting,
That was to my reproach.
John 6:35
35 (Mt 11:28; Jn 5:40) Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me
shall never thirst. "
35 (Mt 11:28; Jn 5:40) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.
Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me
shall never thirst."
DEVOTION:
A great definition for prayer and fasting:
To pray and fast is to voluntarily go without food
in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God.
Fasting is markedly counter-cultural in our consumerist society.
Fasting is for this world. To stretch our hearts and get fresh air
beyond the pain and trouble around us. It is for the battle against
the sin and weakness inside us. We express our discontent with
our sinful selves and our longing for more of Christ.
Christian fasting turns our attention to Jesus. Christian fasting
seeks to take the pains of hunger and transpose them into a spiritual
fight against sin, pleading for someone’s salvation, or simply
longing for a greater taste of Jesus.
When prayer and fasting are combined and dedicated to God's glory,
they reach their full effectiveness.
*Definition adapted from www.allaboutprayer.org and Fasting For Beginners.
REFLECTION:
While I am fasting, what exactly am I believing God to do in,
for, or through me?
PRAYER:
Father in Heaven, over this time of prayer and fasting,
I seek to draw closer to you. I pray Lord that you will
take away any hunger and give me strength to do this fast well.
During these days of prayer and fasting, I trust you for
the breakthroughs I am seeking. You will strengthen me
when I am hungry and weak. God grant me strength to stay strong,
and if I fall or stumble, to get back up again
and stay focused on you each time I feel weak.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for direction in the case of injustice.
Pray to the Lord
"Jesus, please help me develop resilient faith.
Empower me to demonstrate my trust through loving obedience to You."
Pray to the Lord and Thank Him for He will complete a good work in you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to be obedient to Him.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to remove your sins.
Pray the church in BC will catch a vision to pray,
and a burden to train outreach to Muslims
Pray the church in BC will press in to participate in effective
discipleship of these new Muslim background believers.
Pray for the preservation of godly values in Canada
Pray the political leaders will be awakened by God to the right
use of power and the right stewardship of their positions.
Pray for Bible distributions in Kurdistan and the growth
oh House churches (Iraq).
Father in Heaven, over this time of prayer and fasting,
I seek to draw closer to you. I pray Lord that you will
take away any hunger and give me strength to do this fast well.
During these days of prayer and fasting, I trust you for
the breakthroughs I am seeking. You will strengthen me
when I am hungry and weak. God grant me strength to stay strong,
and if I fall or stumble, to get back up again
and stay focused on you each time I feel weak.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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.