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Day 18 of the 2nd Bible Study Journey - 18 Jan 2022 reflections

Day 18, 18 Jan 2022



1)



Genesis 19-21, 1 Chron 1:28



Gen 19 - 21



GENESIS 19



Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed



1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting

at the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them he rose up to meet them, and he

bowed himself with his face toward the ground.

2 Then he said, "Here, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house

and spend the night and wash your feet; and then you may rise early

and go on your way."

They said, "No, we will stay in the open square all night."

3 But he strongly insisted, so they turned aside with him

and entered his house. Then he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread,

and they ate. 4 Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom,

both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house.

5 They then called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men

who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us,

so that we may have relations with them."

6 So Lot went out through the door to them and shut the door behind him.

7 Then he said, "Please, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.

8 Look, I have two daughters who have not been with a man.

Please, let me bring them out to you,

and you may do to them as you wish.

Only do nothing to these men,

for they have come under the shelter of my roof."

9 But they replied, "Stand back!" Also, they said,

"This man came here as an alien, and he keeps acting like a judge.

We will deal worse with you than with them."

So they pressed hard against Lot, and came close to breaking down the door.

10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house

with them and shut the door.

11 Then they struck the men that were at the door of the house,

both small and great, with blindness so that they wore themselves

out groping for the door.

12 Then the men said to Lot,

"Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone

you have in the city, take them out of this place!

13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against

its people has grown great before the presence of the Lord,

and the Lord has sent us to destroy it."

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law,

who had married his daughters,

and said, "Get up, get out of this place,

for the Lord will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law

he seemed to be joking.

15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying,

"Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here.

Otherwise you will be consumed in the punishment of the city."

16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his and his wife's hands,

along with the hands of his two daughters,

the Lord being merciful to him,

and brought him out and set him outside the city.

17 When they had brought them out, one of them said to them,

"Escape for your lives! Do not look behind you or stay anywhere in the plain.

Escape to the mountain, lest you be destroyed."

18Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords!

19 Your servant has found grace in your eyes, and you have shown your mercy,

which you have shown to me by saving my life. However, I cannot escape to

the mountain. Otherwise some evil will overtake me, and I will die.

20 Look, this city is close enough to flee to, and it is a little one.

Please, let me escape there (is it not a little one?),

and my life will be saved."

21 He said to him, "I have granted your request in this matter also.

I will not overthrow this city of which you have spoken.

22 Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there."

Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

23 The sun had risen over the land when Lot entered Zoar.

24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah.

It was from the Lord out of heaven.

25 So He overthrew those cities, all the valley,

all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

26 But his wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 Now Abraham got up early in the morning and

went to the place where he stood before the Lord.

28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah,

and toward all the land of the valley,

and he saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.

29 So it was that when God destroyed the cities of the valley,

God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the destruction,

when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.



Lot and His Daughters



30 Then Lot left Zoar, and lived in the mountains,

along with his two daughters who were with him,

for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar.

He and his two daughters lived in a cave.

31 And the firstborn said to the younger,

"Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to have relations

with us after the manner of all the earth. 32 Let us make our father

drink wine and let us lie with him,

so that we may preserve the lineage of our father."

33 So they made their father drink wine that night,

and the firstborn went in and had relations with her father.

He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 On the next day the firstborn said to the younger,

"Indeed, last night I had relations with my father.

Let us make him drink wine tonight also,

so that you may go in and have relations with him,

so that we may preserve the lineage of our father."

35 So they made their father drink wine that night also.

Then the younger arose and lay down with him,

and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

36 Therefore both the daughters of Lot were pregnant by their father.

37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab.

He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

38 The younger also gave birth to a son and called his name Ben-Ammi.

He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.



Genesis 19

[1] And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of

Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with

his face toward the ground;

[2] And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your

servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise

up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the

street all night.

[3] And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and

entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened

bread, and they did eat.

[4] But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom,

compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every

quarter:

[5] And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which

came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

[6] And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

[7] And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

[8] Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I

pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your

eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the

shadow of my roof.

[9] And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in

to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee,

than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near

to break the door.

[10] But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to

them, and shut to the door.

[11] And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with

blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the

door.

[12] And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and

thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring

them out of this place:

[13] For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great

before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

[14] And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his

daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will

destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

[15] And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying,

Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be

consumed in the iniquity of the city.

[16] And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the

hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being

merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

[17] And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he

said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all

the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

[18] And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

[19] Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast

magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I

cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

[20] Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh,

let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

[21] And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing

also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

[22] Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come

thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

[23] The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

[24] Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire

from the LORD out of heaven;

[25] And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the

inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

[26] But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of

salt.

[27] And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood

before the LORD:

[28] And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the

plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of

a furnace.

[29] And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that

God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when

he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

[30] And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two

daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave,

he and his two daughters.

[31] And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there

is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the

earth:

[32] Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that

we may preserve seed of our father.

[33] And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn

went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down,

nor when she arose.

[34] And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the

younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink

wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve

seed of our Father.

[35] And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger

arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when

she arose.

[36] Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

[37] And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the

father of the Moabites unto this day.

[38] And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the

same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.



(Lot thought he was a self made success story.

It ends with disgrace and scandal)



GENESIS 20

Abraham and Abimelek

(Ge 12:10-20; 26:1-11)

1 Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev,

settled between Kadesh and Shur, and then he sojourned in Gerar.

2 Then Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister."

So Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent for her and took Sarah.

3But God came to Abimelek in a dream by night and said to him,

"You are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken,

for she is a man's wife."

4 Abimelek had not gone near her, and he said,

"Lord, will You slay a righteous nation?

5 Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,' and did not even she herself say,

'He is my brother'? In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands

I have done this."

6 And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this

in the integrity of your heart. For I also kept you from sinning

against Me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her. 7 Therefore return

the man's wife, for he is a prophet and he will pray for you.

Moreover, you will live. However, if you do not return her,

know that you will surely die, you and all who are yours."

8 So Abimelek rose early in the morning, and called all his servants

and told them all these things, and the men were very afraid.

9 Then Abimelek called Abraham and said to him, "What have you done to us?

How have I offended you that you would bring on me

and on my kingdom a great sin?

You have done things to me that should not have been done."

10,Then Abimelek said to Abraham, "What were you thinking of,

that you did this thing?"

11 Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God

in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.

12 Still, indeed, she is my sister. She is the daughter of my father,

but not the daughter of my mother. She became my wife.

13 When God caused me to travel from my father's house, I said to her,

'This is your kindness which you must show me: Every place where we go,

say concerning me, He is my brother.'"

14 Then Abimelek took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants,

and gave them to Abraham, and returned his wife Sarah to him.

15 Abimelek said, "My land is before you; settle wherever it pleases you."

16 To Sarah he said, "I have given your brother a thousand shekels of silver.

It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you,

and before everyone you are vindicated."

17So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife,

and his female servants. Then they bore children.

18 For the Lord had closed up all the wombs of

the house of Abimelek because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.



Genesis 20

[1] And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled

between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

[2] And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king

of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

[3] But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold,

thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a

man's wife.

[4] But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay

also a righteous nation?

[5] Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said,

He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands

have I done this.

[6] And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in

the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against

me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

[7] Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he

shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know

thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

[8] Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his

servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore

afraid.

[9] Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done

unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on

my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be

done.

[10] And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done

this thing?

[11] And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in

this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

[12] And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but

not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

[13] And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's

house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto

me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

[14] And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants,

and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

[15] And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it

pleaseth thee.

[16] And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand

pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all

that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

[17] So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and

his maidservants; and they bare children.

[18] For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of

Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.



(At least Abraham did not get kicked out, by why be dishonest?)



GENESIS 21



The Birth of Isaac



1 The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah

as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his

old age, at the set time that God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called

the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old,

as God had commanded him.

5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 And Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. All who hear will laugh with me."

7 Also she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse

children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."



Hagar and Ishmael Depart



8 So the child grew and was weaned. Then Abraham made a great feast

the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,

whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham,

"Throw out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman

shall not be heir with my son, Isaac."

11 This matter was very displeasing in Abraham's sight because of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be upset concerning the boy

and your slave wife. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen

to what she says, for in Isaac your descendants will be called.

13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the slave woman,

because he is your offspring."

14 So Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread

and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder,

and sent her away with the child.

So she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone,

she placed the child under one of the shrubs.

16 Then she went and sat down across from him

at a distance of about a bowshot, for she said to herself,

"Let me not see the death of the child." She sat across from him,

and lifted up her voice and wept.

17 And God heard the boy's voice. Then the angel of God called

to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar?

Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

18 Arise, pick up the boy and hold him in your hands,

for I will make him a great nation."

19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.

And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy; and he grew and lived in the wilderness

and became an archer. 21 He lived in the Wilderness of Paran,

and his mother found a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.



The Treaty With Abimelek



22 Now it came to pass at that time that Abimelek and Phicol,

the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you

in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will

not deal deceitfully with me, or with my children, or with my descendants.

Instead, according to the kindness that I have shown to you,

you will show to me and to the land where you have lived."

24Abraham said, "I will swear."

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water

that Abimelek's servants had violently seized.

26 And Abimelek said, "I do not know who has done this.

You did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today."

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelek,

and the two of them made a covenant.

28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 And Abimelek said to Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs

that you have set by themselves?"

30 And he said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs

from my hand so that they may be a witness that I have dug this well."

31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba,

because the two of them swore an oath there.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelek rose with Phicol,

the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called

on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

34 Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.



Genesis 21

[1] And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah

as he had spoken.

[2] For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set

time of which God had spoken to him.

[3] And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom

Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

[4] And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had

commanded him.

[5] And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto

him.

[6] And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will

laugh with me.

[7] And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have

given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

[8] And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the

same day that Isaac was weaned.

[9] And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto

Abraham, mocking.

[10] Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son:

for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with

Isaac.

[11] And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

[12] And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because

of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto

thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

[13] And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he

is thy seed.

[14] And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle

of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child,

and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of

Beer-sheba.

[15] And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one

of the shrubs.

[16] And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it

were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she

sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

[17] And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar

out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God

hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

[18] Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him

a great nation.

[19] And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and

filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

[20] And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and

became an archer.

[21] And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife

out of the land of Egypt.

[22] And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief

captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that

thou doest:

[23] Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely

with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the

kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land

wherein thou hast sojourned.

[24] And Abraham said, I will swear.

[25] And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which

Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

[26] And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst

thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

[27] And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both

of them made a covenant.

[28] And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

[29] And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which

thou hast set by themselves?

[30] And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that

they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

[31] Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware

both of them.

[32] Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and

Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of

the Philistines.

[33] And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name

of the LORD, the everlasting God.

[34] And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.



1 Chron 1

The Generations of Abraham



28 The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael.



28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.



2) Our Daily Bread for 18 January 2022

https://odb.org/CA/2022/01/18/loves-greatest-gift

entitled Love's Greatest Gift



Isaiah 53:1-6



Isaiah 53

1 (Jn 12:38; Isa 51:9) Who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

2 (Isa 52:14; 11:1; Jer) 23:5 For he grew up before Him as a tender plant

and as a root out of a dry ground.

He has no form or majesty that we should look upon him

nor appearance that we should desire him.

3 (Isa 49:7; 53:10) He was despised and rejected of men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from him;

he was despised, and we did not esteem him.

4 (Mt 8:17; Jn 19:7) Surely he has borne our grief

and carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 (Ro 4:25; 1Co 15:3) But he was wounded for our transgressions,

he was bruised for our iniquities;

the chastisement of our peace was upon him,

and by his stripes we are healed.

6 (Ps 69:4; 1Pe 2:25) All of us like sheep have gone astray;

each of us has turned to his own way,

but the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.



1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of

a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him,

there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with

grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we

esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem

him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our

iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes

we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.



My son Geoff was leaving a store when he saw an abandoned walking frame

(a mobility aid) on the ground. I hope there isn't a person back there

who needs help, he thought. He glanced behind the building and found

a homeless man unconscious on the pavement.



Geoff roused him and asked if he was okay. "I'm trying to drink myself

to death," he responded. "My tent broke in a storm, and I lost everything.

I don't want to live."



Geoff called a Christian rehabilitation ministry, and while they waited

for help, he ran home briefly and brought the man his own camping tent.

"What's your name?" Geoff asked. "Geoffrey," the homeless man answered,

"with a G." Geoff hadn't mentioned his own name or its uncommon spelling.

"Dad," he told me later, "that could have been me."



Geoff once struggled with substance abuse himself, and he helped

the man because of the kindness he'd received from God. Isaiah the prophet

used these words to anticipate God's mercy to us in Jesus: "All we like sheep

have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6).



Christ, our Savior, didn't leave us lost, alone, and hopeless in despair.

He chose to identify with us and lift us in love, so that we may be set free

to live anew in Him. There's no greater gift.



By: James Banks



Reflect & Pray



Where would you be without Jesus? How can you be His hands

and feet for someone in need?



Thank You, Jesus, for coming to rescue me.

Help me to join in Your search-and-rescue mission

and to share Your love with someone who needs You today.



Read Remade in the Image of Jesus .



3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation



Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools



Week 2 - Saved by Grace - Day 3 - The Remedy



Acts 4:12



12 (Mt 1:21; Jn 3:36) "There is no salvation in any other,

for there is no other name under heaven given among men

by which we must be saved."



12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name

under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.



"You have cancer", the doctor told his patient. "We need to operate

- as soon as possible. It's the only remedy." The patient, not wanting

to undergo surgery unless it was absolutely necessary, sought out a second

opinion, then a third. When the third round of testing came up with the same

results, she returned to the doctor and submitted herself to the treatment.

Often the remedy for the problems in our lives seems worst than the problems

themselves. We don't want to endure the pain of self-examination, of honest

confrontation with our sin and selfishness. We'd rather live in "blissful

ignorance" than face up to ourselves.

But the Bible tells us there is only one remedy for sin: casting ourselves

upon the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. Submitting ourselves to God's

"treatment" for sin is not an easy matter or a simple decision. We have to

give up on ourselves, on our own striving for self-salvation. We have to come

to the agonising realisation of our sin, the depths to which we have fallen.

Acknowledging sin is not a duty simply for "bad" people who have lived in

rebellion against God. "Good" people - Sunday-school kids, moral parents,

and sweet little grandmothers - may have more difficulty coming to Christ

than swindlers and prostitutes, precisely because their sin is not as

visible - sometimes it is even applauded by church and society.

"Good" or "bad", we all have the same problem: sin. And, because

of the Lord's grace, we all have the same remedy: salvation through Christ.

As we look to him, not to others, and see ourselves in light of his holiness,

we can glimpse the seriousness of our own resistance to him and call upon

his name.



Application



a) What other "remedies" have I tried to use in treating my sin?



b) Why is Jesus Christ the only source of salvation?



c) How can this verse help me to see the "salvation"

of Christ in the daily struggles of life?



4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland



Genesis 30:43



The man became exceedingly prosperous and had many sheep

and female servants and male servants and camels and donkeys.



And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle,

and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.



5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:



When you are anxious



Phil 4:4-7



4 (Php 3:1; Ro 12:12 Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again I will say, rejoice!

5 (Jas 5:8-9) Let everyone come to know your gentleness.

The Lord is at hand.

6 (Eph 6:18; Mt 6:25-33) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything,

by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known

to God.

7 (Jn 14:27; Col 3:15; Isa 26:3) And the peace of God, which surpasses

all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.



4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.



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



17th Day of the Month



a) Pray for the safety of those

who live in your community -

safety from conflict an crimes



( Ps 122:7 - 7 Peace be within your walls

and security within your towers!



7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada



http://www.ehc.ca



18th Day of the Month



a) Pray that pastors will experience spiritual, emotional and physical

refreshing for the presence of the Lord



( Jer 31:25



25 For I satiate the weary souls and I replenish every languishing soul.



25 For I have satiated the weary soul,

and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.

)



b) Pray that the Lord will protect and deliver our nation from

danger and adversity



( Ps 34:7



7 The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear Him,

and delivers them.



7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,

And delivereth them.



)



8-) prayandfast.ca



Day 16 of 21



OPENING UP THE RESERVOIR



2 Cor 10:4



4 (Jer 1:10; 2Co 6:7) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,



4 (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)



James 4:2



2 You lust and do not have, so you kill. You desire to have

and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have,

because you do not ask.



2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:

ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.



Philippians 2:13



13 (Heb 13:21; Ezr 1:5) For God is the One working in you,

both to will and to do His good pleasure.



13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will

and to do of his good pleasure.



DEVOTION:



There are times I think that, we as believers in Christ, forget the

supernatural power God demonstrated during Jesus' time on the earth.



Think of all that he did; walking on water, feeding 5000 people, healing

the lame and the blind, and raising the dead. Especially his work on

the cross. We serve a God of POWER and VICTORY.



When we pray and fast, we open the doors to gain that spiritual access.

To quote Jentezen Franklin, we open a "spiritual reservoir".



If today you are going through a storm. Don't be surprised that the enemy

is fighting you as you fast and pray.



Remember, Jesus was in the boat with the disciples, and they woke Him up

in the middle of the storm. He said, "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39)

and the sea was calm.



We serve a God like no other. We serve an almighty God who can bring peace

even in the middle of even the worst storm. God is our deliverer,

He is Jehovah Shalom, God of Peace.



(Parts adapted from Fasting in the Footsteps of Jesus)



REFLECTION:



Take time to focus and reflect on what is supernaturally possible with God.



PRAYER:



Lord, teach me to pray with your strength and power. Teach me to daily come

to you and pray faith-filled prayers for my needs, and the needs of those

around me. I thank you for remembering all of my prayers and that they

influence your heart. Teach us to stand strong in authoritative prayer.

Thank you for the power of prayer that is available to us.



Through the powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.



Conclusion:



Pray to the Lord and to be humble and honest in the eyes of the Lord.



Pray to the Lord

"Thank You, Jesus, for coming to rescue me.

Help me to join in Your search-and-rescue mission

and to share Your love with someone who needs You today."



Pray to the Lord and thank Him for being the only source of salvation.



Pray to the Lord and remember Jacob for his humility.



Pray to the Lord and make your requests known to Him.



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 that pastors will experience spiritual, emotional and physical

refreshing for the presence of the Lord



Pray that the Lord will protect and deliver our nation from

danger and adversity



Pray that Fenny, the victim of a church bombing in Indonesia,

will respond well to medical treatment.



Lord, teach me to pray with your strength and power. Teach me to daily come

to you and pray faith-filled prayers for my needs, and the needs of those

around me. I thank you for remembering all of my prayers and that they

influence your heart. Teach us to stand strong in authoritative prayer.

Thank you for the power of prayer that is available to us.



Through the powerful name of Jesus, we 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.