Day 244 of My 3rd Bible Study Journey - 1 September 2023 reflections
Day 244, 1 September 2023
1) Ezekiel 22,23
Ezekiel 22
The Sins of Jerusalem
1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 (Eze 20:4; 24:6) Now you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge
the bloody city? Indeed, you shall show her all her abominations.
3 (Eze 22:27) Then say, Thus says the Lord God: The city sheds blood
in her midst, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself
to defile herself.
4 (2Ki 21:16; Ps 44:13-14) You have become guilty in your blood that
you have shed and have defiled yourself with your idols which you have made.
And you have caused your day to draw near and have come to your years.
Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking
to all countries.
5 Those who are near and those who are far from you shall mock you,
you of infamy and much turmoil.
6 (Isa 1:23; Eze 22:27) The princes of Israel in you, every one according
to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.
7 (Ex 22:21-22; Dt 27:16) In you they have treated father and mother lightly.
In your midst they have dealt with the stranger by oppression.
In you they have vexed the fatherless and the widow.
8 (Eze 20:13; 22:26) You have despised My holy things and have profaned
My Sabbaths.
9 (Lev 19:16; Hos 4:10) In you are men who carry slanders to shed blood.
And in you they eat at the mountain shrines.
In your midst they commit lewdness.
10 (Lev 18:19; 18:7-8) In you they have uncovered their fathers' nakedness.
In you they have humbled her who was unclean in her menstrual impurity.
11 (Lev 18:15; 20:17) One has committed abomination with his neighbour's wife,
and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another in you
has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
12 (Dt 27:25; Eze 23:35) In you they have taken bribes to shed blood.
You have taken usury and increase, and you have injured your neighbours
for gain by extortion, and you have forgotten Me, says the Lord God.
13 (Isa 33:15; Eze 21:17) Therefore I have struck My hand toward
your dishonest gain which you have made, and toward your blood which has been
in your midst.
14 (Eze 17:24; 21:7) Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong
in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken and will do it.
15 (Dt 4:27; Zec 7:14) I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you
in the countries and consume your filthiness out of you.
16 (Eze 6:7; Ps 83:18) You shall profane yourself in the sight of the nations,
and you shall know that I am the Lord.
[1] Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[2] Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city?
yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.
[3] Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the
midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to
defile herself.
[4] Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast
defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused
thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I
made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.
[5] Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee,
which art infamous and much vexed.
[6] Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to
shed blood.
[7] In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee
have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed
the fatherless and the widow.
[8] Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.
[9] In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat
upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
[10] In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have
they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
[11] And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and
another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath
humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
[12] In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and
increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and
hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
[13] Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which
thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
[14] Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that
I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.
[15] And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the
countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
[16] And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the
heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
Jerusalem as God's Furnace
17 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18 (Ps 119:119; Isa 1:22) Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross
to Me. All of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the midst
of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you all have become dross,
therefore, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the midst
of a furnace to blow fire on it to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger
and in My fury, and I will lay you there and melt you.
21 Indeed, I will gather you and blow upon you in the fire of My wrath,
and you shall be melted in the midst of it.
22 (Eze 20:8; 20:33) As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace,
so you shall be melted in the midst of it. And you shall know that
I the Lord have poured out My fury upon you.
Indictment of Sinful Leaders
23 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
24 (Isa 9:13; Jer 2:30) Son of man, say to her: You are the land that
is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
25 (Hos 6:9; Jer 2:34) There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst
like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They have
taken the treasure and precious things. They have made many widows
in her midst.
26 (Lev 10:10; 1Sa 2:12-17) Her priests have violated My law
and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction
between the holy and profane, nor have they shown the difference
between the unclean and the clean, and they have hidden their eyes from
My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 (Eze 22:13; Isa 1:23) Her officials in her midst are like wolves ravening
the prey by shedding blood and destroying lives in order
to obtain dishonest gain.
28 (Jer 23:25-32; Eze 13:6-7) Her prophets have daubed them with whitewash,
seeing vanity and divining lies for them, saying,
"Thus says the Lord God," when the Lord has not spoken.
29 (Eze 22:7; Ex 23:9; Isa 5:7) The people of the land have used oppression
and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy and have oppressed
the sojourner wrongfully.
30 (Jer 5:1; Eze 13:5) I sought for a man among them who would build up
the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land so that I would not
destroy it, but I found no one.
31 (Eze 7:8-9; 9:10) Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them.
I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath.
Their own way I have recompensed on their heads, says the Lord God.
[17] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[18] Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are
brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are
even the dross of silver.
[19] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross,
behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
[20] As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the
midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather
you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
[21] Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and
ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
[22] As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted
in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my
fury upon you.
[23] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[24] Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor
rained upon in the day of indignation.
[25] There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a
roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken
the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the
midst thereof.
[26] Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things:
they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they
shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes
from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
[27] Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to
shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
[28] And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing
vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when
the LORD hath not spoken.
[29] The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and
have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger
wrongfully.
[30] And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and
stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I
found none.
[31] Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed
them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their
heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 23
The Sins of Oholah and Oholibah
1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying:
2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother.
3 (Lev 17:7; Jos 24:14) And they committed harlotries in Egypt.
They committed harlotries in their youth. There their breasts were pressed,
and there their virgin bosom was handled.
4 (Eze 16:8) Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister.
And they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names,
Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
Samaria
5 (2Ki 15:19; 16:7) Oholah played the harlot when she was Mine. And
she lusted after her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,
6 who were clothed in purple, captains and rulers, all of them desirable
young men, horsemen riding on horses.
7 (Hos 5:3; 6:10) Thus she committed her harlotries with them, with all those
who were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted,
with all their idols she defiled herself.
8 (Ex 32:4; Eze 23:3) She did not forsake her harlotries from the time
in Egypt. For in her youth they lay with her, and they handled her virgin
bosom and poured their harlotry upon her.
9 (2Ki 15:29; 17:23) Therefore I have delivered her into the hand
of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians after whom she doted.
10 (Eze 23:29; Hos 2:10) They uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons
and her daughters and killed her with the sword. And she became
a byword among women, for they had executed judgments on her.
Jerusalem
11 (Jer 3:8-11) Now her sister Oholibah saw this, but she was more corrupt
in her inordinate love than she, and in her harlotries more than her sister
in her harlotries.
12 (2Ki 16:7-15) She lusted after the Assyrians her neighbors,
captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses,
all of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that they both took the same way.
14 (Eze 8:10; Jer 22:14) So she increased her harlotries. And she saw men
portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,
15 girded with belts on their loins, exceeding in dyed attire on their heads,
all of them looking like officials, after the manner of the Babylonians
of Chaldea, the land of their nativity.
16 (Eze 16:29; Mt 5:28) And as soon as she saw them with her eyes,
she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.
17 (Eze 23:22; 23:28) The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love,
and they defiled her with their harlotry, and she was polluted with them,
and her soul became disgusted with them.
18 (Ps 78:59; 106:40) So she uncovered her harlotries and uncovered
her nakedness. Then My soul became disgusted with her, as My soul
became disgusted with her sister.
19 (Eze 23:3) Yet she multiplied her harlotries while remembering
the days of her youth in which she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 (Eze 16:26; 17:15) For she lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is
as the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth when the Egyptians handled
your bosom because of the breasts of your youth.
Judgment on Jerusalem
22 (Eze 16:37) Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God:
I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom you were alienated,
and I will bring them against you on every side:
23 (Jer 50:21; 2Ki 20:14-17) the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans,
Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them.
All of them are desirable young men, captains and rulers,
officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.
24 (Jer 39:5-6; 47:3) They shall come against you with weapons,
chariots and wagons, and with an assembly of peoples. They shall set
themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet.
And I will set the judgment before them, and they shall judge you according
to their customs.
25 (Eze 23:47; Ex 34:14) I will set My jealousy against you, so that they deal
furiously with you. They shall take away your nose and your ears.
And your remnant shall fall by the sword. They shall take your sons
and your daughters. And your remnant shall be devoured by the fire.
26 (Eze 16:39; Jer 13:22) They shall also strip you of your clothes
and take away your fair jewels.
27 (Eze 16:41; 23:3) Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought
from the land of Egypt to cease from you so that you shall not lift up
your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.
28 (Jer 34:20; Eze 16:37) For thus says the Lord God: I will deliver you
into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom
you were alienated.
29 (Eze 16:39; 23:25-26) And they shall deal with you hatefully,
and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bare.
And the nakedness of your harlotries shall be uncovered,
both your lewdness and your harlotries.
30 (Eze 6:9) I will do these things to you because you have gone whoring
after the nations, because you have polluted yourself with their idols.
31 (2Ki 21:13; Jer 7:14-15) You have walked in the way of your sister.
Therefore I will give her cup into your hand.
32 (Ps 60:3; Isa 51:17) Thus says the Lord God:
You shall drink of your sister's cup,
which is deep and wide;
you shall be laughed to scorn and held in derision;
it contains much.
33 (Isa 51:17; Jer 25:27) You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of horror and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.
34 (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17) You shall drink it and drain it,
then you shall gnaw at its fragments
and tear off your own breasts;
for I have spoken, says the Lord God.
35 (1Ki 14:9; Isa 17:10) Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back,
now bear the punishment of your lewdness and your harlotries.
Judgment on the Sisters
36 (Eze 22:2; Isa 58:1) The Lord moreover said to me: Son of man, will you
judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37 (Eze 16:36; 16:20-21) For they have committed adultery, and blood is in
their hands. Thus with their idols they have committed adultery
and have also caused their sons whom they bore to Me to pass through
the fire for them as food.
38 (Eze 20:13; 2Ki 21:4) Moreover they have done this to Me:
They have defiled My sanctuary in the same day and have profaned My Sabbaths.
39 (2Ki 21:4; Jer 23:11) For when they had slain their children
to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it.
And thus they have done in the midst of My house.
40 (2Ki 9:30; Jer 4:30) Furthermore, they have even sent for men to come
from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and they came. For them you washed
yourself, painted your eyes, and decked yourself with ornaments.
41 (Est 1:6; Isa 65:11) And you sat on a stately couch with a table prepared
before it on which you had set My incense and My oil.
42 (Eze 16:11-12) A sound of a multitude at ease was with her,
and drunkards were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort.
And they put bracelets on the hands of the women and beautiful crowns
on their heads.
43 Then I said to her who was worn out by adulteries, "Will they now commit
harlotries with her when she is so?"
44 Yet they went in to her as they go in to a woman who plays the harlot.
So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
45 (Lev 20:10; Hos 6:5) But righteous men shall judge them
after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed
blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
46 (Eze 16:40; Jer 15:4) For thus says the Lord God: Bring up a company
against them and give them over to terror and devastation.
47 (Jer 39:8; Eze 16:40-41) The company shall stone them with stones
and cut them down with their swords. They shall slay their sons
and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
48 (Eze 16:41; 23:27) Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land,
that all women may be warned and not commit lewdness as you have done.
49 (Eze 7:4; 9:10) Your lewdness shall be recompensed upon you, and you shall
bear the punishment of worshipping your idols. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord God.
Ezekiel 23
[1] The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
[2] Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
[3] And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their
youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of
their virginity.
[4] And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister:
and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names;
Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
[5] And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her
lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
[6] Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them
desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
[7] Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the
chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols
she defiled herself.
[8] Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they
lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured
their whoredom upon her.
[9] Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the
hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
[10] These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters,
and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had
executed judgment upon her.
[11] And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her
inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her
whoredoms.
[12] She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers
clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable
young men.
[13] Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,
[14] And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed
upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,
[15] Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon
their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the
Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:
[16] And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and
sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
[17] And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled
her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was
alienated from them.
[18] So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my
mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
[19] Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of
her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
[20] For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of
asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
[21] Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in
bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.
[22] There, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy
lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them
against thee on every side;
[23] The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and
all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and
rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
[24] And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and
with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield
and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall
judge thee according to their judgments.
[25] And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously
with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant
shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy
residue shall be devoured by the fire.
[26] They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair
jewels.
[27] Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom
brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes
unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.
[28] For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand
of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is
alienated:
[29] And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy
labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy
whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
[30] I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring
after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
[31] Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her
cup into thine hand.
[32] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and
large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
[33] Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of
astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
[34] Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the
sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it,
saith the Lord GOD.
[35] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and
cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy
whoredoms.
[36] The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and
Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
[37] That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and
with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their
sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them
through the fire, to devour them.
[38] Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my
sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
[39] For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came
the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done
in the midst of mine house.
[40] And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom
a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself,
paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
[41] And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it,
whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
[42] And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men
of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put
bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
[43] Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit
whoredoms with her, and she with them?
[44] Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the
harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
[45] And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of
adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they
are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
[46] For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and
will give them to be removed and spoiled.
[47] And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with
their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up
their houses with fire.
[48] Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may
be taught not to do after your lewdness.
[49] And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the
sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
2) Our Daily Bread for 1 September 2023 titled God’s Epic Story
John 16:25-33
I Have Overcome the World
25 (Jn 16:2) "I have told you these things in proverbs. But the time is coming
when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, for I will speak to you
plainly about the Father.
26 On that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying to you that
I shall ask the Father on your behalf.
27 (Jn 14:21; 14:23) For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved
Me, and have believed that I came from God.
28 (Jn 13:3; 8:14) I came from the Father and have come into the world.
As I said, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father."
29 (Jn 16:25) His disciples said to Him, "Yes! Now You are speaking plainly
and with no figure of speech.
30 (Jn 21:17) Now we know that You know everything and do not need anyone
to question You. By this we believe that You came from God."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32 (Mt 26:31; Jn 8:29) Listen, the hour is coming. Yes, it has now come that
you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone.
Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.
33 (Jn 14:27; 1Jn 4:4; Jn 14:1) "I have told you these things so that in Me
you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good
cheer. I have overcome the world."
[25] These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh,
when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you
plainly of the Father.
[26] At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I
will pray the Father for you:
[27] For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have
believed that I came out from God.
[28] I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I
leave the world, and go to the Father.
[29] His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and
speakest no proverb.
[30] Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any
man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
[31] Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
[32] Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered,
every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone,
because the Father is with me.
[33] These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In
the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world.
Life magazine's July 12, 1968, cover displayed a horrifying photograph of
starving children from Biafra (in Nigeria during a civil war). A young boy,
distressed, took a copy of the magazine to a pastor and asked, "Does God know
about this?" The pastor replied, "I know you don't understand, but, yes, God
knows about that." The boy walked out,
declaring he was uninterested in such a God.
These questions disturb not only children but all of us. Alongside an
affirmation of God's mysterious knowledge, I wish that boy had heard about
the epic story God is continuing to write, even in places like the former
nation of Biafra.
Jesus unfolded this story for His followers, those who assumed He'd shield
them from hardship. Christ told them instead that "in this world you will
have trouble." What Jesus did offer, however, was His promise that these evils
weren't the end. In fact, He'd already "overcome the world" (John 16:33).
And in God's final chapter, every injustice will be undone, every suffering
healed.
Genesis to Revelation recounts the story of God destroying every unthinkable
evil, making every wrong right. The story presents the loving One whose
interest in us is unquestioned. Jesus said to His disciples,
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" (v. 33).
May we rest in His peace and presence today.
By: Winn Collier
Reflect & Pray
How does the story you see feel tragic?
How does Jesus' promise to write a good ending free you?
Dear God, it's hard for me to see how You'll right
all the evils. But I trust You to do it.
Learn more about the grand story of the Bible.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 6 Reconciliation
2 Cor 5:18-19
18 All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins
against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.
When Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17 that we become a "new creation" in Christ
Jesus, the story does not end there. The verses following give us direction
for tht new life in Christ. "All This", Paul says, referring to the miracle of
new life in Christ, "is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."
Reconciliation means to bring back together what was once separated. Man was
separated from God by sin, and God took the initiative to reconcile man to
himself. Our "ministry of reconciliation" as Christians is twofold: to draw
others to the Lord and to work for reconciliation between individuals.
Reconciliation is the ultimate goal of forgiveness. God, through his grace ,
extends forgiveness to us when we are still sinners, unrepentant,
undeserving. When we respond, we come into reconciliation with him
and are brought back into oneness. Likewise, when we extend the grace
of forgiveness to another, we are set free by the act of forgiving, but we
hope that the ultimate outcome will be reconciliation.
God shows us the pattern: he is the wronged party, yet he does not wait for
the offender to come to him, hat in hand. He takes a bold initiative, offering
forgiveness freely with out regard to merit. The pattern applies to us;
as the new life in Christ takes hold of us, we must reach out, and reach,
and keep on reaching, breaking down the barriers, taking the risk of
rejection so that we may come to reconciliation.
Application
a) What barriers stand between me and reconciliation with another person?
b) How can I take a risk and reach out to offer forgiveness and
reconciliation to them?
c) What kind of attitude do I need to be a "minister of reconciliation"?
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 2022 edition?)
Nova Scotia
Total population 942700
Muslim population (est.) 14629
With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is
a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,
a harvest field in itself.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia
with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas
(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques
in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truro.
Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of
newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration
has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic
is the second most spoken language in Halifax.
while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000
in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population
somewhere between 25000 to 30000.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
1st Day of the month
1) Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
(
Joel 2:28 And it will be that, afterwards,
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, and your young men will see visions.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon
all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Acts 2:17 "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.
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
)
2) Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
(Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord,
as the rivers of water; He turns it to any place He will.
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
As the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for your nation not to participate
in the sins of the world.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, it's hard for me to see how You'll right
all the evils. But I trust You to do it."
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a minister of reconciliation.
Pray to the Lord and pray to honour his covenant.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know Him as Father.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- 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!
Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
Pray for the success of Bible translation wprk so that Cameroonians
will have access to God's Word .
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) Ezekiel 22,23
Ezekiel 22
The Sins of Jerusalem
1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 (Eze 20:4; 24:6) Now you, son of man, will you judge, will you judge
the bloody city? Indeed, you shall show her all her abominations.
3 (Eze 22:27) Then say, Thus says the Lord God: The city sheds blood
in her midst, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself
to defile herself.
4 (2Ki 21:16; Ps 44:13-14) You have become guilty in your blood that
you have shed and have defiled yourself with your idols which you have made.
And you have caused your day to draw near and have come to your years.
Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking
to all countries.
5 Those who are near and those who are far from you shall mock you,
you of infamy and much turmoil.
6 (Isa 1:23; Eze 22:27) The princes of Israel in you, every one according
to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.
7 (Ex 22:21-22; Dt 27:16) In you they have treated father and mother lightly.
In your midst they have dealt with the stranger by oppression.
In you they have vexed the fatherless and the widow.
8 (Eze 20:13; 22:26) You have despised My holy things and have profaned
My Sabbaths.
9 (Lev 19:16; Hos 4:10) In you are men who carry slanders to shed blood.
And in you they eat at the mountain shrines.
In your midst they commit lewdness.
10 (Lev 18:19; 18:7-8) In you they have uncovered their fathers' nakedness.
In you they have humbled her who was unclean in her menstrual impurity.
11 (Lev 18:15; 20:17) One has committed abomination with his neighbour's wife,
and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law. And another in you
has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
12 (Dt 27:25; Eze 23:35) In you they have taken bribes to shed blood.
You have taken usury and increase, and you have injured your neighbours
for gain by extortion, and you have forgotten Me, says the Lord God.
13 (Isa 33:15; Eze 21:17) Therefore I have struck My hand toward
your dishonest gain which you have made, and toward your blood which has been
in your midst.
14 (Eze 17:24; 21:7) Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong
in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken and will do it.
15 (Dt 4:27; Zec 7:14) I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you
in the countries and consume your filthiness out of you.
16 (Eze 6:7; Ps 83:18) You shall profane yourself in the sight of the nations,
and you shall know that I am the Lord.
[1] Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[2] Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city?
yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.
[3] Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood in the
midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against herself to
defile herself.
[4] Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast
defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused
thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I
made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.
[5] Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee,
which art infamous and much vexed.
[6] Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to
shed blood.
[7] In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee
have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed
the fatherless and the widow.
[8] Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths.
[9] In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat
upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.
[10] In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have
they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.
[11] And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and
another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath
humbled his sister, his father's daughter.
[12] In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and
increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and
hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
[13] Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which
thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee.
[14] Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that
I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.
[15] And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the
countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.
[16] And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of the
heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
Jerusalem as God's Furnace
17 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18 (Ps 119:119; Isa 1:22) Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross
to Me. All of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the midst
of the furnace. They are the dross of silver.
19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you all have become dross,
therefore, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
20 As they gather silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into the midst
of a furnace to blow fire on it to melt it, so I will gather you in My anger
and in My fury, and I will lay you there and melt you.
21 Indeed, I will gather you and blow upon you in the fire of My wrath,
and you shall be melted in the midst of it.
22 (Eze 20:8; 20:33) As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace,
so you shall be melted in the midst of it. And you shall know that
I the Lord have poured out My fury upon you.
Indictment of Sinful Leaders
23 The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
24 (Isa 9:13; Jer 2:30) Son of man, say to her: You are the land that
is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of indignation.
25 (Hos 6:9; Jer 2:34) There is a conspiracy of her prophets in her midst
like a roaring lion ravening the prey. They have devoured souls. They have
taken the treasure and precious things. They have made many widows
in her midst.
26 (Lev 10:10; 1Sa 2:12-17) Her priests have violated My law
and have profaned My holy things. They have made no distinction
between the holy and profane, nor have they shown the difference
between the unclean and the clean, and they have hidden their eyes from
My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
27 (Eze 22:13; Isa 1:23) Her officials in her midst are like wolves ravening
the prey by shedding blood and destroying lives in order
to obtain dishonest gain.
28 (Jer 23:25-32; Eze 13:6-7) Her prophets have daubed them with whitewash,
seeing vanity and divining lies for them, saying,
"Thus says the Lord God," when the Lord has not spoken.
29 (Eze 22:7; Ex 23:9; Isa 5:7) The people of the land have used oppression
and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy and have oppressed
the sojourner wrongfully.
30 (Jer 5:1; Eze 13:5) I sought for a man among them who would build up
the hedge and stand in the gap before Me for the land so that I would not
destroy it, but I found no one.
31 (Eze 7:8-9; 9:10) Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them.
I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath.
Their own way I have recompensed on their heads, says the Lord God.
[17] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[18] Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are
brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are
even the dross of silver.
[19] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross,
behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
[20] As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the
midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather
you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.
[21] Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and
ye shall be melted in the midst thereof.
[22] As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted
in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my
fury upon you.
[23] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[24] Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor
rained upon in the day of indignation.
[25] There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a
roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken
the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the
midst thereof.
[26] Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things:
they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they
shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes
from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
[27] Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to
shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
[28] And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing
vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when
the LORD hath not spoken.
[29] The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and
have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger
wrongfully.
[30] And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and
stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I
found none.
[31] Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed
them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their
heads, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 23
The Sins of Oholah and Oholibah
1 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying:
2 Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother.
3 (Lev 17:7; Jos 24:14) And they committed harlotries in Egypt.
They committed harlotries in their youth. There their breasts were pressed,
and there their virgin bosom was handled.
4 (Eze 16:8) Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister.
And they were mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names,
Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.
Samaria
5 (2Ki 15:19; 16:7) Oholah played the harlot when she was Mine. And
she lusted after her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors,
6 who were clothed in purple, captains and rulers, all of them desirable
young men, horsemen riding on horses.
7 (Hos 5:3; 6:10) Thus she committed her harlotries with them, with all those
who were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted,
with all their idols she defiled herself.
8 (Ex 32:4; Eze 23:3) She did not forsake her harlotries from the time
in Egypt. For in her youth they lay with her, and they handled her virgin
bosom and poured their harlotry upon her.
9 (2Ki 15:29; 17:23) Therefore I have delivered her into the hand
of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians after whom she doted.
10 (Eze 23:29; Hos 2:10) They uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons
and her daughters and killed her with the sword. And she became
a byword among women, for they had executed judgments on her.
Jerusalem
11 (Jer 3:8-11) Now her sister Oholibah saw this, but she was more corrupt
in her inordinate love than she, and in her harlotries more than her sister
in her harlotries.
12 (2Ki 16:7-15) She lusted after the Assyrians her neighbors,
captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses,
all of them desirable young men.
13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that they both took the same way.
14 (Eze 8:10; Jer 22:14) So she increased her harlotries. And she saw men
portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,
15 girded with belts on their loins, exceeding in dyed attire on their heads,
all of them looking like officials, after the manner of the Babylonians
of Chaldea, the land of their nativity.
16 (Eze 16:29; Mt 5:28) And as soon as she saw them with her eyes,
she lusted after them and sent messengers to them into Chaldea.
17 (Eze 23:22; 23:28) The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love,
and they defiled her with their harlotry, and she was polluted with them,
and her soul became disgusted with them.
18 (Ps 78:59; 106:40) So she uncovered her harlotries and uncovered
her nakedness. Then My soul became disgusted with her, as My soul
became disgusted with her sister.
19 (Eze 23:3) Yet she multiplied her harlotries while remembering
the days of her youth in which she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
20 (Eze 16:26; 17:15) For she lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is
as the flesh of donkeys and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
21 Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth when the Egyptians handled
your bosom because of the breasts of your youth.
Judgment on Jerusalem
22 (Eze 16:37) Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God:
I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom you were alienated,
and I will bring them against you on every side:
23 (Jer 50:21; 2Ki 20:14-17) the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans,
Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them.
All of them are desirable young men, captains and rulers,
officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.
24 (Jer 39:5-6; 47:3) They shall come against you with weapons,
chariots and wagons, and with an assembly of peoples. They shall set
themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet.
And I will set the judgment before them, and they shall judge you according
to their customs.
25 (Eze 23:47; Ex 34:14) I will set My jealousy against you, so that they deal
furiously with you. They shall take away your nose and your ears.
And your remnant shall fall by the sword. They shall take your sons
and your daughters. And your remnant shall be devoured by the fire.
26 (Eze 16:39; Jer 13:22) They shall also strip you of your clothes
and take away your fair jewels.
27 (Eze 16:41; 23:3) Thus I will make your lewdness and your harlotry brought
from the land of Egypt to cease from you so that you shall not lift up
your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.
28 (Jer 34:20; Eze 16:37) For thus says the Lord God: I will deliver you
into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom
you were alienated.
29 (Eze 16:39; 23:25-26) And they shall deal with you hatefully,
and shall take away all your labor, and shall leave you naked and bare.
And the nakedness of your harlotries shall be uncovered,
both your lewdness and your harlotries.
30 (Eze 6:9) I will do these things to you because you have gone whoring
after the nations, because you have polluted yourself with their idols.
31 (2Ki 21:13; Jer 7:14-15) You have walked in the way of your sister.
Therefore I will give her cup into your hand.
32 (Ps 60:3; Isa 51:17) Thus says the Lord God:
You shall drink of your sister's cup,
which is deep and wide;
you shall be laughed to scorn and held in derision;
it contains much.
33 (Isa 51:17; Jer 25:27) You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of horror and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.
34 (Ps 75:8; Isa 51:17) You shall drink it and drain it,
then you shall gnaw at its fragments
and tear off your own breasts;
for I have spoken, says the Lord God.
35 (1Ki 14:9; Isa 17:10) Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back,
now bear the punishment of your lewdness and your harlotries.
Judgment on the Sisters
36 (Eze 22:2; Isa 58:1) The Lord moreover said to me: Son of man, will you
judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.
37 (Eze 16:36; 16:20-21) For they have committed adultery, and blood is in
their hands. Thus with their idols they have committed adultery
and have also caused their sons whom they bore to Me to pass through
the fire for them as food.
38 (Eze 20:13; 2Ki 21:4) Moreover they have done this to Me:
They have defiled My sanctuary in the same day and have profaned My Sabbaths.
39 (2Ki 21:4; Jer 23:11) For when they had slain their children
to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it.
And thus they have done in the midst of My house.
40 (2Ki 9:30; Jer 4:30) Furthermore, they have even sent for men to come
from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and they came. For them you washed
yourself, painted your eyes, and decked yourself with ornaments.
41 (Est 1:6; Isa 65:11) And you sat on a stately couch with a table prepared
before it on which you had set My incense and My oil.
42 (Eze 16:11-12) A sound of a multitude at ease was with her,
and drunkards were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort.
And they put bracelets on the hands of the women and beautiful crowns
on their heads.
43 Then I said to her who was worn out by adulteries, "Will they now commit
harlotries with her when she is so?"
44 Yet they went in to her as they go in to a woman who plays the harlot.
So they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.
45 (Lev 20:10; Hos 6:5) But righteous men shall judge them
after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed
blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.
46 (Eze 16:40; Jer 15:4) For thus says the Lord God: Bring up a company
against them and give them over to terror and devastation.
47 (Jer 39:8; Eze 16:40-41) The company shall stone them with stones
and cut them down with their swords. They shall slay their sons
and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.
48 (Eze 16:41; 23:27) Thus I will cause lewdness to cease from the land,
that all women may be warned and not commit lewdness as you have done.
49 (Eze 7:4; 9:10) Your lewdness shall be recompensed upon you, and you shall
bear the punishment of worshipping your idols. Then you shall know
that I am the Lord God.
Ezekiel 23
[1] The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
[2] Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
[3] And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their
youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of
their virginity.
[4] And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister:
and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names;
Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
[5] And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her
lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,
[6] Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them
desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
[7] Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the
chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols
she defiled herself.
[8] Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her youth they
lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured
their whoredom upon her.
[9] Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the
hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
[10] These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her daughters,
and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among women; for they had
executed judgment upon her.
[11] And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her
inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her
whoredoms.
[12] She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers
clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable
young men.
[13] Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,
[14] And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men pourtrayed
upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with vermilion,
[15] Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon
their heads, all of them princes to look to, after the manner of the
Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:
[16] And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them, and
sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.
[17] And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled
her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was
alienated from them.
[18] So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness: then my
mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated from her sister.
[19] Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the days of
her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt.
[20] For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of
asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.
[21] Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in
bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.
[22] There, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy
lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them
against thee on every side;
[23] The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and
all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and
rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
[24] And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and
with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield
and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall
judge thee according to their judgments.
[25] And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously
with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant
shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy
residue shall be devoured by the fire.
[26] They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy fair
jewels.
[27] Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom
brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift up thine eyes
unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.
[28] For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand
of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is
alienated:
[29] And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy
labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and the nakedness of thy
whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.
[30] I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring
after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols.
[31] Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her
cup into thine hand.
[32] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and
large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much.
[33] Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of
astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.
[34] Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break the
sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken it,
saith the Lord GOD.
[35] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and
cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy
whoredoms.
[36] The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and
Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations;
[37] That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and
with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their
sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them
through the fire, to devour them.
[38] Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my
sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.
[39] For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came
the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have they done
in the midst of mine house.
[40] And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far, unto whom
a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself,
paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments,
[41] And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it,
whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.
[42] And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men
of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put
bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
[43] Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit
whoredoms with her, and she with them?
[44] Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the
harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
[45] And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of
adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they
are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
[46] For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and
will give them to be removed and spoiled.
[47] And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with
their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up
their houses with fire.
[48] Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may
be taught not to do after your lewdness.
[49] And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the
sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
2) Our Daily Bread for 1 September 2023 titled God’s Epic Story
John 16:25-33
I Have Overcome the World
25 (Jn 16:2) "I have told you these things in proverbs. But the time is coming
when I will no longer speak to you in proverbs, for I will speak to you
plainly about the Father.
26 On that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying to you that
I shall ask the Father on your behalf.
27 (Jn 14:21; 14:23) For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved
Me, and have believed that I came from God.
28 (Jn 13:3; 8:14) I came from the Father and have come into the world.
As I said, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father."
29 (Jn 16:25) His disciples said to Him, "Yes! Now You are speaking plainly
and with no figure of speech.
30 (Jn 21:17) Now we know that You know everything and do not need anyone
to question You. By this we believe that You came from God."
31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?
32 (Mt 26:31; Jn 8:29) Listen, the hour is coming. Yes, it has now come that
you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave Me alone.
Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.
33 (Jn 14:27; 1Jn 4:4; Jn 14:1) "I have told you these things so that in Me
you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good
cheer. I have overcome the world."
[25] These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh,
when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you
plainly of the Father.
[26] At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I
will pray the Father for you:
[27] For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have
believed that I came out from God.
[28] I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I
leave the world, and go to the Father.
[29] His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and
speakest no proverb.
[30] Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any
man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
[31] Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
[32] Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered,
every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone,
because the Father is with me.
[33] These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In
the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome
the world.
Life magazine's July 12, 1968, cover displayed a horrifying photograph of
starving children from Biafra (in Nigeria during a civil war). A young boy,
distressed, took a copy of the magazine to a pastor and asked, "Does God know
about this?" The pastor replied, "I know you don't understand, but, yes, God
knows about that." The boy walked out,
declaring he was uninterested in such a God.
These questions disturb not only children but all of us. Alongside an
affirmation of God's mysterious knowledge, I wish that boy had heard about
the epic story God is continuing to write, even in places like the former
nation of Biafra.
Jesus unfolded this story for His followers, those who assumed He'd shield
them from hardship. Christ told them instead that "in this world you will
have trouble." What Jesus did offer, however, was His promise that these evils
weren't the end. In fact, He'd already "overcome the world" (John 16:33).
And in God's final chapter, every injustice will be undone, every suffering
healed.
Genesis to Revelation recounts the story of God destroying every unthinkable
evil, making every wrong right. The story presents the loving One whose
interest in us is unquestioned. Jesus said to His disciples,
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace" (v. 33).
May we rest in His peace and presence today.
By: Winn Collier
Reflect & Pray
How does the story you see feel tragic?
How does Jesus' promise to write a good ending free you?
Dear God, it's hard for me to see how You'll right
all the evils. But I trust You to do it.
Learn more about the grand story of the Bible.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 6 Reconciliation
2 Cor 5:18-19
18 All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins
against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.
When Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17 that we become a "new creation" in Christ
Jesus, the story does not end there. The verses following give us direction
for tht new life in Christ. "All This", Paul says, referring to the miracle of
new life in Christ, "is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."
Reconciliation means to bring back together what was once separated. Man was
separated from God by sin, and God took the initiative to reconcile man to
himself. Our "ministry of reconciliation" as Christians is twofold: to draw
others to the Lord and to work for reconciliation between individuals.
Reconciliation is the ultimate goal of forgiveness. God, through his grace ,
extends forgiveness to us when we are still sinners, unrepentant,
undeserving. When we respond, we come into reconciliation with him
and are brought back into oneness. Likewise, when we extend the grace
of forgiveness to another, we are set free by the act of forgiving, but we
hope that the ultimate outcome will be reconciliation.
God shows us the pattern: he is the wronged party, yet he does not wait for
the offender to come to him, hat in hand. He takes a bold initiative, offering
forgiveness freely with out regard to merit. The pattern applies to us;
as the new life in Christ takes hold of us, we must reach out, and reach,
and keep on reaching, breaking down the barriers, taking the risk of
rejection so that we may come to reconciliation.
Application
a) What barriers stand between me and reconciliation with another person?
b) How can I take a risk and reach out to offer forgiveness and
reconciliation to them?
c) What kind of attitude do I need to be a "minister of reconciliation"?
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 2022 edition?)
Nova Scotia
Total population 942700
Muslim population (est.) 14629
With 6 of the Nova Scotia's 10 universities located in Halifax, there is
a high concentration of Muslin international students in the area,
a harvest field in itself.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Halifax is the centre of Muslim activity for the Province of Nova Scotia
with at least 10 Islamic centres (mosques) and musallas
(prayer locations, especially for Friday prayer). And there are other mosques
in Chebucto, Kearney Lake, Dartmouth, Bedford and Truro.
Though the original community of Muslims was primarily composed of
newcomers from Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, continued immigration
has further diversified this community. Anf it is said thay Arabic
is the second most spoken language in Halifax.
while conservative estimates place the number of Muslims at almost 15000
in 2014, the Imama of a primary Halifax mosque estimates their population
somewhere between 25000 to 30000.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...)
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
1st Day of the month
1) Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
(
Joel 2:28 And it will be that, afterwards,
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream
dreams, and your young men will see visions.
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon
all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Acts 2:17 "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.
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,
I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
)
2) Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
(Prov 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord,
as the rivers of water; He turns it to any place He will.
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD,
As the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for your nation not to participate
in the sins of the world.
Pray to the Lord: "Dear God, it's hard for me to see how You'll right
all the evils. But I trust You to do it."
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a minister of reconciliation.
Pray to the Lord and pray to honour his covenant.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know Him as Father.
Pray for Nova Scotia and her Muslim populations
- in and around Halifax and other cities
- on university campuses
- for new workers among Muslims
- for pastors and churches to be bold in vision, passion and outreach
to Muslims in their areas.
- for Muslims who are searching for a better way to find a Christian friend
to share Jesus with and disciple them
- for Muslim-background believers to be both wise and bold in sharing their
new faith in Jesus with other Muslims
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- 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!
Pray for an outpouring of God's Holy Spirit on Canada
Pray that the heart of our Prime Minister
would be directed to do that which pleases God
Pray for the success of Bible translation wprk so that Cameroonians
will have access to God's Word .
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.