Day 132 - 13 May 2021 reflections
Day 132, 13 May 2021
2 Smauel 11-12, 1 Chron 20
2 SAMUEL 11
David and Bathsheba
1 (1Ch 20:1; 1Ki 20:22; 20:26) In the spring of the year, the time
when the kings go out to battle, David sent out Joab and his officers,
all of Israel with him. They brought to ruin the Ammonites
and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
2 (Dt 22:8; Mt 5:28) One evening when David arose from his bed
and was walking on the roof of the king's house, from the roof
he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.
3 (2Sa 23:39; 1Ch 3:5) So, David sent someone to inquire about the woman.
And it was asked, "Is this not Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam,
the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
4 (Lev 18:19; Jas 1:14-15) So David sent messengers, and took her;
and she came to him, and he lay with her. When she had purified
herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
5 (Dt 22:22) The woman conceived. So she sent a message
and reported to David, "I am pregnant."
6 Then David sent an order to Joab, "Send Uriah the Hittite to me."
So, Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 (Ge 37:14; 1Sa 17:22) When Uriah came to him, David asked
about the welfare of Joab, the people, and the fighting.
8 (Ge 18:4) Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house. Wash your feet."
So Uriah left the house of the king, and a gift from the king followed him.
9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the house of the king with all
of the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his house.
10 When they reported to David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house,"
David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey?
Why did you not go down to your house?"
11 (2Sa 7:2; 7:6) Uriah responded to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah dwell
in make shift shelters. My lord Joab and the officers of my lord are camping
in the open field. But I may enter my house to eat, to drink,
and to sleep with my wife? As you live and as your soul lives,
I will not do this thing!"
12 So David said to Uriah, "Remain here another day, and I will send you back
tomorrow." Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the following day.
13 Now David invited him to eat in his presence, and he drank until he got
Uriah drunk. In the evening, he went to lie down in his lodging
with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14 (1Ki 21:8-10) That morning, David wrote a message to Joab
and sent it by way of Uriah.
15 (2Sa 12:9) He wrote in the message, "Send Uriah to the front of the line
where the fighting is heaviest then withdraw from him,
so that he may be struck down and die."
16 So as Joab was besieging the city, he stationed Uriah in a place
where he knew fierce men were.
17 When the men of the city came out, they fought with Joab,
and some people among those who served David fell;
Uriah the Hittite died among them.
18J oab sent word to inform David of all of the events of the battle.
19 He instructed the messenger, "When you finish telling the king
all the details of the battle,
20 if his anger rises and he says to you, 'Why did you approach
so near to the city? Did you not know that they might shoot
from the city wall?
21 Who killed Abimelek the son of Jerub-Besheth?
Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the city wall
so that he died at Thebez? Why did you approach so near to the city wall?'
You shall then say, 'Additionally your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.' "
22 So the messenger departed and came to report to David everything that Joab
had sent with him.
23 The messenger reported to David, "The men prevailed over us
when they came out against us in the open field, but we drove them
back to the entrance of the gate.
24 Then the archers shot at your servants from upon the city wall,
and some of those who serve the king are dead.
Even your servant Uriah the Hittite died."
25 So David replied to the messenger, "Thus you shall report to Joab,
'Do not allow this thing to dismay you, for the sword devours one as well
as another. Sustain your attack against the city and bring it to ruin.'
Encourage him with this reply."
26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead,
she mourned for her husband.
27 (2Sa 12:9; Ps 51:4-5) When the time of mourning was concluded,
David sent for her and brought her to his house. She became his wife
and bore him a son.
But the thing that David had done was displeasing to the Lord.
2 SAMUEL 12
Nathan Rebukes David
1Ch 20:1-3
1 (1Ki 20:35-41) The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said,
"There were two men in a certain city. One was wealthy,
but the other was poor.
2 The wealthy man had a very large flock and herd,
3 (2Sa 11:3) but the poor man had nothing except a single small ewe lamb
that he had acquired. He nourished it and raised it together with himself
and his sons. From his crumbs, it would eat; from his cup, it would drink;
and in his arms it would lie. It was like a daughter to him.
4 "There came a visitor to the wealthy man, but he was unwilling to take
from his own flock or herd to prepare a meal for the wanderer
who had come to him. Instead he took the poor man's ewe lamb
and prepared food for the wanderer who had come to him."
5 (1Sa 26:16) David became very angry because of this man. He said to Nathan,
"As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die.
6 (Ex 22:1; Lk 19:8) And he shall restore the lamb fourfold,
because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
7 (1Sa 16:13) Then Nathan told David, "You are this man! Thus says the Lord,
the God of Israel: I anointed you as king over Israel and I rescued you from
the hand of Saul.
8 I gave to you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms,
and I gave to you the house of Israel and Judah. If this were too little,
I would have continued to do for you much more.
9 (1Sa 15:19; 15:23) Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing
evil in His sight? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword,
and you took his wife as a wife for yourself. You killed him with the sword
of the Ammonites.
10 (2Sa 18:14-15) Now the sword will never depart from your house,
because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite
to be your wife.
11 (Dt 28:30; 2Sa 16:21-22) "Thus says the Lord: See, I will raise up trouble
against you from within your own house. I will take your wives before
your eyes and will give them to your neighbour, and he will lie
with your wives in broad daylight.
12 (2Sa 16:22) Although you did it secretly, I will do this thing before
all of Israel, and under the sun."
13 (2Sa 24:10; Lev 20:10) Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned
against the Lord." Nathan said to David, "Now the Lord has put away
your sin; you shall not die.
14 (Isa 52:5; Ro 2:24) Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly
scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die."
15 (1Sa 25:38) Then Nathan went to his house. The Lord struck the child
that the wife of Uriah had born for David, and he became sick.
16 (2Sa 13:31) David entreated God on behalf of the child.
He fasted for a period, and he would go in and lie throughout the night
on the ground.
17 (2Sa 3:35) The elders of his house stood beside him to rouse him
from the ground, but he was not willing, nor would he consume
food with them.
18 The child died on the seventh day, and the servants of David
were afraid to tell him that the child had died. They said,
"When the child was alive, we would speak to him,
but he would not acknowledge our voices.
Now how can we say to him, 'The child is dead'? He may do harm."
19 When David noticed that his servants were whispering to one another,
he perceived that the child was dead.
So he asked his servants, "Is the child dead?"
They said, "He is dead."
20 (Job 1:20; Ru 3:3) So David arose from the ground, washed,
anointed himself, and changed his garments. Then he entered the house
of the Lord and worshipped. He then went in to his own house.
When he asked, they set down food for him and ate.
21 His servants said to him, "What is this thing you have done?
You fasted and wept for the sake of the living child,
but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
22 (Isa 38:1-3; 38:5) He explained, "As long as the child was alive,
I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Who knows?
The Lord may be gracious to me, so that the child may live.'
23 (Ge 37:35; Job 7:8-10) But now he is dead. Why should I fast?
Am I able to bring him back again? I will go to him,
but he will not return to me."
The Birth of Solomon
24 (Mt 1:6) Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife. He went to her
and lay with her, so that she conceived a son. They named him Solomon,
and the Lord loved him.
25 (Ne 13:26) So He sent a word by way of the prophet Nathan that he should
be named Jedidiah for the sake of the Lord.
26 (Dt 3:11; 1Ch 20:1-3) Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites
and assumed control of the royal city.
27 So Joab sent messengers to David and reported,
"I have fought against Rabbah, and I have occupied
the water supply of the city.
28 Now gather the remainder of the people, lay siege to the city, and take it.
Otherwise, I myself will capture the city, and it will be called by my name."
29 So David gathered all of the people and they went to Rabbah,
fought against it, and took it.
30 (1Ch 20:2) David took the crown of their king from his head,
and its weight was a talent [About 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.]
of gold and precious stone. It was placed upon the head of David.
He brought out large quantities of plunder from the city.
31 (1Ch 20:3) He brought out the people who were in it,
and he put them to work with saws, and iron picks, and iron axes,
and sent them to work in the brick kiln. Thus he did to all of the cities
of the Ammonites. Then David and all of the people returned to Jerusalem.
1 CHRONICLES 20
Rabbah Captured
2Sa 11:1; 12:29-31
1 (2Sa 11:1; Dt 3:11) Now at the beginning of the year when kings would
go out to war, Joab led the army and devastated the land of the Ammonites.
He came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
So Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.
2 Then David took the crown of their king from his head
and found it weighed about a talent [About 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.]
of gold with a precious stone set in it. And it was placed on David's head.
He also brought out a great abundance of plunder from the city.
3 He brought out the people who were it in, and put them to work with saws,
sharp iron tools, and axes. Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites,
and then he and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Philistine Giants Killed
2Sa 21:15-22
4 (2Sa 21:18-22) Now after this, when war broke out in Gezer
with the Philistines, Sibbekai of Hushah killed Sippai,
who was one of the descendants of the giants, and they were humbled.
5 (2Sa 21:19) Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan
the son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite,
the shaft of whose wooden spear was like a weaver's beam.
6 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature,
who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, 24 in number;
and he also was descended from the giants.
7 (1Sa 16:9; 1Ch 2:13) When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea,
David's brother, killed him.
8 These were descended from the giants in Gath,
and they fell by the hand of David and his servants.
2) Our Daily Bread for 12 May 2021
https://odb.org/CA/2021/05/12/renewed-vision
entitled Renewed Vision
1 Samuel 1:10–18;2:1–2
10 (Job 7:11; 10:1) And she was bitter, and prayed to the Lord,
and wept severely.
11 (Jdg 13:5; Ge 29:32; Nu 6:5) So she made a vow and said,
"O Lord of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction
of Your maidservant, and remember me and not forget
Your maidservant, but will give to Your maidservant a baby boy,
then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life,
and no razor shall touch his head."[Perhaps Barak here (see LXX).]
12 And as she was praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
13 (Ge 24:42-45) Now Hannah was speaking in her heart.
Her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.
Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk?
Put away your wine from you."
15 (Ps 42:4; 62:8) And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord,
I am a woman of sorrow. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink,
but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 (1Sa 2:12) Do not consider your handmaid to be a sinful woman,
for out of the abundance of my concern and provocation
I have spoken until now."
17 (Jdg 18:6; 2Ki 5:19) Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace,
and the God of Israel grant you your request that you have asked of Him."
18 (Ru 2:13; Ge 33:15) And she said, "Let your handmaid find grace
in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate,
and her face was not sad as before.
1 SAMUEL 2
The Prayer of Hannah
1 (Ps 9:14; 13:5) Hannah prayed, saying:
"My heart rejoices in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth is bold against my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 Ex 15:11; 2Sa 22:32 "There is none holy as the Lord,
for there is none besides You,
and there is no rock like our God."
After a painful minor surgery on my left eye,
my doctor recommended a vision test. With confidence,
I covered my right eye and read each line on the chart with ease.
Covering my left eye, I gasped. How could I not realize I'd been so blind?
While adjusting to new glasses and renewed vision, I thought of how
daily trials often caused me to be spiritually nearsighted. Focusing only
on what I could see up-close - my pain and ever-changing circumstances
-I became blind to the faithfulness of my eternal and unchanging God.
With such a limited perspective, hope became an unattainable blur.
First Samuel 1 tells the story of another woman who failed to recognise
God’s trustworthiness while focusing on her current anguish, uncertainty,
and loss. For years, Hannah had endured childlessness and endless torment
from Peninnah, the other wife of her husband Elkanah. Hannah's husband
adored her, but contentment evaded her. One day, she prayed
with bitter honesty. When Eli the priest questioned her,
she explained her situation. As she left, he prayed that God would grant
her request (1 Samuel 1:17). Though Hannah's situation didn't change
immediately, she walked away with confident hope (v. 18).
Her prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-2 reveals a shift in Hannah's focus. Even before
her circumstances improved, Hannah's renewed vision changed her perspective
and her attitude. She rejoiced in the ongoing presence of God-her Rock
and everlasting hope.
By: Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
How will focusing on God's unchanging nature instead of your circumstances
give you greater hope? Where are you currently struggling with spiritual
nearsightedness?
God, please renew my vision so I can focus on Your constant
presence and live with an eternal perspective in all circumstances.
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 4 "Formula" for Forgiveness
Luke 17:3 - 4
3 (Lev 19:17; Mt 18:21)"Take heed to yourselves."
"If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive
him. 4 (Mt 18:21–22) If he sins against you seven times in a day,
and seven times in a day turns to you, saying,
'I repent,' you must forgive him."
The context of these verses give us an interesting perspective of Jesus'
disciples. In a corollary passage in Matthew 18, the disciples (through
Peter, the designated mouthpiece) ask Jesus,
21 (Mt 18:15; Lk 17:3–4) Then Peter came to Him and said,
"Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me?
Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21)
The disciples wanted a "formula" for forgiveness: they wanted to be able to
develop a checklist. Once, twice, maybe three times a brother could be
forgiven, but after that, you could write him off. After all, if
he keeps on offending over and over again, he doesn't deserve to be forgiven!
But Jesus says, " Rebuke him - let him know his fault; if he repents,
forgive him - even seven times in the same day!"
And the disciplines' response is predictable: "Lord, increase our faith!" They
were more comfortable with their own formula for forgiveness than with the
outrageous demands of the love that Christ imposed upon them.
We are so like the disciples. We want to draw a line and say. "This far
- no more. I'll forgive you once, but don't do it again. Now that you're
forgiven, you'd better shape up!". Yet God's love doesn't recognise "again".
He forgives, and no matter how often we come to him inrepentance
for repeated offenses, his arms of forgiveness are open to us.
That is the way God wants us to forgive. He wants us to lay aside our
checklists, put away our suspicaions, abandon our scoreboards, and forgive.
Seven times, or seventy times seven, as often as we have sinned against God
and been forgiven, we are to forgive.
Application
a) Have I ever kept a "scorecard" of performance on someone I
have forgiven ? Why?
b) Why do I need "increased faith" to be able to forgive as
Jesus calls me to?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Luke 6:38
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: Good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over will men give unto you.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you.â€
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Proverbs 30:5
5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
The Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Ontario
Quick facts on Muslims in Ontario
Ontation 2015 population 13 687 7000
est Muslim Population 1 001 542
CNMM Networks: Ottawa, Durham, York, Toronto, Mississauga, Halton, Hamilton,
Niagara, Kitchener, London, Windsor
Ontario has 55% of all of Canada's entire Muslim population. This means that
the whole of the Muslim world is represented somewhere in this province. Most
Musslims are understandably located along the southern border stretching
from Windsor eastward all the way up to Ottawa. Yet Muslims are constantly
resettling in more and more suburban and even small towns of Ontari. Mosques
are springing up, and where there are enough gathered, Islamic schools
are starting.
And they're not comlacent, either. Many Islamic leaders are energetic in their
advancement of Islam in Canadian society. Recently in the Niagara Region,
the local mosqoe distributed via Canada Post as many as 50000 full-colour
brochures on Islam. An that mosque's Facebook page proudly show pictures of
"reverts", or white Canadians who havve converted to Islam as a result of
receiving the flier and engaging with the mosque community. Antoerh town
reports Muslims going door-to-door evangelism.
Agree in prayer for:
- net network leaders - the need is great
- the development of network leadership teams
- good connectiosn with local pastors, congregations and individuals
whom God is calling into this ministry.
- wisdom facilitating outreach and training activities for mobilising
believers
- new full and part-time workers among Muslims throughout all these areas
- for pastors and churches to respond not in fear, but full of faith and love
towards Muslims, sharing Jesus with them.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 13 April to 12 May 2021
From https://www.30daysprayer.com/
https://www.30daysprayer.com/pages/somali-mass-exodus/
SOMALI MASS EXODUS
REFUGEES IN TORONTO, COLUMBUS, SEATTLE, EDMONTON, NASHVILLE, SAN DIEGO
AND MINNEAPOLIS
Somalia's brutal civil war started in the 1980s and continues to this day.
For that reason, more Somalis now live outside of Somalia
than within its borders.
North America is home to more than 250,000 Somalis, with many concentrated in
Toronto, Columbus, Seattle, Edmonton, Nashville, San Diego, and Minneapolis.
Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali community in North America,
and possibly the world. U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
was born in Mogadishu and escaped from Somalia with her family,
spending four years in a refugee camp in Kenya.
A Somali could be driving your cab, pouring your coffee, or working
in your mayor's office. Yet few have been befriended by Christians,
and few have heard the true message of Jesus's life, death,
and resurrection, as one Christian worker realised.
"What you believe is foolishness," says Mahmud, who works in a Somali
coffee shop. "You believe in three gods and can do whatever you want."
"Has a Christian ever shared with you what they believe?"
asked the Christian worker.
"Well, no," he said. "I've never known a Christian before I met you."
While this comment sounds shocking, it’s not unusual. Mahmud has been
surrounded by churches for 23 the years he has lived in America,
but he has never had a meaningful relationship with a follower of Christ
before the Christian worker befriended him.
Somalis in North America live near Christians,
yet a great cultural chasm remains.
As the Apostle Paul asked, "14 (Titus 1:3)How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 (Isa 52:7; Na 1:15) And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach
the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!" (Romans 10:14-15).
Pray for a gospel movement among Somalis in North America, “Truly, truly
I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear
the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." (John 5:25).
Pray for Somali believers to persevere as bold and loving witnesses.
Pray for the church in North America to love its Somali neighbors without fear.
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
12th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
(Proverb 11:1
1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is His delight.
)
b) Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity acreoss the world.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord for every decision you make that you do not fall into
temptation.
Pray to the Lord to renew your vision so I can focus on His constant
presence and live with an eternal perspective in all circumstances.
Pray to the Lord not to keep 'scorecards' and to pray for full forgiveness.
.
Pray to the Lord to be a cheerful giver .
Pray to the Lord to your trust in Him.
Pray for Muslims in Ontario to receive Christ as Saviour
and that chirstian outreach will be strong.
Pray for a gospel movement among Somalis in North America.
Pray for Somali believers to persevere as bold and loving witnesses.
Pray for the church in North America to love
its Somali neighbors without fear.
Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity acreoss the world.
Pray for Bahrain that persecuted believers will continue to find
strength in Jesus Christ .
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.
2 Smauel 11-12, 1 Chron 20
2 SAMUEL 11
David and Bathsheba
1 (1Ch 20:1; 1Ki 20:22; 20:26) In the spring of the year, the time
when the kings go out to battle, David sent out Joab and his officers,
all of Israel with him. They brought to ruin the Ammonites
and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
2 (Dt 22:8; Mt 5:28) One evening when David arose from his bed
and was walking on the roof of the king's house, from the roof
he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.
3 (2Sa 23:39; 1Ch 3:5) So, David sent someone to inquire about the woman.
And it was asked, "Is this not Bathsheba the daughter of Eliam,
the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
4 (Lev 18:19; Jas 1:14-15) So David sent messengers, and took her;
and she came to him, and he lay with her. When she had purified
herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
5 (Dt 22:22) The woman conceived. So she sent a message
and reported to David, "I am pregnant."
6 Then David sent an order to Joab, "Send Uriah the Hittite to me."
So, Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 (Ge 37:14; 1Sa 17:22) When Uriah came to him, David asked
about the welfare of Joab, the people, and the fighting.
8 (Ge 18:4) Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house. Wash your feet."
So Uriah left the house of the king, and a gift from the king followed him.
9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the house of the king with all
of the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his house.
10 When they reported to David, saying, "Uriah did not go down to his house,"
David said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey?
Why did you not go down to your house?"
11 (2Sa 7:2; 7:6) Uriah responded to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah dwell
in make shift shelters. My lord Joab and the officers of my lord are camping
in the open field. But I may enter my house to eat, to drink,
and to sleep with my wife? As you live and as your soul lives,
I will not do this thing!"
12 So David said to Uriah, "Remain here another day, and I will send you back
tomorrow." Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the following day.
13 Now David invited him to eat in his presence, and he drank until he got
Uriah drunk. In the evening, he went to lie down in his lodging
with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
14 (1Ki 21:8-10) That morning, David wrote a message to Joab
and sent it by way of Uriah.
15 (2Sa 12:9) He wrote in the message, "Send Uriah to the front of the line
where the fighting is heaviest then withdraw from him,
so that he may be struck down and die."
16 So as Joab was besieging the city, he stationed Uriah in a place
where he knew fierce men were.
17 When the men of the city came out, they fought with Joab,
and some people among those who served David fell;
Uriah the Hittite died among them.
18J oab sent word to inform David of all of the events of the battle.
19 He instructed the messenger, "When you finish telling the king
all the details of the battle,
20 if his anger rises and he says to you, 'Why did you approach
so near to the city? Did you not know that they might shoot
from the city wall?
21 Who killed Abimelek the son of Jerub-Besheth?
Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the city wall
so that he died at Thebez? Why did you approach so near to the city wall?'
You shall then say, 'Additionally your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.' "
22 So the messenger departed and came to report to David everything that Joab
had sent with him.
23 The messenger reported to David, "The men prevailed over us
when they came out against us in the open field, but we drove them
back to the entrance of the gate.
24 Then the archers shot at your servants from upon the city wall,
and some of those who serve the king are dead.
Even your servant Uriah the Hittite died."
25 So David replied to the messenger, "Thus you shall report to Joab,
'Do not allow this thing to dismay you, for the sword devours one as well
as another. Sustain your attack against the city and bring it to ruin.'
Encourage him with this reply."
26 When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead,
she mourned for her husband.
27 (2Sa 12:9; Ps 51:4-5) When the time of mourning was concluded,
David sent for her and brought her to his house. She became his wife
and bore him a son.
But the thing that David had done was displeasing to the Lord.
2 SAMUEL 12
Nathan Rebukes David
1Ch 20:1-3
1 (1Ki 20:35-41) The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said,
"There were two men in a certain city. One was wealthy,
but the other was poor.
2 The wealthy man had a very large flock and herd,
3 (2Sa 11:3) but the poor man had nothing except a single small ewe lamb
that he had acquired. He nourished it and raised it together with himself
and his sons. From his crumbs, it would eat; from his cup, it would drink;
and in his arms it would lie. It was like a daughter to him.
4 "There came a visitor to the wealthy man, but he was unwilling to take
from his own flock or herd to prepare a meal for the wanderer
who had come to him. Instead he took the poor man's ewe lamb
and prepared food for the wanderer who had come to him."
5 (1Sa 26:16) David became very angry because of this man. He said to Nathan,
"As the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die.
6 (Ex 22:1; Lk 19:8) And he shall restore the lamb fourfold,
because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
7 (1Sa 16:13) Then Nathan told David, "You are this man! Thus says the Lord,
the God of Israel: I anointed you as king over Israel and I rescued you from
the hand of Saul.
8 I gave to you your master's house and your master's wives into your arms,
and I gave to you the house of Israel and Judah. If this were too little,
I would have continued to do for you much more.
9 (1Sa 15:19; 15:23) Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing
evil in His sight? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword,
and you took his wife as a wife for yourself. You killed him with the sword
of the Ammonites.
10 (2Sa 18:14-15) Now the sword will never depart from your house,
because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite
to be your wife.
11 (Dt 28:30; 2Sa 16:21-22) "Thus says the Lord: See, I will raise up trouble
against you from within your own house. I will take your wives before
your eyes and will give them to your neighbour, and he will lie
with your wives in broad daylight.
12 (2Sa 16:22) Although you did it secretly, I will do this thing before
all of Israel, and under the sun."
13 (2Sa 24:10; Lev 20:10) Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned
against the Lord." Nathan said to David, "Now the Lord has put away
your sin; you shall not die.
14 (Isa 52:5; Ro 2:24) Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly
scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die."
15 (1Sa 25:38) Then Nathan went to his house. The Lord struck the child
that the wife of Uriah had born for David, and he became sick.
16 (2Sa 13:31) David entreated God on behalf of the child.
He fasted for a period, and he would go in and lie throughout the night
on the ground.
17 (2Sa 3:35) The elders of his house stood beside him to rouse him
from the ground, but he was not willing, nor would he consume
food with them.
18 The child died on the seventh day, and the servants of David
were afraid to tell him that the child had died. They said,
"When the child was alive, we would speak to him,
but he would not acknowledge our voices.
Now how can we say to him, 'The child is dead'? He may do harm."
19 When David noticed that his servants were whispering to one another,
he perceived that the child was dead.
So he asked his servants, "Is the child dead?"
They said, "He is dead."
20 (Job 1:20; Ru 3:3) So David arose from the ground, washed,
anointed himself, and changed his garments. Then he entered the house
of the Lord and worshipped. He then went in to his own house.
When he asked, they set down food for him and ate.
21 His servants said to him, "What is this thing you have done?
You fasted and wept for the sake of the living child,
but when the child died, you arose and ate food."
22 (Isa 38:1-3; 38:5) He explained, "As long as the child was alive,
I fasted and wept because I thought, 'Who knows?
The Lord may be gracious to me, so that the child may live.'
23 (Ge 37:35; Job 7:8-10) But now he is dead. Why should I fast?
Am I able to bring him back again? I will go to him,
but he will not return to me."
The Birth of Solomon
24 (Mt 1:6) Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife. He went to her
and lay with her, so that she conceived a son. They named him Solomon,
and the Lord loved him.
25 (Ne 13:26) So He sent a word by way of the prophet Nathan that he should
be named Jedidiah for the sake of the Lord.
26 (Dt 3:11; 1Ch 20:1-3) Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites
and assumed control of the royal city.
27 So Joab sent messengers to David and reported,
"I have fought against Rabbah, and I have occupied
the water supply of the city.
28 Now gather the remainder of the people, lay siege to the city, and take it.
Otherwise, I myself will capture the city, and it will be called by my name."
29 So David gathered all of the people and they went to Rabbah,
fought against it, and took it.
30 (1Ch 20:2) David took the crown of their king from his head,
and its weight was a talent [About 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.]
of gold and precious stone. It was placed upon the head of David.
He brought out large quantities of plunder from the city.
31 (1Ch 20:3) He brought out the people who were in it,
and he put them to work with saws, and iron picks, and iron axes,
and sent them to work in the brick kiln. Thus he did to all of the cities
of the Ammonites. Then David and all of the people returned to Jerusalem.
1 CHRONICLES 20
Rabbah Captured
2Sa 11:1; 12:29-31
1 (2Sa 11:1; Dt 3:11) Now at the beginning of the year when kings would
go out to war, Joab led the army and devastated the land of the Ammonites.
He came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
So Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.
2 Then David took the crown of their king from his head
and found it weighed about a talent [About 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.]
of gold with a precious stone set in it. And it was placed on David's head.
He also brought out a great abundance of plunder from the city.
3 He brought out the people who were it in, and put them to work with saws,
sharp iron tools, and axes. Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites,
and then he and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Philistine Giants Killed
2Sa 21:15-22
4 (2Sa 21:18-22) Now after this, when war broke out in Gezer
with the Philistines, Sibbekai of Hushah killed Sippai,
who was one of the descendants of the giants, and they were humbled.
5 (2Sa 21:19) Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan
the son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite,
the shaft of whose wooden spear was like a weaver's beam.
6 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature,
who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, 24 in number;
and he also was descended from the giants.
7 (1Sa 16:9; 1Ch 2:13) When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea,
David's brother, killed him.
8 These were descended from the giants in Gath,
and they fell by the hand of David and his servants.
2) Our Daily Bread for 12 May 2021
https://odb.org/CA/2021/05/12/renewed-vision
entitled Renewed Vision
1 Samuel 1:10–18;2:1–2
10 (Job 7:11; 10:1) And she was bitter, and prayed to the Lord,
and wept severely.
11 (Jdg 13:5; Ge 29:32; Nu 6:5) So she made a vow and said,
"O Lord of Hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction
of Your maidservant, and remember me and not forget
Your maidservant, but will give to Your maidservant a baby boy,
then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life,
and no razor shall touch his head."[Perhaps Barak here (see LXX).]
12 And as she was praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
13 (Ge 24:42-45) Now Hannah was speaking in her heart.
Her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard.
Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk?
Put away your wine from you."
15 (Ps 42:4; 62:8) And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord,
I am a woman of sorrow. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink,
but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 (1Sa 2:12) Do not consider your handmaid to be a sinful woman,
for out of the abundance of my concern and provocation
I have spoken until now."
17 (Jdg 18:6; 2Ki 5:19) Then Eli answered and said, "Go in peace,
and the God of Israel grant you your request that you have asked of Him."
18 (Ru 2:13; Ge 33:15) And she said, "Let your handmaid find grace
in your sight." So the woman went her way and ate,
and her face was not sad as before.
1 SAMUEL 2
The Prayer of Hannah
1 (Ps 9:14; 13:5) Hannah prayed, saying:
"My heart rejoices in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth is bold against my enemies,
because I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 Ex 15:11; 2Sa 22:32 "There is none holy as the Lord,
for there is none besides You,
and there is no rock like our God."
After a painful minor surgery on my left eye,
my doctor recommended a vision test. With confidence,
I covered my right eye and read each line on the chart with ease.
Covering my left eye, I gasped. How could I not realize I'd been so blind?
While adjusting to new glasses and renewed vision, I thought of how
daily trials often caused me to be spiritually nearsighted. Focusing only
on what I could see up-close - my pain and ever-changing circumstances
-I became blind to the faithfulness of my eternal and unchanging God.
With such a limited perspective, hope became an unattainable blur.
First Samuel 1 tells the story of another woman who failed to recognise
God’s trustworthiness while focusing on her current anguish, uncertainty,
and loss. For years, Hannah had endured childlessness and endless torment
from Peninnah, the other wife of her husband Elkanah. Hannah's husband
adored her, but contentment evaded her. One day, she prayed
with bitter honesty. When Eli the priest questioned her,
she explained her situation. As she left, he prayed that God would grant
her request (1 Samuel 1:17). Though Hannah's situation didn't change
immediately, she walked away with confident hope (v. 18).
Her prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-2 reveals a shift in Hannah's focus. Even before
her circumstances improved, Hannah's renewed vision changed her perspective
and her attitude. She rejoiced in the ongoing presence of God-her Rock
and everlasting hope.
By: Xochitl Dixon
Reflect & Pray
How will focusing on God's unchanging nature instead of your circumstances
give you greater hope? Where are you currently struggling with spiritual
nearsightedness?
God, please renew my vision so I can focus on Your constant
presence and live with an eternal perspective in all circumstances.
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 4 "Formula" for Forgiveness
Luke 17:3 - 4
3 (Lev 19:17; Mt 18:21)"Take heed to yourselves."
"If your brother sins against you, rebuke him. And if he repents, forgive
him. 4 (Mt 18:21–22) If he sins against you seven times in a day,
and seven times in a day turns to you, saying,
'I repent,' you must forgive him."
The context of these verses give us an interesting perspective of Jesus'
disciples. In a corollary passage in Matthew 18, the disciples (through
Peter, the designated mouthpiece) ask Jesus,
21 (Mt 18:15; Lk 17:3–4) Then Peter came to Him and said,
"Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me?
Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21)
The disciples wanted a "formula" for forgiveness: they wanted to be able to
develop a checklist. Once, twice, maybe three times a brother could be
forgiven, but after that, you could write him off. After all, if
he keeps on offending over and over again, he doesn't deserve to be forgiven!
But Jesus says, " Rebuke him - let him know his fault; if he repents,
forgive him - even seven times in the same day!"
And the disciplines' response is predictable: "Lord, increase our faith!" They
were more comfortable with their own formula for forgiveness than with the
outrageous demands of the love that Christ imposed upon them.
We are so like the disciples. We want to draw a line and say. "This far
- no more. I'll forgive you once, but don't do it again. Now that you're
forgiven, you'd better shape up!". Yet God's love doesn't recognise "again".
He forgives, and no matter how often we come to him inrepentance
for repeated offenses, his arms of forgiveness are open to us.
That is the way God wants us to forgive. He wants us to lay aside our
checklists, put away our suspicaions, abandon our scoreboards, and forgive.
Seven times, or seventy times seven, as often as we have sinned against God
and been forgiven, we are to forgive.
Application
a) Have I ever kept a "scorecard" of performance on someone I
have forgiven ? Why?
b) Why do I need "increased faith" to be able to forgive as
Jesus calls me to?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Luke 6:38
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: Good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over will men give unto you.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured unto you.â€
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Proverbs 30:5
5 Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
The Lord's Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Ontario
Quick facts on Muslims in Ontario
Ontation 2015 population 13 687 7000
est Muslim Population 1 001 542
CNMM Networks: Ottawa, Durham, York, Toronto, Mississauga, Halton, Hamilton,
Niagara, Kitchener, London, Windsor
Ontario has 55% of all of Canada's entire Muslim population. This means that
the whole of the Muslim world is represented somewhere in this province. Most
Musslims are understandably located along the southern border stretching
from Windsor eastward all the way up to Ottawa. Yet Muslims are constantly
resettling in more and more suburban and even small towns of Ontari. Mosques
are springing up, and where there are enough gathered, Islamic schools
are starting.
And they're not comlacent, either. Many Islamic leaders are energetic in their
advancement of Islam in Canadian society. Recently in the Niagara Region,
the local mosqoe distributed via Canada Post as many as 50000 full-colour
brochures on Islam. An that mosque's Facebook page proudly show pictures of
"reverts", or white Canadians who havve converted to Islam as a result of
receiving the flier and engaging with the mosque community. Antoerh town
reports Muslims going door-to-door evangelism.
Agree in prayer for:
- net network leaders - the need is great
- the development of network leadership teams
- good connectiosn with local pastors, congregations and individuals
whom God is calling into this ministry.
- wisdom facilitating outreach and training activities for mobilising
believers
- new full and part-time workers among Muslims throughout all these areas
- for pastors and churches to respond not in fear, but full of faith and love
towards Muslims, sharing Jesus with them.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 13 April to 12 May 2021
From https://www.30daysprayer.com/
https://www.30daysprayer.com/pages/somali-mass-exodus/
SOMALI MASS EXODUS
REFUGEES IN TORONTO, COLUMBUS, SEATTLE, EDMONTON, NASHVILLE, SAN DIEGO
AND MINNEAPOLIS
Somalia's brutal civil war started in the 1980s and continues to this day.
For that reason, more Somalis now live outside of Somalia
than within its borders.
North America is home to more than 250,000 Somalis, with many concentrated in
Toronto, Columbus, Seattle, Edmonton, Nashville, San Diego, and Minneapolis.
Minnesota is home to the biggest Somali community in North America,
and possibly the world. U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota
was born in Mogadishu and escaped from Somalia with her family,
spending four years in a refugee camp in Kenya.
A Somali could be driving your cab, pouring your coffee, or working
in your mayor's office. Yet few have been befriended by Christians,
and few have heard the true message of Jesus's life, death,
and resurrection, as one Christian worker realised.
"What you believe is foolishness," says Mahmud, who works in a Somali
coffee shop. "You believe in three gods and can do whatever you want."
"Has a Christian ever shared with you what they believe?"
asked the Christian worker.
"Well, no," he said. "I've never known a Christian before I met you."
While this comment sounds shocking, it’s not unusual. Mahmud has been
surrounded by churches for 23 the years he has lived in America,
but he has never had a meaningful relationship with a follower of Christ
before the Christian worker befriended him.
Somalis in North America live near Christians,
yet a great cultural chasm remains.
As the Apostle Paul asked, "14 (Titus 1:3)How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 (Isa 52:7; Na 1:15) And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach
the gospel of peace, who bring good news of good things!" (Romans 10:14-15).
Pray for a gospel movement among Somalis in North America, “Truly, truly
I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear
the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live." (John 5:25).
Pray for Somali believers to persevere as bold and loving witnesses.
Pray for the church in North America to love its Somali neighbors without fear.
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
12th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
(Proverb 11:1
1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is His delight.
)
b) Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity acreoss the world.
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord for every decision you make that you do not fall into
temptation.
Pray to the Lord to renew your vision so I can focus on His constant
presence and live with an eternal perspective in all circumstances.
Pray to the Lord not to keep 'scorecards' and to pray for full forgiveness.
.
Pray to the Lord to be a cheerful giver .
Pray to the Lord to your trust in Him.
Pray for Muslims in Ontario to receive Christ as Saviour
and that chirstian outreach will be strong.
Pray for a gospel movement among Somalis in North America.
Pray for Somali believers to persevere as bold and loving witnesses.
Pray for the church in North America to love
its Somali neighbors without fear.
Pray that the Lord will put a desire in the hearts of those in business
to follow God's principles and act honourably and ethically
Pray the the Spirit of the Lord will restrain the spirit of
hatred and destruction against humanity acreoss the world.
Pray for Bahrain that persecuted believers will continue to find
strength in Jesus Christ .
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.
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