Day 92 of the 2nd Bible Study Journey - 2 Apr 2022 reflections
Day 92, 2 Apr 2022
1) Judges 11:29 - 40
29 (Jdg 3:10; Nu 11:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah
and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through
Mizpah of Gilead, and went on to the Ammonites.
30 (Ge 28:20; 1Sa 1:11) Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, "If You will indeed
give the Ammonites into my hands,
31 (1Sa 1:28) then whatever comes out from the door of my house
to meet me, when I return safely from the Ammonites, will surely
be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."
32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to wage war
against them, and the Lord gave them into his hands.
33 (Eze 27:17) He struck them down from Aroer to Minnith, twenty cities,
and as far as Abel Keramim. The defeat was very severe, and the Ammonites
were humbled before the children of Israel.
34 (Ex 15:20; Jer 31:4) When Jephthah went to his house at Mizpah, there was
his daughter coming out to meet him, dancing with a tambourine.
She was his only child. Other than her, he had neither son nor daughter.
35 When he saw her, he ripped up his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter!
You have brought utter disaster to me. You are my undoing,
for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back."
36 (2Sa 18:19) She said to him, "My father, you have opened
your mouth to the Lord. Do to me what has come out of your mouth,
because the Lord worked vengeance upon your enemies, the Ammonites."
37 (Lk 1:25) Then she said to her father, "Let this be done for me:
Give me two months, and I and my friends will wander the hill country
and mourn over my virginity."
38 He said, "Go," and he sent her away for two months.
She and her friends went and mourned over her virginity in the hill country.
39 (Jdg 11:31) At the end of two months she returned to her father,
and he did to her according to the vow that he had made.
She had not ever slept with a man.
So it became a custom in Israel
40 that the women of Israel would commemorate the daughter
of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days each year.
[29] Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over
Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of
Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
[30] And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without
fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
[31] Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house
to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely
be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
[32] So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against
them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
[33] And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even
twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of
Israel.
[34] And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter
came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only
child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
[35] And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and
said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of
them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot
go back.
[36] And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto
the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;
forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even
of the children of Ammon.
[37] And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me
alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail
my virginity, I and my fellows.
[38] And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with
her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
[39] And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto
her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and
she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
[40] That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of
Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
JUDGES 12
Jephthah and Ephraim
1 (Jdg 8:1) The men of Ephraim gathered together and crossed over to Zaphon.
They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to wage war with the Ammonites
and not call us to go with you? We will burn down your house right on top
of you."
2 J ephthah said to them, "My people and I were in a very great conflict
with the Ammonites. I called you, but you did not save me from their hands.
3 (1Sa 19:5; 28:21) When I saw that you were not going to save me, I took my
life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites.
Then the Lord gave them into my hands. Now why have you come
up to me today to wage war against me?"
4 (1Sa 25:10) Then Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and fought
with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim down, for they had said,
"You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in Ephraim and Manasseh."
5 (Jdg 3:28; Jos 22:11) Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan River leading
to Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive would say, "Let me cross,"
the Gileadite men would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"
6 then they would say to him, "Say, 'Shibboleth'!" Yet he would say,
"Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would
grab him and kill him at the Jordan fords.
During that time 42000 from Ephraim fell.
7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When Jephthah the Gileadite died,
he was buried among the cities of Gilead.
[1] And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward,
and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the
children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine
house upon thee with fire.
[2] And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with
the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of
their hands.
[3] And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and
passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into
my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against
me?
[4] Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with
Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye
Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the
Manassites.
[5] And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites:
and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me
go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he
said, Nay;
[6] Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for
he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him
at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites
forty and two thousand.
[7] And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite,
and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 He had thirty sons, and he gave thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan;
and he brought thirty daughters from outside for his sons.
He judged Israel for seven years.
10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel.
He judged Israel for ten years.
12 Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14 (Jdg 5:10; 10:4) He had forty sons and thirty grandsons
who rode seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
15 (Jdg 5:14) Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon
in the land of Ephraim, in the Amalekite hill country.
[8] And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
[9] And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and
took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel
seven years.
[10] Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
[11] And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel
ten years.
[12] And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country
of Zebulun.
[13] And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
[14] And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and
ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
[15] And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in
Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
JUDGES 13
The Birth of Samson
1 ()Jdg 2:11; 1Sa 12:9) Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight
of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines
for forty years.
2 (Jos 19:41; 15:33) There was a certain man from Zorah,
from the tribe of Dan. His name was Manoah. His wife was infertile
and had borne no children.
3 (Lk 1:13; Jdg 6:11-12) The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman
and said to her, "Indeed, you are infertile and have borne no childen,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
4 (Nu 6:2-3; Jdg 13:14) Now be careful, I pray, that you drink no wine
or strong drink and that you do not eat anything ritually unclean.
5 (Nu 6:5; 1Sa 1:11) For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor may
touch his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb.
He will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines."
6 (Jdg 13:17-18; Dt 33:1) Then the woman went to her husband and said,
"A man of God came to me. He looked like a very fearsome angel of God.
I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name.
7 He said to me, 'You will conceive and bear a son. So now, do not drink
wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything ritually unclean,
for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day he dies.' "
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, "O my Lord, let the man of God whom
You sent come again to us, so that he can teach us what we should do
for the boy who will be born."
9 God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again
to the woman. She was sitting in the field;
but her husband Manoah was not with her.
10 The woman hurried and ran to tell her husband,
"The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me."
11 So Manoah got up and went after his wife.
He came to the man and said to him,
"Are you the man who spoke to my wife?"
He said, "I am."
12 Then Manoah said, "Now may your words come true! What will be the boy's way
of life and his work?"
13 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "Your wife must observe everything
that I said to her.
14 (Jdg 13:4) She must not consume anything that grows on the vine.
She must not drink wine or strong drink, and she must not eat anything
ritually unclean. She must observe everything that I commanded her."
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "Please let us detain you,
and let us prepare a young goat for you."
16 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "If I stay, I will not eat your
food, but if you want to make an offering to the Lord, you should offer it."
(For Manoah did not know that he was an angel of the Lord.)
17 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "What is your name,
so that we can honor you when your words come true?"
18 (Ge 32:29; Isa 9:6) The angel of the Lord said to him,
"Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful."
19 (Jdg 6:19-21) Manoah took the young goat and the grain offering
and offered them to the Lord upon a rock. Then he did a wondrous
thing while Manoah and his wife watched.
20 (Lev 9:24; 1Ch 21:16) When the flame went up from the altar
toward the heavens, the angel of the Lord went up in the flames
from the altar. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell face down on the ground.
21 (Jdg 6:22) The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah
and his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.
22 (Ge 32:30; Dt 5:26) Manoah said to his wife,
"We are certainly going to die, for we have seen God."
23 (Ps 25:14) Yet his wife said to him, "If the Lord wanted to kill us,
He would not have taken the burnt offering and grain offering from us.
He would not have shown us these things, nor let us hear things such
as these at this time."
24 (1Sa 3:19; Lk 1:80) So the woman bore a son, and she called him Samson.
The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him.
25 (Jdg 3:10; Jos 15:33) The Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him
at Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 13
[1] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and
the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
[2] And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
[3] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her,
Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and
bear a son.
[4] Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink,
and eat not any unclean thing:
[5] For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on
his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he
shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
[6] Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto
me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very
terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
[7] But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and
now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the
child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
[8] Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God
which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto
the child that shall be born.
[9] And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came
again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not
with her.
[10] And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said
unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other
day.
[11] And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and
said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I
am.
[12] And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the
child, and how shall we do unto him?
[13] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the
woman let her beware.
[14] She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her
drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded
her let her observe.
[15] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain
thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
[16] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I
will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou
must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the
LORD.
[17] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when
thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
[18] And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my
name, seeing it is secret?
[19] So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock
unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked
on.
[20] For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the
altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And
Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
[21] But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife.
Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
[22] And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have
seen God.
[23] But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he
would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands,
neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time
have told us such things as these.
[24] And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child
grew, and the LORD blessed him.
[25] And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of
Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
JUDGES 14
Samson's Wedding
1 (Ge 38:12-13; Jos 15:10) Samson went down to Timnah
and saw a woman from the daughters of the Philistines.
2 (Ge 34:4; 21:21) He came back up and told his father and mother,
"I have seen a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines;
now get her for me as a wife."
3 (Jdg 15:18; 1Sa 14:6) His father and mother said to him,
"Are there no women among your relatives, or all of our people,
that you are intending to take a wife
from among the uncircumcised Philistines?"
Yet Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well."
4 (Jos 11:20; Jdg 13:1) His father and mother did not know that this was
from the Lord, for He was seeking an opportunity to act against the Philistines.
At that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.
5 Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah.
As they came to the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young
lion came roaring toward him.
6 (Jdg 3:10; 13:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily
upon him, and though unarmed, he tore the lion in two as one might
tear a young goat in two. However, he did not tell his father and his mother
what he had done.
7 So Samson went down and spoke with the woman, and she pleased Samson.
8 After a while, when he returned to take her, he turned aside to see
the carcass of the lion. And a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass
of the lion.
9 He scooped it out into his hands and ate it as he went along.
He came to his father and mother and gave some to them,
and they also ate. Yet he did not tell them he had scooped
the honey out of a lion's carcass.
10 Then his father went down to the woman. Samson put on a feast there,
for this is what young men would do.
11 When the Philistines saw him,
they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 (Ge 45:22; Eze 17:2) Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle.
If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast,
then I will find thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes to give you.
13 However, if you are not able to explain it to me, then you will give me
thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes."
They said to him, "Tell us your riddle, so we can hear it."
14 He said to them,
"Out of the eater came something to eat,
and out of the strong came something sweet."
They could not explain the riddle after three days.
15 (Jdg 15:6; 16:5) On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife,
"Trick your groom into telling us the riddle, or we will burn you
and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to steal
what we have? Is that not so?"
16 (Jdg 16:15) So Samson's wife wept all over him and said,
"You must hate me. You do not love me. You have told a riddle
to the young men and did not tell it to me."
Then he said to her, "I have not told it to my father and mother.
Why should I tell it to you?"
17 (Jdg 16:16) She wept on him for the seven days of the feast,
then on the seventh day he told it to her because she had nagged him.
Then she explained the riddle to her people.
18So on the seventh day before sunset, the men of the city said to Samson,
"What is sweeter than honey,
and what is stronger than a lion?"
Then he said to them,
"If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle."
19 (Jdg 3:10; 13:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord mightily came upon him,
and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty of their men.
He took their clothes and gave them to the ones who had explained the riddle.
His anger burned and he went up to his father's house.
20 (Jdg 15:2; Jn 3:29) So Samson's wife was given to his companion,
who had been his best man.
Judges 14
[1] And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the
daughters of the Philistines.
[2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have
seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore
get her for me to wife.
[3] Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman
among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest
to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his
father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
[4] But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he
sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines
had dominion over Israel.
[5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and
came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against
him.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he
would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his
father or his mother what he had done.
[7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson
well.
[8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the
carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the
carcase of the lion.
[9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his
father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them
that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
[10] So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast;
for so used the young men to do.
[11] And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty
companions to be with him.
[12] And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if
ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find
it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
[13] But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and
thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle,
that we may hear it.
[14] And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the
riddle.
[15] And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's
wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we
burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that
we have? is it not so?
[16] And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and
lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people,
and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my
father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
[17] And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and
it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore
upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
[18] And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun
went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And
he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out
my riddle.
[19] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon,
and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of
garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled,
and he went up to his father's house.
[20] But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his
friend.
JUDGES 15
Samson's Revenge
1 (Ge 38:17) After a while, during the wheat harvest, Samson went to
visit his wife, taking a young goat. He said, "I'm going in to my wife
in her bedroom," but her father would not let him go in.
2 (Jdg 14:20) Her father said, "I thought that you thoroughly hated her,
so I gave her to your best man. Is not her younger sister better than she?
Please, let her be your wife instead."
3 Samson said to them, "This time I cannot be blamed by the Philistines
when I do them harm."
4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes. He took torches
and turned the foxes tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.
5 He set fire to the torches and sent the foxes into standing grain
of the Philistines. He burned the harvested grain, standing grain,
vineyards, and olive trees.
6 (Jdg 14:15) The Philistines asked, "Who did this?" They said,
"Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because the Timnite
took the bride of Samson and gave her to his best man."
So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father with fire.
7 Samson said to them, "Because you have done this, I will take revenge
on you, and afterwards I will stop."
8 He struck them down with a mighty blow,
then went to live in a cave in Etam Rock.
9 (Jdg 15:17; 15:19) Then the Philistines went up and set up camp in Judah.
They deployed against Lehi.
10 The men of Judah said, "Why have you come up against us?"
They said, "It is to take Samson prisoner that we have come up,
to do to him what he did to us."
11 (Jdg 13:1; 14:4) So three thousand men from Judah went to the cave
in Etam Rock and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines
are ruling us? Why have you done this to us?"
He said to them, "As they did to me, so I have done to them."
12 They said to him, "We have come to take you prisoner,
to give you into the hands of the Philistines."
Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not attack me."
13 They said to him, "No, we will bind you securely and give
you into their hands, but we will not kill you." They bound him
with two new ropes and took him away from the rock.
14 (Jdg 14:19; 3:10) He came to Lehi, and the Philistines shouted
as they approached him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.
The ropes on his arms became like burned flax and the ties
on his hands dissolved.
15 (Lev 26:8; Jos 23:10) Then he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey,
reached out his hand and took it, and with it struck down a thousand men.
16Samson said,
"With a jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps.
With a jawbone of a donkey
I have slain a thousand men."
17 When he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone away
and called that place Ramath Lehi.
18 He was very thirsty, and he called out to the Lord,
"You gave this great deliverance through Your servant,
but now may I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?"
19 (Ge 45:27) So God split open the basin at Lehi, and water flowed out
of it. He drank, was refreshed, and revived. Because of this he called
the place En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.
20 (Jdg 13:1; 16:31) Samson judged Israel for twenty years
in the days of the Philistines.
Judges 15
[1] But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest,
that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my
wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
[2] And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her;
therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than
she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
[3] And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the
Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
[4] And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and
turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
[5] And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing
corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing
corn, with the vineyards and olives.
[6] Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered,
Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and
given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and
her father with fire.
[7] And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be
avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
[8] And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down
and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
[9] Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread
themselves in Lehi.
[10] And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they
answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
[11] Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and
said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us?
what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did
unto me, so have I done unto them.
[12] And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may
deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them,
Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
[13] And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and
deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they
bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
[14] And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and
the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon
his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from
off his hands.
[15] And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took
it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
[16] And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the
jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
[17] And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast
away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.
[18] And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast
given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I
die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
[19] But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water
thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:
wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this
day.
[20] And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 April 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/04/02/building-barns
entitled Built Together to Serve
1 Corinthians 12:18-30
18 (1Co 12:11; 12:28) But now God has established the parts,
every one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 So there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you,"
nor the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 No, those parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those parts of the body which we think are less honorable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honor. And our less respectable
parts are treated with much more respect,
24 whereas our more respectable parts have no need of this.
But God has composed the body, having given more abundant honour
to that part which lacks it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body,
but that the parts should have the same care for one another.
26 (Ro 12:15) If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it,
and if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
27 (Ro 12:5; Eph 1:23) Now you are the body of Christ
and members individually.
28 (Heb 13:17; 13:24) God has put these in the church:
first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it
hath pleased him.
[19] And if they were all one member, where were the body?
[20] But now are they many members, yet but one body.
[21] And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again
the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
[22] Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble,
are necessary:
[23] And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more
abundant comeliness.
[24] For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body
together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
[25] That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should
have the same care one for another.
[26] And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one
member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
[27] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
[28] And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
[29] Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers
of miracles?
[30] Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all
interpret?
In rural Amish culture, the building of a barn is a social event. It would
take months for a single farmer and his family to construct a barn, but
the Amish, doing it together, make quick work of it. Lumber is stocked
ahead of time; tools are prepped. On the designated day, the entire Amish
community gathers early, divvies up tasks, and together pitches
in to raise a barn-sometimes in a single day.
This is a good picture of God's vision for the church and our role in it.
The Bible says, “Now you are the body of Christ
and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 ). God has equipped each
of us differently and divvied up tasks in which we each do our
"own special work" as part of a body "fit together perfectly"
(Ephesians 4:16 nlt). In community, we're encouraged to
"carry each other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).
Yet too often we go it alone. We keep our needs to ourselves, wanting control
of our circumstance. Or we fail to reach out and help shoulder the weight
of someone else's need. But God longs for us to connect with others. He
knows beautiful things happen when we ask for others' help
and pray for others' needs.
Only by depending on one another can we experience what God h
as for us and accomplish His amazing plan for our lives-like
building a barn in a day.
By: Kenneth Petersen
Reflect & Pray
What keeps you from sharing your needs with others?
What can you do today to reach out to someone else
and help shoulder their burden?
Loving God, I know I'm sometimes so private that
I shut others out of my life. Help me to reach out and invite them in.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 4 - The Blessings of Grace Day 7 God's Bulldozer - Luke 3:5-6
5 (Isa 40:4; 42:16) Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
and the crooked shall be made straight
and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 (Isa 40:5; 52:10) and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
And every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
And the crooked shall be made straight,
And the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
When a new highway is being constructed, the roads crew work hard
in preparing for the new surface to be laid. Giant bulldozers cut through
the hillsides, moving earth, leveling, filling, evening the path out where
the roadway will run. When the work is first begun, if often looks like chaos:
and even after the highway begins to take shape, the land is still ugly,
scarred by the unsightly gashes cut through the landscape. Yet after
the work is completed and the grass and trees are replanted, we forget
the temporary upheaval and see only the
beauty of the land and the convenience of the new roadway.
In Luke 3:5-6, John the Baptist presents a prophecy of the coming of Christ,
a prophecy quoted from Isaiah 40:3-5 . The prophecy speaks of the preparation
of the world for the coming Messiah, but is also applies to the preparation
of the individual heart to receive him.
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit must do major work in our hearts to prepare us for
the coming of Christ into our live. Like a bulldozer, he brings down the
mountains of pride in our lives. He fill the empty places , corrects
the crooked, grades down the rough edges of our hearts.
Often this is not pleasant work. We prefer to maintain the rugged landscape
of Self, and we do not like the ugly scars that are left after the bulldozer
has done its job.
But if we submit to the Spirit's "Construction work" in us, the way will be
paved for the Lord to enter into our lives, and others will see in us,
the way be paved for the Lord to enter into our lives, and other will see
in us the glory and salvation of our God.
Application
a) What "construction work" has to Holy Spirit done in me?
b) What restoration has taken place because of that work?
c) How do today's verses help me put in perspective the work
God still want to do in me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
2 Cor 9:6
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Worried Over Money
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
that we can carry nothing out.
8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these things.
9 But those who desire
to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish
and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil.
While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
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?)
Manitoba
Quick facts on Muslims in Manitoba
Manitoba 2015 population 1 282 000
est Muslim Population 21 349
CNMM Networks: Winnipeg
The Muslim population of Manitoba, understandably centred in Winnipeg, is very
diverse and represents some 48 different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Conservative estimates put their number at 21000 , with some suggesting
it might be twice that size.
Some outreach among Muslims has started, yet in comparison to the size
of this community, there is the need and opportunity for far more engagement.
Continued influx of new immigrants and refugees continues to see the growth
of this Muslim centre in Manitoba.
We rejoice in the Arabic fellowship meeting there and the energetic workers
among Muslims in Winnipeg.
Let us intercede in unity for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Adding further
https://www.30daysprayer.com/pages/flames-of-faith-flicker-across-afghanistan/
Flames of Faith Flicker Across Afghanistan
"Do NOT go to the airport now. Stay put!" This directive from Ahmad's foreign
contact may have saved him and his family. Having traveled several hours to
Kabul, Ahmad and his relatives were desperate to board a flight - any flight -
out of Afghanistan. The Taliban was now a formidable presence in Kabul, and,
perhaps more concerning, ISIS had been rumored to be in the vicinity as well.
These rumours, of course, turned out to be true. ISIS militants detonated a
bomb, killing dozens outside the airport. Ahmad's foreign contact had received
intel that this was a possibility and warned the family to stay clear in time.
Months have passed, and, as of this article, Ahmad's family is still in
Afghanistan and remains in danger of being found by the Taliban. This new
regime is searching for anyone who may have partnered with the United States,
which members of Ahmad's family did.
But the Taliban isn't limiting their search to American allies.
It is also searching for followers of Jesus.
Some workers in Afghanistan persevere as faithful Gospel witnesses to locals
through a combination of creativity, courage, and discretion. They spread the
Good News of Jesus Christ to Afghan Muslims via literature, orality,
and social media.
Prior to the American withdrawal, the number of Afghan groups gathering to
study the Bible grew steadily, and reports said a Gospel witness existed in
each of the 34 provinces across the country. The remnant of believers
throughout this land is bold and courageous. They are ready to face
persecution.
Pray that God would give believers in Afghanistan the strength to endure
persecution and courage to share the Gospel.
Ask God to provide greater access to His Word, stirring the hearts of more
believers to enter the harvest in Afghanistan (Matthew 9:35-38).
{
The Compassion of Jesus
35 (Mt 4:23-24) Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 (Mk 6:34; Nu 27:17; Mt 14:14) But when He saw the crowds,
He was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted
and were scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 (Lk 10:2) Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful,
but the laborers are few.
38 (2Th 3:1) Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest,
that He will send out laborers into His harvest."
[35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people.
[36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them,
because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no
shepherd.
[37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but
the labourers are few;
[38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest.
}
Pray that persecuted believers would experience God’s presence, peace,
provision, and emotional healing.
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
2nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians (
Rom 10:14-15 -
14 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 I 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!"
[14] 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] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things!
)
b) Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision,wisdom
and direction. (
Jer 33:3
- Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you
great and mighty things which you do not know.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee
great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray not to look outside the Faith for solutions.
Pray to the Lord: "Loving God, I know I'm sometimes so private that
I shut others out of my life. Help me to reach out and invite them in."
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to clean you up.
Pray to the Lord and pray to reap bountifully.
Pray to the Lord and pray to put your trust in Him.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Ask God to provide greater access to His Word, stirring the hearts of more
believers to enter the harvest in Afghanistan
Pray that persecuted believers would experience God’s presence, peace,
provision, and emotional healing.
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all
Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision, wisdom
and direction.
Pray that Christians in China will remain faithful to Christ
under all circumstances.
1) Judges 11:29 - 40
29 (Jdg 3:10; Nu 11:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah
and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and passed through
Mizpah of Gilead, and went on to the Ammonites.
30 (Ge 28:20; 1Sa 1:11) Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, "If You will indeed
give the Ammonites into my hands,
31 (1Sa 1:28) then whatever comes out from the door of my house
to meet me, when I return safely from the Ammonites, will surely
be the Lord's, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering."
32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to wage war
against them, and the Lord gave them into his hands.
33 (Eze 27:17) He struck them down from Aroer to Minnith, twenty cities,
and as far as Abel Keramim. The defeat was very severe, and the Ammonites
were humbled before the children of Israel.
34 (Ex 15:20; Jer 31:4) When Jephthah went to his house at Mizpah, there was
his daughter coming out to meet him, dancing with a tambourine.
She was his only child. Other than her, he had neither son nor daughter.
35 When he saw her, he ripped up his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter!
You have brought utter disaster to me. You are my undoing,
for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back."
36 (2Sa 18:19) She said to him, "My father, you have opened
your mouth to the Lord. Do to me what has come out of your mouth,
because the Lord worked vengeance upon your enemies, the Ammonites."
37 (Lk 1:25) Then she said to her father, "Let this be done for me:
Give me two months, and I and my friends will wander the hill country
and mourn over my virginity."
38 He said, "Go," and he sent her away for two months.
She and her friends went and mourned over her virginity in the hill country.
39 (Jdg 11:31) At the end of two months she returned to her father,
and he did to her according to the vow that he had made.
She had not ever slept with a man.
So it became a custom in Israel
40 that the women of Israel would commemorate the daughter
of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days each year.
[29] Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over
Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of
Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
[30] And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without
fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
[31] Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house
to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely
be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
[32] So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against
them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
[33] And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even
twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of
Israel.
[34] And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter
came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only
child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
[35] And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and
said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of
them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot
go back.
[36] And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto
the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;
forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even
of the children of Ammon.
[37] And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me
alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail
my virginity, I and my fellows.
[38] And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with
her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
[39] And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto
her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and
she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
[40] That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of
Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
JUDGES 12
Jephthah and Ephraim
1 (Jdg 8:1) The men of Ephraim gathered together and crossed over to Zaphon.
They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to wage war with the Ammonites
and not call us to go with you? We will burn down your house right on top
of you."
2 J ephthah said to them, "My people and I were in a very great conflict
with the Ammonites. I called you, but you did not save me from their hands.
3 (1Sa 19:5; 28:21) When I saw that you were not going to save me, I took my
life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites.
Then the Lord gave them into my hands. Now why have you come
up to me today to wage war against me?"
4 (1Sa 25:10) Then Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and fought
with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim down, for they had said,
"You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in Ephraim and Manasseh."
5 (Jdg 3:28; Jos 22:11) Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan River leading
to Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive would say, "Let me cross,"
the Gileadite men would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"
6 then they would say to him, "Say, 'Shibboleth'!" Yet he would say,
"Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would
grab him and kill him at the Jordan fords.
During that time 42000 from Ephraim fell.
7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When Jephthah the Gileadite died,
he was buried among the cities of Gilead.
[1] And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward,
and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the
children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine
house upon thee with fire.
[2] And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with
the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of
their hands.
[3] And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and
passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into
my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against
me?
[4] Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with
Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye
Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the
Manassites.
[5] And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites:
and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me
go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he
said, Nay;
[6] Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for
he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him
at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites
forty and two thousand.
[7] And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite,
and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 He had thirty sons, and he gave thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan;
and he brought thirty daughters from outside for his sons.
He judged Israel for seven years.
10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel.
He judged Israel for ten years.
12 Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14 (Jdg 5:10; 10:4) He had forty sons and thirty grandsons
who rode seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
15 (Jdg 5:14) Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon
in the land of Ephraim, in the Amalekite hill country.
[8] And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
[9] And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and
took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel
seven years.
[10] Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
[11] And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel
ten years.
[12] And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country
of Zebulun.
[13] And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
[14] And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and
ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
[15] And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in
Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
JUDGES 13
The Birth of Samson
1 ()Jdg 2:11; 1Sa 12:9) Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight
of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines
for forty years.
2 (Jos 19:41; 15:33) There was a certain man from Zorah,
from the tribe of Dan. His name was Manoah. His wife was infertile
and had borne no children.
3 (Lk 1:13; Jdg 6:11-12) The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman
and said to her, "Indeed, you are infertile and have borne no childen,
yet you will conceive and bear a son.
4 (Nu 6:2-3; Jdg 13:14) Now be careful, I pray, that you drink no wine
or strong drink and that you do not eat anything ritually unclean.
5 (Nu 6:5; 1Sa 1:11) For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor may
touch his head, for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb.
He will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines."
6 (Jdg 13:17-18; Dt 33:1) Then the woman went to her husband and said,
"A man of God came to me. He looked like a very fearsome angel of God.
I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name.
7 He said to me, 'You will conceive and bear a son. So now, do not drink
wine or strong drink, and do not eat anything ritually unclean,
for the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day he dies.' "
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord, "O my Lord, let the man of God whom
You sent come again to us, so that he can teach us what we should do
for the boy who will be born."
9 God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again
to the woman. She was sitting in the field;
but her husband Manoah was not with her.
10 The woman hurried and ran to tell her husband,
"The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me."
11 So Manoah got up and went after his wife.
He came to the man and said to him,
"Are you the man who spoke to my wife?"
He said, "I am."
12 Then Manoah said, "Now may your words come true! What will be the boy's way
of life and his work?"
13 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "Your wife must observe everything
that I said to her.
14 (Jdg 13:4) She must not consume anything that grows on the vine.
She must not drink wine or strong drink, and she must not eat anything
ritually unclean. She must observe everything that I commanded her."
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "Please let us detain you,
and let us prepare a young goat for you."
16 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, "If I stay, I will not eat your
food, but if you want to make an offering to the Lord, you should offer it."
(For Manoah did not know that he was an angel of the Lord.)
17 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, "What is your name,
so that we can honor you when your words come true?"
18 (Ge 32:29; Isa 9:6) The angel of the Lord said to him,
"Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful."
19 (Jdg 6:19-21) Manoah took the young goat and the grain offering
and offered them to the Lord upon a rock. Then he did a wondrous
thing while Manoah and his wife watched.
20 (Lev 9:24; 1Ch 21:16) When the flame went up from the altar
toward the heavens, the angel of the Lord went up in the flames
from the altar. Seeing this, Manoah and his wife fell face down on the ground.
21 (Jdg 6:22) The angel of the Lord did not appear again to Manoah
and his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.
22 (Ge 32:30; Dt 5:26) Manoah said to his wife,
"We are certainly going to die, for we have seen God."
23 (Ps 25:14) Yet his wife said to him, "If the Lord wanted to kill us,
He would not have taken the burnt offering and grain offering from us.
He would not have shown us these things, nor let us hear things such
as these at this time."
24 (1Sa 3:19; Lk 1:80) So the woman bore a son, and she called him Samson.
The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him.
25 (Jdg 3:10; Jos 15:33) The Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him
at Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 13
[1] And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and
the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
[2] And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites,
whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.
[3] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her,
Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and
bear a son.
[4] Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink,
and eat not any unclean thing:
[5] For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no rasor shall come on
his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he
shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
[6] Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto
me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very
terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:
[7] But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and
now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the
child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.
[8] Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God
which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto
the child that shall be born.
[9] And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came
again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not
with her.
[10] And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said
unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other
day.
[11] And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and
said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I
am.
[12] And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the
child, and how shall we do unto him?
[13] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the
woman let her beware.
[14] She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her
drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded
her let her observe.
[15] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain
thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.
[16] And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I
will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou
must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the
LORD.
[17] And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when
thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
[18] And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my
name, seeing it is secret?
[19] So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock
unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked
on.
[20] For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the
altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And
Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
[21] But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife.
Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.
[22] And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have
seen God.
[23] But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he
would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands,
neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time
have told us such things as these.
[24] And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child
grew, and the LORD blessed him.
[25] And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of
Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
JUDGES 14
Samson's Wedding
1 (Ge 38:12-13; Jos 15:10) Samson went down to Timnah
and saw a woman from the daughters of the Philistines.
2 (Ge 34:4; 21:21) He came back up and told his father and mother,
"I have seen a woman in Timnah from the daughters of the Philistines;
now get her for me as a wife."
3 (Jdg 15:18; 1Sa 14:6) His father and mother said to him,
"Are there no women among your relatives, or all of our people,
that you are intending to take a wife
from among the uncircumcised Philistines?"
Yet Samson said to his father, "Get her for me, for she pleases me well."
4 (Jos 11:20; Jdg 13:1) His father and mother did not know that this was
from the Lord, for He was seeking an opportunity to act against the Philistines.
At that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.
5 Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah.
As they came to the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young
lion came roaring toward him.
6 (Jdg 3:10; 13:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily
upon him, and though unarmed, he tore the lion in two as one might
tear a young goat in two. However, he did not tell his father and his mother
what he had done.
7 So Samson went down and spoke with the woman, and she pleased Samson.
8 After a while, when he returned to take her, he turned aside to see
the carcass of the lion. And a swarm of bees and honey were in the carcass
of the lion.
9 He scooped it out into his hands and ate it as he went along.
He came to his father and mother and gave some to them,
and they also ate. Yet he did not tell them he had scooped
the honey out of a lion's carcass.
10 Then his father went down to the woman. Samson put on a feast there,
for this is what young men would do.
11 When the Philistines saw him,
they brought thirty companions to be with him.
12 (Ge 45:22; Eze 17:2) Samson said to them, "Let me tell you a riddle.
If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast,
then I will find thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes to give you.
13 However, if you are not able to explain it to me, then you will give me
thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes."
They said to him, "Tell us your riddle, so we can hear it."
14 He said to them,
"Out of the eater came something to eat,
and out of the strong came something sweet."
They could not explain the riddle after three days.
15 (Jdg 15:6; 16:5) On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife,
"Trick your groom into telling us the riddle, or we will burn you
and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to steal
what we have? Is that not so?"
16 (Jdg 16:15) So Samson's wife wept all over him and said,
"You must hate me. You do not love me. You have told a riddle
to the young men and did not tell it to me."
Then he said to her, "I have not told it to my father and mother.
Why should I tell it to you?"
17 (Jdg 16:16) She wept on him for the seven days of the feast,
then on the seventh day he told it to her because she had nagged him.
Then she explained the riddle to her people.
18So on the seventh day before sunset, the men of the city said to Samson,
"What is sweeter than honey,
and what is stronger than a lion?"
Then he said to them,
"If you had not plowed with my heifer,
you would not have solved my riddle."
19 (Jdg 3:10; 13:25) Then the Spirit of the Lord mightily came upon him,
and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty of their men.
He took their clothes and gave them to the ones who had explained the riddle.
His anger burned and he went up to his father's house.
20 (Jdg 15:2; Jn 3:29) So Samson's wife was given to his companion,
who had been his best man.
Judges 14
[1] And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the
daughters of the Philistines.
[2] And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have
seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore
get her for me to wife.
[3] Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman
among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest
to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his
father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
[4] But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he
sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines
had dominion over Israel.
[5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and
came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against
him.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he
would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his
father or his mother what he had done.
[7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson
well.
[8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the
carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the
carcase of the lion.
[9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his
father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them
that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
[10] So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast;
for so used the young men to do.
[11] And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty
companions to be with him.
[12] And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if
ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find
it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
[13] But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and
thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle,
that we may hear it.
[14] And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the
riddle.
[15] And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's
wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we
burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that
we have? is it not so?
[16] And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and
lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people,
and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my
father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?
[17] And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and
it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore
upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.
[18] And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun
went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And
he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out
my riddle.
[19] And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon,
and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of
garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled,
and he went up to his father's house.
[20] But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used as his
friend.
JUDGES 15
Samson's Revenge
1 (Ge 38:17) After a while, during the wheat harvest, Samson went to
visit his wife, taking a young goat. He said, "I'm going in to my wife
in her bedroom," but her father would not let him go in.
2 (Jdg 14:20) Her father said, "I thought that you thoroughly hated her,
so I gave her to your best man. Is not her younger sister better than she?
Please, let her be your wife instead."
3 Samson said to them, "This time I cannot be blamed by the Philistines
when I do them harm."
4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes. He took torches
and turned the foxes tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails.
5 He set fire to the torches and sent the foxes into standing grain
of the Philistines. He burned the harvested grain, standing grain,
vineyards, and olive trees.
6 (Jdg 14:15) The Philistines asked, "Who did this?" They said,
"Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because the Timnite
took the bride of Samson and gave her to his best man."
So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father with fire.
7 Samson said to them, "Because you have done this, I will take revenge
on you, and afterwards I will stop."
8 He struck them down with a mighty blow,
then went to live in a cave in Etam Rock.
9 (Jdg 15:17; 15:19) Then the Philistines went up and set up camp in Judah.
They deployed against Lehi.
10 The men of Judah said, "Why have you come up against us?"
They said, "It is to take Samson prisoner that we have come up,
to do to him what he did to us."
11 (Jdg 13:1; 14:4) So three thousand men from Judah went to the cave
in Etam Rock and said to Samson, "Do you not know that the Philistines
are ruling us? Why have you done this to us?"
He said to them, "As they did to me, so I have done to them."
12 They said to him, "We have come to take you prisoner,
to give you into the hands of the Philistines."
Samson said to them, "Swear to me that you will not attack me."
13 They said to him, "No, we will bind you securely and give
you into their hands, but we will not kill you." They bound him
with two new ropes and took him away from the rock.
14 (Jdg 14:19; 3:10) He came to Lehi, and the Philistines shouted
as they approached him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.
The ropes on his arms became like burned flax and the ties
on his hands dissolved.
15 (Lev 26:8; Jos 23:10) Then he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey,
reached out his hand and took it, and with it struck down a thousand men.
16Samson said,
"With a jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps.
With a jawbone of a donkey
I have slain a thousand men."
17 When he finished speaking, he threw the jawbone away
and called that place Ramath Lehi.
18 He was very thirsty, and he called out to the Lord,
"You gave this great deliverance through Your servant,
but now may I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?"
19 (Ge 45:27) So God split open the basin at Lehi, and water flowed out
of it. He drank, was refreshed, and revived. Because of this he called
the place En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.
20 (Jdg 13:1; 16:31) Samson judged Israel for twenty years
in the days of the Philistines.
Judges 15
[1] But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest,
that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my
wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
[2] And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her;
therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than
she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
[3] And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the
Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.
[4] And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and
turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails.
[5] And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing
corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing
corn, with the vineyards and olives.
[6] Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered,
Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and
given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and
her father with fire.
[7] And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be
avenged of you, and after that I will cease.
[8] And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down
and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
[9] Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread
themselves in Lehi.
[10] And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they
answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.
[11] Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and
said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us?
what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did
unto me, so have I done unto them.
[12] And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may
deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them,
Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
[13] And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and
deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they
bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
[14] And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and
the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon
his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from
off his hands.
[15] And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took
it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
[16] And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the
jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
[17] And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast
away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.
[18] And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast
given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I
die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
[19] But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water
thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:
wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this
day.
[20] And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.
2) Our Daily Bread for 2 April 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/04/02/building-barns
entitled Built Together to Serve
1 Corinthians 12:18-30
18 (1Co 12:11; 12:28) But now God has established the parts,
every one of them, in the body as it has pleased Him.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 So there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you,"
nor the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 No, those parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those parts of the body which we think are less honorable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honor. And our less respectable
parts are treated with much more respect,
24 whereas our more respectable parts have no need of this.
But God has composed the body, having given more abundant honour
to that part which lacks it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body,
but that the parts should have the same care for one another.
26 (Ro 12:15) If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it,
and if one part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
27 (Ro 12:5; Eph 1:23) Now you are the body of Christ
and members individually.
28 (Heb 13:17; 13:24) God has put these in the church:
first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it
hath pleased him.
[19] And if they were all one member, where were the body?
[20] But now are they many members, yet but one body.
[21] And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again
the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
[22] Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble,
are necessary:
[23] And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable,
upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more
abundant comeliness.
[24] For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body
together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
[25] That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should
have the same care one for another.
[26] And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one
member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
[27] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
[28] And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
[29] Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers
of miracles?
[30] Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all
interpret?
In rural Amish culture, the building of a barn is a social event. It would
take months for a single farmer and his family to construct a barn, but
the Amish, doing it together, make quick work of it. Lumber is stocked
ahead of time; tools are prepped. On the designated day, the entire Amish
community gathers early, divvies up tasks, and together pitches
in to raise a barn-sometimes in a single day.
This is a good picture of God's vision for the church and our role in it.
The Bible says, “Now you are the body of Christ
and members individually.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 ). God has equipped each
of us differently and divvied up tasks in which we each do our
"own special work" as part of a body "fit together perfectly"
(Ephesians 4:16 nlt). In community, we're encouraged to
"carry each other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).
Yet too often we go it alone. We keep our needs to ourselves, wanting control
of our circumstance. Or we fail to reach out and help shoulder the weight
of someone else's need. But God longs for us to connect with others. He
knows beautiful things happen when we ask for others' help
and pray for others' needs.
Only by depending on one another can we experience what God h
as for us and accomplish His amazing plan for our lives-like
building a barn in a day.
By: Kenneth Petersen
Reflect & Pray
What keeps you from sharing your needs with others?
What can you do today to reach out to someone else
and help shoulder their burden?
Loving God, I know I'm sometimes so private that
I shut others out of my life. Help me to reach out and invite them in.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 4 - The Blessings of Grace Day 7 God's Bulldozer - Luke 3:5-6
5 (Isa 40:4; 42:16) Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
and the crooked shall be made straight
and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 (Isa 40:5; 52:10) and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
And every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
And the crooked shall be made straight,
And the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
When a new highway is being constructed, the roads crew work hard
in preparing for the new surface to be laid. Giant bulldozers cut through
the hillsides, moving earth, leveling, filling, evening the path out where
the roadway will run. When the work is first begun, if often looks like chaos:
and even after the highway begins to take shape, the land is still ugly,
scarred by the unsightly gashes cut through the landscape. Yet after
the work is completed and the grass and trees are replanted, we forget
the temporary upheaval and see only the
beauty of the land and the convenience of the new roadway.
In Luke 3:5-6, John the Baptist presents a prophecy of the coming of Christ,
a prophecy quoted from Isaiah 40:3-5 . The prophecy speaks of the preparation
of the world for the coming Messiah, but is also applies to the preparation
of the individual heart to receive him.
Sometimes, the Holy Spirit must do major work in our hearts to prepare us for
the coming of Christ into our live. Like a bulldozer, he brings down the
mountains of pride in our lives. He fill the empty places , corrects
the crooked, grades down the rough edges of our hearts.
Often this is not pleasant work. We prefer to maintain the rugged landscape
of Self, and we do not like the ugly scars that are left after the bulldozer
has done its job.
But if we submit to the Spirit's "Construction work" in us, the way will be
paved for the Lord to enter into our lives, and others will see in us,
the way be paved for the Lord to enter into our lives, and other will see
in us the glory and salvation of our God.
Application
a) What "construction work" has to Holy Spirit done in me?
b) What restoration has taken place because of that work?
c) How do today's verses help me put in perspective the work
God still want to do in me?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
2 Cor 9:6
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Worried Over Money
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
that we can carry nothing out.
8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these things.
9 But those who desire
to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish
and harmful lusts, which drown men in ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil.
While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain
we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
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?)
Manitoba
Quick facts on Muslims in Manitoba
Manitoba 2015 population 1 282 000
est Muslim Population 21 349
CNMM Networks: Winnipeg
The Muslim population of Manitoba, understandably centred in Winnipeg, is very
diverse and represents some 48 different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
Conservative estimates put their number at 21000 , with some suggesting
it might be twice that size.
Some outreach among Muslims has started, yet in comparison to the size
of this community, there is the need and opportunity for far more engagement.
Continued influx of new immigrants and refugees continues to see the growth
of this Muslim centre in Manitoba.
We rejoice in the Arabic fellowship meeting there and the energetic workers
among Muslims in Winnipeg.
Let us intercede in unity for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Adding further
https://www.30daysprayer.com/pages/flames-of-faith-flicker-across-afghanistan/
Flames of Faith Flicker Across Afghanistan
"Do NOT go to the airport now. Stay put!" This directive from Ahmad's foreign
contact may have saved him and his family. Having traveled several hours to
Kabul, Ahmad and his relatives were desperate to board a flight - any flight -
out of Afghanistan. The Taliban was now a formidable presence in Kabul, and,
perhaps more concerning, ISIS had been rumored to be in the vicinity as well.
These rumours, of course, turned out to be true. ISIS militants detonated a
bomb, killing dozens outside the airport. Ahmad's foreign contact had received
intel that this was a possibility and warned the family to stay clear in time.
Months have passed, and, as of this article, Ahmad's family is still in
Afghanistan and remains in danger of being found by the Taliban. This new
regime is searching for anyone who may have partnered with the United States,
which members of Ahmad's family did.
But the Taliban isn't limiting their search to American allies.
It is also searching for followers of Jesus.
Some workers in Afghanistan persevere as faithful Gospel witnesses to locals
through a combination of creativity, courage, and discretion. They spread the
Good News of Jesus Christ to Afghan Muslims via literature, orality,
and social media.
Prior to the American withdrawal, the number of Afghan groups gathering to
study the Bible grew steadily, and reports said a Gospel witness existed in
each of the 34 provinces across the country. The remnant of believers
throughout this land is bold and courageous. They are ready to face
persecution.
Pray that God would give believers in Afghanistan the strength to endure
persecution and courage to share the Gospel.
Ask God to provide greater access to His Word, stirring the hearts of more
believers to enter the harvest in Afghanistan (Matthew 9:35-38).
{
The Compassion of Jesus
35 (Mt 4:23-24) Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 (Mk 6:34; Nu 27:17; Mt 14:14) But when He saw the crowds,
He was moved with compassion for them, because they fainted
and were scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.
37 (Lk 10:2) Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful,
but the laborers are few.
38 (2Th 3:1) Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest,
that He will send out laborers into His harvest."
[35] And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people.
[36] But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them,
because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no
shepherd.
[37] Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but
the labourers are few;
[38] Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest.
}
Pray that persecuted believers would experience God’s presence, peace,
provision, and emotional healing.
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
2nd Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all Canadians (
Rom 10:14-15 -
14 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 I 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!"
[14] 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] And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things!
)
b) Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision,wisdom
and direction. (
Jer 33:3
- Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you
great and mighty things which you do not know.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee
great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray not to look outside the Faith for solutions.
Pray to the Lord: "Loving God, I know I'm sometimes so private that
I shut others out of my life. Help me to reach out and invite them in."
Pray to the Lord and pray for Him to clean you up.
Pray to the Lord and pray to reap bountifully.
Pray to the Lord and pray to put your trust in Him.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- new Christian workers among Manitoba's growing Muslim population
- new church ministries focused on prayer, equipping and reaching Muslim
communities around them, as well as training new workers
- the Arabic fellowship and their ministries of discipling new Muslim
background believers and for effectiveness in outreach
- for the recent Somali woman who found faith in Jesus and stood her ground
in the face of opposition to her new faith.
- for current workers among Muslims to be blessed, refreshed and encouraged
with great support
Ask God to provide greater access to His Word, stirring the hearts of more
believers to enter the harvest in Afghanistan
Pray that persecuted believers would experience God’s presence, peace,
provision, and emotional healing.
Pray for the Church to make the Gospel accessible to all
Pray that Christian Leaders would seek God's heart for vision, wisdom
and direction.
Pray that Christians in China will remain faithful to Christ
under all circumstances.
Trackbacks
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as Linear | Threaded