Day 105 of the 2nd Bible Study Journey - 15 Apr 2022 reflections
Day 105, 15 Apr 2022 Happy Crucifixion Friday This Christian Passover
1) 1 Samuel 23:13-29
Psalm 54
1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 25
1 SAMUEL 23
13 (1Sa 22:2; 25:13) So David and his men, which were about six hundred,
arose and left Keilah. And they went wherever they could go.
Now it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah.
So he halted the expedition.
14 (Ps 54:3-4; Jos 15:24) And David remained in the wilderness
in strongholds, and dwelled in mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph.
Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15 Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.
And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
16 (Ne 2:18) Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David at Horesh.
And he strengthened his hand in God.
17 (1Sa 20:31; 24:20) He said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul
my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel,
and I will be next to you. Saul my father knows this."
18 (1Sa 18:3; 20:42) The two of them made a covenant before the Lord.
And David stayed in Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
19 (1Sa 26:1; 26:3; Ps 54:1–7) Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah
saying, "Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh,
on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20 (1Sa 23:12) Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of
your soul to come down. And our part will be
to deliver him into the king's hand."
21 (1Sa 22:8) Saul said, "Blessed are you of the Lord.
For you have had compassion on me.
22 Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot
rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me
that he is very cunning.
23 So look and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself.
And come to me with certainty, and I will go with you.
And it will be that if he is in the land,
then I will track him throughout all the clans of Judah."
24 (Jos 15:55; 1Sa 25:2) So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul.
But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon,
in the desert south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul and his men went to seek him, but they told David.
Therefore he came down to the Rock, and lived in the Wilderness of Maon.
And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the Wilderness of Maon.
26 (Ps 17:9) Saul went on this side of the mountain and David
and his men on that side of the mountain. And David hurried to get away
from Saul. Now Saul and his men were closing in on David
and his men to capture them.
27 (2Ki 19:9) But a messenger came to Saul saying,
"Hurry and go! For the Philistines have invaded the land."
28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and he went against
the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.
29 (2Ch 20:2; Jos 15:62)David then went up from there and
lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
[13] Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and
departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was
told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
[14] And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a
mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God
delivered him not into his hand.
[15] And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in
the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
[16] And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and
strengthened his hand in God.
[17] And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall
not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto
thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
[18] And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the
wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
[19] Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah,
which is on the south of Jeshimon?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy
soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's
hand.
[21] And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
[22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilly.
[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he
hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go
with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
[24] And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men
were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
[25] Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore
he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul
heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
[26] And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on
that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of
Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take
them.
[27] But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for
the Philistines have invaded the land.
[28] Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the
Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
[29] And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.
PSALMS 54
For the Music Director. With stringed instruments.
A Contemplative Maskil of David, when the Ziphites
went and told Saul, "Is David not hiding among us?"
1 O God, save me by Your name,
and judge me by Your strength.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) O God, hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) For strangers rise up against me,
and formidable adversaries seek my life;
they do not set God before them. Selah
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) God is my helper;
the Lord is with those who support my life.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) He will repay my enemies for their evil.
In Your faithfulness, destroy them.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You;
I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
and my eye has looked down on my enemies.
Psalms 54
[1] Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
[2] Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
[3] For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my
soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
[4] Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
[5] He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
[6] I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for
it is good.
[7] For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his
desire upon mine enemies.
1 SAMUEL 24
David Spares Saul's Life
1 (1Sa 23:28-29; 23:19) When Saul had returned from following the Philistines,
it was reported to him, saying, "David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi."
2 (1Sa 26:2) Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel
and went to seek David and his men in front of the rocks of the wild goats.
3 (Jdg 3:24; Ps 57:1-11) He came to the sheep pens by the way and a cave
was there. And Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men
were sitting in the rear of the cave.
4 The men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the Lord
said to you, 'I am giving your enemy into your hand.
You may do with him as seems good in your eyes.'"
Then David arose and secretly cut off the corner of Saul's robe.
5 (2Sa 24:10) Afterward David's heart troubled him because he had cut off
a corner of Saul's robe.
6 He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing
to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him.
For he is anointed of the Lord."
7 (Ps 7:4) So David dispersed his men by these words and did not let
them rise against Saul. And Saul arose from the cave and went on his way.
8 (1Sa 25:23–24) David arose afterward and went out from the cave.
And he called after Saul saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked
behind him, David had bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage.
9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men saying,
'David seeks your harm'?
10 (1Sa 24:4) This day you have seen with your own eyes that the Lord
delivered you today into my hand in the cave. So that some said to kill you,
but my eye had compassion on you. And I said, 'I will not put forth my hand
against my lord, for he is anointed of the Lord.'
11 (1Sa 26:20; 23:14) See, my father! Look at the corner of your robe
in my hand. Indeed, I cut off the corner of your robe, but I did not kill you.
Observe and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand.
I have not sinned against you, but you are
lying in wait for my life to take it.
12 (Ge 16:5; Jdg 11:27) The Lord will judge between me and you,
and the Lord will avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you.
13 (Mt 7:16-18) As the proverb of the ancients says,
'From the wicked comes forth wickedness,' but my hand will not be against you.
14 (1Sa 26:20; 17:43) "After whom has the king of Israel come out?
After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? A single flea?
15 (1Sa 24:12; Ps 35:1) May the Lord be judge, and decide between me and you.
And may He see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."
16 (1Sa 26:17) When David finished speaking these words to Saul,
Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice
and wept.
17 (1Sa 26:21; Mt 5:44) And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I.
For you have rewarded me with good, while I have rewarded you with evil.
18 (1Sa 26:23) And you have shown today that you have dealt well with me,
when the Lord delivered me into your hand and you did not kill me.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him safely go away?
Therefore may the Lord reward you well for what you have done for me this day.
20 (1Sa 23:17) Now, listen, I know that you will surely be king
and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
21 (Ge 21:23; 2Sa 21:6-8) Therefore swear to me now by the Lord that you will
not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not
destroy my name out of my father's household."
22 (1Sa 23:29) So David swore to Saul and Saul went home.
But David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1 Samuel 24
[1] And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the
wilderness of En-gedi.
[2] Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to
seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
[3] And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul
went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of
the cave.
[4] And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD
said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that
thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and
cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
[5] And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he
had cut off Saul's skirt.
[6] And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing
unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him,
seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
[7] So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to
rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
[8] David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after
Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David
stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
[9] And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying,
Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
[10] Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered
thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine
eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord;
for he is the LORD's anointed.
[11] Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand:
for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not, know thou
and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I
have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
[12] The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but
mine hand shall not be upon thee.
[13] As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the
wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
[14] After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue?
after a dead dog, after a flea.
[15] The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see,
and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
[16] And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words
unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted
up his voice, and wept.
[17] And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast
rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
[18] And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me:
forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst
me not.
[19] For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore
the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
[20] And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
[21] Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my
seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's
house.
[22] And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men
gat them up unto the hold.
1 SAMUEL 25
Death of Samuel
1 (Nu 20:29; Dt 34:8) Now Samuel died. And all the children of Israel
gathered together and mourned him, and they buried him at his home
in Ramah. Then David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
David, Nabal, and Abigail
2 (Jos 15:55; 1Sa 23:24) Now there was a man in Maon whose work
was in Carmel. He was a rich man with three thousand sheep
and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3 The man's name was Nabal and the name of his wife Abigail.
She was a woman of good understanding and beautiful, but the man
was harsh and evil in his actions and he was a Calebite.
4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 So David sent out ten young men, and David said to the young men,
"Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.
6 (1Ch 12:18; Lk 10:5) And thus you will you say to him who lives
in prosperity, 'Peace be to you and peace to your house,
and to all that you have, peace.
7 (1Sa 25:21) " 'I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds
were with us. We did not harm them nor did they miss anything all the days
they were in Carmel.
8 (Est 9:19; Ne 8:10-12) Ask your young men and they will tell you.
Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come
on a good day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants,
and to your son David.' "
9 When David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according
to all these words in the name of David, then they waited.
10 (Jdg 9:28) And Nabal answered David's servants, and said,
"Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Today many servants
are breaking away each one from his master.
11 (Jdg 8:6) Should I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat,
that which I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men
whose origins are unknown?"
12 So David's young men turned themselves around and went back.
And they came and reported to him all these words.
13 (1Sa 23:13) David said to his men, "Each man strap on his sword."
And each man strapped on his sword. David also put on his sword,
and 400 men went up after David. But 200 stayed with the baggage.
14 Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "Listen,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master;
and he railed against them.
15 (1Sa 25:7; 25:21) But the men were very good to us,
and we were not harmed, nor did we miss anything,
all the days we went about with them in the field.
16 (Job 1:10; Ex 14:22) They were a wall to us both by night and day,
all the days we were with them keeping the flocks.
17 (1Sa 20:7; Dt 13:13) Now therefore know and consider what you will do,
for evil is determined against our master and against all his household.
He is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."
18 (2Sa 16:1) Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves,
two bottles of wine, five prepared sheep, five measures
[Likely about 60 pounds, or 27 kilograms.] of roasted grain,
a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs,
and she loaded them on donkeys.
19 (Ge 32:20; 32:16) And she said to her servants, "Go on before me.
See, I will be coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 And as she was riding on the donkey and going down into the cover
of the mountain, David and his men were coming down to meet her
and she met them.
21 (Pr 17:13) Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded
all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed
of all that belonged to him. And he has returned me evil for good.
22 (1Sa 3:17; 20:13) So may God do unto the enemies of David
and more also, if by morning I leave even one male of all who belong to him."
23 (1Sa 20:41; Jos 15:18) When Abigail saw David, she hurriedly got down from
the donkey and fell before David upon her face. And she bowed herself
to the ground.
24 (2Sa 14:9) So she fell at his feet and said, "Against me alone, my lord,
is the guilt. Please let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words
of your handmaid.
25 (1Sa 25:17) Please do not let my lord set his heart against
this worthless man, against Nabal. For as his name is, so is he.
Nabal is his name and folly is with him. But I, your handmaid,
did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26 (2Sa 18:32; Ge 20:6) Now my lord, as the Lord lives,
and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from coming
in bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand,
now let your enemies, and those seeking to do evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
27 (Ge 33:11; 1Sa 30:26) Now let this blessing which your maidservant
has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 (1Sa 18:17; 2Sa 7:11) "Please forgive the transgression of your handmaid,
for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights
the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.
29 (Jer 10:18) Even if a man rises to pursue you and to seek your life,
the life of my lord will be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord
your God. But the lives of your enemies He will sling out, as from
the hollow of a sling.
30 (1Sa 13:14) It will be, when the Lord does for my lord according to all
the good that He has spoken concerning you and has appointed you ruler
over Israel,
31 (Ge 40:14) that this will be no grief to you, nor an offense of heart to
my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord
has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord,
then remember your handmaid."
32 (Lk 1:68; Ge 24:27) David said to Abigail, :Blessed be the Lord,
God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.
33 (1Sa 25:26) And blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you
who have kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging
myself with my own hand.
34 For as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me
from injuring you, if you had not hurried to come and meet me,
surely there would not have been left even one male to Nabal
by the morning light."
35 (Ge 19:21; 1Sa 20:42) So David received from her hand
what she had brought him and said to her, "Go up in peace to your house.
See, I have obeyed your voice, and have granted your request."
36 (1Sa 25:19; 2Sa 13:23) Abigail came to Nabal, and he was feasting
in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart
was merry within him, for he was
very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.
37 But in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal,
his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him,
and he became as a stone.
38 (1Sa 26:10) And about ten days after that, the Lord struck Nabal
and he died.
39 (1Sa 25:26; 25:34) When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said,
"Blessed is the Lord, who has defended the cause of my reproach
from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil.
For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head."
And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her as his wife.
40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel,
they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you to take you as his wife."
41 (Ru 2:10) She arose, and bowed herself on her face to the ground,
and said, "Here is your handmaid, a servant to wash the feet of the servants
of my lord."
42 (Ge 24:61-67) Abigail hurriedly arose and rode on a donkey
with her five young women who attended her.
And she went after the messengers of David and became his wife.
43 (Jos 15:56; 1Sa 27:3) David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. So both of them
were his wives.
44 (1Sa 18:27; 2Sa 3:14) But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife,
to Paltiel the son of Laish who was from Gallim.
1 Samuel 25
[1] And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and
lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Paran.
[2] And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the
man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats:
and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
[3] Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and
she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but
the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of
Caleb.
[4] And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
[5] And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get
you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
[6] And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to
thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
[7] And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which
were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them,
all the while they were in Carmel.
[8] Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men
find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee,
whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
[9] And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all
those words in the name of David, and ceased.
[10] And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is
the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every
man from his master.
[11] Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have
killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they
be?
[12] So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and
told him all those sayings.
[13] And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they
girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there
went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the
stuff.
[14] But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he
railed on them.
[15] But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither
missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were
in the fields:
[16] They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were
with them keeping the sheep.
[17] Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is
determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such
a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
[18] Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles
of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn,
and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid
them on asses.
[19] And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after
you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
[20] And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert
of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she
met them.
[21] Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow
hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained
unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
[22] So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all
that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
[23] And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and
fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
[24] And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this
iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience,
and hear the words of thine handmaid.
[25] Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal:
for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but
I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
[26] Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that
seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
[27] And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord,
let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
[28] I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will
certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of
the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.
[29] Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul
of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and
the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of
a sling.
[30] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord
according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall
have appointed thee ruler over Israel;
[31] That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my
lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath
avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then
remember thine handmaid.
[32] And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which
sent thee this day to meet me:
[33] And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this
day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
[34] For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me
back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely
there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth
against the wall.
[35] So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said
unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice,
and have accepted thy person.
[36] And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,
like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was
very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the
morning light.
[37] But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of
Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within
him, and he became as a stone.
[38] And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal,
that he died.
[39] And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD,
that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath
kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of
Nabal upon his own head, And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take
her to him to wife.
[40] And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they
spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife.
[41] And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said,
Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of
my lord.
[42] And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels
of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and
became his wife.
[43] David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his
wives.
[44] But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son
of Laish, which was of Gallim.
2) Our Daily Bread for 15 April 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/04/15/simon-of-cyrene
entitled His Cross of Peace
Mark 15:16-24
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
Mt 27:27-31; Jn 19:2-3
16 (Jn 18:28; 19:9) The soldiers led Him away to Praetorium Hall,
and they called together the entire battalion.
17 (Lk 23:11) They clothed Him with a purple robe. And they wove a crown
of thorns and put it on His head,
18 and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
19 (Mk 14:65) They struck His head with a staff and spit on Him.
And bowing their knees, they worshipped Him.
20 When they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off of Him
and put His own garments on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
The Crucifixion
Mt 27:32-44; Lk 23:26-43; Jn 19:17-27
21 (Mt 27:32; Lk 23:26; Ro 16:13) They compelled a man named Simon
from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was passing
through from the country, to bear Jesus' cross.
22 (Mt 27:33-44) They brought Him to the place called Golgotha,
which means, "Place of a Skull."
23 (Mt 27:34) They gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink,
but He did not take it.
24 When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments,
casting lots for them, to decide what each man should take.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Prætorium; and they
call together the whole band.
17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put
it about his head,
18 and began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him,
and bowing their knees worshipped him.
20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of
the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted,
The place of a skull.
23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting
lots upon them, what every man should take.
Somber eyes peer out from the painting Simon of Cyrene by contemporary Dutch
artist Egbert Modderman. Simon’s eyes reveal the immense physical and
emotional burden of his responsibility. In the biblical account from Mark 15,
we learn that Simon was pulled from the watching crowd
and forced to carry Jesus' cross.
Mark tells us that Simon was from Cyrene, a big city in North Africa with
a large population of Jews during Jesus' time. Most likely Simon had journeyed
to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. There he found himself in the middle
of this unjust execution but was able to perform a small but meaningful act
of assistance to Jesus (Mark 15:21).
Earlier in the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells His followers, "Whoever wants
to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me" (8:34). On the road to Golgotha, Simon literally did what Jesus
figuratively asks His disciples to do: he took up the cross given to him
and carried it for Jesus' sake.
We too have "crosses" to bear: perhaps an illness, a challenging ministry
assignment, the loss of a loved one, or persecution for our faith. As we
carry these sufferings by faith, we point people to the sufferings of Jesus
and His sacrifice on the cross. It was His cross that gave us peace
with God and strength for our own journey.
By: Lisa M. Samra
Reflect & Pray
What "cross" have you been asked to carry?
How can you use this struggle to point others to Jesus?
Jesus, thank You that You understand and sympathise with the pain
I experience as I take up my cross and follow You.
Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 6 Reconciliation
2 Cor 5:18-19
18 All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins
against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.
When Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17 that we become a "new creation" in Christ
Jesus, the story does not end there. The verses following give us direction
for tht new life in Christ. "All This", Paul says, referring to the miracle of
new life in Christ, "is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."
Reconciliation means to bring back together what was once separated. Man was
separated from God by sin, and God took the initiative to reconcile man to
himself. Our "ministry of reconciliation" as Christians is twofold: to draw
others to the Lord and to work for reconciliation between individuals.
Reconciliation is the ultimate goal of forgiveness. God, through his grace ,
extends forgiveness to us when we are still sinners, unrepentant,
undeserving. When we respond, we come into reconciliation with him
and are brought back into oneness. Likewise, when we extend the grace
of forgiveness to another, we are set free by the act of forgiving, but we
hope that the ultimate outcome will be reconciliation.
God shows us the pattern: he is the wronged party, yet he does not wait for
the offender to come to him, hat in hand. He takes a bold initiative, offering
forgiveness freely with out regard to merit. The pattern applies to us;
as the new life in Christ takes hold of us, we must reach out, and reach,
and keep on reaching, breaking down the barriers, taking the risk of
rejection so that we may come to reconciliation.
Application
a) What barriers stand between me and reconciliation with another person?
b) How can I take a risk and reach out to offer forgiveness and
reconciliation to them?
c) What kind of attitude do I need to be a "minister of reconciliation"?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Philip 4:19
19 (Ro 2:4) But my God shall supply your every need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
19 But my God shall supply all your need according
to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Reconciling Peace
Ps 85:8-13
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints,
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Surely His salvation is near to them who fear Him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Truth springs from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord gives that which is good,
and our land shall yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him
and prepare a way for His footsteps.
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:
For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
But let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;
That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth;
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good;
And our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him;
And shall set us in the way of his steps.
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/dark-dreams-lead-bengali-man-to-the-light/
Dark Dreams Lead Bengali man to the Light
Millions of people come to Orlando, Florida, for a brief vacation. Mamud went
for a different reason: to escape his old life and start a new one. He now
operates a kiosk at a local shopping mall.
Mamud is no saint (in Bangladesh, he worked for a while as a hitman), but he
has a deep hunger for God. That's why a recurring dream he couldn't understand
was troubling his soul.
Even before the missionary team approached his kiosk that day, Mamud realized
that they were spiritual people. Once the team greeted him, he felt even more
at ease and was soon asking for their help interpreting his dream.
"In the dream, I'm standing outside a great mosque in Mecca. Mohammed was
inside the mosque. But I couldn't reach him whenever I tried to enter the
mosque. Then, the entire mosque would go dark inside."
The Holy Spirit guided the missionaries to tell Mamud about a different
door-a door opening to a place where anyone can enter, and the light never
goes out. One of the missionaries shared Jesus' words from
John 10:9:
9 (Jn 10:1; 14:6) I am the door. If anyone enters through Me,
he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,
and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Bengalis like Mamud are plentiful in many North American cities, including
New York, Houston, Detroit, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. And like Mamud,
many have never heard the Gospel.
You could be steps away from nearby mission fields. Use the Internet to
search for Bengalis in your city, Google Bengali businesses, restaurants,
and shops. Visit kiosks at the local mall.
When you find them, engage them in conversation. Keep your eyes open
to see the unreached around you and an open heart to love them as Jesus does.
Pray for Bengalis like Mamud, who have dreams about their spiritual needs.
Pray that Bengali Muslims meet believers who can share how Jesus can meet their greatest need.
Pray the words of John 10:10 over the Bengali Muslim population in North America.
10 (Jn 6:33; Heb 7:25) The thief does not come, except to steal and kill
and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Pray for believers in North America to show Christ’s love to Bengalis.
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
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
15th Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Lord to convict all Canadians of His Righteous
standards of living (John 16: 8 - 11
8 "When He comes, He will convict the world of sin
and of righteousness and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I am going to My Father,
and you will see Me no more;
11 and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned."
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
)
b) Pray for the province of Nova Scotia
I) Pray for the leaders of Nova Scotia, that God's Spirit would influence
them to act justly, serve with integrity and honour high moral standards.
( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty,
3(1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a merciful person
and Thank the Lord for His Timing.
Pray to the Lord: "Jesus, thank You that You understand
and sympathise with the pain
I experience as I take up my cross and follow You.
Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult."
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a minister of reconciliation.
Pray to the Lord and pray to recall that He will supply you with His needs.
Pray to the Lord and pray to recall we are part of His Creation.
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
Pray for Bengalis like Mamud, who have dreams about their spiritual needs.
Pray that Bengali Muslims meet believers who can share how Jesus can meet their greatest need.
Pray the words of John 10:10 over the Bengali Muslim population in North America.
Pray for believers in North America to show Christ’s love to Bengalis.
Pray continually for Sikhs to find Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Pray for the Lord to convict all Canadians of His Righteous
standards of living
Pray that Christian converts from Islam in Tanzania who suffer
greatly at the hands of family members.
1) 1 Samuel 23:13-29
Psalm 54
1 Samuel 24
1 Samuel 25
1 SAMUEL 23
13 (1Sa 22:2; 25:13) So David and his men, which were about six hundred,
arose and left Keilah. And they went wherever they could go.
Now it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah.
So he halted the expedition.
14 (Ps 54:3-4; Jos 15:24) And David remained in the wilderness
in strongholds, and dwelled in mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph.
Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.
15 Now David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life.
And David was in the Wilderness of Ziph in Horesh.
16 (Ne 2:18) Jonathan, the son of Saul, arose and went to David at Horesh.
And he strengthened his hand in God.
17 (1Sa 20:31; 24:20) He said to him, "Do not fear, for the hand of Saul
my father will not find you. You will be king over Israel,
and I will be next to you. Saul my father knows this."
18 (1Sa 18:3; 20:42) The two of them made a covenant before the Lord.
And David stayed in Horesh, but Jonathan went to his house.
19 (1Sa 26:1; 26:3; Ps 54:1–7) Then the Ziphites went up to Saul to Gibeah
saying, "Is David not hiding himself with us in strongholds in Horesh,
on the hill of Hakilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
20 (1Sa 23:12) Now, O king, come down according to all the desire of
your soul to come down. And our part will be
to deliver him into the king's hand."
21 (1Sa 22:8) Saul said, "Blessed are you of the Lord.
For you have had compassion on me.
22 Please go, make sure again. Investigate and see the place where his foot
rests, and who has seen him there. For it has been said to me
that he is very cunning.
23 So look and learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself.
And come to me with certainty, and I will go with you.
And it will be that if he is in the land,
then I will track him throughout all the clans of Judah."
24 (Jos 15:55; 1Sa 25:2) So they arose and went to Ziph before Saul.
But David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon,
in the desert south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul and his men went to seek him, but they told David.
Therefore he came down to the Rock, and lived in the Wilderness of Maon.
And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the Wilderness of Maon.
26 (Ps 17:9) Saul went on this side of the mountain and David
and his men on that side of the mountain. And David hurried to get away
from Saul. Now Saul and his men were closing in on David
and his men to capture them.
27 (2Ki 19:9) But a messenger came to Saul saying,
"Hurry and go! For the Philistines have invaded the land."
28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David, and he went against
the Philistines. Therefore they called that place the Rock of Escape.
29 (2Ch 20:2; Jos 15:62)David then went up from there and
lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
[13] Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and
departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was
told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
[14] And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a
mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God
delivered him not into his hand.
[15] And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in
the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
[16] And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and
strengthened his hand in God.
[17] And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall
not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto
thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
[18] And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the
wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
[19] Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah,
which is on the south of Jeshimon?
[20] Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy
soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's
hand.
[21] And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.
[22] Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilly.
[23] See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he
hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go
with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
[24] And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men
were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
[25] Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore
he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul
heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
[26] And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on
that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of
Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take
them.
[27] But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for
the Philistines have invaded the land.
[28] Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the
Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.
[29] And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.
PSALMS 54
For the Music Director. With stringed instruments.
A Contemplative Maskil of David, when the Ziphites
went and told Saul, "Is David not hiding among us?"
1 O God, save me by Your name,
and judge me by Your strength.
2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) O God, hear my prayer;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) For strangers rise up against me,
and formidable adversaries seek my life;
they do not set God before them. Selah
4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) God is my helper;
the Lord is with those who support my life.
5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) He will repay my enemies for their evil.
In Your faithfulness, destroy them.
6 (2Sa 17:22; Dt 3:8-9) I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You;
I will give thanks to Your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 (Ps 88:7; Jnh 2:3) For He has delivered me out of all trouble;
and my eye has looked down on my enemies.
Psalms 54
[1] Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
[2] Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
[3] For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my
soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
[4] Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
[5] He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
[6] I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for
it is good.
[7] For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his
desire upon mine enemies.
1 SAMUEL 24
David Spares Saul's Life
1 (1Sa 23:28-29; 23:19) When Saul had returned from following the Philistines,
it was reported to him, saying, "David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi."
2 (1Sa 26:2) Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel
and went to seek David and his men in front of the rocks of the wild goats.
3 (Jdg 3:24; Ps 57:1-11) He came to the sheep pens by the way and a cave
was there. And Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men
were sitting in the rear of the cave.
4 The men of David said to him, "This is the day of which the Lord
said to you, 'I am giving your enemy into your hand.
You may do with him as seems good in your eyes.'"
Then David arose and secretly cut off the corner of Saul's robe.
5 (2Sa 24:10) Afterward David's heart troubled him because he had cut off
a corner of Saul's robe.
6 He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing
to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him.
For he is anointed of the Lord."
7 (Ps 7:4) So David dispersed his men by these words and did not let
them rise against Saul. And Saul arose from the cave and went on his way.
8 (1Sa 25:23–24) David arose afterward and went out from the cave.
And he called after Saul saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked
behind him, David had bowed down with his face to the ground and paid homage.
9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men saying,
'David seeks your harm'?
10 (1Sa 24:4) This day you have seen with your own eyes that the Lord
delivered you today into my hand in the cave. So that some said to kill you,
but my eye had compassion on you. And I said, 'I will not put forth my hand
against my lord, for he is anointed of the Lord.'
11 (1Sa 26:20; 23:14) See, my father! Look at the corner of your robe
in my hand. Indeed, I cut off the corner of your robe, but I did not kill you.
Observe and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hand.
I have not sinned against you, but you are
lying in wait for my life to take it.
12 (Ge 16:5; Jdg 11:27) The Lord will judge between me and you,
and the Lord will avenge me on you, but my hand will not be against you.
13 (Mt 7:16-18) As the proverb of the ancients says,
'From the wicked comes forth wickedness,' but my hand will not be against you.
14 (1Sa 26:20; 17:43) "After whom has the king of Israel come out?
After whom are you pursuing? After a dead dog? A single flea?
15 (1Sa 24:12; Ps 35:1) May the Lord be judge, and decide between me and you.
And may He see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand."
16 (1Sa 26:17) When David finished speaking these words to Saul,
Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice
and wept.
17 (1Sa 26:21; Mt 5:44) And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I.
For you have rewarded me with good, while I have rewarded you with evil.
18 (1Sa 26:23) And you have shown today that you have dealt well with me,
when the Lord delivered me into your hand and you did not kill me.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him safely go away?
Therefore may the Lord reward you well for what you have done for me this day.
20 (1Sa 23:17) Now, listen, I know that you will surely be king
and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
21 (Ge 21:23; 2Sa 21:6-8) Therefore swear to me now by the Lord that you will
not cut off my descendants after me and that you will not
destroy my name out of my father's household."
22 (1Sa 23:29) So David swore to Saul and Saul went home.
But David and his men went up to the stronghold.
1 Samuel 24
[1] And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the
wilderness of En-gedi.
[2] Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to
seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
[3] And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul
went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of
the cave.
[4] And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD
said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that
thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and
cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
[5] And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he
had cut off Saul's skirt.
[6] And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing
unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him,
seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
[7] So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to
rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
[8] David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after
Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David
stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
[9] And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying,
Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
[10] Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered
thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine
eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord;
for he is the LORD's anointed.
[11] Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand:
for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not, know thou
and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I
have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
[12] The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but
mine hand shall not be upon thee.
[13] As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the
wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
[14] After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue?
after a dead dog, after a flea.
[15] The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see,
and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
[16] And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words
unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted
up his voice, and wept.
[17] And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast
rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
[18] And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me:
forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst
me not.
[19] For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore
the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
[20] And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that
the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
[21] Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my
seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's
house.
[22] And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men
gat them up unto the hold.
1 SAMUEL 25
Death of Samuel
1 (Nu 20:29; Dt 34:8) Now Samuel died. And all the children of Israel
gathered together and mourned him, and they buried him at his home
in Ramah. Then David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
David, Nabal, and Abigail
2 (Jos 15:55; 1Sa 23:24) Now there was a man in Maon whose work
was in Carmel. He was a rich man with three thousand sheep
and a thousand goats, and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3 The man's name was Nabal and the name of his wife Abigail.
She was a woman of good understanding and beautiful, but the man
was harsh and evil in his actions and he was a Calebite.
4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 So David sent out ten young men, and David said to the young men,
"Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.
6 (1Ch 12:18; Lk 10:5) And thus you will you say to him who lives
in prosperity, 'Peace be to you and peace to your house,
and to all that you have, peace.
7 (1Sa 25:21) " 'I have heard that you have shearers. Now your shepherds
were with us. We did not harm them nor did they miss anything all the days
they were in Carmel.
8 (Est 9:19; Ne 8:10-12) Ask your young men and they will tell you.
Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come
on a good day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants,
and to your son David.' "
9 When David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according
to all these words in the name of David, then they waited.
10 (Jdg 9:28) And Nabal answered David's servants, and said,
"Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Today many servants
are breaking away each one from his master.
11 (Jdg 8:6) Should I then take my bread, and my water, and my meat,
that which I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men
whose origins are unknown?"
12 So David's young men turned themselves around and went back.
And they came and reported to him all these words.
13 (1Sa 23:13) David said to his men, "Each man strap on his sword."
And each man strapped on his sword. David also put on his sword,
and 400 men went up after David. But 200 stayed with the baggage.
14 Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, "Listen,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our master;
and he railed against them.
15 (1Sa 25:7; 25:21) But the men were very good to us,
and we were not harmed, nor did we miss anything,
all the days we went about with them in the field.
16 (Job 1:10; Ex 14:22) They were a wall to us both by night and day,
all the days we were with them keeping the flocks.
17 (1Sa 20:7; Dt 13:13) Now therefore know and consider what you will do,
for evil is determined against our master and against all his household.
He is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him."
18 (2Sa 16:1) Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves,
two bottles of wine, five prepared sheep, five measures
[Likely about 60 pounds, or 27 kilograms.] of roasted grain,
a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs,
and she loaded them on donkeys.
19 (Ge 32:20; 32:16) And she said to her servants, "Go on before me.
See, I will be coming after you." But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 And as she was riding on the donkey and going down into the cover
of the mountain, David and his men were coming down to meet her
and she met them.
21 (Pr 17:13) Now David had said, "Surely in vain have I guarded
all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed
of all that belonged to him. And he has returned me evil for good.
22 (1Sa 3:17; 20:13) So may God do unto the enemies of David
and more also, if by morning I leave even one male of all who belong to him."
23 (1Sa 20:41; Jos 15:18) When Abigail saw David, she hurriedly got down from
the donkey and fell before David upon her face. And she bowed herself
to the ground.
24 (2Sa 14:9) So she fell at his feet and said, "Against me alone, my lord,
is the guilt. Please let your handmaid speak in your ears, and hear the words
of your handmaid.
25 (1Sa 25:17) Please do not let my lord set his heart against
this worthless man, against Nabal. For as his name is, so is he.
Nabal is his name and folly is with him. But I, your handmaid,
did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.
26 (2Sa 18:32; Ge 20:6) Now my lord, as the Lord lives,
and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from coming
in bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand,
now let your enemies, and those seeking to do evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
27 (Ge 33:11; 1Sa 30:26) Now let this blessing which your maidservant
has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord.
28 (1Sa 18:17; 2Sa 7:11) "Please forgive the transgression of your handmaid,
for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights
the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days.
29 (Jer 10:18) Even if a man rises to pursue you and to seek your life,
the life of my lord will be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord
your God. But the lives of your enemies He will sling out, as from
the hollow of a sling.
30 (1Sa 13:14) It will be, when the Lord does for my lord according to all
the good that He has spoken concerning you and has appointed you ruler
over Israel,
31 (Ge 40:14) that this will be no grief to you, nor an offense of heart to
my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord
has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord,
then remember your handmaid."
32 (Lk 1:68; Ge 24:27) David said to Abigail, :Blessed be the Lord,
God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.
33 (1Sa 25:26) And blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you
who have kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging
myself with my own hand.
34 For as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me
from injuring you, if you had not hurried to come and meet me,
surely there would not have been left even one male to Nabal
by the morning light."
35 (Ge 19:21; 1Sa 20:42) So David received from her hand
what she had brought him and said to her, "Go up in peace to your house.
See, I have obeyed your voice, and have granted your request."
36 (1Sa 25:19; 2Sa 13:23) Abigail came to Nabal, and he was feasting
in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart
was merry within him, for he was
very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.
37 But in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal,
his wife told him these things. And his heart died within him,
and he became as a stone.
38 (1Sa 26:10) And about ten days after that, the Lord struck Nabal
and he died.
39 (1Sa 25:26; 25:34) When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said,
"Blessed is the Lord, who has defended the cause of my reproach
from the hand of Nabal, and has kept His servant from evil.
For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head."
And David sent and spoke with Abigail, to take her as his wife.
40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel,
they spoke to her, saying, "David has sent us to you to take you as his wife."
41 (Ru 2:10) She arose, and bowed herself on her face to the ground,
and said, "Here is your handmaid, a servant to wash the feet of the servants
of my lord."
42 (Ge 24:61-67) Abigail hurriedly arose and rode on a donkey
with her five young women who attended her.
And she went after the messengers of David and became his wife.
43 (Jos 15:56; 1Sa 27:3) David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. So both of them
were his wives.
44 (1Sa 18:27; 2Sa 3:14) But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife,
to Paltiel the son of Laish who was from Gallim.
1 Samuel 25
[1] And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and
lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Paran.
[2] And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the
man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats:
and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
[3] Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and
she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but
the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of
Caleb.
[4] And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.
[5] And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get
you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
[6] And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to
thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.
[7] And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which
were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them,
all the while they were in Carmel.
[8] Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men
find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee,
whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
[9] And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all
those words in the name of David, and ceased.
[10] And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is
the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every
man from his master.
[11] Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have
killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they
be?
[12] So David's young men turned their way, and went again, and came and
told him all those sayings.
[13] And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they
girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there
went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the
stuff.
[14] But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying, Behold,
David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he
railed on them.
[15] But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither
missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were
in the fields:
[16] They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were
with them keeping the sheep.
[17] Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is
determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such
a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.
[18] Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles
of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn,
and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid
them on asses.
[19] And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after
you. But she told not her husband Nabal.
[20] And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert
of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she
met them.
[21] Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow
hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained
unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.
[22] So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all
that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.
[23] And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and
fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
[24] And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this
iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience,
and hear the words of thine handmaid.
[25] Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal:
for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but
I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
[26] Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth,
seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from
avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that
seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.
[27] And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my lord,
let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.
[28] I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will
certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of
the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days.
[29] Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul
of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and
the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of
a sling.
[30] And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord
according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall
have appointed thee ruler over Israel;
[31] That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my
lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath
avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then
remember thine handmaid.
[32] And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which
sent thee this day to meet me:
[33] And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this
day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
[34] For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me
back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely
there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth
against the wall.
[35] So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said
unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice,
and have accepted thy person.
[36] And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house,
like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was
very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the
morning light.
[37] But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of
Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within
him, and he became as a stone.
[38] And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal,
that he died.
[39] And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD,
that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath
kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of
Nabal upon his own head, And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take
her to him to wife.
[40] And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they
spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife.
[41] And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said,
Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of
my lord.
[42] And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels
of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and
became his wife.
[43] David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his
wives.
[44] But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son
of Laish, which was of Gallim.
2) Our Daily Bread for 15 April 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/04/15/simon-of-cyrene
entitled His Cross of Peace
Mark 15:16-24
The Soldiers Mock Jesus
Mt 27:27-31; Jn 19:2-3
16 (Jn 18:28; 19:9) The soldiers led Him away to Praetorium Hall,
and they called together the entire battalion.
17 (Lk 23:11) They clothed Him with a purple robe. And they wove a crown
of thorns and put it on His head,
18 and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
19 (Mk 14:65) They struck His head with a staff and spit on Him.
And bowing their knees, they worshipped Him.
20 When they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off of Him
and put His own garments on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
The Crucifixion
Mt 27:32-44; Lk 23:26-43; Jn 19:17-27
21 (Mt 27:32; Lk 23:26; Ro 16:13) They compelled a man named Simon
from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was passing
through from the country, to bear Jesus' cross.
22 (Mt 27:33-44) They brought Him to the place called Golgotha,
which means, "Place of a Skull."
23 (Mt 27:34) They gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink,
but He did not take it.
24 When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments,
casting lots for them, to decide what each man should take.
16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Prætorium; and they
call together the whole band.
17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put
it about his head,
18 and began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews!
19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him,
and bowing their knees worshipped him.
20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.
21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of
the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.
22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted,
The place of a skull.
23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting
lots upon them, what every man should take.
Somber eyes peer out from the painting Simon of Cyrene by contemporary Dutch
artist Egbert Modderman. Simon’s eyes reveal the immense physical and
emotional burden of his responsibility. In the biblical account from Mark 15,
we learn that Simon was pulled from the watching crowd
and forced to carry Jesus' cross.
Mark tells us that Simon was from Cyrene, a big city in North Africa with
a large population of Jews during Jesus' time. Most likely Simon had journeyed
to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. There he found himself in the middle
of this unjust execution but was able to perform a small but meaningful act
of assistance to Jesus (Mark 15:21).
Earlier in the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells His followers, "Whoever wants
to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me" (8:34). On the road to Golgotha, Simon literally did what Jesus
figuratively asks His disciples to do: he took up the cross given to him
and carried it for Jesus' sake.
We too have "crosses" to bear: perhaps an illness, a challenging ministry
assignment, the loss of a loved one, or persecution for our faith. As we
carry these sufferings by faith, we point people to the sufferings of Jesus
and His sacrifice on the cross. It was His cross that gave us peace
with God and strength for our own journey.
By: Lisa M. Samra
Reflect & Pray
What "cross" have you been asked to carry?
How can you use this struggle to point others to Jesus?
Jesus, thank You that You understand and sympathise with the pain
I experience as I take up my cross and follow You.
Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 6 Reconciliation
2 Cor 5:18-19
18 All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was
in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins
against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation.
When Paul writes in 2 Cor 5:17 that we become a "new creation" in Christ
Jesus, the story does not end there. The verses following give us direction
for tht new life in Christ. "All This", Paul says, referring to the miracle of
new life in Christ, "is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."
Reconciliation means to bring back together what was once separated. Man was
separated from God by sin, and God took the initiative to reconcile man to
himself. Our "ministry of reconciliation" as Christians is twofold: to draw
others to the Lord and to work for reconciliation between individuals.
Reconciliation is the ultimate goal of forgiveness. God, through his grace ,
extends forgiveness to us when we are still sinners, unrepentant,
undeserving. When we respond, we come into reconciliation with him
and are brought back into oneness. Likewise, when we extend the grace
of forgiveness to another, we are set free by the act of forgiving, but we
hope that the ultimate outcome will be reconciliation.
God shows us the pattern: he is the wronged party, yet he does not wait for
the offender to come to him, hat in hand. He takes a bold initiative, offering
forgiveness freely with out regard to merit. The pattern applies to us;
as the new life in Christ takes hold of us, we must reach out, and reach,
and keep on reaching, breaking down the barriers, taking the risk of
rejection so that we may come to reconciliation.
Application
a) What barriers stand between me and reconciliation with another person?
b) How can I take a risk and reach out to offer forgiveness and
reconciliation to them?
c) What kind of attitude do I need to be a "minister of reconciliation"?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Philip 4:19
19 (Ro 2:4) But my God shall supply your every need according
to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
19 But my God shall supply all your need according
to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
God's Reconciling Peace
Ps 85:8-13
8 (Job 35:10; Ps 63:6) I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints,
but let them not turn again to folly.
9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) Surely His salvation is near to them who fear Him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Truth springs from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord gives that which is good,
and our land shall yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him
and prepare a way for His footsteps.
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak:
For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:
But let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him;
That glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth;
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good;
And our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him;
And shall set us in the way of his steps.
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/dark-dreams-lead-bengali-man-to-the-light/
Dark Dreams Lead Bengali man to the Light
Millions of people come to Orlando, Florida, for a brief vacation. Mamud went
for a different reason: to escape his old life and start a new one. He now
operates a kiosk at a local shopping mall.
Mamud is no saint (in Bangladesh, he worked for a while as a hitman), but he
has a deep hunger for God. That's why a recurring dream he couldn't understand
was troubling his soul.
Even before the missionary team approached his kiosk that day, Mamud realized
that they were spiritual people. Once the team greeted him, he felt even more
at ease and was soon asking for their help interpreting his dream.
"In the dream, I'm standing outside a great mosque in Mecca. Mohammed was
inside the mosque. But I couldn't reach him whenever I tried to enter the
mosque. Then, the entire mosque would go dark inside."
The Holy Spirit guided the missionaries to tell Mamud about a different
door-a door opening to a place where anyone can enter, and the light never
goes out. One of the missionaries shared Jesus' words from
John 10:9:
9 (Jn 10:1; 14:6) I am the door. If anyone enters through Me,
he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved,
and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Bengalis like Mamud are plentiful in many North American cities, including
New York, Houston, Detroit, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. And like Mamud,
many have never heard the Gospel.
You could be steps away from nearby mission fields. Use the Internet to
search for Bengalis in your city, Google Bengali businesses, restaurants,
and shops. Visit kiosks at the local mall.
When you find them, engage them in conversation. Keep your eyes open
to see the unreached around you and an open heart to love them as Jesus does.
Pray for Bengalis like Mamud, who have dreams about their spiritual needs.
Pray that Bengali Muslims meet believers who can share how Jesus can meet their greatest need.
Pray the words of John 10:10 over the Bengali Muslim population in North America.
10 (Jn 6:33; Heb 7:25) The thief does not come, except to steal and kill
and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Pray for believers in North America to show Christ’s love to Bengalis.
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
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
15th Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Lord to convict all Canadians of His Righteous
standards of living (John 16: 8 - 11
8 "When He comes, He will convict the world of sin
and of righteousness and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I am going to My Father,
and you will see Me no more;
11 and of judgment, because the ruler of this world stands condemned."
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
)
b) Pray for the province of Nova Scotia
I) Pray for the leaders of Nova Scotia, that God's Spirit would influence
them to act justly, serve with integrity and honour high moral standards.
( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty,
3(1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a merciful person
and Thank the Lord for His Timing.
Pray to the Lord: "Jesus, thank You that You understand
and sympathise with the pain
I experience as I take up my cross and follow You.
Give me courage and strength even when the journey is difficult."
Pray to the Lord and pray to be a minister of reconciliation.
Pray to the Lord and pray to recall that He will supply you with His needs.
Pray to the Lord and pray to recall we are part of His Creation.
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
Pray for Bengalis like Mamud, who have dreams about their spiritual needs.
Pray that Bengali Muslims meet believers who can share how Jesus can meet their greatest need.
Pray the words of John 10:10 over the Bengali Muslim population in North America.
Pray for believers in North America to show Christ’s love to Bengalis.
Pray continually for Sikhs to find Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Pray for the Lord to convict all Canadians of His Righteous
standards of living
Pray that Christian converts from Islam in Tanzania who suffer
greatly at the hands of family members.
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