Day 91 of My 4th Bible Study Journey - 31 March 2024 - Resurrection Sunday reflections
Day 91, 31 March 2024 - Happy Resurrection Sunday
Today at
Calvary Community Church , Pastor Barry REgier spoke on
Something (Someone) Greater Than The Grave.
There is some ONE greater who ...
A) Lives today!!
Acts 2:22-25
22 (Jn 3:2; Mt 12:28) "Men of Israel, hear these words:
Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with powerful works
and wonders and signs, which God did through Him in your midst,
as you yourselves know.
23 (Lk 22:22; Ac 3:18) You have taken Him, who was handed over to you
by the ordained counsel and foreknowledge of God, and by lawless hands
have crucified and killed Him,
24 (Ac 2:32; 1Co 6:14) whom God raised up by loosening the pull of death,
because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
25 (Ps 16:8-11) For David says concerning Him:
'I foresaw the Lord always before me,
for He is at my right hand,
that I may not be shaken.
Acts 2:31-33
31 (Ac 2:27; Ps 16:10) he foresaw this and spoke concerning
the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not abandoned
to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
32 (Ac 2:24; 1:8) God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses.
33 (Ac 1:4; Mk 16:19) Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He has poured out this which you now see and hear.
[31] He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his
soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
[32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
[33] Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which
ye now see and hear.
Matthew 28:1-10
Matthew 28:1-7
The Resurrection
Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10
1 (Mt 27:56; 27:61) At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn
on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
2 And then there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat on it.
3 (Mk 9:3; Ac 1:10) His countenance was like lightning, and his garments
white as snow.
4 (Rev 1:17) The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
5 (Heb 1:14) The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid.
For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
6 (Mt 16:21; 27:63) He is not here. For He has risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 (Mt 26:32; 28:10) Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He has risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you
to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you."
[1] In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of
the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
[2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it.
[3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
[4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
[5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
[6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where
the Lord lay.
[7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;
and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I
have told you.
8 (Ps 2:11) So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear
and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 (Mt 14:33; 28:17) As they went to tell His disciples,
suddenly Jesus met them, saying, "Greetings!" They came
and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
10 (Jn 20:17; Ro 8:29) Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
[8] And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring his disciples word.
[9] And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying,
All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
[10] Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they
go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
B) Enables us to live today.
John 10:10
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.
John 11:25
25 (Jn 1:4; 1Th 4:14) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live.
[25] Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
1 John 4:4
4 (Jn 12:31; 1Jn 4:16) You are of God, little children, and have overcome
them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
[4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 3:20
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart
and knows everything.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth
all things.
1 Corinthians 2:12
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit which is of God, so that we might know the things
that are freely given to us by God.
[12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Hebrews 13:5-6
5 (Jos 1:5; Dt 31:6) Let your lives be without love of money,
and be content with the things you have. For He has said:
"I will never leave you,
nor forsake you."(Dt 31:6, 8; Jos 1:5.)
6 (Ps 56:4) So we may boldly say:
"The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?"(Ps 118:6.)
[5] Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such
things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee.
[6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.
Romans 6:3-5
3 (Mt 28:19; Gal 3:27; 1Co 12:13) Do you not know that we who were
baptised into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?
4 (Ro 7:6; 2Co 5:17) Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death,
that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 (Php 3:10-11; 2Co 4:10) For if we have been united with Him
in the likeness of His death, so shall we also be united with Him
in the likeness of His resurrection,
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
1) Judges 6-7
Judges 6
Gideon
1 The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,
so the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian for seven years.
2 The hands of Midian dominated Israel, and because of Midian
the children of Israel made hiding places for themselves in the mountains,
caves, and strongholds. 3 Whenever Israel would plant crops, the Midianites,
Amalekites, and the people from the east would come up against them.
4 Then they would make camp by them and ruin crops of the land all the way
to Gaza. They did not leave any provisions behind in Israel-neither sheep,
nor cattle, nor donkeys.
5 For they came with their livestock and tents like a swarm of locusts.
They and their camels were too numerous to count, and they came into
the land to destroy it.
6 Israel was made weak before Midian and cried out to the Lord.
7 When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of Midian,
8 the Lord sent them a prophet who said, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
I brought you up from Egypt and out of that place of slavery.
9 I delivered you from the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors.
I drove them out from before you and gave you their land.
10 I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God. Do not worship the gods of
the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you have disobeyed Me."
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah
belonging to Joash the Abiezrite. Gideon his son was threshing wheat
in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
12 The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him,
"The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor."
13 Then Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us,
then why has all this happened to us? Where are all His miracles
that our fathers told us about? They said, 'Did not the Lord bring
us out of Egypt?' Yet now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered
us into the hands of the Midianites."
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this strength of yours.
Save Israel from the control of Midian. Have I not sent you?"
15 And he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel?
Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest
in my father's house."
16 Then the Lord said to him, "But I will be with you, and you will strike
the Midianites as one man."
17 And he said to Him, "If I have found favor in Your sight,
give me a sign that it is You who are speaking with me.
18 Please do not depart from here until I come to You
and bring out my gift and set it before You."
And He said, "I will stay until you return."
19 So Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread
from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket, and he put
the broth in a pot, and brought them out and offered them to Him
under the oak.
20 And the angel of God said to him,"Take the meat and the unleavened bread,
lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And so he did.
21 The angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was
in His hand and touched the meat and unleavened flatbread.
Fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread.
Then the angel of the Lord departed from his sight.
22 Then Gideon perceived that it was indeed the angel of the Lord.
So Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord God! I have seen
the angel of the Lord face to face."
23 Then the Lord said to him, "Peace be with you. Do not be afraid.
You will not die."
24 Then Gideon built an altar for the Lord there and called it
The Lord Is Peace.
Even to this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 That night the Lord said to him, "Take a bull from your father's herd
and a second bull seven years old. Tear down your father's Baal altar
and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26 Then build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this stronghold
in an orderly way. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering
with the wood of the Asherah pole that you will cut down."
27 So Gideon took ten men from among his slaves
and did as the Lord had told him, but because he was too afraid of the rest
of his father's household and the men of the city to do it by day,
he did it at night.
28 When the men of the city got up early in the morning,
the altar of Baal was torn down, the Asherah pole beside it was cut down,
and the second bull had been offered on the new altar that had been built.
29 They said to each other, "Who has done this?"
When they had inquired and asked, they responded,
"Gideon son of Joash has done this."
30 Then the men of the city said to Joash,
"Bring out your son so that he may die, for he tore down the altar of Baal
and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
31 Joash then said to all who stood against him, "Would you plead for Baal?
Would you save him? Whoever fights for him will be killed by morning.
If Baal is a god, let him fight for himself,
for someone has torn down his altar."
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerub-Baal, saying,
"Let Baal fight him, for he tore down the altar of Baal."
33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east gathered
together, and they crossed over, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34 The Spirit of the Lord enveloped Gideon. He blew a ram's horn trumpet,
and the Abiezrites assembled behind him.
35 He sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh and they assembled
behind him as well. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali,
so these tribes came up to meet them.
36 Gideon said to God, "If You will use my hands to save Israel,
as You have said-
37 I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor.
If there is dew on the fleece only and all of the ground remains dry,
then I will know that You will save Israel with my hands, as You have said."
38 So it happened. He got up early the next morning and squeezed the fleece.
Enough dew poured out of the fleece to fill a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Your anger burn against me
as I speak only one more time. Please let me perform a test with the fleece
one more time. Please, let the fleece be the only thing dry,
and let there be dew on all of the ground."
40 So God did this during that night. Only the fleece was dry,
and the dew was on all the ground.
Judges 6
[1] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the
LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
[2] And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the
Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the
mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
[3] And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and
the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against
them;
[4] And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth,
till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep,
nor ox, nor ass.
[5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as
grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without
number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
[6] And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the
children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
[7] And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD
because of the Midianites,
[8] That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said
unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt,
and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
[9] And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the
hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave
you their land;
[10] And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
[11] And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in
Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon
threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
[12] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The
LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
[13] And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then
is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers
told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the
LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
[14] And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
[15] And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?
behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's
house.
[16] And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt
smite the Midianites as one man.
[17] And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew
me a sign that thou talkest with me.
[18] Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth
my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou
come again.
[19] And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an
ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot,
and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
[20] And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
[21] Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in
his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up
fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then
the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
[22] And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon
said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to
face.
[23] And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt
not die.
[24] Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it
Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
[25] And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take
thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove
that is by it:
[26] And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in
the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice
with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
[27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said
unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the
men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
[28] And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the
altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and
the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
[29] And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they
inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
[30] Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he
may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath
cut down the grove that was by it.
[31] And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal?
will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst
it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one
hath cast down his altar.
[32] Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead
against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
[33] Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east
were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
[34] But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and
Abi-ezer was gathered after him.
[35] And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered
after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto
Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
[36] And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as
thou hast said,
[37] Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on
the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know
that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
[38] And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the
fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of
water.
[39] And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I
will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the
fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let
there be dew.
[40] And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and
there was dew on all the ground.
Judges 7
Gideon Defeats the Midianites
1 Then Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with
him got up early and set up camp at Harod Spring.
There was a camp of Midianites to the north of them in the valley
near the hill of Moreh.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many people with you for Me
to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves
over Me, saying, 'Our own power saved us.'
3 So now, call out so the people can hear, 'Whoever is afraid or anxious
may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' "
So 20000 from among the people turned back, and 10000 were left.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many people.
Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.
When I say to you, "This one will go with you,' he will go with you.
Everyone about whom I will say,' 'This one will not go with you,'
will not go."
5 So he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon,
"You shall set apart by himself everyone who laps the water with his tongue
like dogs; likewise, everyone who kneels down to drink."
6 The number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths,
was three hundred. The rest of the people had knelt to drink water.
7 The Lord said to Gideon, "With three hundred men who lapped to drink,
I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.
All the rest of the people should go home."
8 So the three hundred men took provisions and ram's horn trumpets
in their hands. Gideon sent all the other Israelite men to their tents,
but he kept the three hundred men.
Now the Midianite camp was below him in the valley.
9 That night the Lord said to him, "Get up and go down into the camp,
for I have given it into your hands.
10 Yet if you are afraid to go down, then go down to the camp with Purah
your servant.
11 Listen to what they say, and afterward you will be emboldened to go down
to the camp.." So he and Purah his servant went down near the edge
of the camp.
12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the Kedemites covered the valley
like locusts; and their camels could not be counted, for they were
as numerous as grains of sand on the seashore.
13 Gideon came and overheard one man who was telling his dream to another.
The man said, "Listen to a dream I had. I saw a dry cake of barley bread
rolling into the Midianite camp. It rolled up to a tent and struck it.
It fell, turned upside down, and collapsed."
14 The other man responded, "This is none other than the sword of Gideon
son of Joash the Israelite. God has given Midian and the whole camp into
his hands."
15 When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation,
he worshipped, returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Get up, for the Lord
has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
16 He divided the three hundred men into three combat units.
He gave all of them ram's horn trumpets, empty jars,
and torches within the jars.
17 He said to them, "Look at me and do likewise. Watch, and when I come
to the perimeter of the camp, do as I do.
18 When I and all who are with me blow the horn, then you will blow the horns
all around the camp and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon!' "
19 So Gideon and a hundred men with him went to the edge of the camp
at the start of the middle night watch, just as they were setting the watch.
Then they blew the horns and smashed the jars in their hands.
20 The three combat units blew the horns and broke the jars.
They held the torches in their left hands and the horns for
blowing in their right hands. They called out,
"A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"
21 Every man stood in his place all around the camp,
but the men in the camp ran, shouted, and fled.
22 When they blew the three hundred horns, the Lord turned every man's
sword against his fellow man throughout the camp. The Midianite camp
fled to Beth Shittah in the direction of Zererah, up to the border
of Abel Meholah, near Tabbath.
23 The men of Israel from Naphtali, Asher, and all of Manasseh
were summoned, and they chased after the Midianites.
24 Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying,
"Come down to engage Midian in battle.
Take control of the water ways as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan."
All the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they took control of the water
ways as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.
25 They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders.
They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb.
They chased after the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb
and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.
Judges 7
[1] Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him,
rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the
Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the
valley.
[2] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too
many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt
themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
[3] Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,
Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount
Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there
remained ten thousand.
[4] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them
down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be,
that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go
with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee,
the same shall not go.
[5] So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto
Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog
lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down
upon his knees to drink.
[6] And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,
were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their
knees to drink water.
[7] And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will
I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the
other people go every man unto his place.
[8] So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he
sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those
three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
[9] And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise,
get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
[10] But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to
the host:
[11] And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be
strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his
servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
[12] And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east
lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels
were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
[13] And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream
unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of
barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and
smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
[14] And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword
of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God
delivered Midian, and all the host.
[15] And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of
Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host
of Midian.
[16] And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a
trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers.
[17] And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I
come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
[18] When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye
the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the
LORD, and of Gideon.
[19] So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the
outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but
newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that
were in their hands.
[20] And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to
blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
[21] And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the
host ran, and cried, and fled.
[22] And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's
sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to
Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.
[23] And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and
out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
[24] And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come
down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah
and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and
took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.
[25] And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they
slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb,
and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the
other side Jordan.
2) Our Daily Bread for 31 March 2023 Titled
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!
Matthew 28:1-10
Matthew 28:1-7
The Resurrection
Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10
1 (Mt 27:56; 27:61) At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn
on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
2 And then there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat on it.
3 (Mk 9:3; Ac 1:10) His countenance was like lightning, and his garments
white as snow.
4 (Rev 1:17) The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
5 (Heb 1:14) The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid.
For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
6 (Mt 16:21; 27:63) He is not here. For He has risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 (Mt 26:32; 28:10) Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He has risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you
to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you."
[1] In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of
the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
[2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it.
[3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
[4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
[5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
[6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where
the Lord lay.
[7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;
and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I
have told you.
8 (Ps 2:11) So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear
and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 (Mt 14:33; 28:17) As they went to tell His disciples,
suddenly Jesus met them, saying, "Greetings!" They came
and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
10 (Jn 20:17; Ro 8:29) Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
[8] And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring his disciples word.
[9] And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying,
All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
[10] Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they
go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Before Charles Simeon attended university in Cambridge, England, he loved
horses and clothes, spending a huge sum on his attire yearly. But because
his college required him to attend regular Communion services, he started
to explore what he believed. After reading books written by believers in
Jesus, he experienced a dramatic conversion on Easter Sunday. Awaking early
on April 4, 1779, he cried out, "Jesus Christ is risen today! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!" As he grew in his faith in God, he devoted himself
to Bible study, prayer, and attending chapel services.
On the first Easter, life changed for the two women who arrived at Jesus'
tomb. There they witnessed a violent earthquake as an angel rolled back
the stone. He said to them, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen,
just as he said" (Matthew 28:5–6). Overjoyed, the women worshiped
Jesus and ran back to tell their friends the good news.
Encountering the risen Christ isn’t something reserved for ancient
times-He promises to meet us here and now. We might experience a
dramatic encounter, such as the women at the tomb or as Charles
Simeon did, but we might not. In whatever way Jesus reveals Himself
to us, we can trust that He loves us.
By: Amy Boucher Pye
Reflect & Pray
How has God shown Himself to you?
How have you changed because of your encounter with Him?
Risen Jesus, thank You for coming and dying
on the cross that I might have life eternal. I worship You.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 1 Call to the Lord - 2 Samuel 22:3-4
3 (Ge 15:1; Ps 9:9) the God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my fortress and my sanctuary;
my Savior, You save me from violence.
4 (Ps 48:1; 96:4) I call upon the Lord, who is praiseworthy,
and I am saved from my enemies.
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust:
He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,
My saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
In the old Days of Television Western, we could always tell who the enemy was.
The bad guys wore black hats; the evil villain had a scar across
his cheek or a patch over one eye. But real life is
not quite so simple . Enemies come in many forms, and often are not easy to
recognise. Sin is an enemy; even those we love can seek
to undermine our faith;
modern materialism and distorted values lead us away from biblical principles.
These enemies may not seek our death in a physical sense,
but their influence results in spiritual death or, at the very least,
immaturity.
Yet God promises to rescue us from our enemies. David describes the Lord as a
"rock", a "shield", a "stronghold", and a "refuge". God provides a stable
foundation for our faith; he products us from the attacks of the enemy;
he offers a place of rest in battle.
Our battles are usually not physical ones, but rather spiritual
and emotional wars.
We struggle with difficult relationships, the burdens of the past,
the subtle accusations of the devil.
But these enemies can be overcome. David says,
"I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise" .
When we turn to the Lord, trust his Word, acknowledge his
worthiness, we put our own problems and difficulties in perspective.
We see that God is able to rescue us, and has promised to do so.
And as we respond to his grace by focusing
on him, we abandon trust in ourselves and allow him to do what he promised.
Application
a) What kinds of enemies do I face?
b) How have I tried to deal with those enemies by myself?
c) How can today's verses help me turn to the sources of my rescue?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Hebr 11:6
6 (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13-14) And without faith it is impossible to please God,
for he who comes to God must believe that He exists
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Matt 7:7-11
Ask, Seek, Knock
Lk 11:9-13
7(Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
9 "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?
11 (Ge 6:5; 8:21) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask Him!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you:
8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things
to them that ask him?
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Saskatchewan
Quick facts on Muslims in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1125400
est Muslim Population 17279
CNMM Networks: Saskatoon
Saskatoon has seen quick growth in its Muslim population over the past
5 years, which maybe as high as 5000 today. Islamic leaders have
focused specifically on this city , having twice already sent cohorts
of about 70 families to start mosques. There are now 7 Islamic centres
of worship and an Islamic madrassah (school) located right next to a
Christian school.
Of particular concern recently is the number of young adults who grew up
in evangelical churches and converted to Islam. Most of these are young
women who were wooed by Muslim man and became emotionally bonded.
Both prior to and after marrying, these women are known to convert to Islam.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Adding further
Pray for Egyptians
Jeremiah 29:13
13 (Jer 24:7; 2Ch 22:9) You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search
for Me with all your heart.
[13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with
all your heart.
Six-year-old Mohamed attended a Christian event that was held for homeless
kids and, after learning about Jesus, he proclaimed that he belonged to Him.
Everyone could see that Mohamed had changed for the better. His mother was
happy, but others threatened to call national security – putting Mohamed
and his mother, and the ministry, in big trouble. Mohamed and his mother
were forced to move away with their family and hide.
Egypt has around 112 million inhabitants. Officially 90% are Muslims a
nd 10% are Coptic Christians, but there are even more protestant Christians
who live their faith boldy, and many who practice their faith secretly.
In Egypt, churches are officially allowed and even protected by the police
during services. But it is forbidden for Muslims to convert or even to search
for the truth. The price of a new faith in Christ is quite high. Converts
could lose their job, their children, their whole family and their
inheritance. The Sharia demands persecution or even death for apostacy.
Yet nothing can stop those who seek Jesus with all their hearts.
Abdallah, a Muslim doctor wanted to convert, but he could not openly
confess his new faith. His wife grew up in a very devout Muslim family
and his children are students in the Al Azhar University, which trains
Muslim missionaries. Abdallah was moved to faith by a Christian neighbour
who was treated very badly but never lost his temper and even helped
those who were in need. That made Abdallah ask questions about how his
neighbour could be so different.
How to Pray
Pray for Muslim seekers of Jesus in Egypt to have faithful
Christian examples around them who would boldly share their faith.
Pray for the discipleship of new believers,
and that they grow strong in their faith.
Pray that Christians will show practical examples of love
and help to their Muslim neighbors who need jobs or other help.
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, ...) .
Conclusion:
Lord Jesus, l know that I am a sinner and that I need Your forgiveness. I
believe that You died for my sins and l trust in You alone for my salvation. I
choose to turn away from the things in my life of which You don't approve
and now surrender my life to You. I invite You to come and reign and rule in
my heart and fife and open my spirit Establish Your presence within me
and please bring me Your peace. I want to know the power of the Holy Spirit
working in me and live forever with You in the Kingdom of God. I choose to
trust and follow You as my Lord and saviour. Amen
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord for godly people to rise in all nations.
Pray to the Lord: "Risen Jesus, thank You for coming and dying
on the cross that I might have life eternal. I worship You."
Pray to the Lord and pray to know the Lord as Salvation and protection.
Pray to the Lord and pray to seek Him diligently.
Pray to the Lord and pray to ask with faith.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
- Pray for multiplying house churches to launch Gospel movements among the
Iraqi Arabs, North Iraqi Arabs, and Northern Kurds.
- Pray for a mighty movement of prayer to sweep over the house churches.
- Pray for the historic church to be filled with God's Grace and boldness as
its members share their faith with others
- Pray for the Kingdom of God to advance through prayer and evangelism.
Pray for Muslim seekers of Jesus in Egypt to have faithful
Christian examples around them who would boldly share their faith.
Pray for the discipleship of new believers,
and that they grow strong in their faith.
Pray that Christians will show practical examples of love
and help to their Muslim neighbors who need jobs or other help.
Pray for the salvation of young people in Somalia who are becoming
disenchanted with Islam and ongoing Al-Shabab attacks.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God
Today at
Calvary Community Church , Pastor Barry REgier spoke on
Something (Someone) Greater Than The Grave.
There is some ONE greater who ...
A) Lives today!!
Acts 2:22-25
22 (Jn 3:2; Mt 12:28) "Men of Israel, hear these words:
Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with powerful works
and wonders and signs, which God did through Him in your midst,
as you yourselves know.
23 (Lk 22:22; Ac 3:18) You have taken Him, who was handed over to you
by the ordained counsel and foreknowledge of God, and by lawless hands
have crucified and killed Him,
24 (Ac 2:32; 1Co 6:14) whom God raised up by loosening the pull of death,
because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
25 (Ps 16:8-11) For David says concerning Him:
'I foresaw the Lord always before me,
for He is at my right hand,
that I may not be shaken.
Acts 2:31-33
31 (Ac 2:27; Ps 16:10) he foresaw this and spoke concerning
the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not abandoned
to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
32 (Ac 2:24; 1:8) God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses.
33 (Ac 1:4; Mk 16:19) Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God,
and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,
He has poured out this which you now see and hear.
[31] He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his
soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
[32] This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
[33] Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which
ye now see and hear.
Matthew 28:1-10
Matthew 28:1-7
The Resurrection
Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10
1 (Mt 27:56; 27:61) At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn
on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
2 And then there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat on it.
3 (Mk 9:3; Ac 1:10) His countenance was like lightning, and his garments
white as snow.
4 (Rev 1:17) The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
5 (Heb 1:14) The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid.
For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
6 (Mt 16:21; 27:63) He is not here. For He has risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 (Mt 26:32; 28:10) Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He has risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you
to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you."
[1] In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of
the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
[2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it.
[3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
[4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
[5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
[6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where
the Lord lay.
[7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;
and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I
have told you.
8 (Ps 2:11) So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear
and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 (Mt 14:33; 28:17) As they went to tell His disciples,
suddenly Jesus met them, saying, "Greetings!" They came
and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
10 (Jn 20:17; Ro 8:29) Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
[8] And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring his disciples word.
[9] And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying,
All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
[10] Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they
go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
B) Enables us to live today.
John 10:10
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.
John 11:25
25 (Jn 1:4; 1Th 4:14) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live.
[25] Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
1 John 4:4
4 (Jn 12:31; 1Jn 4:16) You are of God, little children, and have overcome
them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
[4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 3:20
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart
and knows everything.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth
all things.
1 Corinthians 2:12
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit which is of God, so that we might know the things
that are freely given to us by God.
[12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which
is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
Hebrews 13:5-6
5 (Jos 1:5; Dt 31:6) Let your lives be without love of money,
and be content with the things you have. For He has said:
"I will never leave you,
nor forsake you."(Dt 31:6, 8; Jos 1:5.)
6 (Ps 56:4) So we may boldly say:
"The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?"(Ps 118:6.)
[5] Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such
things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee.
[6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.
Romans 6:3-5
3 (Mt 28:19; Gal 3:27; 1Co 12:13) Do you not know that we who were
baptised into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?
4 (Ro 7:6; 2Co 5:17) Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death,
that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 (Php 3:10-11; 2Co 4:10) For if we have been united with Him
in the likeness of His death, so shall we also be united with Him
in the likeness of His resurrection,
[3] Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death?
[4] Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life.
[5] For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we
shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
1) Judges 6-7
Judges 6
Gideon
1 The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord,
so the Lord gave them into the hands of Midian for seven years.
2 The hands of Midian dominated Israel, and because of Midian
the children of Israel made hiding places for themselves in the mountains,
caves, and strongholds. 3 Whenever Israel would plant crops, the Midianites,
Amalekites, and the people from the east would come up against them.
4 Then they would make camp by them and ruin crops of the land all the way
to Gaza. They did not leave any provisions behind in Israel-neither sheep,
nor cattle, nor donkeys.
5 For they came with their livestock and tents like a swarm of locusts.
They and their camels were too numerous to count, and they came into
the land to destroy it.
6 Israel was made weak before Midian and cried out to the Lord.
7 When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of Midian,
8 the Lord sent them a prophet who said, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
I brought you up from Egypt and out of that place of slavery.
9 I delivered you from the hands of Egypt and all your oppressors.
I drove them out from before you and gave you their land.
10 I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God. Do not worship the gods of
the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you have disobeyed Me."
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah
belonging to Joash the Abiezrite. Gideon his son was threshing wheat
in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.
12 The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him,
"The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor."
13 Then Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the Lord is with us,
then why has all this happened to us? Where are all His miracles
that our fathers told us about? They said, 'Did not the Lord bring
us out of Egypt?' Yet now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered
us into the hands of the Midianites."
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go in this strength of yours.
Save Israel from the control of Midian. Have I not sent you?"
15 And he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel?
Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest
in my father's house."
16 Then the Lord said to him, "But I will be with you, and you will strike
the Midianites as one man."
17 And he said to Him, "If I have found favor in Your sight,
give me a sign that it is You who are speaking with me.
18 Please do not depart from here until I come to You
and bring out my gift and set it before You."
And He said, "I will stay until you return."
19 So Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread
from an ephah of flour. He put the meat in a basket, and he put
the broth in a pot, and brought them out and offered them to Him
under the oak.
20 And the angel of God said to him,"Take the meat and the unleavened bread,
lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And so he did.
21 The angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was
in His hand and touched the meat and unleavened flatbread.
Fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened bread.
Then the angel of the Lord departed from his sight.
22 Then Gideon perceived that it was indeed the angel of the Lord.
So Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord God! I have seen
the angel of the Lord face to face."
23 Then the Lord said to him, "Peace be with you. Do not be afraid.
You will not die."
24 Then Gideon built an altar for the Lord there and called it
The Lord Is Peace.
Even to this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
25 That night the Lord said to him, "Take a bull from your father's herd
and a second bull seven years old. Tear down your father's Baal altar
and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.
26 Then build an altar to the Lord your God on top of this stronghold
in an orderly way. Take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering
with the wood of the Asherah pole that you will cut down."
27 So Gideon took ten men from among his slaves
and did as the Lord had told him, but because he was too afraid of the rest
of his father's household and the men of the city to do it by day,
he did it at night.
28 When the men of the city got up early in the morning,
the altar of Baal was torn down, the Asherah pole beside it was cut down,
and the second bull had been offered on the new altar that had been built.
29 They said to each other, "Who has done this?"
When they had inquired and asked, they responded,
"Gideon son of Joash has done this."
30 Then the men of the city said to Joash,
"Bring out your son so that he may die, for he tore down the altar of Baal
and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."
31 Joash then said to all who stood against him, "Would you plead for Baal?
Would you save him? Whoever fights for him will be killed by morning.
If Baal is a god, let him fight for himself,
for someone has torn down his altar."
32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerub-Baal, saying,
"Let Baal fight him, for he tore down the altar of Baal."
33 All the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east gathered
together, and they crossed over, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
34 The Spirit of the Lord enveloped Gideon. He blew a ram's horn trumpet,
and the Abiezrites assembled behind him.
35 He sent messengers throughout all of Manasseh and they assembled
behind him as well. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali,
so these tribes came up to meet them.
36 Gideon said to God, "If You will use my hands to save Israel,
as You have said-
37 I am placing a fleece of wool on the threshing floor.
If there is dew on the fleece only and all of the ground remains dry,
then I will know that You will save Israel with my hands, as You have said."
38 So it happened. He got up early the next morning and squeezed the fleece.
Enough dew poured out of the fleece to fill a bowlful of water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not let Your anger burn against me
as I speak only one more time. Please let me perform a test with the fleece
one more time. Please, let the fleece be the only thing dry,
and let there be dew on all of the ground."
40 So God did this during that night. Only the fleece was dry,
and the dew was on all the ground.
Judges 6
[1] And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the
LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
[2] And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the
Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the
mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
[3] And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and
the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against
them;
[4] And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth,
till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep,
nor ox, nor ass.
[5] For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as
grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without
number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
[6] And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the
children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
[7] And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD
because of the Midianites,
[8] That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said
unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt,
and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
[9] And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the
hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave
you their land;
[10] And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.
[11] And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in
Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon
threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
[12] And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The
LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
[13] And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then
is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers
told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the
LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
[14] And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
[15] And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel?
behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's
house.
[16] And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt
smite the Midianites as one man.
[17] And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew
me a sign that thou talkest with me.
[18] Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth
my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou
come again.
[19] And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an
ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot,
and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
[20] And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened
cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
[21] Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in
his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up
fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then
the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
[22] And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon
said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to
face.
[23] And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt
not die.
[24] Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it
Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
[25] And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take
thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove
that is by it:
[26] And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in
the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice
with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
[27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said
unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the
men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
[28] And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the
altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and
the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
[29] And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they
inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
[30] Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he
may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath
cut down the grove that was by it.
[31] And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal?
will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst
it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one
hath cast down his altar.
[32] Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead
against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
[33] Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east
were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
[34] But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and
Abi-ezer was gathered after him.
[35] And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered
after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto
Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
[36] And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as
thou hast said,
[37] Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on
the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know
that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
[38] And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the
fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of
water.
[39] And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I
will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the
fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let
there be dew.
[40] And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and
there was dew on all the ground.
Judges 7
Gideon Defeats the Midianites
1 Then Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with
him got up early and set up camp at Harod Spring.
There was a camp of Midianites to the north of them in the valley
near the hill of Moreh.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many people with you for Me
to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves
over Me, saying, 'Our own power saved us.'
3 So now, call out so the people can hear, 'Whoever is afraid or anxious
may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' "
So 20000 from among the people turned back, and 10000 were left.
4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many people.
Bring them down to the water, and I will test them for you there.
When I say to you, "This one will go with you,' he will go with you.
Everyone about whom I will say,' 'This one will not go with you,'
will not go."
5 So he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon,
"You shall set apart by himself everyone who laps the water with his tongue
like dogs; likewise, everyone who kneels down to drink."
6 The number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths,
was three hundred. The rest of the people had knelt to drink water.
7 The Lord said to Gideon, "With three hundred men who lapped to drink,
I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.
All the rest of the people should go home."
8 So the three hundred men took provisions and ram's horn trumpets
in their hands. Gideon sent all the other Israelite men to their tents,
but he kept the three hundred men.
Now the Midianite camp was below him in the valley.
9 That night the Lord said to him, "Get up and go down into the camp,
for I have given it into your hands.
10 Yet if you are afraid to go down, then go down to the camp with Purah
your servant.
11 Listen to what they say, and afterward you will be emboldened to go down
to the camp.." So he and Purah his servant went down near the edge
of the camp.
12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and the Kedemites covered the valley
like locusts; and their camels could not be counted, for they were
as numerous as grains of sand on the seashore.
13 Gideon came and overheard one man who was telling his dream to another.
The man said, "Listen to a dream I had. I saw a dry cake of barley bread
rolling into the Midianite camp. It rolled up to a tent and struck it.
It fell, turned upside down, and collapsed."
14 The other man responded, "This is none other than the sword of Gideon
son of Joash the Israelite. God has given Midian and the whole camp into
his hands."
15 When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation,
he worshipped, returned to the camp of Israel, and said, "Get up, for the Lord
has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
16 He divided the three hundred men into three combat units.
He gave all of them ram's horn trumpets, empty jars,
and torches within the jars.
17 He said to them, "Look at me and do likewise. Watch, and when I come
to the perimeter of the camp, do as I do.
18 When I and all who are with me blow the horn, then you will blow the horns
all around the camp and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon!' "
19 So Gideon and a hundred men with him went to the edge of the camp
at the start of the middle night watch, just as they were setting the watch.
Then they blew the horns and smashed the jars in their hands.
20 The three combat units blew the horns and broke the jars.
They held the torches in their left hands and the horns for
blowing in their right hands. They called out,
"A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!"
21 Every man stood in his place all around the camp,
but the men in the camp ran, shouted, and fled.
22 When they blew the three hundred horns, the Lord turned every man's
sword against his fellow man throughout the camp. The Midianite camp
fled to Beth Shittah in the direction of Zererah, up to the border
of Abel Meholah, near Tabbath.
23 The men of Israel from Naphtali, Asher, and all of Manasseh
were summoned, and they chased after the Midianites.
24 Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying,
"Come down to engage Midian in battle.
Take control of the water ways as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan."
All the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they took control of the water
ways as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.
25 They captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite commanders.
They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and killed Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb.
They chased after the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb
and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.
Judges 7
[1] Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him,
rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the
Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the
valley.
[2] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too
many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt
themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
[3] Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,
Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount
Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there
remained ten thousand.
[4] And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them
down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be,
that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go
with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee,
the same shall not go.
[5] So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto
Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog
lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down
upon his knees to drink.
[6] And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth,
were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their
knees to drink water.
[7] And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will
I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the
other people go every man unto his place.
[8] So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he
sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those
three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
[9] And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise,
get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.
[10] But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to
the host:
[11] And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be
strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his
servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.
[12] And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east
lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels
were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
[13] And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream
unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of
barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and
smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
[14] And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword
of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God
delivered Midian, and all the host.
[15] And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the
interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of
Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host
of Midian.
[16] And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a
trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the
pitchers.
[17] And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I
come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.
[18] When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye
the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the
LORD, and of Gideon.
[19] So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the
outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but
newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that
were in their hands.
[20] And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and
held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to
blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
[21] And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the
host ran, and cried, and fled.
[22] And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's
sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to
Beth-shittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath.
[23] And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and
out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites.
[24] And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come
down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Beth-barah
and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and
took the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan.
[25] And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they
slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb,
and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the
other side Jordan.
2) Our Daily Bread for 31 March 2023 Titled
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!
Matthew 28:1-10
Matthew 28:1-7
The Resurrection
Mk 16:1-8; Lk 24:1-12; Jn 20:1-10
1 (Mt 27:56; 27:61) At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn
on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
2 And then there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door
and sat on it.
3 (Mk 9:3; Ac 1:10) His countenance was like lightning, and his garments
white as snow.
4 (Rev 1:17) The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men.
5 (Heb 1:14) The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid.
For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.
6 (Mt 16:21; 27:63) He is not here. For He has risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 (Mt 26:32; 28:10) Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He has risen from the dead, and indeed, He is going before you
to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you."
[1] In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of
the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
[2] And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and
sat upon it.
[3] His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
[4] And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
[5] And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know
that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
[6] He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where
the Lord lay.
[7] And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead;
and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I
have told you.
8 (Ps 2:11) So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear
and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 (Mt 14:33; 28:17) As they went to tell His disciples,
suddenly Jesus met them, saying, "Greetings!" They came
and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
10 (Jn 20:17; Ro 8:29) Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
[8] And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring his disciples word.
[9] And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying,
All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
[10] Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they
go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Before Charles Simeon attended university in Cambridge, England, he loved
horses and clothes, spending a huge sum on his attire yearly. But because
his college required him to attend regular Communion services, he started
to explore what he believed. After reading books written by believers in
Jesus, he experienced a dramatic conversion on Easter Sunday. Awaking early
on April 4, 1779, he cried out, "Jesus Christ is risen today! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!" As he grew in his faith in God, he devoted himself
to Bible study, prayer, and attending chapel services.
On the first Easter, life changed for the two women who arrived at Jesus'
tomb. There they witnessed a violent earthquake as an angel rolled back
the stone. He said to them, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen,
just as he said" (Matthew 28:5–6). Overjoyed, the women worshiped
Jesus and ran back to tell their friends the good news.
Encountering the risen Christ isn’t something reserved for ancient
times-He promises to meet us here and now. We might experience a
dramatic encounter, such as the women at the tomb or as Charles
Simeon did, but we might not. In whatever way Jesus reveals Himself
to us, we can trust that He loves us.
By: Amy Boucher Pye
Reflect & Pray
How has God shown Himself to you?
How have you changed because of your encounter with Him?
Risen Jesus, thank You for coming and dying
on the cross that I might have life eternal. I worship You.
3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation
Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools
Week 5 Rejoice in Grace - Day 1 Call to the Lord - 2 Samuel 22:3-4
3 (Ge 15:1; Ps 9:9) the God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my fortress and my sanctuary;
my Savior, You save me from violence.
4 (Ps 48:1; 96:4) I call upon the Lord, who is praiseworthy,
and I am saved from my enemies.
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust:
He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,
My saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised:
So shall I be saved from mine enemies.
In the old Days of Television Western, we could always tell who the enemy was.
The bad guys wore black hats; the evil villain had a scar across
his cheek or a patch over one eye. But real life is
not quite so simple . Enemies come in many forms, and often are not easy to
recognise. Sin is an enemy; even those we love can seek
to undermine our faith;
modern materialism and distorted values lead us away from biblical principles.
These enemies may not seek our death in a physical sense,
but their influence results in spiritual death or, at the very least,
immaturity.
Yet God promises to rescue us from our enemies. David describes the Lord as a
"rock", a "shield", a "stronghold", and a "refuge". God provides a stable
foundation for our faith; he products us from the attacks of the enemy;
he offers a place of rest in battle.
Our battles are usually not physical ones, but rather spiritual
and emotional wars.
We struggle with difficult relationships, the burdens of the past,
the subtle accusations of the devil.
But these enemies can be overcome. David says,
"I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise" .
When we turn to the Lord, trust his Word, acknowledge his
worthiness, we put our own problems and difficulties in perspective.
We see that God is able to rescue us, and has promised to do so.
And as we respond to his grace by focusing
on him, we abandon trust in ourselves and allow him to do what he promised.
Application
a) What kinds of enemies do I face?
b) How have I tried to deal with those enemies by myself?
c) How can today's verses help me turn to the sources of my rescue?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Hebr 11:6
6 (1Ch 28:9; Jer 29:13-14) And without faith it is impossible to please God,
for he who comes to God must believe that He exists
and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are Burdened by Doubt
Matt 7:7-11
Ask, Seek, Knock
Lk 11:9-13
7(Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks, it will be opened.
9 "What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread,
will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake?
11 (Ge 6:5; 8:21) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask Him!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you:
8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things
to them that ask him?
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Saskatchewan
Quick facts on Muslims in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1125400
est Muslim Population 17279
CNMM Networks: Saskatoon
Saskatoon has seen quick growth in its Muslim population over the past
5 years, which maybe as high as 5000 today. Islamic leaders have
focused specifically on this city , having twice already sent cohorts
of about 70 families to start mosques. There are now 7 Islamic centres
of worship and an Islamic madrassah (school) located right next to a
Christian school.
Of particular concern recently is the number of young adults who grew up
in evangelical churches and converted to Islam. Most of these are young
women who were wooed by Muslim man and became emotionally bonded.
Both prior to and after marrying, these women are known to convert to Islam.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Adding further
Pray for Egyptians
Jeremiah 29:13
13 (Jer 24:7; 2Ch 22:9) You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search
for Me with all your heart.
[13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with
all your heart.
Six-year-old Mohamed attended a Christian event that was held for homeless
kids and, after learning about Jesus, he proclaimed that he belonged to Him.
Everyone could see that Mohamed had changed for the better. His mother was
happy, but others threatened to call national security – putting Mohamed
and his mother, and the ministry, in big trouble. Mohamed and his mother
were forced to move away with their family and hide.
Egypt has around 112 million inhabitants. Officially 90% are Muslims a
nd 10% are Coptic Christians, but there are even more protestant Christians
who live their faith boldy, and many who practice their faith secretly.
In Egypt, churches are officially allowed and even protected by the police
during services. But it is forbidden for Muslims to convert or even to search
for the truth. The price of a new faith in Christ is quite high. Converts
could lose their job, their children, their whole family and their
inheritance. The Sharia demands persecution or even death for apostacy.
Yet nothing can stop those who seek Jesus with all their hearts.
Abdallah, a Muslim doctor wanted to convert, but he could not openly
confess his new faith. His wife grew up in a very devout Muslim family
and his children are students in the Al Azhar University, which trains
Muslim missionaries. Abdallah was moved to faith by a Christian neighbour
who was treated very badly but never lost his temper and even helped
those who were in need. That made Abdallah ask questions about how his
neighbour could be so different.
How to Pray
Pray for Muslim seekers of Jesus in Egypt to have faithful
Christian examples around them who would boldly share their faith.
Pray for the discipleship of new believers,
and that they grow strong in their faith.
Pray that Christians will show practical examples of love
and help to their Muslim neighbors who need jobs or other help.
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, ...) .
Conclusion:
Lord Jesus, l know that I am a sinner and that I need Your forgiveness. I
believe that You died for my sins and l trust in You alone for my salvation. I
choose to turn away from the things in my life of which You don't approve
and now surrender my life to You. I invite You to come and reign and rule in
my heart and fife and open my spirit Establish Your presence within me
and please bring me Your peace. I want to know the power of the Holy Spirit
working in me and live forever with You in the Kingdom of God. I choose to
trust and follow You as my Lord and saviour. Amen
Pray to the Lord and pray to the Lord for godly people to rise in all nations.
Pray to the Lord: "Risen Jesus, thank You for coming and dying
on the cross that I might have life eternal. I worship You."
Pray to the Lord and pray to know the Lord as Salvation and protection.
Pray to the Lord and pray to seek Him diligently.
Pray to the Lord and pray to ask with faith.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
- Pray for multiplying house churches to launch Gospel movements among the
Iraqi Arabs, North Iraqi Arabs, and Northern Kurds.
- Pray for a mighty movement of prayer to sweep over the house churches.
- Pray for the historic church to be filled with God's Grace and boldness as
its members share their faith with others
- Pray for the Kingdom of God to advance through prayer and evangelism.
Pray for Muslim seekers of Jesus in Egypt to have faithful
Christian examples around them who would boldly share their faith.
Pray for the discipleship of new believers,
and that they grow strong in their faith.
Pray that Christians will show practical examples of love
and help to their Muslim neighbors who need jobs or other help.
Pray for the salvation of young people in Somalia who are becoming
disenchanted with Islam and ongoing Al-Shabab attacks.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God