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J2: Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem.
Mar2: No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment.
Prayer: Thank you that you opened the door for the Sierra Leone tax deductions through AGO. Please help me Holy Spirit (as you did yesterday) work though the long list of things that must be done today.

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J3: Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.
Mar3: Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.
Prayer: Thank you Father for standing with me in Eternal Hope and giving me joy in speaking.

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J4: Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you.
Mar4: But since they have no root, they last only a short time.
Prayer: Show us Lord, in Sierra Leone, to sew seed that will take root.

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J5: They are well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing for another man's wife ... "Yet, even in those days," declares the Lord, "I will not destroy you completely." ... "The priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way, but what will you do in the end?"
Mar5: At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him
Prayer: Remind us dear Lord that our supplications to you are not answered without power being drawn from you, which you feel.

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J6: I appointed watchmen over you and said 'Listen to the sound of the Trumpet!' But you said. 'We will not listen.'
Mar6: "Isn't this the carpenter?"
Prayer: Lord, please strengthen this feeling in me that I am directly led by your angels in some things.

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J7: Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.
Mar7: You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.
Prayer: Have mercy Lord on this generation of men who are deaf to your commands, including me.

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J8: They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.
Mar8: "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
Prayer: Help me Lord not to forget things I must do for GAT preparation.

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J9: Oh that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.
Mar9: They kept the matter to themselves, discussion what "rising from the dead" meant.
Prayer: Help us understand that there are things we may not understand yet.

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J10: I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.
Mar10: "Noone who has left home, or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions), and in the age to come, eternal life.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that your gifts are for this world as well as the next.

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J11: 'Obey me, and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God' ... but they did not listen.'
Mar11: "Therefore I tell you , whatever you have asked for in prayer, believe that you will have received it, and it will be yours.'
Prayer: Help me Lord to understand the enormity of your words about prayer, and help me take great care with what I ask.

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J12: Why does the way of the wicked prosper; why do all the faithless live at ease? ... "They will sow wheat but reap thorns; they will wear themselves out but gain nothing. So bear the shame of your harvest because of the Lord's fierce anger."
Mar12: He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved ... David himself calls him Lord; how then can he be his son?
Prayer: Lord, assist me in these last few days (of the RRSP season) not to miss instructions from my clients.

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J13: So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
Mar13: 'And the gospel must first be preached to all nations' ... 'What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch.'
Prayer: Lord, may I have a role, however small in having the gospel preached to all nations.

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J14: Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass ... You are among us, O Lord, and we bear your name; Do not forsake us! ... Then the Lord said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them ... I will poor out on them the calamity they deserve ... O Lord, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned agaist you.
Mar14: The chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him ... "The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me" ... While they were reclining at the table, eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me - one who is eating with me ... This is my blood of the covenant, which is poored out for many," he said to them ... "You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee" ... "The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard" ... A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind ... Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree ... "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus. The the high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses," he asked. "You have heard the blasphemy." They all condemned him as worthy of death ... The cock crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him.
Prayer: Thank you God that your wrath showed to Jeremiah was turned to your love showed to those who tormented you.

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J15: 'You keep on backsliding, so I will lay hands on you and destroy you.' ... 'If you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.'
Mar15: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani"
Prayer: Lord, may my words in Sierra Leone be worthy.

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J16: 'It is because your fathers forsook me, ' declares the Lord, 'and followed other gods and served and worshipped them.'
Mar16: 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.' END OF MARK
Prayer: Lord, so be it.

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J17: The man who trusts in the Lord ... has no worries in the year of drought ... 'but if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.'
BEGINNING OF JOHN, AD 96     Whatever happened to LUKE, you may well ask.
Jo1: He was with God in the beginning. "I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Prayer: Continue to open my eyes Lord to your blessed word.

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J18: 'Go down to the potters house ... Does the snow of Lebanon ever vanish from its rocky slopes? ... yet my people have forgotten me'
Jo2: He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Prayer: I would like to 100% believe without miracles, but with the abundant testimony. + this collect for lent: Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent: Create and make in new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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J19: They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal - something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind"
Jo3: 'No-one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven - the Son of Man' ... whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.'
Prayer: Please turn on the switch in people's lives that they know your Word is true.

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J20: I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.
Jo4: I who speak to you am he ... Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony.
Prayer: Help me lord shrug off the mocking of unbelievers. Thank you for the words to use.

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J21: 'I will punish you as your deeds deserve,' declares the Lord.
Jo5: "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Prayer: We are saved by grace, but we condemn ourselves by sin. This is a lesson for all of us Lord.

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J22: Do what is just and right ... or you will have the burial of a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.
Jo6: Andrew, Simon Peter's bother spoke up: "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish ... " "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Prayer: Help us remember that there is only one pre-requisite for heaven.

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J23: 'Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams." declares the Lord. ... If a prophet ... claims 'This is the oracle of the Lord,' I will punish that man and his household.
Jo7: But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no-one will know where he is from." (error in thinking by the people)
Prayer: Lord, let me never disparage anyone because I know his/her background and assign no honour.

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J24: 'I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord.'
Jo8: 'Go now, and leave your life of sin.'
Prayer: Lord, you have said that you will help us know you, and that we should leave our life of sin, to the extent we are humanly capable. We praise your mercy!

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J25: 'I will summon all the peoples of the North and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon," declares the Lord ... but when the 70 years are fulfilled ... they themselves will be enslaved by many nations and by great kings."
Jo9: "Night is coming, when no-one can work."
Prayer: Lord, I see that you are always planning ahead for the good of your chosen people. Help me remember this as I pray for my wants.

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J26: Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Jo10: 'I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.'
Prayer: Lord, I am one of the other sheep from another sheep pen and I am so infinitely grateful for your sacrifice for me. May I have courage like Ahikam son of Shaphan.

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J27: Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.
Jo11: "Yes Lord," she (Mary) told him. "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." ... "I knew that you always hear me."
Prayer: Let us obey the Lord, regardless of what our earthly minds may say to us.

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J28: 'But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized at one truly sent by the Lord only if the prediction comes true."
Jo12: 'For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.'
Prayer: Lord, may I become influential by working on my own character, that others may be drawn to Jesus.

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J29: 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to give you hope and a future.'
Jo13: 'Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.
Prayer: Lord, may we be accepted in Freetown, and may they then accept you.

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J30: Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.
Jo14: 'You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.'
Prayer: Lord, strengthen me as I prepare to lead this group in your name.

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J31: "The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will build a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah."
Jo15: "I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener ... every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful."
Prayer: Lord prune me and help me remember it is so that I will be more fruitful.

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J32: They built high places to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing.
Jo16: "Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you."
Prayer: Lord, twice have you spoken to me about child sacrifice, Is this a reference to today's version, abortion?

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J33: Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever.
Jo17: "And now Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for this timely answer to our discussion from Beta last night. You are indeed right beside me in my journey of joy.

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J34: Te word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the slaves ... So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and femail slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. But afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.
Jo18: Surely you are not another of this man's disciples?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not."
Prayer: Your infinite goodness alone was strong enough to bear the sins and guilt of us all, even after specific disobedience. How can our just our thanks ever be sufficient. We need totally to submit to you and worship you continually.

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J35: ... they obey their forefather's command. But I (God trough the prophets) have spoke to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me.
Jo19: "It is finished."
Prayer: Write these things in my heart Lord, especially as we plan for Freetown, that my belief shines through my words and actions.

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J36: Take a scroll. and write on it all the words I have spoken to you ... whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe's knife and threw them into the firepot ... Take another scroll and write upon it all the words that were on the first scroll.
Jo20: But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Prayer: Thank you for Jeremiah's patience (but a back up copy would have been a good idea!)

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J37: Please pray to the Lord our God for us.
Jo21: Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."
Prayer: Lord, please heal Laurie-Ann of this dreadful condition (written in the Carleton Place Hospital emergency waiting room).

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J38: "Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes." Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. BEGINNING OF ACTS, written ~ 62 AD.
Ac1: Then they drew lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Prayer : Lord, teach me to act for you in all things, even though I could be thrown into a cistern.

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J39: "But I will rescue you on that day, declares the Lord, you will not be handed over to those you fear ... because you trust in me."
Ac2: "Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?"
Prayer: Lord, I put my trust in you at this time that as I devote energy to the GAT, that I will not fall prey to failing to watch over my business.

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J40: The Lord your God decreed ... and bow he has brought it about ... because your people sinned ... but today I am freeing you ... go back to Gediliah ... whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah.
Ac3: Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.
Prayer: "But you act as if Jesus never came; you will be completely cut off from among his people.

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J41: While they were eating together there, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gediliah son of Ahikam with the sword, killing the one whom the king if Babylon had appointed as governor.
Ac4: Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned, and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Prayer: May you give me more Barnabas - the spirit of encouragement.

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J42: Ten days later the word of God came to Jeremiah ... O remnant of Judah, the Lord has told you, "Do not go to Egypt."
Ac5: As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. ... They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Prayer: I look for ward to proclaiming this good news in Freetown; Holy Spirit, sustain me and give me the words.

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J43: So Johanan and all the people disobeyed the Lord's command to stay in the land of Judah ..the Lord Almighty says, "I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here."
Ac6: This proposal [to select seven men to oversee distribution of alms) pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit ..
Prayer: We should remember that both disobeying the Lord, and obeying Him may bring death.

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J44: 'This will the sign to you that I will punish you in this place,' declares the Lord, ... 'I am going to hand Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt over to his enemies, just as I handed Zedekiah over to Nebuchadnezzar.'
Ac7: Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man names Saul.
Prayer: Your purposes will not be obscured by men, though in the short term they will appear to thwart them.

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J45: "For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord. But wherever you [Baruch] go, I will let you escape with your life."
Ac8: Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.
Prayer: I pray for Jews to realize what they read in their own Bible.

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J46: Go up to Giliad and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you.
Ac9: For three day he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. .. Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus names Saul, for he is praying.
Prayer: The Lord heals and the Lord prevents healing, as he wishes and in accordance with His purposes.

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J47: 'Ah, sword of the Lord,' you cry, 'how long till you rest? Return to your scabbard; cease and be still.' But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the sea coast?"
Ac10: Do not call anything impure that God has made clean ... but God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
Prayer: Lord, I ask that you would warm my heart toward Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, for you made them all.

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J48: Moab will be destroyed and her town invaded ... Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab.
Ac11: Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. The disciples were first called Christians at Antoch.
Prayer: What a priceless legacy we have from those early disciples - much stemming from Peter's vision of the sheet let down from Heaven.

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J49: "Yet afterwards, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites," declares the Lord. ... "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come," declares the Lord.
Ac12: He had James, the brother of John, put to death ... When he saw this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also ... Then Peter came to himself and said, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches, and everything the Jewish people were anticipating."
Prayer: The presence of angels is to be remembered at all times. Thank you Lord.

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J50: "Israel is a scattered flock, that lions have chased away. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria, but the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. " ... "I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria. But I will bring Israel back to his own pasture, and he will graze on Carmel and Basham ... search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none."
Ac13: Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days, that you would never believe, even if someone told you.
Prayer: Lord, I see that the punishment for unbelief of those who have been told has been devastating throughout the ages. Help me to bring belief to people.

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J51: Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives. Do not be destroyed because of her sins. The words of Jeremiah end here.
Ac14: Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there (Iconium), speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Prayer: May I be forgiven for not continuing this study while we were recently in Sierra Leone.

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J52: In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army.
Ac15: Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
Prayer: You have supported your servants even when they through differing conscience have disagreed. Our God is a Great Big God.

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BEGINNING OF LAMENTATIONS, 586 BC
La1: How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations!
Ac16: He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple names Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek ... When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bythinia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
Prayer: Help us understand that there will be times that the Holy Spirit may prevent, as He may encourage.

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La2: Look, O Lord, and consider: whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring?
Ac17: When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered ... A few men became followers of Paul and believed ... Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus (listeners to new ideas).
Prayer: (Jason just called) Lord, give Jason strength at this time as Bailey goes through mental illness, and soothe the way to her getting on medication for manic depression. / Even this would seem small compared with the woes of the Jews after the fall of Jerusalem.

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La3: He has broken my teeth with gravel ... because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed.
Ac18: Your blood be on your heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.
Prayer: Lord, you supported your servant Paul even in his willfulness because his heart was right with you. But those whose hearts were lost were allowed to suffer unspeakably.

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La4: With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
Ac19: On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Prayer: I give thanks to the many scholars responsible for the New International version of the Bible, and for the words Emma Dupigny wrote in my copy so long ago, and our recent reunion in Freetown.

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La5: We must buy the water we drink; our wood can be had only at a price ... Our fathers sinned and are no more, and we bear their punishment ... the young men have stopped their music ... Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us for so long? Restore us to yourself O Lord, unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.
Ac20: Seated in a window was a young man names Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on ... "And new, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
Prayer: In this generation we risk losing all as disaster after disaster hits. Lord, where is the man to lead us from our abyss?

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BEGINNING OF EZEKIEL, 560 BC
Ez1: On the fifth of the month - it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin - the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The re the hand of the Lord was upon him.
Ac21: Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.
Prayer: As you did with Paul, Lord, give me the courage to stand for truth as given to me by your Holy Spirit.

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Ez2: He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you...You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, fore they are rebellious."
Ac22: Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the Earth of him! He's not fit to live!"
Prayer: Thank you Lord for reminding me that the effectiveness of my witness is not my concern.

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Ez3: But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are... But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his evil ways, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
Ac23: The following night, the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome."
Prayer: Lord, you reward those who speak for you, and you punish those who remain silent.

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Ez4: Bake it in the sight of the people using human excrement for fuel. Then I said, "Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. "Very well," he said, "I will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement."
Ac24: I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
Prayer: Ezekiel reveals here that it is legitimate to argue with God, and you may even prevail in rare cases. God grant me even a small measure of such wisdom as Ezekiel was given by you.

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Ez5: Take a sharp sword and use it as a barber's razor ... Then take a set of scales and divide up the hair ... But take a few strands of your hair and tuck them away in the folds of your garment. Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again ... Therefore in your midst fathers will eat their children and children will eat their fathers... Then again my anger will cease and my wrath against you will subside.
Ac25: "I appeal to Ceasar!" ... "I have brought him before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."
Prayer: Your wrath knows no bounds. Help us avoid it in our world today.

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Ez6: But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations.
Ac26: "And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today ... I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen - that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
Prayer: For the Jewish people, that more of them would read and understand their own scriptures.

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Ez7: Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord's wrath ... for it has made them stumble into sin.
Ac27: The next day we landed at Sidon, and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for human kindness, and that your wrath has not yet descended on our country. Do we have time to prevent it?

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Ez8: You will see things that are even more detestable than this..and there at the entrance to the temple were about 25 men. With their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces towards the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east.
Ac28: But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.
Prayer: As you arranged for Paul to reach Rome, we know that even today you are arranging for prophets to have access to the secular forces - faith and politics continues to interact.

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Ez9: Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.
BEGINNING OF ROMANS, written 56 AD in Corinth
Ro1: Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Prayer: Lord, show you people that Paul's words are clear and cannot be construed in other ways, lest in the end times they will not receive the mark.

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Ez10: The cherubim went in whatever direction the head faced, without turning as they went. Their entire bodies, including their backs their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels.
Ro2: To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life.
Prayer: Lord, I do indeed seek eternal life by your grace. I want to rest in you and not be caught up in busyness.

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Ez11: The Lord said to me,"Son of man, these are the men who are plotting evil and giving wicked advice to this city."
Ro3: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law... rather, we uphold the law."
Prayer: You give us insite, through Paul, which includes living a true life and receiving redemption through faith. Thank you Lord.

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Ez12: They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people. Therefore, son of man, pack your belongings for exile and in the daytime, as they watch, set out and go from where you are to another place.
Ro4: So then, Abraham is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
Prayer: Only God can change peoples hearts, and even he can have a very hard time. So let us just live out The way.

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Ez13: "My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and offer lying divinations ... beacause they lead my people astray saying "Peace", when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash."
Ro5: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ... Since we have now been justified through his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him ... For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one man the many will be made righteous.
Prayer: Lord, how you hate evil and love righteousness! Thank you for the confidence you give us in eternal salvation.

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Ez14: "When any ... separates himself from me and sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then goes to a prophet to enqire of me, ... I will set my face against that man ... I will cut him off from my people.
Ro6: Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? If we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be unied with him in his resurrestion.
Prayer: Lord, give me yet more joy from the life of faith and obedience.

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Ez15: "How is the wood of a vine better than that of a branch on any of the trees in the forest? Do they make pegs from it to hang things on?
Ro7: For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.
Prayer: Take away my memories of wrongdoing that I may concentrate on the mission for you. Forgive me, and hurl my sins into the sea.

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Ez16: [Extraordinary chapter. You won't hear this read in church! An allegory of unfaithful Jerusalem.] "I put a ring on your nose, ear-rings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head ... and you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols ... you adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband. Every prostitute receives a fee, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favours."
Ro8: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ... If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness ... Now if we are children, then we are heirs .. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose ... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer: How truly awesome is your word, yet you know our depravity and suffer for it.

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Ez17: A great eagle came to Lebanon ... Taking hold of the top of a cedar, he broke off its topmost shoot, and carried it away to a loand of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders ... but there was another great eagle...
Ro9: In other words, it is not the natural children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. ... The older will serve the younger. Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
Prayer: I pray for your mercy, O Lord.

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Ez18: Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood, though his father has done none of them ... Will such a man live? He will not! For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Ro10: [This chapter contains 12 OT references from scholar Paul.] If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ... Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved ... How can they believe in the one whom they have not heard? ... How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good news.
Prayer: I pray for all our Ottawa pastors, that saving souls of the lost become their highest priority.

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Ez19: .. and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his [the young lion's] roar was heard no longer, on the mountains of Israel.
Ro11: What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain ... as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so they could not hear, to this very day ... Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ... The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.
Prayer: I pray Lord for every Jew on earth that this time may come soon,

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Ez20: When you offer your gifts - the sacrifice of your sons in the fire - you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols. Then I said: "Ah, sovereighn Lord! They are saying of me, 'Isn't he just telling parables?'"
Ro12: Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship ... Do not be overcome with evil; but overcome evil with good.
Prayer: My prayer today is that you see us today less evil in our ways than in the days of Ezekiel. But I fear we may still bring you such grief, you who love us so much.

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Ez21: O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: the lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low."
Ro13: The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
Prayer: As I hope for the day, let me give love to all particularly my dearest Laurie-Ann, in this life.

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Ez22: I will disperse you among nations and scatter you through the countries ... because you have all become dross, I will gather you into Jerusalem ... and you will be melted inside her.
Ro14: One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables ... the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him ... For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Help me Lord always to understand the real message from your Word, and not just a part out of context, and show me how best to use it.

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Ez23: There she [Jerusalem] lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.
Ro15: It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.
Prayer: Lord, you have used sexual sin as an allegory for the works of the unsaved. Clearly you have given us the joy of sex for within marriage only.

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Ez24: Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided. ... So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these things have to do with us?"
Ro16: I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.
Prayer: Lord have mercy on those who have brought impurity into our modern Church.

------------------- Ez25: I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations, and I will inflict punishment on Moab. BEGINNING OF First Corinthians, written by Paul around 54 AD in Ephesus. 1Co1: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God ... For God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. Prayer: May this encourage me not to abandon those around me in favour of those ready to listen far away. -------------------

Ez26: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with horsemen and a great army.
1Co2: We do not, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.
Prayer: In your widom, O God, you used Nebuchadnezzar for your purposes. Open our eyes to see your secret wisdom that we may discover your kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.

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Ez27: [A Lament for Tyre] Your domain was on the high seas; your builders brought your beauty to perfection ... But the east wind will break you to pieces.
1Co3: For no-one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ ... The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.
Prayer: Help me seek God's purposes not mine, and know that his wisdom not mine is a pre-requisite.

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Ez28: You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till wickedness was found in you through your widespread trade you were filled with violence and you sinned... By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
1Co4: I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent.
Prayer: My my trade always be contected honestly, and may I cease judging others.

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Ez29: Then they will know that I am the Lord.
1Co5: You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy.
Prayer: Lord, yesterday I read not to judge others; today I read not to associate with some others. Help be understand the subtlety here.

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Ez30: I have broken the arm of Pharoah king of Egypt. It has not been bound up for healing or put in a splint so as to become strong enough to hold a sword... I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.
1Co6: If you have disputes, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church ... The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already ... Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. [This chapter contains the substance of the current chaos in the Anglican Church.]
Prayer: Lord, may your trus servants prevail in the Anglican church. As you prune the bad, strengthen the new growth in ACNA and ANiC.

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Ez31: I made it beautiful, with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God.
1Co7: For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean... An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs - how he can please the Lord.
Prayer: Bless those who are truly married to the Church, but purge the Church of those who would join it for reasons of exploitation of children.

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Ez32: I will cause many peoples to be appauled at you, and their kings will shudder with horror because of you .... when I make Egypt desolate, and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the Lord.
1Co8: For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?
Prayer: Help me understand this Lord, which suggests we should not in love chastise those who follow other faiths.

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Ez33: .. and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people ... Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me ... When all this comes true-and it surely will-then they will know that a prophet has been mong them.
1Co9: God has commanded that those who preach the gospel should received their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights.
Prayer: Lord, maybe you are making me a watchman; I am not yet capable. Make me capable, I pray.

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Ez34: Then the word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel ... who only take care of themselves ... My sheep wandered all over the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no-one searched or looked for them ... I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them.
1Co10: Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered over the desert ... We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did - and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died ... And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
Prayer: On this Canada Day, I sense that you may be drawing some of those scattered over the earth to one land. Lord, raise up strong Christian leaders to tend the new flocks. Maybe Cardinal Ouellet is one such; strengthen his resolve.

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Ez35: Then you will know that I am the Lord [I see parallels between the repeated teachings in Ezekiel and Muslims killing Muslims in Pakistan.]
1Co11: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of me."
Prayer: Help me understand the series of terrible happenings in the world. Are you behind them Lord?

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Ez36: And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws ... I will save you from all your uncleanness
1Co12: On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensible. [sermon fodder?]
Prayer: I certainly am weaker Lord, but to be indispensible is in itself surely the meaning of life.

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Ez37: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel ... I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them ... I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land
1Co13: Love .. keeps no record of wrongs.
Prayer: You know that my forgiveness of Debbie is total - why then has she cut herself off so totally?

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Ez38: "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog ... prophesy against him a and say, "This is what the sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog."
1Co14: If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ... He will be convinced by all that he is a sinner, and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God."
Prayer: Help me discern the trumpet calling me to the heavenly battle!

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Ez39: I am against you, O Gog ... I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals.
1Co15: And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins ... But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For, as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firtfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him ... The last enemy to be destroyed is death ... in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Prayer: For revealing these mysteries through your servant Paul, may you be praised on earth forever.

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Ez40: In the twenty-fifth year of our exile ... on the tenth of the month ... in visions he took me to the land of Israel ... and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze ... with a measuring rod ... who said to me ... tell the house of Israel everything you see. [Design for the new temple area. NB: I am reading "Relativity" by Einstein, which is peppered with measuring rods.]
1Co16: On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.
Prayer: Thank you for this Biblical version of "pay yourself first."

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Ez41: The man said to me, "This is the table that is before the Lord."
BEGINNING OF Second Corinthians, written by Paul around 56 AD in Ephesus.
2Co1: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Prayer: I pray that I too may be able to comfort others, for you have surely given me the temperament to handle troubles.

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Ez42: There the [the priests] will put the most holy offerings-the grain offerings, the sin offerings and the guilt offerings -for the place is holy.
2Co2: If anyone has caused you grief, ... you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
Prayer: Why do I have Debbie so heavily on my mind? Have I not forgiven her in my heart long ago? What is tormenting her that she wants nothing to do with me? Should I try and investigate, or let things lie?

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Ez43: These are the measurements of the altar ... these will be the regulations for sacrificing burnt offerings and sprinkling blood upon the altar when it is built ... at the end of these days, from the eighth day on, the priests are to present your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar. Then I will accept you, delares the Sovereign Lord.
2Co3: Even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Prayer: Lord, I understand that the slaughter of innocent animals is a small thing compared with the slaughter of the Son of God, yet I ask that in some miraculous way the animals did not suffer. I pray for the Jews who still see only through veils.

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Ez44: I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple, and I fell face down. The Levites who went far from me ... may serve in my sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and serving in it; they may slaughter the burnt offerings and sacrifices for the people and stand before the people and serve them.
2Co4: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Prayer: every day in every way Lord help me feel your all-surpassing power. Help me witness tomorrow as I teach.

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Ez45: The shekel is to consist of twenty gerahs ... You are to do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who sins unintentionally or through ignorance; so you are to make atonement for the temple.
2Co5: Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
Prayer: Help me genuinely welcome the time when I will dwell in that building from you Lord, though not leaving too much sorrow here.

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Ez46: He [the Prince of the tribe] is to give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people will be separated from his property ... these are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple will cook the sacrifices of the people.
2Co6: ... having nothing, yet possessing everything ... we are the temple of the living God.
Prayer: The temple transition from the old testament to the new is yet another relelation you have (just) given me. Thank you Lord.

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Ez47: When it empties into the Sea, the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows... You are to distribute this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel.
2Co7: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Prayer: Your plans are all encompassing Lord, may they include that Godly sorrow for me that leaves no regret.

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Ez48: These are the tribes, listed by name: at the Northern frontier, Dan will have one portion ... the special portion you are to offer to the Lord will be 25,000 cubits long, and 10,000 cubits wide ... the remaining area will be for the common use of the city ... the city will be in the centre of it and have these measurements ... and the name of the city from that time on will be THE LORD IS THERE.
2Co8: Last year, you were the first not only to give, but also to have the desire to do so.
Prayer: Dear Lord thank you go giving your servant this desire also.

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BEGINNING OF DANIEL thought to have been written in 164 BC some time after these events.
Da1: Please test your servants for ten days. Give us nothing but vegatables to eat and water to drink ... At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.
2Co9: You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Prayer: A sirit of generosity clearly gladens your heart Lord, and you continually seek ways to enrich us.

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Da2: The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future ... Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him ... Daniel remained at the royal court.
2Co10: For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."
Prayer: Let me not be affected by opinions but stong and boastful in the power given by you.

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Da3: If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
2Co11: For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough... For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
Prayer: O God, give me the gift of discernment of such people.

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Da4: Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle... At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was retored.
2Co12: To keep me from becoming coinceited, there was given me a thorn in my flesh to torment me ... But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Prayer: Help me understand this wisdom for my own situation. And guide me to deal with the personal deficiencies and inefficiencies I have allowed to creep into my business life, O Lord.

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Da5: Peres: You kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persions ... Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple ... that very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom.
2Co13: This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority -the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Prayer: Clearly the Lord's strong hand is on all things. Help me always to have faith in his abiding love and protection of those who follow him.

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Da6: Three times a day he prayed, giving thanks to his God ...Then they said to the king, "Daniel, pays no attention to you, or to the decree you put in writing ... And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found, because he had trusted in his God.
BEGINNING OF GALATIANS, AD 57. July 2010
Ga1: I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, open the eyes of those around me that they will see that it continues to this day and in this city.

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Da7: Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying on his bed ... there before me was a fourth beast, terrifying and frightening ... the Ancient of Days took his seat ... the court was seated and the books were opened ... there was before me was one like a son of man ... his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed ... I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast ... the fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth .. the saints will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time. But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
Ga2: For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me ... If righteousness could be obtained through the law, Christ died for nothing.
Prayer: If Paul was so opposed, why should we fear for a second if we are opposed?

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Da8: The visions [a ram and a goat] of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.
Ga3: What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the seed to whom the promise referred had come ... So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
Prayer: Lord God, thank you that you saw fit to reveal such astounding truth to Paul, and that he preserved it for us.

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Da9: I, Daniel, understood from the scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years ... I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed ... look with favour on your desolate sanctuary ... While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight ... Seventy seven are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin ... until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven sevens, and sixty two sevens. After the sixty two sevens, the Anointed one will be cut off.
Ga4: I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. What has happened to all your joy? One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves. Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son.
Prayer: I ask Lord that through visions and dreams you continue to free the descendents of Hagar the slave woman.

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Da10: In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel ... I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food, no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over ... He said, "Daniel, you are highly esteeemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you ... first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.
Ga5: You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? The acts of the sinful nature are sexual immorality - drunkenness, orgies and the like ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Prayer: Lord, your and your angels have striven mightily to show us the way to joy through honouring and loving you. Help me to such eternal joy!

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Da11: The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.
Ga6: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Prayer: I try to do good; may I never become weary.

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Da12: At that time, Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people - everyone whose name is found written in the book - will be delivered.
BEGINNING OF EPHESIANS, ~AD 62.
Ep1: That power, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.
Prayer: Lord, as we look towards the age to come, thank you for your promise of Jesus' continuing authority forever.

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BEGINNING OF HOSEA, 8th century BC. August 2010
Ho1: The Lord said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord."
Ep2: But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
Prayer: Open my eyes further Lord, the better to understand your mind working through Hosea and Paul (or whoever wrote Ephesians).

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Ho2: The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow?
Ep3: For this reason I kneel before the father, from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being.
Prayer: Paul's prayer just said is finer than anything I can say, so I repeat it, but directed to me.

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Ho3: The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin-cakes."
Ep4: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold ... Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.
Prayer: Help me not to open the 'fridge door, giving the devil a foothold in my life.

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Ho4: The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people, and relish their wickedness. And it will be: Like people, like priests. I will punish both of them for their ways.
Ep5: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people ... Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you ... Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled withe the spirit.
Prayer: Your word is clear, Lord, in showing your hatred of impurity, and your love of purity. Help me in my life to practise purity.

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Ho5: And they will seek my face. In their misery they will earnestly seek me.
Ep6: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Prayer: Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words will be given to me that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

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Ho6: For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.
BEGINNING OF PHILIPPIANS, AD 62
Ph1: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Prayer: Faith is the lynchpin. Lord, grant me this gift in full. Richard Rohr calls it the "freedom not to have to know" which I like, though he is a controversial figure.

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Ho7: Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is like a flat cake not turned over. Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice.
Ph2: But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you send to take care of my needs. [Epaphroditus took back to Philippi this precious epistle.]
Prayer: O Lord, we give thanks for those, most whose names are unknown, who risked lives to bring us, the unborn, the Word of God.

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Ho8: Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
Ph3: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.
Prayer: I wish to blow thr trumpet in my life; the sound that will carry me to your realm in eternity.

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Ho9: Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool, the inspired man a maniac.
Ph4: I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you have sent.
Prayer: That I and mine enjoy that same contentment that comes from the Lord; and hanker not after the appreciation of men.

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Ho10: Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unploughed ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.
BEGINNING OF COLOSSIANS, AD 62
Col1: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created ... For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Prayer: Jesus my king, creator of the universe!

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Ho11: When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me ... It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
Col2: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, Gad made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Prayer: Lord, it is a comfort to know that you take some of us by the arms even when we do not realize it.

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Ho12: The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet hew cared for him. But Ephraim has bitterly provoked him to anger; his Lord will leave upon him the guilt of his shedding blood and will repay him for his contempt.
Col3: Put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.
Prayer: Who am I to criticise others, now or ever. Let me examine my own life.

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Ho13: Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, "They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calf idols."
Col4: I Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Prayer: Lord, if you see in me today's equivalent of a silver calf, speak to me to abandon it.

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Ho14: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips ..." I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.
BEGINNING OF 1 THESSALONIANS AD 52 (earliest NT writing)
1Th1: Brothers loved by God, we know that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
Prayer: Lord, unveil for me also the power of the Holy Spirit that I would know intimately, rather than intellectually, what Paul speaks of.

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BEGINNING OF JOEL. Written between 1000 BC and 400 BC
Joe1: What the locust swarm has left, the great locusts have eaten ... What a dreadful day! For the day of the Lord is near. It will come like a destruction from the Almighty.
1Th2: And we thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
Prayer: I repeat George and Nahia's prayer last night, that you give me more of that capability to deliver that same word to those who do not know it.

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Joe2: Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming. ... "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart." ... Then the Lord will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people ... for he has given you a teacher for righteousness ... "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten ... And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy ... even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days ... and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
1Th3: For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that your promises through Joel were kept and that I, a tiny soul, am benefitting centuries later from your mercy.

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Joe3: Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! ... Beat your ploughshares into swords ... Let the nations be roused, let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations from every side. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near. The Lord dwells in Zion!
1Th4: Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like tht rest of men, who have no hope ... For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Prayer: I look forward to such joy when I will fall asleep, and even though I fear the meeting in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, or wherever it will be, I have hope of ascending.

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BEGINNING OF AMOS, 750 BC
Am1: For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because he ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to extend his borders, I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah that will consume her fortresses amid war cries on the day of battle.
1Th5: The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night ... destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape ... Do not put out the Spirit's fire, do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
Prayer: The sheer pain of evil grieves my heart. Lord I am so grateful that Jesus turned men away from the worst attrocities.

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Am2: I brought you up out of Egypt, and I led your for forty years in the desert to give you the land of the Amorites. I also raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites from among your young men ... But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.
BEGINNING OF 2 THESSALONIANS AD 53
2Th1: God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you, and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.
Prayer: Thank you for these comfortable words written so long ago yet still perfect.

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Am3: Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? ... When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it? ... As a shepherd saves from the lion's mouth ony two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites be saved.
2Th2: [The day of the Lord] will not come untill the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed ... proclaiming himself to be God ... And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his coming.
Prayer: That you have revealed these prophesies to us, and then further explained them we thank you Lord.

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Am4: Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!" ... I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord.
2Th3: We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ, to settle down and earn the bread they eat. As for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
Prayer: Lord, you are even a God of humour, both in very old times and in old. May I always keep my humour under all circumstances.

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Am5: Seek the Lord and live ... he who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns blackness into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the Land - the Lord is his name - he flashes destruction on the stronghold and brings the fortified city to ruin.
BEGINNING OF 1 TIMOTHY, 65 AD
1Ti1: Timothy my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophesies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight.
Prayer: Lord, are you teaching us that the disasters befalling earth almost weekly are indeed signs your wrath against the ungodly?

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Am6: You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments [jazz in the Bible!]. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions [Nu Skin in the Bible!] but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
1Ti2: This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Prayer: Thank you God for our faith, which is not a religion but knowledge of the truth about the universe and our place in it.

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Am7: Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. Amos is saying: "Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land." Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out , you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.
1Ti3: Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain ... In the same way their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers, but temperate and trustworthy in eveything.
Prayer: Lord, I continue to thank you for bringing Laurie-Ann to be my beloved wife and for keeping strong love for her in my heart.

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Am8: "The days are coming,"declares the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Men will stagger from sea to sea, and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.
1Ti4: Do not neglect your gift, which was given to you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that you have at last given me a small measure of that famine, a need for your Word daily.

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Am9: I will plant Israel intheir own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them, says the Lord your God.
1Ti5: If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever ... so I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander ... Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, unless it is brought by two or three witnesses ... The sins of some men are obvious ... in the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.
Prayer: Lord, you are a comfort in so many ways.

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BEGINNING OF OBADIAH Date unknown. Shortest book in the Bible.
Ob1: " ..There will be no survivors fom the house of Esau." The Lord has spoken.
1Ti6: All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered ... If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.
Prayer: Lord, the ways of the past are strange in our ears. Help me understand the hard words about slavery. Maybe for the slaves, their lives were more bearable if they respected their masters than if they hated them. Help our understanding, Lord.

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BEGINNING OF JONAH ~500 BC
Jona1: The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish" ... "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this storm has come upon you" ... They took Jonah, and threw him overboard, and the raging sea became calm ... But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
BEGINNING OF 2 TIMOTHY, 65 AD
2Ti1: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline ... Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
Prayer: Lord, for the tremendous dedication of all those who have brought your Word into our hands today through the ages, thank you for their toil. May we pass it on in its full glory.

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Jona2: From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said "...Those who cling to worthless idols fortfit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.
2Ti2: Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness ... And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for what you have already given me, and I thirst for more.

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Jona3: Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time ... When the news reached the King of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself in sackcloth and sat down in the dust ... When God saw what they did and and how they had turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
2Ti3: But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days ... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God ... You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose ... All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Prayer: Lord I pray for those who have not heard. Let me be one who will bring the good news. Give me the talent.

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Jona4: Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city ... and waited to see what would happen to the city. The Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm which chewed the vine ... Jonah wanted to die. ... The Lord said: "You have been concerned about the vine. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people ... should I not be concerned about that great city?"
2Ti4: For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear ... I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness ... and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Prayer: Lord, you have given us these great truths becuase you are concerned about us, the multitudes.

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BEGINNING OF MICAH, 700 BC
Mi1: The word of the Lord given to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Heezekiah, Kings of Judah - the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
BEGINNING OF TITUS, 66 AD
Ti1: They are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach - and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
Prayer: In any teaching, give me truthful words Lord.

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Mi2: If a liar and a deceiver comes and says, 'I will prophesy for you pleanty of wine and beer,' he would be just the prophest for this people!
Ti2: Similarly, encourage the young men to be self controlled. In everything, set them an example by doing what is good.
Prayer: Help me to be an example Lord.

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Mi3: Hear this, you leaders of the house of jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right ... her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the Lord and say, "Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us."
Ti2: Similarly encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything, set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching, show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.
Prayer: Thank you for again teaching me that I cannot expect favour if I do not walk in the light and set an example.

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Mi4: In the last days ... many nations will come and say, come , let us go up to the mountains of the Lord ... He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.
Ti3: He saved us ... so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life.
Prayer: Lord, I indeed harbour the hope of eternal life, though that rests on your mercy from my transgressions.

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Mi5: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
BEGINNING OF PHILEMON
Ph1: Perhaps the reason that he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good - no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me, but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
Prayer: I ask Lord for more insight into Paul's attitude towards slavery - and (therefore) my attitude towards same-sex blessings.

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Mi6: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
BEGINNING OF HEBREWS, 80 AD
He1: The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
Prayer: How unique in the annals of love was God's landing and life on Earth!

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Mi7: The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, and the result of their deeds ... But as for me, I keep watch for the Lord. I wait in hope for God my saviour; my God will hear me.
He2: Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Prayer: Lord, give me good opportunities to share you with those who don't know you.

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BEGINNING OF NAHUM, 615 BC
Na1: The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; The Lord takes vengeance and is filled wih wrath ... The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood, he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into darkness.
He3: Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything ... Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.
Prayer: Lord, I ask, give me the right words to soften a hard heart.

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Na2: An attacker advances against you, Nineveh. Guard your fortress, watch the road, brace yourselves, marshall all your strength! "I am against you," delares the Lord God Almighty.
He4: For we have [a high priest] who has been tempted in every way, just as we were - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Prayer: Lord, in your graciousness your gave me the words to speak to Tom yesterday. You are a God who answers prayer.

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Na3: Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims [Nineveh].
He5: During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
Prayer: Lord, please condinue to make me dissatisfied with the ways of this world, and to speak out.

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BEGINNING OF HABAKKUK, 720 BC
Ha1: How long O Lord must I call for help, but you do not listen? ... Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even of you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people ...
He6: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness in the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace ... God is not unjust, he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Prayer: Lord, for the bad news and the good news I thank you, and ask that I will never fall away.

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Ha2: Because he is greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations, and takes captive all the peoples ... For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
He7: This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything ... just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder ... You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek ... The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest for ever." Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant ... For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect for ever.
Prayer: We are grateful Lord for yet one more corroboration of Jesus power for ever to bring salvation to those who believe.

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Ha3: Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.
He8: The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah ... I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people ... By calling this covenant "new", he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and ageing will soon disappear.
Prayer: To have your laws in my mind sounds very much like my conscience, Lord, and implies that this was not so with the old covenant. I pray for wisdom, my God and saviour.

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BEGINNING OF ZEPHANIAH, 600 BC
Ze1: I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the (names of the) pagan and the idolatrous priests.
He9: The gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshipper ... When Christ came as high priest ... he did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the most holy place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternalk redemption.
Prayer: Lord so much blood spilt for human weakness. May I justify it by determination to attempt to avoid the pitfalls of sin.

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Ze2: Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger.
He10: If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgement and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Prayer: Lord I know I have thorns but I don't know if they are grievous to you. I ask you mercy.

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Ze3: Woe to the city of oppressors ... the whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger ... The remnant of Israel will do no wrong, they will speak no lies, nor will deceit be found in their mouths.
He11: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see ... by faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice ... these were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us, so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Prayer: Lord, always strenghten my faith that may be placed with the remnant, but give me chances to bring many with me.

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BEGINNING OF HAGGAI, 520 BC
Ha1: "... What you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house."
He12: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ... let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us ... Endure hardship as a discipline; God is treating you as sons.
Prayer: Remind us Lord that to be busy with your house will always facilitate managing our own house; and both require discipline and determination.

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Ha2: "And who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord ... this is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear ... The silver is mine and the gold is mine," declares the Lord.
He13: Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners ... Jeus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever ... I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.
Prayer: Lord, are today's churches of value to you as was the temple? Or is our hearts that can please you most?

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BEGINNING OF ZECHARIAH, 519 BC
Ze1: This is what the Lord says, 'I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem,' declares the Lord Almighty. "Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.'"
BEGINNING OF JAMES, 40 or 60 AD, depending on which James wrote it.
Ja1: Every good and perfect gift is from above ... Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Prayer: My prayer is that this book of James really is through divine inspiration.

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Ze2: Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the lord's anger ... he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria, leaving Nineveh utterly desolate and dry as the desert.
Ja2: What good is it my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds. Can such faith save him? ... Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did ... You see that a man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Prayer: O God, reconcile in my life faith and works.

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Ze3: Woe to the city of oppressors, rebelious and defiled! ... The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame ... At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
Ja3: All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
Prayer: Help me Lord to use my tongue for good; never for evil.

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BEGINNING OF HAGGAI, 520 BC
Ha1: Is it time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin? ... You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it ... So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel ... and the spirit of Joshua ... and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord ..
Ja4: What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes ... Anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't so it, sins. Prayer: Thankyou you Lord for the joy you have given me even in the face of disappointment.

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Ha2: "'On that day,' declares the Lord Almighty, 'I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,' declares the Lord, 'and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord Almighty."
Ja5: Is any of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord ... The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
Prayer: Thank you Lord for hearing my prayers, and I am far from righteous.

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BEGINNING OF ZECHARIAH, 519 BC
Za1: Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'My towns will overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.'
BEGINNING OF 1 Peter, 62 AD
1P1: These [griefs] have come to you so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine, and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed ... for you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Prayer: Your promises filled us with hope in the past. May they continue to bring hope, particularly to those with little else this Christmas.

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Za2: Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the Lord. "Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will come to my people. I will live among you, and yoiu will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
1P2: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you our of darkness into his wonderful light ... Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he vists us.
Prayer: It came true! You really came and lived among us! You do indeed keep your promises, Lord!

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Za3: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him ... Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you" ... "I am going to bring my servant, the Branch."
1P3: Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without talk by the behaviour of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives ... Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner, and as heirs with you of the gracious gifts of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Prayer: Lord, who is the Branch? Is he yet to come? Thank you for giving L-A to me and a never ending love for her.

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Za4: So he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' Says the Lord Almighty ... "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" So he said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."
1P4: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins ... If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will bocome of the ungodly and the sinner?
Prayer: Please bless mum, and Neesa as she cares for her, and for Sue Berry who gived her friendship to her.

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Za5: I looked again, and there before me was a flying scroll ... Then I looked up - and there before me were two women, with the wind in their wings!
1P5: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undegoing the same kind of sufferings.
Prayer: I pray for Emma Dupigny, newly arrived on Facebook that you will use her mightily in her school to prepare the children for godly lives.

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Za6: The word of the Lord came to me ... Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will breach out from his place and build the temple of the Lord ... And he will be a priest on his throne.
BEGINNING OF 2 Peter, ~65 AD if written by Peter.
2P1: For this reason make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, Knowledge, and to knowledge self control ... For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive ... We did not follow cleverly invented stories ... of our Lord Jesus Christ ... but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty ... when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory saying, "This is my son whom I love; with whom I am well pleased." We ourselved heard this voice, that came from heaven, when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
Prayer: Open my eyes to recognise the Branch, Lord.

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Za7: This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.'
2P2: But there were also false prophets among the people as there will be false teachers among you ... Many will follow their shameful ways, and will bring the way of truth into disrepute ... For if God did not spare angels when they sinned ... then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgement, while continuing their punishment. Prayer: I ask you to continue to show me the false from the true and thank you for my brothers and sister in ANiC.

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Za8: This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled wioth boys and girls playing there ... In those days ten men ferom all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the edge of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you because we have heard that God is with you.'"
2P3: the day of judgement and the destruction of ungodly men ... With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise ... he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance ... Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters.
Prayer: Thank you for these references from one of yours about another Lord, strenghening the word.

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Za9: Rejoice greatly; O daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
BEGINNING OF 1 John, 105 AD
1J1: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the word of life.
Prayer: King of the universe, you came on a donkey making yourself low and accessible to all.

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Za10: Assyria's pride will be brought down and Egypt's sceptre will pass away. I will strengthen them in the Lord, and in his name they will walk
1J2: Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father and the Son. No-one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
Prayer: In these days of Egypt's turmoil, bring comfort to your children in Egypt Lord as they seek freedom from dictatorship.

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Za11: Then I took my staff called favour, and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations ... I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
1J3: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work ... This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
Prayer: Lord, you have so clearly laid out how we should live. Help me to follow and bring me even more joy as a result.

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Za12: On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and mourn for him as one mourns for an only child.
1J4: Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Prayer: Help us keep Jerusalem safe at this time of unrest in the Middle East.

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Za13: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the Lord Almighty. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
1J5: Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
Prayer: Lord, help me understand the meaning of Zachariah's words. Which shepherd will be struck?

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Za14: This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet; their eyes will rot in their sockets and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
BEGINNING OF 2 John, 106 AD
2J1: Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Prayer: Grant to those today who would claim this, a word of knowledge that thy would know it for a falsehood.

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BEGINNING OF Malachi, 450 BC
Ma1: When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?
BEGINNING OF 3 John, 107 AD
3Jo1: Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
Prayer: Help me not offer to you damaged service Lord, but always the best from the gifts you have given me.

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Ma2: And now, this admonition is for you, O preists. If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honour my name," says the Lord Almighty, "I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings ... you have turned from the way, and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi ... I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel.
BEGINNING OF Jude, 75 AD
Ju1: But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourself in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for these words of comfort from Jesus' dear brother, who was also not slow to condemn false teachers.

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Ma3: Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me.
BEGINNING OF Revelation, 95 AD
Re1: On the Lord's day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice on a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea." I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me ... then he said: "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!
Prayer: Lord, as I begin this most enigmatic of writings, help me gain insight to your purpose.

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Ma4: See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.
Re2: To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.
Prayer: Today all prayers are for the people of Japan, who last Friday experienced that great and dreadful day of the Lord. How will you treat those thousands Lord who have never heard of you? May you be merciful, for it was not they who hold the blame.

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BEGINNING OF Job.
Having just reached the end of the final book in the Old Testament, I should go next the Genesis in this devotional sequence, but instead I am going to Job. I am reading Mike Mason's The Gospel according to Job. Mike Mason suggests that this could pre-date Genesis, since it contains no reference to any other Old Testament figures. Be that as it may, it turned out to be fascinating to study it here as I read his book.
Job1: In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil ... He was the greatest man among all the people of the East ... The Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?" Satan replied, "Have you not put a hedge around him? ... But strike everything he has, and he will surly curse you to your face." The Lord said to Satan, "Very well, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself, do not lay a finger" ... Yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brothers house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the dessert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you." At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
Re3: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Prayer: May I remember Job's response to adversity when I receive adversity.

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Job2: Satan replied, "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." The Lord said to Satan, "Very well then, he is in your hands, but you must spare his life." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top od his head ... His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
Re4: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive Glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
Prayer: Teach me Lord, as you taught Job, to accept the bad and the good with equal thanks, for you created all things by your will.

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Job3: After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth ... "Why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?"
Re5: Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. But noone in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it ... Then I saw a lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne ... then I heard the voice of many angels ... in a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strenght and honour and glory and praise!"
Prayer: He is indeed the ONLY one who is worthy, yet he is my friend and saviour! May my lips praise him for ever.

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Job4: Then Eliphaz the Termanite replied: "If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can keep from speaking? Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope?"
Re6: I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake ... the stars in the sky fell to earth ... then the kings of the earth, the prices, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains ... "..for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"
Prayer: Lord, is this to come? Grant me shelter through the power of your love.

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Job5: [Eliphaz] "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the disciple of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal."
Re7: Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the loving God ... then I heard the numbers of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel ... After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude ... standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb ... These are they who have come out of the great tribulation ... therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night.
Prayer: How glorious the future as all acknowledge the power and majesty of Jesus on the throne.

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Job6: Oh, ... that God would be willing to crush me, ... then I would still have this consolation - my joy in unrelenting pain - that I had not dneied the words of the Holy One. A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends ... but my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams.
Re8: When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour ... the first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. The second angel ... The third angel ... I heard an eagle that was flying in mid-air call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"
Prayer: Such destruction, Lord. May I never see it in my lifetime.

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Job7: What is man that you make so much of him, that YOU give him so much attention? ... Will you never look away from me, or let me alone even for an instant? If I have sinned, what have I done ot you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target?
Re9: Out of the smoke, locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ... The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle ... they had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to toment people for five months.
Prayer: Lord, as I deal with my puny problems, remind me of Job's courage, and the wrath to come for those without your seal.

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Job8: Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: "How long will you say such things? Your words are a blistering wind. Does God pervert justice? ... Surely God does not reject a blameless man or strengthen the hands of evildoers."
Re10: But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets ... I took the little scroll from the angels hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.
Prayer: Thank you God for explaining that bad things can happen to truly good people (like Job) and foolish people (like Bildad) will misunderstand why. And many of the words of prophesy cannot yet be understood by our immature brains, such as eating the little scroll.

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Job9: Then Job replied: ... "But how can a mortal be righteous before God? ... He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion ... Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me ... If only there were someone to arbitrate between us ... then I would speak up without fear of him."
Re11: And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth ... If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies ... Now, when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and will overpower and kill them ... but after the three and a half days, a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror stuck those who saw them ... The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven ... Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.
Prayer: Job has beautifully described how our works cannot save us; only a saviour can, and he longs for such an arbitrator. Thank you Lord for this wisdom from an ancient.

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Job10: (To God): "Turn away from me so I can have a moment's joy before I go to the place of no return, to the land of gloom and deep shadow and disorder, where event the light is like darkness.
Re12: And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun ... She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon ... His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.
Prayer: You show us the extremes or pain and triumph Lord. The power of Satan to destroy is massive.

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Job11: Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: "Are all these words to go unanswered? Is this talker to be vindicated? Will your idle talk reduce men to silence? ... Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin ..."
Re13: And I saw a beast coming out of the sea ... The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast ... Then I saw another beast coming out of the earth ... and he performed great and miraculous signs ... He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast ... He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand , or on his forhead, so that noone could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.
Prayer: I ask for insight into the meanings of these things, Lord.

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Job12: Men at ease have contempt for misfortune ... the tents of marauders are undisturbed ... but ask the animals and they will tell you ... or speak to the earth and it will teach you ... that the hand of the Lord has done this ... Is not wisdom found amongt he aged? Does not long life bring understanding? ... He makes nations great and destroys them ... He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason.
Re14: Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his father's name written on their foreheads ... Then I saw another angel flying in mid air, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth ... He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come ... A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image or receives his mark on the forehead or the hand, he too will drink of the wine of God's fury ..."
Prayer: Lord, help those of us who are among the aged to use our experience (wisdom) for the good of those you love (all).

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Job13: You are worthless physicians, all of you! ... Hear now my argument ... will you aregue the case for God? Would it turn out well if he examined you? ... Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him ... Can anyone bring charges against me? ... For you write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the sins of my youth.
Re15: I saw in heaven another great and marvellous sign ... and I saw ... standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name ... out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues ... and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again. Re16: And men were burned with great heat: and they said evil things against the name of the God who has authority over these punishments; and they were not turned from their evil ways to give him glory.
Prayer: Lord, how fortunate I am in every way. My days are full of joy, and I have a true hope never to be burned with a great heat.

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Job15: And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said, "Will a wise man make answer with knowledge of no value, or will he give birth to the east wind? Will he make arguments with words in which is no profit, and with sayings which have no value? Truly, you make the fear of God without effect, so that the time of quiet worship before God is made less by your outcry."
Re17: One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” ... I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
Prayer: May I never be quick to blame based on superficial evidence.

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Job16: My friends make sport of me; to God my eyes are weeping, so that he may give decision for a man in his cause with God, and between a son of man and his neighbour. For in a short time I will take the journey from which I will not come back.
Re18: After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons ... Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities ..."
Prayer: Job's suffering helps me enjore my own pain with my hip as I realise how trivial it is. Thank you Lord.

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Job17: My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me. Surely mockers surround me. My eyes must dwell on their hostility ... Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me? Will it go down to the gates of death? Will we descend together into the dust?
Re19: After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgements are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants ... And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”
Prayer: Your power will always prevail. I want to be on your side Lord.

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Job18: Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: "When will you end these speeches? Be sensible and then we can talk. You, who tear yourself to pieces in your anger, is the earthe toi be abandoned for your sake? Or must the rocks be moved from their place? The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
Re20: And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven ... he seized ... Satan, and bound him a for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended ... I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years ... This is the first resurrection ... When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations ... to gather them for battle. They marched across the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Prayer: I ask that my name will be recorded in the book of life, though in the past I have committed evil, but you have shown by your support of me that I am truly forgiven.

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Job19: Then Job replied: "How long will you torment me and crush me with words? ... If it is true that I have gone astray, my error remains my concern alone ... He has alienated my brohers from me; my acquaintances are completely estranged from me ... Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
Re21: I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Prayer: Lord, you take us from the depths of despair to the heights of joy, as long as we trust you in all things.

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Job20: Then Zophar the Naamathite replied: "My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer because I am greatly disturbed. I hear a rebuke that dishonours me, and my understanding inspires me to reply ... the joy of the godless lasts but a moment ... when he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and reign down his blows upon him..."
Re22: No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever ... I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll ... The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen
Prayer: I come, Lord; please receive me with favour despite my many bad deeds in earlier times.

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Job21: Then Job replied: Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power? ... Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not upon them ...They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
BEGINNING OF Matthew, AD 85.
Mat1: An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: "Joseph, son of David, Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit ... and he gave him the name Jesus.
Prayer: From these acts come our civilization. Lord, your plan is conceivable only in a mind as infinitely powerful as yours.

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Job22: Then Eliphaz the Termanite replied: "Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless? You demanded security from your brothers for no reason; you stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked. You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry, though you were a powerful man, owning land - an honoured man, living on it.
Mat2: On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him ... When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt ... After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his motherand go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to the the child's life are dead."
Prayer: As Eliphaz's accusations hold no weight with Job (or God) we are reminded once again that it is our faith and belief in God that matters and not our achievements or misdeeds that will matter on judgement day.

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Job23: Then Job replied: "If only I knew where to find him, if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments ... God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness tat covers my face.
Mat3: "I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" ... As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment, Heaven was opened, and he sway the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for bringing me back to these devotions after a busy week away from them.

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Job24: [Job Continued] "The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges noone with wrongdoing ... As heat and drought snatch a way the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; evil men are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree ... for a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone ... they are cut off like heads of grain.
Mat4: Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil .... From that time on, Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew ... "Come, Follow me," Jesus said. ... Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching ... preaching ... and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Large crowds ... followed him.
Prayer: Though I forget you, please don't forget me Lord. [I forgot the prayer on this day]

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Job25: Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: "Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven ... Upon whom does his light not rise? How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure?
Mat5,6,7: Now when he saw the crowds, he went up to a mountain and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying [The Sermon on the Mount - there is no way I can précis them. Go to the source].
Prayer: For the beauty of the brilliant teachings on which our civilization is founded, I humbly give thanks to God.

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Job26: Then Job replied: "How you have helped the powerless ... what advice you have offered to one without wisdom ... death is naked before God; destruction lies uncovered ... by his power he churned up the sea ... by his breath the skies become fair ... and these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him!"
Mat8: When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralysed at home, suffering terribly ... I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed ... Then, Jesus said to the centurion. "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Prayer: Lord, we marvel that, even with your healing power, you took time to appreciate the faith and logic of a man in need.

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Job27: As long as I have breath within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit ... For what hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?
Mat9: Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.
Prayer: How powerful job's faith in the face of apparent abandonment. Give me such faith Lord, even a tiny part of it.

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Jo28: There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined ... Man's hand assalts the flinty rock, and lays bare the roots of the mountains. He tunnels through the rock; his eyes see all its treasures ... But where can wisdom be found? ... Where does understanding dwell? ... The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.
Mat10: He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits, and to cure every kind of disease and sickness ... Go to the lost sheep of Israeland preach this message: The Kindom of Heaven is near ... Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my father in heaven.
Prayer: Lord, you clearly directed us on your business, you have even given us enthusiasm to go about it. We pray that you give us often that special joy of witnessing before men, and bringing them to you. For this is indeed the path of wisdom.

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Job29: How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me ... when God's intimate friendship blessed my house ... I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
Mat11: Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "... and you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it would be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for you."
Prayer: Lord, should we apply this to out own city of Ottawa, in efforts to bring us to repentance?

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Job30: "But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs ... They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hestitate to spit in my face ... I go about blackened, but not by the sun ... I have become a brother of jackals, a companion of owls."
Mat12: "And I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven ... I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word that they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Prayer: May I be ever mindful of my words to anyone and everyone.

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Job31: I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl ... If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit, let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless ... If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbour's door, then may my wife grind another man's grain and may other men sleep with her ... If my land cries out against me, and all its furrows are wet with tears ... then let briars come up instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley.
Mat13: A farmer went out to sow his seed ... still other seed fell on good ground, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown ... what was sown on good ground is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Prayer: Help me Lord with Job's prayer, and may a crop come from my efforts.

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Job32: Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with God for justifying himself rather than God ...He said: "I am younger in years, and you are old; that is why I was fearful, not daring to tell you what I know ... I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and reply.
Mat16: [For reasons unknown Mat 14 and 15 are missing here, but available elsewhere] But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Prayer: Understanding was missing for Job's "friends" - their eyes had been blinded. The eyes of Jews are still blinded so they cannot see the truth of the gospel with startling clarity. Open their eyes Lord!

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Job33: Job, listen to my words ... I am just like you before God ... but you have said in my hearing "I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free form guilt. Yet God has found fault with me" ... In this you are not right. For God does speak, now one way, now another ... to turn man from wrong-doing and keep him from pride ... his flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out. His soul draws near to the pit ... God does all these things to a man, twice, even three times, to turn back his soul from the pit ... Listen to me, be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."
Mat26: [For reasons unknown Mat 17 - 25 are missing here, but available elsewhere] The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him ... a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume ... "What she has done will be told in memory of her" ... Judas went to the chief priests to betray Jesus ... while they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth - one of you will betray me. ... Take eat, this is my body ... this is my blood of the covenant ... My soul is overburdened with sorrow to the point of death ... stay here and keep watch" ... "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard" ... The high priest asked him "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" ... "I am,"said Jesus. Then the high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he said.
Prayer: At this beginning of a new year, I pray for forgiveness where I have strayed or been influenced by non-believers. Bring me ever closer to you My God and King.

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Job34: Then Elihu said: "Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice..." Far be it from God to do evil ... He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wong, that the Almighty would pervert justice ... Can he who hates justice govern? ...His eyes are on the ways of men. He sees their every step. He punishes them for their wickedness, where everyone can see them ...
Mat27: "Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied ... "Crucify him!" they shouted. "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate ... "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ... Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there ... Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus saw where he was laid.
Prayer: Lord, you have made it very clear that we will either be saved or condemned. I pray you will increase my zeal to prevent people from being condemned.

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Job35: Then Elihu said: You ask Him, ... 'What do I gain by not sinning?' ... Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men ... He does not answer when men cry out ... indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea ...How much less then will he listen when you say that you do not see him? [For reasons unknown Mat 28 1s missing here, but available elsewhere]
BEGINNING OF Luke, AD 62.
Lu1: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard; your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son ... he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth ... The Angel went to [Mary] and said "... You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus ... " "My sould praises the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour" ... [Zechariah] "His name if John." Immediately his mouth was opened and hs tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
Prayer: It is thrilling indeed to read yet again of your holy purposes being made real in flesh among us.

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Job36: Elihu continued: ... "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. But now you are laden with the judgement due to the wicked; judgement and justice have taken hold of you ...Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction ... How great is God - beyond our understanding!
Lu2: While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born ... But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart ...For my eyes have seen your salvation ... And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
Prayer: Lord, open the eyes of those I love so they can perceive these great events that happened among us.

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Job37: {Elihu continued:} "Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashed his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth ... Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? ... The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power ..."
Lu3: In the fifteen year of the reign of Tiberius Ceasar - when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee ... the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert ... John said to the crowds coming our to be baptised by him, "You brood of vipers ... produce fruit in keeping with repentence ... but when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all; he locked John up in prison ... Now when when all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too ... And a voice came form heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." ... Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph ... the son of God
Prayer: Lord, you guide us through this book in discerning misunderstanding, and learning your unfolding plan for the world.

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Job38: Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; and I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand ... Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? ... Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? ... Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? ... Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God?
Lu4: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: Man does not live on bread alone" ... When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time ... He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom ... "the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor ... " and he said to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" ... "no prophet is accepted in his home town ..." All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town ... Then he went down to Capernaum, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
Prayer: Lord I ask for perseverence in ministry, as given to Job and shown by Jesus. May I never lose heart.

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Job39: Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? ... Does the eagle soar at your command, and build his nest on high?
Lu5: When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' feet and said, "Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken ... Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him ... "Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Get up and walk.' ... "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Prayer: Lord, my son is lost and seems determined to remain so, but you can come to him and save him.

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Job40: The Lord said to Job: "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job replied to the Lord: "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you?" I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer - twice, but I will say no more." Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's, and can your voice thunder like his? ..."
Lu5: Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him ... Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
Prayer: On the eve of our trip to Las Vegas to see James, would you Lord whisper 'Follow me' in his ear?

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Job41: "Can you pull in the Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down his tonge with a rope? ... He makes the depths churn like a boiling cauldron and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment. Behind him he leaves a glistening wake ... he is king over allthat are proud."
Lu6: "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" ... Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath." ... But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Prayer: Today I ask only that you give healing and relief to Laurie-Ann that she might fully enjoy this holiday.

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Job42: Then Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do all things. No plan of yours can be thwarted ... Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know ... My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Termanitee, "I am angry with you and your two friends, beacuse you have not spoken to me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken to me what is right, as my servant Job has." ... After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again, and gave him twice as much as he had before ... nowhere in the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters ... Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
Lu7: News about Jesus [and his miracles] spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country ... John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come or should we expect another? ... So he [Jesus] replied to the messengers ... "the blind receive sight, the lame walk ... and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." ... "Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Prayer: You are faithful Lord to those who trust in you, even though they may be afflicted for many years.

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BEGINNING OF Psalms, BC various dates.
PSALMS BOOK I
Ps1: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked ... but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night ... For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Lu8: Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women ... Mary Magdalene ... Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household, Suzanna; and many others ... [Parable of the Sower ... Jesus calms the storm ... healing of Legion ... woman bleeding 12 years ... raising Jarious' daughter]
Prayer: Strenghten in me this very delight in the law of the Lord.

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Ps2: I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your father ... Therefore you kings be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way. Psalm 2
Lu9: So they [the Twelve] set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere ... Herod said, "I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about? And he tried to see him ... [Feeding the 5000] ... "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah [Christ] of God." ... [The transfiguration ... healing of a boy with evil spirit]
Prayer: As we have seen the glories of New Mexico, thank you Lord for the joy we take in your majestic edifices.

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Ps3: Oh Lord, how many are my foes ... but you are a sheild around me, O Lord, my Glorious One ... I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side ... From the Lord comes deliverance.
Lu10: After this the Lord appointed 72 others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go ... the 72 returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name. At that time, Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children ... noone knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him ... And who is my neighbour? [Parable of the good Samaritan]
Prayer: My Glorious One, I have none drawn up against me, and you love me; how blessed I am!

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Ps4: Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him ... You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Lu11: "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be you name ... ' Ask and it will be given to you ... to him who knocks, the door will be opened ... as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation ... A Pharisee invited him to eat with him ... but the Pharisee, noticing Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised ... Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load down people with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
Prayer: Help me cut to the chase, and know what really matters in God's sight.

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Ps5: Morning by morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation ... let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Lu12: I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that can do no more. But I should show you whom you should fear: fear him who, after the killing of the body, has the power to throw you into hell ... he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven ... You must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him ... from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked ... from now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two ... father against son ...
Prayer: I pray for my son and daughter-in-law. Such danger they are in.

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Ps6: O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger ... Be merciful to me Lord, for I am faint ... No-one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave? ... The Lord has heard my cry for mercy.
Lu13: But unless you repent, you too will all perish ... Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straigtened up and praised God. Indignant, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people: "The are are six days for work, so come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath. The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! ... " The people were delighte with all the wonderful things he was doing.
Prayer: Thank you for reminding me that I can ask for mercy even after I have sinned.

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Ps7: O Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me like a lion, and rip me to pieces with no-one to rescue me ... let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O LOrd, according to my integrity, O Most High ... God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day. He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on him.
Lu14: Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts on the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away ... the servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became anngy and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame ... "I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.
Prayer: Give me insite, Lord, to present your Kingdom to those for whom this Bible means nothing.

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Ps8: From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise ... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him? ... You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him with glory and honour.

Lu15: "I tell you that in the same way there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent" ... "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. Prayer: Though there is great joy for the repentant, we must assume the unrepentant are lost and that this is the opposite of joy for them. Help my mind understand this devastating conclusion. ------------------- Ps9: I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart ... For you have upheld my right and my cause; ... You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked ... Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy ... The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God. Lu17: Ten men who had leprosy met him ... he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests" ... One of then, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice ... Jesus aked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well ... Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come visibly ... because the kingdom of God is within you." ... "It will be like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed ... I tell you, on that night, two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and ther other left ..." Prayer: That you have revealed not only how we should live today, what what will come in the end days, we thank you Lord. -------------------

The Return of the Prodigal Son (Rembrandt)

Ps10: Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak ... her lies in wait to catch the helpless. He says to himslf, "God has forgiven."... But you, O God, do see trouble and grief ... you hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them and you listen to their cry ..."
Lu18: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up [Parable of the persistent widow.] ... And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night ... Let the little children come to me ... anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a litle child will never enter it ... Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ... "He will be turned over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them.
Prayer: I pray Lord for the truly afflicted that their faith not waiver, and for those we love whose eyes you have not yet opened, that you will do so in your time.

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Ps11: In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain ... When the fundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? ... The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne ... On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning suplhur.
Lu19: Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord: "Look Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything I will pay back four times the amount ... He went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear at once ... "Why then didn't you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest" ... As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road ... "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" ... Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling.
Prayer: May I put the talents you have given me on deposit (or better still in equity) so that time can grow them before your triumphant return.

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Ps12: Help Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men ... "I will now arise," says the Lord. "I will protect them from those who malign them" ... The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured among them.
Lu20: The chief priests and the teachers and the elders came up to him. "Tell us by what authority you are doing these things?" ... Jesus said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." [The parable of the tenants.] "What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others ... Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and toi God what is God's" ... Some of the Saducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question ... "Those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels ... But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise.
Prayer: Thank you for the miracle of memory and investigation that Luke was able to reconstruct these complex arguments of Jesus so that even today we may study and disect them to understand their meaning.

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Ps13: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? ... But I trust in your unfailing love. My heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me.
Lu21: "This poor widow has put in more than all the others" ... "When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away ... you will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives and friends ... All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will save yourselves ... When you seeJerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers ... There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars ... Men will faint from terror ... for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near ... Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away ... Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.
Prayer: What a tantalizing glimpse you give us Jesus of the end times. Surely this is no less valid than your other sayings of truth and wisdom. Help us to distinguish between wars such as the destruction of Jerusalem, and your coming again in glory.

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Ps14: The fool says in his heart "There is no God" ... The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God ... God is present in the company of the righteous.
Lu22: Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve ... The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the passover with my disciples? ... "For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes ... This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me ... but the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table ... Jesus went as usual to the Mount of Olives ... He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed ... and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground ... "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss? ... They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied, "You are right in saying I am." Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips."
Prayer: Lord, give me the strength and the time to bring even those in my own family to understand the truth that you are God, and its vital importance for them.

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Ps15: Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? He who ... does what is righteous ... speaks truth ... no slander ... does his neighbour no harm ...etc ... He who does these things will never be shaken.
Lu23: Pilate asked Jesus: "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man" ... Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. That day Herod and Pilate became frieds ... So Pilate decided to grant their demand ... and surrendered Jesus to their will ... Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children" ... Jesus answered [the other criminal on the cross] "Today you will be with me in paradise.
Prayer: The God who taught David how to live is the same one we condemned and slaughtered on that cross. What other evidence is needed of our guilt? No wonder we need a saviour.

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Ps16: [This was David Watson's favourite psalm.] I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.
Lu24: "He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again'" ... While he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight ... Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the scriptures. He told them: "This is what is written" The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Prayer: Over and over you tell us Lord that eyes have been shut, but they can be opened. My prayer today - my passionate prayer - is that the eyes of those closest to us, our children and families, will indeed be opened, and soon, so they can savour as I do the true joy of knowing you.

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Ps17: My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped ... Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings ... O Lord, by your hand, save me from such men, from men of this world, whose reward is in this life.
BEGINNING OF John, AD 96.
Jo1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning ... Through him all things were made ... There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John ... The Word became flesh, and lived for a while among us ... John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying: "This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me has surpassed me ... Make straight the way for the Lord" ... John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This was the one I meant ... I testify that this is the Son of God" ... Philip fround Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the joy, becoming greater every time I read the story of how you did what you did for us in your great love.

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Ps18: In my distress I called to the Lord ... He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them ... The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousnes; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. Jo2: This, the first of his miraculous signs [water into wine], Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him ... "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" ... After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Prayer: Lord, I ask that righteousness be my guide and that it will please you and that your angels will smooth my way, as I believe they have indeed done in the past.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

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Ps19: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands ... May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Jo3: No-one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came form heaven - the Son of Man ... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life ... [John the Batpist:] "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Prayer: Lord, comfort the family of your devoted follower Hildred, who went to be with you yesterday 2013.01.16.

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Ps20: May the Lord grant all your requests ... Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed; he answers them from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
Jo4: The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptising more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptised, but his disciples ... The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain all to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he" ... Many of the Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers ... "Your son will live" ... So he and all his household believed. This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed.
Prayer: Anoint me Lord, that I may receive special favour in answer to my prayers, and use me for the good of your people.

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Ps21: You have granted him the desire of his heart and not withheld the request of his lips ... Be exalted O Lord in your strength; we will sing and praise your might.
Jo5: "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!" At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat" ... "The Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son ... A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live - and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned ... I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me."
Prayer: To those who believe, no explanation is necessary. To those who do not believe, no explanation is sufficient - referring to "Credo ut intelligam" – I believe in order to understand: Anselm of Canterbury. Lord, I will forever thank you for the gift of faith.

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Ps22: O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer ... In you our fathers put their trust ...and were not disappointed. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people ... "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him" ... A band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet ... They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing ... I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you ... For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help ... Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness. [Written at least 300 years before crucifixion was introduced.]

From Hope Magazine and NLT

Jo6: The men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish ... Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew into the hills by himself ... They asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent ... You have seen me and still you do not believe ... I am the bread of life ... there is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die ... unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you ... From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Prayer: We did not understand you until our eyes were opened. But many still have eyes tight shut. I pray for them, particularly those in my own family.

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Ps23: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing ... Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Jo7: Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me ... Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of your keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me? ... Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him, because I am from him and he sent me ... If a man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
Prayer: Lord, as I write here I feel the streams of living water. May they splash on the lost and on the sick. I ask your mercy for Felicia in Rumania.

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Ps24: Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol, or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from God his saviour.
Jo8: "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her ... Go now and leave your life of sin ... Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going ... My other witness is the one who sent me - the Father" ... "Who are you?" they asked? ... "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free ... Everyone who sins is a slave to sin ... Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil ... My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him"
Prayer: That these words of comfort have reached us, through the ages, how can we ever repay those who recalled then, wrote them, translated them and copied them. It is truly a miracle.

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Ps25: Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good O Lord ... The troubles of my heart have multiplied; Free me from my anguish. Look upon my afflication and my distress and take away all my sins.
Jo9: The day on which Jesus had made some mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight ... Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided ... The man answered ... "Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing" ... Jesus said, "For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind."
Prayer: Lord, I earnestly pray that you will open the eyes of J & K that they will see the truth, and it will set them free.

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Ps26: Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering ... Do not take away my soul along with sinners.
Jo10: "I am the gate; whoever enters by me will be saved ... I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ... and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd" ... Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him ... "because you, a mere man, claim to be God." Prayer: Thank you heavenly father for the comfort of these words down through the ages, for those who try to walk the narrow way.

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Ps27: The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to seek him in his temple ... I will sing and make music to the Lord. Jo11: Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother ... Jesus said to {Martha}, "Your brother will rise again" ... "He has been there four days" ... The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen ... Prayer: Is there any reason not to believe, when we have this eye-witness evidence of the divine power of the source of David's faith.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

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Ps28: To you I call, O Lord my Rock ... Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield.

Jo12: A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him ... Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him ... as Isaiah says elsewhere: "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn - and I would heal them." Prayer: Lord, for opening my eyes, I will always be grateful. Open the eyes of my children and my friends whom I pray will come to know you. ------------------- Ps29: Honour the Lord, you heavenly beings ... Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness ... The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon ... The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forest bare ... In his Temple everyone shouts "Glory!" Jo13: It was just before the passover feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love ... he began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was draped around him ... "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them ... "No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him ... Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me ... Where I am going, you cannot come ... A new commandment I give you: ... As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."

From Hope Magazine and NLT

Prayer: The splendour of the Lord was with us for a time and some glimped his power over everything, and this has come down to us through his Word; give all men the sense of utter wonder at what you did for those who love you.

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Ps30: O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me ... weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning ... You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Jo14: "In my Father's house there are many rooms ... I am going there to prepare a place for you" ... "How can we know the way?" Jesus answered: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me ... Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves ... I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him ..."

From Hope Magazine and NLT

Prayer: What diamonds fell from your lips Lord that final night, that they may be comfort for all in the future. God be praised for his magnificent plan!

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Ps31: I am the utter contempt of my neighbours; I am a dread to my friends - those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten by them as though I were dead ... But I trust in you Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me ... Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.
Jo15: I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful ... My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you ... If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first ... As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you ... When the Counsellor comes ... he will testify about me; but you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
Prayer: Give us all support Lord when we are ridiculed by those who we thought our friends, for we know the pure gold that is your words at the last supper, and they know them not.

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Ps32: I said. "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" - and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you ... You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble. Jo16: A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me ... Now I am going to him who sent me .. Unless I go away the Counsellor will not come to you ... He will guide you into all truth ... Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete ... The Father himself loved you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God ... Jesus' disciples said: "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech ... That makes us believe that you came from God." "You believe at last!" Jesus answered.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

Prayer: Lord, does this revelation about figures of speech perhaps resolve the transubstantiation debate? I ask for clarity to understand this matter that so racked Luther. In your holy Name. Amen.

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Ps33: Sing joyfully to the Lord you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song and shout for joy ... We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
Jo17: "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name ... None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction ... though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."
Prayer: Never in history has such a vital message been entrusted to so few in such a hostile environment, yet we are the proof that they succeeded wih God's help as a result of Jesus' prayer. Thank you God.

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Ps34: I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good ... whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies ... The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit ... no-one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
From Hope Magazine and NLT
Jo18: When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who had betrayed him knew the place ... so he came to the grove guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons ... then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him,and brought him first to Annas ... "Surely you are not another of this man's disciples?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not" ... Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man? ... I find no basis for a charge against him."
Prayer: We taste and see indeed that the Lord is good. O God, that we treated you thus in our unbelief, and yet you forgive those who come to believe.

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Ps35: Who is like you, O Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them ... ruthless witnesses come forward ... they repay me evil for good ... yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth ... but when I stumbled, they gathered in glee ... they maliciously mocked ... let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye ... my tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
Jo19: The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God" ... Pilot tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting. "If you let this man go you are no friend to Ceasar" ... Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified ... One of the soldiers pierced Jesus side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water ... since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Prayer: Give me also strength Lord in the face of tolerant ridicule, for you were crucified for me and the ridicule against you was anything but tolerant.

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Ps36: Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens; your faithfulness to the skies ... See how the evildoers lie fallen - thrown down, not able to rise!
Jo20: Early on the first day of the week, Mary ... Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first ... Jesus said to her, "Mary" ... He showed them his hands and his side ... "Put your finger here; see my hands" ... Thomas answered. "My Lord and my God."
Prayer: Thank you God for this greatest miracle of all, which proves everything that really matters is indeed true.

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Ps37: Do not fret when men succeed in their evil ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes ... Do not fret - it only leads to evil ... The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously ... All sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off. Jo21: Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus ... He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some ... Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast" ... "Take care of my sheep." ... Jesus did many other things as well. Prayer: Lord, you have been the source of all comfort through the ages, in helping us understand the eventual victory of good over evil, even to the extreme miracle of your conquering death itself, for us.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

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Ps38: Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear ... My back is filled with searing pain ... I confess my iniquity ... O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Saviour. BEGINNING OF ACTS, written ~ 62 AD.
Ac1: After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive ... he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight ... Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ... therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us ... and the lot fell to Mathias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Prayer: As I read these words today, Lord, in the comfort of my Kanata home I think of the thousands worldwide reading the exact words at this time. Many of them are in prisons and separated from their loved ones. Thank you for the sublime comfort the words bring us through ther ages.

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Ps39: Each man's life is but a breath ... he heeps up wealth, not knowing who will get it ... You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth ... be not deaf to my weeping. For I dwell with you as an alien, a stranger, as all my fathers were.
Ac2: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place ... what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them ... Then Peter stood up ... "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel ... I will pour out my spirit in those days ... and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved ... Brothers, I can tell you confidentially that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendents on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact" ... about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Prayer: This is a miracle Lord, that Peter who had lied and cowered rather than risk his skin now assumed leadership and was used so powerfully in the early life of the church. May we all be inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit to turn lives around, even lives of the sinners that all of us are.

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Ps40: I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry ... I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
Ac3: Silver and gold I do not have, But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk ... He jumped to his feet and began to walk ... "Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out."
Prayer: Lord, who can imagine the joy in the hearts of Peter and John when their first miracle was done through you!

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Ps41: Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; ... the Lord will protect him and sustain his life ... I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me ... Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Ac4: The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Saducees ... seized Peter and John ... they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand .... they could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old ... All the believers were in one heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything that they had ... there were no needy persons among them.
Prayer: You have shown us Lord that in caring for others we benefit ourselves.

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PSALMS BOOK II
Ps42: As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God ... My tears have been my food day and night ... Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, My Saviour and my God.
Ac5: A man named Ananias, together with his wife Saphira, sold a piece of property ... kept back part of the money for himself ... Then Peter said ... "You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard this he fell down and died ... About three hours later his wife came in ... Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? ... At that moment she fell down at his feet and died ... Great fear seized the whole church ... Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and the ones tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed ... Then the high priest and his associates arrested the apostles ... and put them in the public jail ... But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out ... The captain went with his officers and brought the apostles ... Peter replied, "We must obey God rather than men" ... Gamaliel addressed [the Sanhedrin] ... "If their purpose or activity is from human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men."
Prayer: Thank you Lord for your presence in the Coldest Night of the Year walk tonight. One more way that, 2000 years later, we know the purpose and activity of the apostles were indeed from God.

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Ps43: Send forth your light and your thruth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my joy and my delight.
Ac6: The Grecian Jews complained against those of the Aramaic-speaking community because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. "Brothers, choose seven men from among you ... we will turn this responsibility to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word ... They chose Stephen ... [who] did great wonders and miraculous signs ... Opposition arose from members of the Synagogue ... so they stirred up the people and the elders ... they seized Stephen ... false witnesses ... they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Prayer: To some Lord you have given this huge insightr and ability to understand fully your glory, and even show it in their appearannce. I pray that I too may receive even a pale reflection of this.

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Ps44: Our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago ... But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies ... My disgrace is with me all day long ... All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you ... yet for your sake we face death all day long ... Rise up and help us.
Ac7: [Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin] ... Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not ... "Who made you ruler and judge over us?" ... After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush ... He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself ... But our fathers refused to obey him ... Your stiff-necked people ... you are just like your fathers: you always resist the Holy Spirit ... and now you have betrayed and murdered him" ... At this they ... dragged him out of the city and began to stone him ... the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Prayer: In your word, it is clear that you hear all and you know all, but you act in accordance with your own timescales which may not be our timescales. Help our understanding of these things, Lord.

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Ps45: All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you. They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.
Ac8: And Saul was there, giving approval to his death .... Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house he dragged off men and women and put them in prison ... Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go South ..." On his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official ... "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" ... Then Philip told him the good news about Jesus ... Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
Prayer: Give me one, Lord, who asks me to explain the gospel.

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Ps46: God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea ... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts ... Be still and know that I am God. Ac9: Meanwhile, Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues in Damascus ... As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from Heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard

From Hope Magazine and NLT

a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" ... I am Jesus ... Then Ananias went to the house ... "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit" ... At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God ... Barnabus took him and brought him to the apostles ... Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem ... He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the bothers heard of this, they took him down to Ceaesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Prayer: Lord, you remind us that spreading the word was never easy. Always the opposition was strong enough to bring persecution and murder. Yet knowledge of you and your importance was enough for brave men to keep the faith alive at great risk to themselves. We thank you for them.

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Ps47: Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises ... The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
Ac10: The voice spoke to [Peter] a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean" ... Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people ... "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean ... May I ask why you sent for me?" Cornelius answered "... to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us" ... The Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Prayer: Lord, everyone you have made is good in your eyes; may they be good in all our eyes, leading to peace between nations.

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Ps48: Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth .... For this God is our God for ever and ever.
Ac11: The circumsised believers criticised [Peter] and said "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them" ... Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened "...So God gave them the same gift as he gave us ..." When they heard this they had no further objections ... Men from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus ... Then Barnabas when to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch ... The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the movie Peter and Paul which has always made this history so real for me.

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Ps49: Man, despite his riches, does not endure ... Like sheep, they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them ... but God will redeem my soul from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendour of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies.
Ac12: [Herod] had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also .... Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell ... Peter followed him out of the prison ... "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches" ... When [Mary and Mark] opened the door and saw him, they were astonished ... After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards, and ordered that they be executed ... Because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Prayer: Lord, we give thanks that you are a God who takes an active role in happenings here on earth when your Kingdom is at stake.

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Ps50: The Mighty One, God, The Lord, speaks and summons the earth ... I have no need of a bull fom your stall, or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
Ac13: [Barnabas and Saul], sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish Synagogues. John [Mark] was with them as their helper ... From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem ... Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "...The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath ... God raised him from the dead, never to decay ..." On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord ... But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing, and the leading men of the city ... So they shook the dust from their feetin protest against them, and went to Iconium.
Prayer: We thank you Holy Spirit for this crucial time in history when the story was first brought to the wider world.

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Ps51: [Written by David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.] Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your unfailing love ... blot out my transgressions ... Surely I have been a sinner from birth ... cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean ... Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Ac14: At Iconium, Paul and Barnabas spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed ... The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and others with the apostles ... There was a plot afoot ... but they found out about it and fled to Lystra and Derbe ... Barnabas they called Zeus and Paul they called Hermes ... We too are only men human like you ... they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead ... They preached the good news in [Derbe] and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.
Prayer: The courage and determination you gave Paul has led to two billion converts today Lord. I ask for a tiny part of that determination in my own life.

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Ps52: Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? ... You who are a disgrace in the eyes of God ... Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin ... But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.
Ac15: Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses you cannot be saved" ... Paul and Barnabas were appointed ... to go up to Jerusalem and see the apostles ... The whole assembly became silent when they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them ... When they finished, James spoke up "... It is my judgement, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are tuning to God" ... they sent the following letter ... It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you ... Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas ... and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Prayer: Lord, here you show us that even when men quarrel over their interpretation of your word, you will strengthen those who have the right understanding, if they fight for their beliefs, and the word prospers.

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Ps53: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God" ... God looks down from heaven on the sons of man to see if there are any who understand, and who seek God.
Ac16: [Paul] came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived ... One of those listening was a woman names Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message ... the jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Men, what must I do to be saved?" ... After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, and went to Lydia's house where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.
Prayer: Lord, as you did with Lydia, do with James and Kathy, I implore you.

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Ps54: Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life - men without regard for God. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Ac17: They came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the Synagogue, and on three successive Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the scriptures ... Some of the Jews were persuaded, and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women ... "Men of Athens ... He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." When they heard about the resurrestion from the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."
Prayer: Lord, let us learn from Paul as we bring your word to those around us. Let us not be discouraged by sneers, but greatly heartened by those who believe. For which of these is a thousand times more significant.

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Ps55: My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me ... Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest ... But you O God, will bring down the wicked ...bloodthirsty and deceitful men will will not live out half their days ... But as for me I trust in you.
Ac18: Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome ... Because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks ... The Jews became abusive ... One night the Lord apoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no-one is going to attack and harm you, bacause I have many people in this city."
Prayer: This reminds us Lord that if you are with us, who can be against us, even when faced by continual terrors as David was.

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Ps56: [For the director of music. To the tune of A Dove on Distant Oaks. Of David, when the Philistines had seized him in Gath.] All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life ... In God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Ac19: God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them ... Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practised sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly ... Paul decided to go to Jerusalem. passing through Macedonia and Achaia. "After I have been there," he said, "I must visit Rome also."
Prayer: David knew extreme fear, yet in its midst always trusted you Lord. Paul witnessed your power regularly, energizing his missions. Thank you Lord for his extraordinary determination; one man and his God changing the world.

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Ps57: [More from David's blog - when he had fled from Saul into the cave. To the tune of Do not destroy.] I cry out to God most high, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me! He's; God sends his love and his faithfulness.
Ac20: Seated in a window was a young man names Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third storey and was picked up dead. Paul went down, through himself on the young man, and put his arms around him."Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" ... the people took the young man home alive and were deeply comforted ... "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again."
Prayer: It is a miracle Lord that David's writings as he fled Saul have come down to us. Thank you for their preservation, with him in those dangerous times.

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Ps58: [Do not destroy.] Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not hear the tune of the charmer, howeve skillful the enchanter may be.
Ac21: [Jerusalem] Some Jews from the province of Asia say Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, "Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law" ... Paul answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people."
Prayer: Lord, in the long struggle between truth and culture, help your children continue to discern what is of you and what comes from man.

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Ps59: Deliver me from evildoers and save me from bloodthirsty men ... I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me ... But do not kill them, O Lord our shield, or my people will forget. In your might make them wander about and bring them down.
Ac22: [Paul] "Brother and fathers, listen now to my defence ... I persecuted the followers of the Way to their death ... I fell to the ground and heard a voice say, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ... I am Jesus' ... Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!" Prayer: I pray for this country, that we may find a way to be ruled that will allow all issues of importance to you to be heard without de-stabilizing the government.

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Ps60: [To the tune of 'The Lily of the Covenant'] You have rejected us, O God ... You have given us wine that makes us stagger ... Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.
Ac23: "My bothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead." When he said this a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.) There was a great uproar ...
Prayer: On this sad Easter Saturday, help me grieve with those on that first day after your earthly death who had lost all hope.

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Ps61: From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint ... I long to dwell in your tent forever.
Ac24: [Paul before Felix] "It is concerning the resurrestion of the dead that I am on trial before you today." Then Felix, who was well aquainted with the way, adjourned the proceedings ... He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Jesus Christ ... When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favour to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.
Prayer: Let us not forget Paul's troubles as he worked unceasingly to bring the truth to the world. May we be encouraged despite our tiny troubles.

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Ps62: Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance they are nothing ... One thing God has spoken; two things I have heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O God, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.
Ac25: After Festus had conferred with his council, he decared: "You have appealed to Ceasar. To Ceasar you will go!" ... [To King Agrippa] "It is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him."
Prayer: Lord, you have raised up meany wise followers in out time including Justin Welby and Pope Francis. Thank you that some persuasive men are ready to speak out eloquently on our faith even on national TV. And thank you for Steve Paikin.

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Ps63: My body longs for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water ... On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night ... All who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Ac26: [Paul to Agrippa] "I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen - that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles." At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defence. "You are out of your mind, Paul," he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane ... Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" ... Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Ceasar."
Prayer: Here again Lord we see the cornerstone of our faith: the resurrection. And Paul totally convinced of it. What a gift to mankind for ever and ever.

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Ps64: Hide me, O God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy ... surely the mind and heart of man are cunning ...Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord, and take refuge in him.
Ac27: Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius ... we boarded a ship ... and we put out to sea ... sailed along the shore of Crete ... a wind of hurricane force swept down from the island ... we finally gave up all hope of being saved ... Paul stood up before them and said " ... not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood before me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar, and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you'" ... Everyone reached land in safety.
Prayer: Lord, this reminds us once again that your purpose in our lives will be worked out even against all odds.

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Ps65: Blessed is the man you choose and bring near to live in your courts! ... You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly ... you drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and blee its crops.
Ac27: We found out that the island was called Malta ... After three months we put out to sea ... and so we went to Rome. The brothers there had heard that we were coming and they travelled as far as the forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him ... From morning till evening he explained to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets ... For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Thank you Lord tht Luke was with Paul to record these things. And thank you that songs survive in history, giving us the psalms.

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Ps66: You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our back. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance ... If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.
BEGINNING OF ROMANS, written 56 AD in Corinth.
Ro1: For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him ... Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
Prayer: May we always revel in praising you Lord, and may you take away from us any interest in sinful desires, wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.

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Ps67: May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us ... May all the peoples praise you. Ro2: God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life ... It is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Prayer: Though we be saved through grace by faith, you remind us through Paul that to live a good and true life and to enjoy doing so is one of the blessings of salvation. ------------------- Ps68: As wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful ... The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it ... Praise to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens. Ro3: What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true ... There is no-one righteous, not even one; There is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God ... But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known ... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Prayer: Lord, To give us first the universe, to allow us free will to sin if we would, but then also to give us redemption; surely nothing is more elegant and powerful in all philosophy!

From Hope Magazine and NLT

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Ps69: Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths ... The insults of those who insult you fall on me ... Answer me O Lord, out of the goodness of your love ... for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Ro4: Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before. It was not after, but before! ... It was not through law that Abraham received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but throght the righteousness that comes by faith.
Prayer: If I work for you Lord, my wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. But if I trust you, my faith is credited as righteousness.

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Ps70: I am poor and needy; come quickly to me O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.
Ro5: We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character, hope .... Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us ... Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
Prayer: What power does you Word have over the ages brought to us via the mouth of Paul!

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Ps71: Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone ... May my accusers perish in shame ... Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I decalre your marvellous deeds.
Ro6: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless ... sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace ... For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer: Even one loved by you so much as David prayed often for safety from his accusers and enemies. This should buoy us all up Lord as we struggle with far less aggressive enemies.

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Ps72: [David's final psalm, praying for his son Soloman] Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness ... The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust ... Praise to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
Ro7: I would not have known what it was to covet if the law had not said, "Do not covet" ... So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law ... What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Prayer: The wisdom that you gave David and Solomon lives on and speaks to us today. Your gift has the power to guide us and our leaders if only they were to listen.

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PSALMS BOOK III
Ps73: [A psalm of Asaph] I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles. Their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their neclace; they clothe themselved with violence ... When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
Ro8: Those who live upon the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Prayer: Lord, your word in the New Testament illuminates your word in the Old.

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Ps74: Why have you rejected us for ever, O God? ... All this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary ... no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be ... Rise up, O God, and defend your cause.
Ro9: One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? ... But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
Prayer: In this age you have indeed sent us prophets, yet faith is rare. May some of this clay be for noble purposes.

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Ps75: [To the tune of Do not destroy.] To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.' ... As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
Ro10: Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God, and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Prayer: As for me too, I will declare this forever, even though it loses me my children.

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From this point, I will be using the English Standard Version of the Bible for Old Testament chapters, continuing with the NIV for New Testament.
Ps76: In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion ... But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth.
Ro11: I am talking to you, Gentiles. Isasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them ... For God has bound all men to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.
Prayer: Lord, I give thanks to you for raising up scholarly men in our time (Like David Jeffrey) who can show us the right way ahead and point out errors that could lead us astray.

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Ps77: Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” ... I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds ... You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.
Ro12: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you ... If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
Prayer: may my faith continue to grow, Lord, so that I may offer growing levels of my spiritual gifts, including encouragement.

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Ps78: Give ear, O my people, to my teaching ... I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.
Ro13: The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
Prayer: Lord, spread it through your power that the reason for the erosion of faith is simply this: parents are failing to teach their children about Jesus. Why does it matter? He matters more than anything else in the universe because he created it. Why don't people understand this? Because no-one ever told them. Want to catch up? Go to an Alpha course. Why bother? Everlasting life. Don't agree? Blame your parents; they really should have told you (as posted to Facebook 12 May 2013).

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Ps79: O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins ... Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name! For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins.
Ro14: One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables ... who are you to judge someone else's servant? ... You then, why do you judge your brother? ... Each of us will give an account of himself to God ... No food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean ... Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.
Prayer: Even in the darkest of times the psalmists never gave up. Paul urges us not to sweat the small stuff. These are building blocks of wisdom, for which we thank you, Lord.

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Ps80: O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure ... Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it ... They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of your face! But let your hand be on the man of your right hand, the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself! ... Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Ro15: Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you ... From Jerusalem, all the way aroud to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
Prayer: Lord, had you not heeded the cry of the prophets of the Israelites, would Paul ever have come to Rome? In this age we know that you care for us despite the sorry state of Western nations in forsaking you.

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Ps81: “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Ro16: I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people ... I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.
Prayer: may we never forget how you love us, God, and give us continued joy in waling in your way.

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Ps82: “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness.
BEGINNING OF First Corinthians, written by Paul around 54 AD in Ephesus.
1Co1: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.' Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Prayer: You have indeed shown that those given earthly cleverness often lack the humility to accept you as Lord.

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Ps83: O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! For behold, your enemies make an uproar ... They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
1Co2: we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
Prayer: So many unfortunate events in the news these days - I cannot eradicate the idea from my mind that how different things would be if only our leaders and elected and appointed officials (and bloggers and priests) would try to follow the Ten Commandments.

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Ps84: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God ... Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 1Co3: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ ... Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’;and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’ So then, no more boasting about human leaders! Prayer: Lord, you have given me this joy here on earth, even when my children and brother despise me and would throw me to the dungeon. Yet you gave me a Godly angel to be with me and many friends in the Way, and the satisfaction of knowledge in my later years. ------------------- Ps85: Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? ... Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

1Co4: I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
Prayer: Thank you for Paul's wisdom Lord, which strengthens us all against the flurries of this world.

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Ps86: Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favour, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
1Co5: Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch – as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Prayer: Continue showing me signs of your favour Lord, for I am indeed blessed by you.

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Ps87: Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God.
1Co6: Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God ... ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. [The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.]
Prayer: Lord, forgive us that we have now come so low as to make some such sinners into priests!

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Ps88: But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
1Co7: Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: it is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Prayer: And what of the menopause, Lord? What would Paul have said about its effect on husbands?

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Ps89: I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever ... ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’
1Co8: Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that Paul's faith shows logic and common sense, rather than unsupported ritual are the basis of our faith. You are indeed God who we can ideed sing to forever of our love for you!

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Ps90: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God ... For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away ... Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us.
1Co9: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
Prayer: Give us that same love and desire for evangelism Lord in these years by reason of strength.

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Ps91: You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness ... Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place — the Most High, who is my refuge — no evil shall be allowed to befall you ... For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
1Co10: So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. ‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
Prayer: On this day that L-A leaves for BC., and we will be apart many months, my prayer is for her safety on the long drive, and that she remain alert to avoid accident. Lord, please command your angels.

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Ps92: It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night ... The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever.
1Co11: Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and ill, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
Prayer: Lord forgive me for it is now 10 days since my last reading, and now L-A is near the end of her first week at Mountain FM. Give her the strength Lord to handle this full time work and do it well enough.

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Ps93: The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!
1Co12: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. And so the body is not made up of one part but of many. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
Prayer: Have mercy Lord on the people devastated by floods in Alberta; may they find their houses restorable.

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Ps94: Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge — the Lord — knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.
1Co13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Prayer: Help me Lord as I try to get back on track with my work.

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Ps95: Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
1Co14: Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and enquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an enquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’
Prayer: Lord, I am physically weak these last 2 days - a bug or something I ate - please give me my strength and vitality back.

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Ps96: Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice ... Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
1Co15: If the dead are not raised,‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’ ... Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
Prayer: Guide this nation Lord in it endeavours to be a free and fair haven. May it never forget you. [Canada Day 2013).

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Ps97: For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
1Co16: Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
Prayer: Lord, I ask that I may recover the right atitude of industry, for I am falling behind, even in my devotions.

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Ps98: Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
BEGINNING OF Second Corinthians, written by Paul around 56 AD in Ephesus.
2Co1: We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.
Prayer: It is such comfort Lord to know that we can indeed rely on you, if we love you, even when matters are desperate, as they were for Paul. You did not prevent him experiencing terrible problems, but you brought him through them.

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Ps99: Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!
2Co2: For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
Prayer: Lord, if there are any today (and there are) peddling the word of God for their own profit yet not believing in you and loving you, may they be found out and discredited before they have influenced many lives.

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Ps100: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! ... For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations
2Co3: Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Prayer: I implore you Lord to strengthen L-A in all the tasks she has to undertake, and help her see the way through so that she is well received at the radio station.

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Ps101: I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
2Co4: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God ... We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Prayer: Lord be present at thei morning's IPLF meeting and may I bring a message on parenting with conviction.

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Ps102: Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.
2Co5: Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
Prayer: Assist me, an angel of the Lord, as I prepare for this journey to be reunited with L-A.

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Ps103: But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
2Co6: We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts also.
Prayer: As I plan my departure to be re-united with L-A in Beliaire, keep me focused on you Lord and then all will be done that should be.

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Ps104: He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening ... I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
2Co7: ... yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance ... Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret ... See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.
Prayer: Lord, I have strayed from these devotions more than a week; restore in me my daily joy in them through godly sorrow.

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Ps105: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
2Co8: And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity ... So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
Prayer: Continue giving us joy from the act of giving, Lord. For we have been blessed by you.

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Ps106: Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them,[a] that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
2Co9: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver ... This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Prayer: Inspire me Lord in my work to apply myself more vigourously.

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Ps107: Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea ... Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
2Co10: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Prayer: Thank you for the healing power of a holiday, and grant me clearer vision as we plan the huge changes coming in our lives in the next six months.

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Ps108: Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! 2Co11: I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super-apostles’. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. Prayer: As we approach the next Building Strong Families meeting, we pray that you will convict additional church leaders and members to get involved with and promote Building Strong Families. ------------------- Ps109: May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! ... May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life!

From Hope Magazine and NLT

2Co12: For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Prayer: Lord, support and be with L-A as she approaches the end of her probationary period Mountain FM.

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Ps110: The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” ... The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
2Co13: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.
Prayer: Lord, bring Elwood to those who should see and speak with him on this visit to Ottawa.

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Ps111: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
BEGINNING OF GALATIANS, AD 57. Aug 2013
Ga1: I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Lord, bring us more helpers to our Building Strong Families initiative as I visit some churches today.

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Ps112: It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice ... He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
Ga2: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Prayer: Lord, save Egypt from destruction, I beg you.

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Ps113: Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!
Ga3: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Guide Jason Lord though this hard time so he will not lose the good fortune that has come to him.

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Ps114: Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.
Ga4: God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Prayer: Bring back to us the wonder that we should feel at every thought of your creation and what you have done. These are no commonplaces!

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Ps115: May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
Ga5: For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Prayer: Lord, the world is on a precipice with Syria. I ask that YOU be the intervenor and find a way through this mess, as you may have done in Egypt.

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Ps116: I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Ga6: Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ ... See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.
Prayer: May today be the day I can find more funding for Good News Christian Ministries.

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Ps117: Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! [That is the complete chapter; the shortest in the Bible.] BEGINNING OF EPHESIANS, ~AD 62. Ep1: I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him. Prayer: I pray Lord for wisdom for world leaders as Syria stands on the brink of escallation of their terrible conflict. (29 Aug 2013] ------------------- Ps118: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.[b] This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

From Hope Magazine and NLT

Ep2: For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
Prayer: Continue to help me hold you up 24/7 to become a cornerstone (lovely word) in your many-cornered building.

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Ps119: [This, the longest psalm, is an acrostic poem of twenty-two stanzas, following the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; within a stanza, each verse begins with the same Hebrew letter]
Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! ... How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! ... Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors ... Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good ... I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame ... I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts ... When will you judge those who persecute me? ... Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path ... I rise before dawn and cry for help ... Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules ... I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
Ep3: Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer: Lord, bless our efforts to find candidates for Building Strong Families.

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Ps120: Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!
Ep4: Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Prayer: Encourage the inmates, Lord, particularly those who would follow Paul's exhortation.

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Ps121: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Ep5: Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving ... Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
Prayer: Lord, Be with me and our small team as we prepare for our Building Strong Families booth at the Richmond fair.

------------------- Ps122: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” Ep6: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Prayer: Stand with us Lord at the Richmond Fair when we engage the public in Building Strong Families. Please also give strength to L-A in her last two days of probation. -------------------

Laurie-Ann Copple: The armour of God

Ps123: Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.
BEGINNING OF PHILIPPIANS, AD 62
Ph1: Paul and Timothy, servants[a] of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ... With full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Prayer: Guide me Lord Jesus as today, with Lynn's help, I seek out parents who would benefit from the courses starting this week.

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Ps124: if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us.
Ph2: Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Prayer: Comfort and relax me Lord as today's schedule is worked through and I prepare for the parenting course tomorrow.

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Ps125: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
Ph3: But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him ... that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Prayer: I, like Paul, look to the resurrection of the dead as the crowning achievement of life.

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Ps126: “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!
Ph4: [Rick Altizer] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things ... I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Prayer: As Paul's hugely fruitful words resound through the ages, I thank you Lord for all the souls who preserved them, copied them, printer them and posted them, all for our comfort.

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Ps127: Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain ... Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.
BEGINNING OF COLOSSIANS, AD 62
Col1: For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Prayer: As we close in on the launch of Equipping Evangelists, help us reach those that you would bring to this enterprise.

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Ps128: Your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.
Col2: See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Prayer: I pray for my children, lost beyond what is in my power to heal. Would that I had known you better when they were much younger.

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Ps129: Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.
Col3: Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth ... But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth ... Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
Prayer: Lord, please specially give L-A a restful time after her last week at the station.

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Ps130: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
Col4: Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
Prayer: Forgive me Lord for struggling insufficiently in my prayers, yet you have been gracious often to grant my requests.

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Ps131: O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
BEGINNING OF 1 THESSALONIANS AD 52 (earliest NT writing)
1Th1: Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord.
Prayer: Even now Lord, at this late time, speak to those whom you would bring to the Equipping Evangelists launch tonight.

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Ps132: For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: “This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
1Th2: Though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict ... We were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Prayer: Lord, as Paul nurtures the Thessalonians, may E2 nurture the Ottawans.

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Ps133: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
1Th3: But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you — for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.
Prayer: Strengthen L-A, dear Lord at this time when she has lost her radio job.

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Ps134: May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!
1Th4: For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
Prayer: You give us hope Lord that transcends all earthly problems.

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Ps135: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant! ... Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
1Th5: For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night ... But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day ... For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Paul's words comfort us; thank you that you saw fit to illuminate his mind on such matters.

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Ps136: From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth.
BEGINNING OF 2 THESSALONIANS AD 53
2Th1: ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.
Prayer: Lord, as I plan for My Hope with Billy Graham, inspire me with these words of Paul that I will understand how vital it is to bring in a harvest.

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Ps137: By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion ... How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! ... O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!
2Th2: And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
Prayer: Help us understand even the hard sayings, knowing that you are always a loving God.

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Ps138: On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased ... The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
2Th3: For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
Prayer: Lord, inspire me in the continuing study of your word, and inspire me in my work and activities.

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Ps139: O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar ... You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
BEGINNING OF 1 TIMOTHY, 65 AD
1Ti1: The law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.
Prayer: Lord, help us figure out how to bring L-A home.

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Ps140: Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men ... I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name.
1Ti2: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions ... in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for last night's wonderful time of prayer led by Pastor Bill at East Gate Alliance with all their ethnic groups.

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Ps141: Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
1Ti3: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Prayer: Lord, a selfish prayer; help me return to the right track in my work, so I can do your work better.

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Ps142: I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!
1Ti4: Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits ... who require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good.
Prayer: I give thanks for those who sacrificed their lives that their countrymen would remain free.

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Ps143: Hear my prayer, O Lord ... for the enemy has pursued my soul ... therefore my spirit faints within me ... I remember the days of old ... Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! [Recommended to L-A at a low time]
1Ti5: If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever ... Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses ... No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.
Prayer: Protect and save us Lord next week as we cross Canada, and lift L-A's spirits so she does not dwell on recent misfortunes.

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Ps144: O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
1Ti6: As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Prayer: For your protection on our recent drive from Nelson, BC to Ottawa we are most truly grateful dear Lord.

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Ps145: Glorious are you, more majestic than the mountains full of prey ... Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
BEGINNING OF 2 TIMOTHY, 65 AD
2Ti1: I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Prayer: I ask that with you as our Lord, our family will overcome present stresses.

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Ps146: Put not your trust in princes ... Blessed is he whose ... hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them.
2Ti2: No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him ... So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
Prayer: Lord, as I seek to plan my future, may these words of Paul guide me.

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Ps147: Praise your God, O Zion! For he strengthens the bars of your gates ... He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules.
2Ti3: You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra — which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
Prayer: As Christmas draws near, protect those multitudes of Syrian refugees cast into the cold, and strenghthen the aid workers.

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Ps148: Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.
2Ti4: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching ... At my first defence no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.
Prayer: Give me Lord a taste of Paul's humanity in the face of desertion, knowing you to be eternally faithful and reliable.

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Ps149: Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
BEGINNING OF TITUS, 66 AD
Ti1: This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you — if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers, and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.
Prayer: May Carol & Steve be safe, Lord, during the Toronto power-outage.

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Ps150: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Ti2: Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children.
Prayer: I pray that my mother will live at least until we have been with her again a month from now.

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BEGINNING OF PROVERBS, Some ~800 BC
Pr1: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge. If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you ...”
Ti3: Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him.
Prayer: My your Spirit ignite our team for the Global Day of Prayer, again this year.

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Pr2: For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
BEGINNING OF PHILEMON
Ph1: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ... I, Paul, write this with my own hand.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the preservation of this so personal letter from Paul to his friend.

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Pr3: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbour, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it” — when you have it with you.
BEGINNING OF HEBREWS, 80 AD
He1: You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
Prayer: Praise you Lord, for there is no end to your majesty and glory.

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Pr4: Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
He2: Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Prayer: Lord, help me work through my many challenges while remaining respectful to others and calm.

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Pr5: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction ... For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
He3: For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
Prayer: Assist me, Lord, in the joyful task of eulogising my mother.

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Pr6: Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? ... There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers ... Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread,[g] but a married woman[h] hunts down a precious life. Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?
He4:For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Prayer: I pray again for my mothers life at least 2 weeks. Have mercy on us Lord.

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Pr7: And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him ... Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home ... All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver ... he does not know that it will cost him his life.
He5: So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord that we saw my mother and there was some joy. Strengthen my sister in her loving care of her.

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Pr8: my son, do not walk in the way with them ... for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
He6: For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
Prayer: So I ask that work will mitigate my great sin in some way, since I am committed to you Lord for the rest of my life and beyond.

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Pr9: Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser.
He7: The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Prayer: Help us Lord understand more and more of your Word, though ten thousand or more years will not suffice to understand it completely, since it is so dense with meaning.

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Pr10: A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. - click for the complete chapter of the proverbs of Solomon.
He8: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers” ... In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for this week as we laid Marian Humphreys to rest. I pray that Lynn will find the strenghth to live a good life alone.

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Pr11: A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. - click for another complete chapter of proverbs. [I cannot chose just a few from so many jewels.]
He9: And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Prayer: I pray for Laurie-Ann, that you will continue to bring focus and determination into her life as she seeks to know your will. Give her discerment between wishes and practicality.

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Pr12: Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid ... An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones ... Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread ... The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult. He10: And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
Prayer: I pray for Keith, for Ewald, and for Barbara. As they experience extreme sickness, be so real to them that your beauty eclipses their pain and fright.

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Pr13: A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke ... Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin ... One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth ... Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it ... The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.
He11: By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith ... And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Prayer: Lord, I pray for the IPLF as Mabel and I drive to this morning's meeting. May Cornelius recover from sickness and may good decisions be made.

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Pr14: Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox ... In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined ... A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.
He12: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken — that is, things that have been made — in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.
Prayer: One more day and reports of children and young people dying and being killed. How should we react, Lord? Surely not with indifference, as we turn to the next news item. Everyone in these horrific events is totally loved by you; even the young killer. My prayer is that for those who died you somewhow numbed them to reduce the pain and knowledge of death, even as it happened. My their souls have a special place in your heart.

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Pr15: A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger ... The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good ... Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it ... The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. BEGINNING OF JAMES, 40 or 60 AD, depending on which James wrote it. Ja1: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness ... But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. Prayer: Powerful God of the universe, bring restraint to the hearts of all Russians as that country eyes Ukraine. May wisdom prevail rather than greed, and may there not be slaughter.

Seen at Jesus is Lord

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Pr16: All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit ... The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble ... A just balance and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are his work ... Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
Ja2: For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment ... Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.
Prayer: Lord, my prayers are for the health of Keith, Sylvia, Gerry, Mum, L-A.

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Pr17: Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers ... Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers ... If anyone returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house ... Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Ja3: The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ... The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
Prayer: Lord God, we are your ambassadors for life itself. Give us the words to mourn at the funerals of millions.

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Pr18: A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle ... He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
Ja4: You do not have, because you do not ask ... You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God ... Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Prayer: As I try and respond to atheist arguments, please give me words that are compelling and logical, rather than bitter or provocative.

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Pr19: A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape v5 / will perish v9 ... Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
Ja5: Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains ... My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Prayer: I pray for my son, also James, that he will come back to the truth. This will need your angels to act, Lord.

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Pr20: Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? ... Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread. “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts ... The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their grey hair. BEGINNING OF 1 Peter, 62 AD 1P1: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you Prayer: For the insight you give us everyday I am grateful, but my heart is low for my friend Sylvia, possbly near to death. Sustain her Lord with the expectation of a future far more glorious. [She died on 20 May 2014.]

Sylvia Tauvette, philosopher, pianist, friend, + nephew

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Pr21: When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers ... Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
1P2: For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
Prayer: Lord, for give me that I have forsaken this pleasure for three weeks, on holiday and with the Global Day of Prayer. Guide us towards GDOP future in Ottawa, in view of it's being seemingly invisible to mainline churches.

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Pr22: A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all ... Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it ... Do not move the ancient landmark that your fathers have set.
1P3: God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Dear Lord, may L-A learn good things from her course this week that she will apply in active ministry.

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Pr23: Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness ... The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
1P4: if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Prayer: You have given me some serenity from resting in your peace; please give me more of the same as I work though my seventies.

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Pr24: The scoffer is an abomination to mankind ... My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste ... the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls.
1P5: after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer: Give me wisdom and strength Lord as I embark today on leadership of GNCM.

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Pr25: It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out ... Argue your case with your neighbour himself, and do not reveal another's secret ... If you have found honey, eat only enough for you ... If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.
BEGINNING OF 2 Peter, ~65 AD if written by Peter.
2P1: To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Prayer: For Karrie, Mike, and Gerry at this time may your healing torrents flow.

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Pr26: Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly ... The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body ... Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
2P2: the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment ... If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
Prayer: Help me Lord in my transition at work towards eventual retirement. May Prophet Isa Eb-Buba prove genuine and persuasive tonight, and strenthen him in his preparations and his ministry.

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Pr27:Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring ... Better is open rebuke than hidden love ... Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away ... Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
2P3: Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful for the attitudes of my clients. Please send an angel to be by my side in four meetings today.

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Pr28: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways ... Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
BEGINNING OF 1 John, 105 AD
1J1: The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father ... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Prayer:Help me Lord keep my head as I work through the many tasks set me.

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Pr29: He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing ... The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother ... Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
1J2: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world ... And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
Prayer: I pray Lord for our brothers and sisters in Iraq under persecution, and their leader Canon Andrew White. Bring them miracles of escape and survival.

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Pr30: The whole of Proverbs 30 [- this one has so many highlights.]
1J3:See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Prayer: So many horrors, wars, killing, murders, Lord that it seems the devil is having a resurgence. Is this the chaos you told us to expect before your coming, or is this nothing in comparison with what will come in the end days?

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Pr31: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
1J4: God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
Prayer: An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. Yet you found me one who has filled my heart with joy. I am truly blessed, Lord.

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BEGINNING OF Ecclesiastes, between 450 and 180 BC
Ec1: What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? ... All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full ... Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us ... What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted ... In much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
1J5: Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ... I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
Prayer: Lord, be with Carlos in this time of his terrible loss of Lynn.

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Ec2: I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity ... Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun ... Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity ... Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment[c] in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him[d] who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
BEGINNING OF 2 John, 106 AD
2J1: Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
Prayer: Strenghthen Carlos Lord as he returns to work today.

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Ec3: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance ... So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
BEGINNING OF 3 John, 107 AD
3Jo1: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Prayer: Thank you for the voice of Emma Lord, and discovering Sue in Freetown. Surely you are behind this.

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Ec4: Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! ... Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind ... Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ... And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him — a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
BEGINNING OF Jude, 75 AD. Read The Jesus Dynasty
Ju1: But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Prayer: How can I allow my life to be so content when children are being sawed in half by ISIS in Iraq? Lord, appear to those fighters in dreams and visions; it seems that nothing less than their mass conversion to Christianity can stop the slaughter.

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Ec5: Be not rash with your mouth [when praying], nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
BEGINNING OF Revelation, 95 AD
Re1: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia.
Prayer: Lord, accompany your most desperate of followers in Iraq, even unto their deaths as martyrs, and seat them high in Heaven.

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Ec6: There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honour, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them ... All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.
Re2: I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent ... The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
Prayer: Lord, maintain my brains, head and heart, for the tasks you give me.

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Ec7: A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting ... Sorrow is better than laughter ... Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools ... Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? ... Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Re3: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. [Holman Hunt's paintings]
Prayer: Strenghten my resolve Lord to be faithful to you above the peer pressure of those I know.

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Ec8: A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed ... There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.
Re4: And whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Prayer: Give me insight O Lord into these sayings of John so that I may understand the references and the wisdom, as I can understand the wisdom of the writer of Ecclesiastes.

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Ec9: It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice ... Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all ... There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
Re5: And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Prayer: Lord, for the dear Christians being slaughtered by Isis I ask your numbing mercy as they are subjected to ever more brutal attacks.

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Ec10: There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: folly is set in many high places ... Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything.
Re6: When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
Prayer: I pray for this enterprize in honour of Lynn who died, that it will bring closure with love to many.

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Ec11: Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth ... He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap ... So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.
Re7: Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ... They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Prayer: Lord, the hope you give us is sufficient. Why would we not believe this, if we believe any?

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Ec12: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent.
Re8: When the Lamb opened the seventh seal ... the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake ... Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them ... “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth."
Prayer: Protect Canada Lord from further terrorist attacks. Bring people here to understand that the terrorists merely follow the Qur'an, yet the West does not understand this, or realize that the only antidote is your word of the new Testament.

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BEGINNING OF Song of Solomon, ~600 BC
So1: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth – for your love is more delightful than wine ... Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels ... My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts ... How beautiful you are, my darling!
Re9: So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.
Prayer: I repent that I have strayed away from these devotions several weeks, but have found joy in returning. May my mother have received her place in heaven.

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So2: Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires ... Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me’ ... My beloved is mine and I am his.
Re10: ... and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
Prayer: Lord, from the gentleness of the Song of Solomon to the fury of Revelation, your word stretches. There is no limit to the scope of the universe that you created in love but that we are turning into a burning pit of hatred.

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So3: I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me. Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
Re11: I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth ... “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
Prayer: Help me prepare for tomorrow's GNCM meeting Lord, that we will maintain the confidence of all and the quality of the broadcasts.

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So4: Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon ... Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies ... You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.
Re12: Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the meeting, and inspire those on the committee in their work to bring your Word to the nations.

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So5: Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love ... I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the bolt ... His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
Re13: Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth ... Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
Prayer: Inspire me Lord for the music on Friday at Burning Hearts House of Prayer.

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So6: Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is missing ... Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique.
Re14: The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.
Prayer: Lord, preserve and bless Laurie-Ann in her ministries and her daily life; giving her joy and satisfaction.

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So7: (He) How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights! Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.’ May your breasts be like clusters of grapes on the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, and your mouth like the best wine ... (She) Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom – there I will give you my love.
Re15: After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes round their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever, and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
Prayer: Strenghthen us in preparation for the music ministries this week including BHHoP.

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So8: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases ... Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised ... (She) I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace ... Make haste, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.
Re16: Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth” ... Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake ... And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. Prayer: Lord, may I die before such terrible things will happen, for I am a bad sinner.

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BEGINNING OF Isaiah, ~700 BC
Is1: The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged .. If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah ... I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats ... Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me ... cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Re17: And he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the evil woman is seated, are peoples, and armies, and nations and languages. And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will be turned against the evil woman, and will make her waste and uncovered, and will take her flesh for food, and will have her burned with fire. Because God has put it in their hearts to do his purpose, and to be of one mind, giving their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God have effect and are complete. And the woman whom you saw is the great town, which is ruling over the kings of the earth.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the joy found in reading your Word, though what I read is often frighening and hard to comprehend. Yet it has the ring of truth.

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Is2: He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore ... And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Re17: And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the feeling of wellbeing and contentment I have in these recent days.

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Is3: For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence ... In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents ... Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle.
Re18: And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgement for you against her!” Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more ..."
Prayer: Would that today's lost would study these words and turn from their ways, Lord.

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Is4: In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honour of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
Re19: After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God ..." I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True ...Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf ... The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur.
Prayer: Lord, I pray you will relieve L-A's torment and she seeks to devine your will for her in missions against the practicalities of our lives. A year from now, should I go with her? If it is to be, give me the desire.

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Is5: What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up.
Re20: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Prayer: Lord, this latest message from Iris is a puzzlement. Give me a strong indication in my heart of how to interpret it as it applies to me.

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Is6: In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” ... And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people ..."
Re21: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ... and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God ... He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new! ... It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
Prayer: Lord, strengthen me this Friday night to worship you in the strength of Holy Spirit.

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Is7: Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel ... In that day a man will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, and because of the abundance of milk that they give, he will eat curds, for everyone who is left in the land will eat curds and honey.
Re21: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ... Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.” ... And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
Prayer: Lord, though you work great miracles, you also (or your angels with us) work small miracles if we but ask, like helping us find and remember things, or solve small problems. You are so great!

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Is8: The Lord said to me, “Take a large scroll and write on it with an ordinary pen: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.” So I called in Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah as reliable witnesses for me. Then I made love to the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said to me, “Name him Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. For before the boy knows how to say ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria will be carried off by the king of Assyria” ... This is what the Lord says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people: “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread..." When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Re22: Then the angel of the Lord showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city ... "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done ... The Spirit and the bride say "Come!" ... Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" ... The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the prophetic encouragement yesterdat from the good folk at The Dwelling place in Williamsburg.

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Is9: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone ... For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end ... The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
... for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
BEGINNING OF Matthew, AD 85.
Mat1: An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: "Joseph, son of David, Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit ... and he gave him the name Jesus. The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob ... and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ ... “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”
Prayer: As foretold, you landed on earth, and for a while The Son was with us. Unique, mind-blowing.

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Is10: Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets ... In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
Mat2: They told him (Herod), “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the relationships you have given me with the Global Day of Prayer team, and ask your favour for our event on Saturday.

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Is11: There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
Mat3: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare[a] the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”
Prayer: I pray that you will continue to encourage L-A with her blog and book. It is my joy to see her excited and fulfilled.

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Is12: Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Mat4: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God ... From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Prayer: Lord, I ask that you may assist me in solving today's problems, even those which are not kingdom-related.

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Is13: Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. It will never be inhabited or lived in for all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there; no shepherds will make their flocks lie down there. Modern news report.
Mat5: So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Prayer: Are you talking directly to me, Lord?

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Is14: When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: “How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked ..."
Mat6: When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you ... do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink ... But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Prayer: Lord guide my words as I invite First Place Options to take part in I am Alive.

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Is15: Because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone. He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn; in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears ... for I will bring upon Dibon even more, a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land.
Mat7: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Prayer: In every minute of every day, Lord, guide and prompt me to do the will of the Father.

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Is16: let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, and destruction has ceased, and he who tramples underfoot has vanished from the land, then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.”
Mat8: And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”
Prayer: Forgive us Lord that in today's world we decide whether or not to pray in public places based on popularity polls.

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Is17: Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer are deserted; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid. The fortress will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus; and the remnant of Syria will be like the glory of the children of Israel, declares the Lord of hosts. Mat9: As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”   But when he heard it, he said,  “Those who

Part of Damascus today

are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Prayer: Is this oracle about Damascus to be fulfilled in our time Lord? And are many of those fighting with ISIS from the West? How can this be explained? Speak to them Lord, bring common sense to their brains.

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Is18: At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the Lord of hosts.
Mat10: The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him ... go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ... Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
Prayer: If it is your wish that I join a street ministry, Lord, even occasionally, then so be it.

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Is19: In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
Mat11: Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord that these words of power and comfort have come down to us through the generations.

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Is20: the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot ... Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian captives and the Cushite exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt.
Mat12: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Prayer: Lord, here are two surprizing passages. Maybe we should listen more closely and try and understand better the surprizing passages.

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Is21: And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you.
Mat13: Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Prayer: Open my eyes, Lord!

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Is22: In that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” ... In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand.
Mat14: Now when Jesus heard this [the death of John the Baptist], he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Prayer: Strengthen in me Lord that powerful desire to speak with you in all circumstances.

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Is23: In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king ... At the end of seventy years, the Lord will visit Tyre, and she will return to her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord. It will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the Lord.
Mat15: And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon” ... Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for Fred Omondi and his orphanage - desperately crying for help.

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Is24: Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants ... The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant ... On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit ... for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
Mat16: But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Prayer: Lord, that we should even be permitted to speak with you, creator of the universe, who spoke those crucial words to Peter, is itself a miracle, for which we are forever grateful.

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Is25: And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
Mat17: Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only ... Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” And when he said, “From others”, Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offence to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
Prayer: Lord, I am concerned for L-A's financial future. I pray you will take away the future problem and the concern, as you did with the shekel.

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Is26: O Lord, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your discipline was upon them. Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O Lord; we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
Mat18: If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Prayer: I hurt my brother, and he has suffered while I didn't. Yet you have continued to guide me. Am I forgiven? I want him to be at peace.

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Is27: In that day from the river Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh out the grain, and you will be gleaned one by one, O people of Israel. And in that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.
Mat19: Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Prayer: For every insight to Heaven that you have given us, Lord, we thank you.

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Is28: The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trodden underfoot ... In that day the Lord of hosts will be a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people, and a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Mat20: And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."
Prayer: As the Lord was crystal clear, so may we I be transparent in my faith and love for him.

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Is29: But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.
Mat21: And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” ... Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the power of Compelled by Love shown to a few in church #BHCCh last night

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Is30: Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin" ... Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire.
Mat22: Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests ... Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Prayer: Dear Lord, children are drowning in the Mediteranean and suffocating in trucks. I beg you somehow to bring to an end this slaughter of the innocents.

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Is31: Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.
Mat23: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! ... You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Prayer: Continue to guide me Lord, I pray, even as I stray off course will you protect me as you have done for I believe totally in your presence and power.

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Is32: As for the scoundrel—his devices are evil; he plans wicked schemes to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right. But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.
Mat24: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" ... Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
Prayer: Lord, I am a sinner but I will still pray that you will heal L-A and those in her family with this dreadful cold/cough so the daughters can care for the parents. And I pray that the huge workload L-A is faced with at KCM will lessen. And I pray for Cindy on this day of mediation.

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Is33: Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken. But there the Lord in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.
Mat25: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Prayer: Lord today my prayer is for Amanda Tanner. May the Christian community come to her rescue.

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Is34: For the Lord is enraged against all the nations, and furious against all their host ... For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion ... There the owl nests and lays and hatches and gathers her young in her shadow; indeed, there the hawks are gathered, each one with her mate. Seek and read from the book of the Lord: Not one of these shall be missing; none shall be without her mate. For the mouth of the Lord has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.
Mat26: When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Prayer: On this final day for advanced voting, help Canadians in what for many is a hard decision, so that the Government closest to what you would favour is elected on 19 October though none of the front runners officially support fundamental Christian values.

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Is35: Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy ... And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
Mat27: So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood;see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Prayer: Lord, help me as I struggle between my will and your will. Help me find a way that hurts nobody and certainly not you.

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Is36: ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? 6 Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, “We trust in the Lord our God,” is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”?
Mat28: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said ..." Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Prayer: Give strength Lord to Laurie-Ann as she helps her parents for these next few days, and give strength to them that they will be abe to look after themselves.

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Is37: Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God.
BEGINNING OF MARK, AD 72
Mar1: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Prayer: Be merciful Lord to Carlos as he faces neurological challenges. May your Spirit burrow deeper into his life. May I enlist your help Lord with my two CKCU funding drive shows coming up. May people hear and may they be generous!

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Is38: Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.
Mar2: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Prayer: Lord, help me in my dfc dilemma. May noone be harmed. Don't forsake me, I pray. Keep us both safe on our long journey to see Sagan.

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Is39: At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. And he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses ... Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? ... Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord ... Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”
Mar3: And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Prayer: God bless Maria Valisora, and may Chafim complete her house in Pemba before the rains.

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Is40: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Mar4: And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Prayer: Lord, I pray in your mercy, heal Amanda.

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Is41: Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.
Mar5: Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
Prayer: Lord, I pray in your mercy, continue the healing of Cathy.

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Is42: Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench.
Mar6: And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief ... And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two ... So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Prayer: Lord, give me thoughts and words for my talk on Saturday at St. Pauls.

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Is43: “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right."
Mar7: And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ... And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honour your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God) — then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
Prayer: Lord, it is time to launch into the planning in ernest of our South African Mission. Please give me the determination and the skill.

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Is44: For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.”
Mar8: And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Prayer: Bless BHHoP Lord, and all who attend. May Letty, Ken, Peter and Eric see answers to my prayers last night

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Is45: “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’? Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
Mar9: And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Prayer: That Fred Onyango's orphans will receive the school fees they desperately need.

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Is46: Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped ... I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God
Mar10: From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
Prayer: May John Awali, somewhere in Mozambique, become well again. May Amanda ajust to remaining in Guelph.

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Is47: Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, [talking about Babylon] who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children.” These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments.
Mar11: Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Prayer: Give me insight, King Jesus, that I may be able to bring your heart to our visioning sessions rather than just dispassionate discussion.

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Is48: From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known. They are created now, not long ago; before today you have never heard of them, lest you should say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened ... I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens ... “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”
Mar12: And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country ... For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Prayer: Lord, guide my hand as we make preparations to move to a foreign land, renting this house to tenants.

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Is49: And now the Lord says ... “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Mar13: And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. ... And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."
Prayer: Help me Lord learn from "I am a church member" by Thom S Rainer, not just for Blackburn Hamlet Community Church, but for our future churches.

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Is50: The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught ... But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near.
Mar14: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Prayer: Lord, help me know how to organize the next few weeks of planning.

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Is51: I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
Mar15: And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
Prayer: Lord, bring strength to Carol in her age, and courage to Steve on this their glorious 60th wedding anniversary.

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Is52: Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.
Mar16: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Prayer: Salvation for James and Kathy, and that they not try and keep Sagan from the Truth.

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Is53: He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
BEGINNING OF Luke, AD 62.
Lu1: And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us ... to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Prayer: That we will hear soon from Iris.

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Is54: “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord ... For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called ... For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.
Lu2: And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Prayer: That we will know our Iris situation clearly.

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Is55: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! ... “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts ... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
Lu3: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee ... “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him ... John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance ... Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat ... the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
Prayer: Help me complete the Pemba film, Lord, and may it bring bressing.

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Is56: let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.” For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant— to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters.
Lu4: Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
Prayer: For Cindy at this time with her mother dying and so many problems. May some of my faith rub off on her.

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Is57: The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death ... “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” Lu5: New wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’ Prayer: Thank you for Denise Marie that you have so filled her with love for you in her church in Point Arena.

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Is58: “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Lu6: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Prayer: Help me Lord read your word in the ways instructed by Jeanne Guyon in 'Experiencing the depths of Jesus Christ.'

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Is59: “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
Lu6: One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Prayer: Stand beside me, Holy Spirit, as I speak at The Canada 150 Night of Praise.

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Is60: [Zion] “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations— their kings led in triumphal procession."
Lu7: Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother ... I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” as we get
Prayer: Lord, we are immensely grateful that our South African mission has been approved by IRIS Canada. Smooth our paths as we get everything ready for departure in Oct/Nov.

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Is61:The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Lu8: After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Prayer:Lord, please speak to me this morning as I seek for words for Jenni at Connect Group.

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Is62: No longer will they call you [Zion] Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you ... “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.
Lu9: Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
Prayer: Give us peace Lord about selling our house before leaving for South Africa. [This prayer wasn't answered. We did not have peace about it, and decided not to do it despite some financial advantages.]

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Is63: [God said to Isaiah]: "I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground” ... He said, “Surely they are my people, children who will be true to me”; and so he became their Saviour ... Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people.
Lu10: “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
Prayer: Lord, guide us tonight as we speak at #BHCCh. We ask that you will chose the people who come.

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Is64: No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins. Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, Lord; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.
Lu11: Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Prayer: To you Lord be our grateful thanks that through a circuitous route you brought Liam and Mina to us and they will be staying in our house. We pray your blessing on them and their time here. We take this as another sign that this journey was planned by you long ago and that those we will be able to bring closer to you are already selected. And if shameless audacity is what it will take to bring sufficient finacial support, then show us how to use it!

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Moved to South Africa
Is65: “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’"
Lu12: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Prayer: All praise be to you Holy Spirit that you have brought us safely to the land you promised See latest mailchimp. You have demonstrated your power and love with a series of small(?) miracles. We have been reunited with Johan, Marie and Maggie at Pomegranite Homestead, where we spent time last August. And I feel joy!

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Is66: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord..." Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve.
Lu13: Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down...’” Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
Prayer: Praying for our tenants that they will be happy in our house and not find fault. Praying that we will find the ministries we seek. Praying that we will find a car and a house.

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BEGINNING OF GENESIS. Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, as well as Exodus, Book of Leviticus, Numbers and most of Book of Deuteronomy, but modern scholars increasingly see them as a product of the 6th and 5th centuries BC. If Moses really was the author, as he led the wandering Israelites through the desert, it will have been a process of putting on paper the stories passed down in an aural tradition from Adam and Eve via Abraham to his present.
Readers may be wondering why we are moving to Genesis after Isaiah. For part of the explanation please see the beginning of Job, above. Then please read the following. I had planned to follow Job with Genesis, but instead continued on with Psalms, Proverbs etc. This was a mistake. I only realized the mistake when I reached Jeremiah, and in fact got up to Jeremiah 15 before it dawned on me that we had already covered Jeremiah at the start of this project. So now we will return to the beginning of the Bible.
Ge1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light ... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Lu14: When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Prayer: Lord, lead us to the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and give us the joy of serving them. Comfort my cousin Dorothy in her dying days.

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Ge2: Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ... Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Lu15: I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Prayer: Lord guide us as we carve out our ministry here. May it be your will, not ours, that is done.

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Ge3: “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” ... And he [God] said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” ... To the woman he [God] said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children ... To Adam he said, "... By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
Lu16: “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Prayer: We are amazed at the miracle of Marco and Renz, in Avian Park. How you are using them is awesome. I pray for their continued complete protection from the powers of evil.

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Ge4: Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel ... Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him ... The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth” ... So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden ... Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Lu17: Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Prayer: Lord, May our Iris Western Cape monthly church group thrive! May our challenges re move in to Hooggelegen, wifi, traffic department be dealt with smoothly with your grace. Amen

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Ge5: When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died. Lu18: Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get

L-A Zachar Copple

justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Prayer: Lord, we begin 2018 in a new house. may these new beginnings extend to our ministry here in Worcester.

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Ge6: When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Lu19: “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”
Prayer: Thank you Lord for yesterday's small miracle, when you unlocked the garage door in our new house allowing the electricity to be turned on.

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Ge7: On that very day Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, together with his wife and the wives of his three sons, entered the ark. They had with them every wild animal according to its kind, all livestock according to their kinds, every creature that moves along the ground according to its kind and every bird according to its kind, everything with wings. Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord shut him in.
Lu20: Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
Prayer: Oh Lord I long to bring people - individuals - to you from the hungry out there. Give me the opportunities and give me the words.

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Ge8: Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Lu21: Then he [Jesus] said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.
Prayer: Strenghten my resolve Lord as I prepare to begin teaching the little ones.

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Ge9: Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth ... Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting" ... Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you ... Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood ... Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Lu22: When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Prayer: Please Lord show mercy to Laurie-Ann with the extra pain this morning in her knee. Show your power Lord. It is a miracle she does what she does Lord, I know, but she needs a still better miracle.

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Ge10: This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s sons, who themselves had sons after the flood. The Japhethites - The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: etc etc ... These are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.
Lu23: And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
Prayer: Forgive me Lord for the gap since I last wrote this journal, and for not practising sufficiently an intimacy with you, as taught on the Intimacy with God course at Worcester Christian Church. And yet you continue to bless me and fill me with joy!

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Ge11: The Lord came down to see the city [Babel] and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other” ... Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there.
Lu24: suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.
Prayer: Support and strengthen me Lord in this enterprize to form a prayer centre in the church.

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Ge12: The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you ... I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you ... they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there ...The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land” ... Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you” ... Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
BEGINNING OF John, AD 96.
Jo1: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Prayer:Lord I feel the need for more time with you; help me organize things to achieve this instead of the busy-ness of this past week.

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Ge13: The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.
Jo2: What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the soaking prayer night. Thank you for having angels accompany Moses to Cape Town. Thank you for Babra. You are faithful. Be with us and the children today in the library.

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Ge14: The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew ... When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan ... After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Jo3: “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Prayer: Lord, you continue to prepare our ways with (small) miracles. Yet Laurie-Ann suffers every time she moves and you have not heard her prayers. We conclude that her time for relief is not yet - probably because it brings her close to people who need to feel your presence through her. One day, however, may she live a pain free life.

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Ge15: After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Jo4: “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the joy I felt today bringing the teenagers here for their Mailbox Club lesson with Soraya. May this project yield true fruit in the lives of Avian Park children. I ask a portion of your power and mercy for Ron Piggott, and for the Vaughns, whose struggles make our lives seem like continual softness.

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Ge16: Then the angel of the Lord told her [Hagar], “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers” ... So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Jo5: When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath ... Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Prayer: Lord, creator of the universe, have mercy on your servant Laurie-Ann and cure her of her boils so that she is well enough to come to Cape Town tomorrow.

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Ge17: This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised ... On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.
Jo6: Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” ... Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe."
Prayer: Lord, I pray for the nations: USA, UK, France, South Africa, Zimbabwe. The leaders of all these are struggling with massive problems. To find the answers they need your answers. Please guide their people.

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Ge18: Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
Jo7: Not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
Prayer: Lord, keep my body operating well - eyes, ears, legs, brain, that I may use them for your glory.

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Ge19: God rescues Lot, and destroys Sodom. [I cannot pick from this action-packed chapter].
Jo8: In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also ... [Jesus to the Pharisees]; You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Prayer: Lord please give me wisdom to decide the next phase for the girls as they lead their Mailbox Clubs.

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Ge20: From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife” ... And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife" ... Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is a sign of your innocence in the eyes of all who are with you, and before everyone you are vindicated.” Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Jo9: The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
Prayer: God, you are in control of everything. Please give me a loving temperament to teach the children - that they will be attracted and listen.

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Ge21: The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac” ... Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
Jo10: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Prayer: Forgive me Lord that I have not added to these devotions for some weeks, as I felt too busy from other things. Give me inspiration for the talk I will give this Sunday in Eternal Hope. May people be brought closer to you by my words.

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Ge22: And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together ... But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me” ... And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
Jo11: So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” ... Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Prayer: All praises to you Lord for the many kindnesses you have shown us during the 6 weeks on furlough in Canada and USA - even though I failed to update these devotions during that time. I failed, but you were faithful. Thank you for bringing us through the home visit with no serious problems, but with many times of joy.

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Ge23: Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” Vaguely relevant: Why there are no Hittites on the streets of New York.
Jo12: So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus ... Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
Prayer: Lord, I beg for complete healing from cancer for Laurie-Ann, as Eugène had prayed. I know it is possible in the twinkling of an eye, that you may be glorified.

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Ge24: And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Jo13: When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’
Prayer: Lord, I ask that Laurie-Ann will receive her healing here in South Africa as has been prophesised. I ask that as each day passes she will gain strength.

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Ge25: Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, etc ... Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah ... These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, etc ... And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them ... Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Jo14: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
Prayer: Lord, please give me extra wisdom to watch over and help Laurie-Ann at this critical time in her illness.

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Ge26: Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father ... When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.”
Jo15: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
Prayer: Lord, while Laurie-Ann seems to improve, we can do your work here with enthusiam. I pray that the improvements and her good attitude will not end, or we may sink into despair.

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Ge27: As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Jo16: A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”
Prayer: Please Lord, show your power to us yet again by enabling us to continue to use our banks.

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Ge28: Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women”, and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth. ... So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
Jo17: I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Prayer: On this first day of 2020 my prayes are for Laurie-Ann's full recovery, and that you will give me such a love for your Word that I will return to it on waking every morning of the coming year.

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Ge29: When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.
Jo18: Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple [John, his Gospel]. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the court of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ... Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
Prayer: Protect us Lord from current challenges, the loss of the car key and the head gasket or whatever that problem is.

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Ge30: Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honour me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Afterwards she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah. Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”
Jo19: The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.”
Prayer: I pray today for Pamela Jourden's kidneys and for Carol in emergency in Toronto - show your mercy to both.

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Ge31: Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father's, and from what was our father's he has gained all this wealth.” And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favour as before. 3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you” ... Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today” ... Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.
Jo20: Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” — and that he had said these things to her.
Prayer: Thank you that Tara was able to speak with Carol, and may she carry Laurie-Anne's message to her mother.

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Ge32: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favour in your sight’” ... And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed ... And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
Jo21: That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Prayer: Thank you for Johan's comforting sermon today, suggesting that the devil seeks to make things difficult for those following him and working for His kingdom.

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Ge33: He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favour in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favour in your sight, then accept my present from my hand.
BEGINNING OF ACTS, written ~ 62 AD.
Ac1: In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” ... And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Prayer: Lord be praised for your intimate presence with us on this journey, helping us survive the traps and challenges set by the evil one. On this first business day of 2020 in Worcester may our method of transport be healed and may that allow us to rescue our Mailbox Club ministry before it risks fading.

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Ge34: The defiling of Dinah [I cannot take just part of this story]
Ac2: Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, please make my joy immune to outward circumstances and please empower that joy by your Holy Spirit. Please bless me as I seek to conform my life and attitude to the example of my Savior. Please help me become a better example of spiritual joy to those around me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Ge35: God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you” ... Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labour, and she had hard labour. And when her labour was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem) ... Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Ac3: When Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name — by faith in his name — has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus."
Prayer: Lord, be with Carol, who knows she will soon be with you, and comfort her with the joys of heaven to look forwards to. Also, I pray for one or more volunteers to take over the Mailbox Club ministry in time for us to train them.

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Ge36: These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth ... Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir.
Ac4: Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for bringing Carol into your presence after a peaceful departure from Earth. As I listen to great music while writing, you have given me increased joy in music, and you have also increased my joy in spending time with you through your Word.

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Ge37: Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Ac5: Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns round Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Prayer: Lord, help me deal with yesterday's matter of the Texa that will please you and harm no-one.

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Ge38: Judah and Tamar [I cannot take just part of this extraordinary story of sexual intrigue and God's punishments among the founding fathers of Israel]
Ac6: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them ... “This man [Stephen] never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Prayer: You are the Lord who orchestrated Carol's funeral yesterday (16 Jan 2020) to be a blessed time and we are so relieved and grateful. Help Laurie-Ann through her sadness by giving her a sign of Carol's presence with you.

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Ge39: Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused ... And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her ... But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice ... As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me”, his anger was kindled. And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Ac7: [Stephen said to the court] ...“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the return or our prayer group. Show me how I can perhaps help Godfrey to follow up opportunities that come his way indstead of being a beggar. Thank you Lord for allowing me to help the Cupido family yesterday so they are in a better position today.

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Ge40: On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Ac8: And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison ... And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Prayer: Dear Lord, we are in a jam. Our car may be unrepairable for what we could sell it for. Unless we receive significant financial support in the next few weeks our future in Canada looks bleak. Please soften people's hearts as I appeal to them today and in the next few days so that we can address our potential debt. Yet we praise you that the problem with the car occured at a time that did not impact the dear children in Lagacy Relay as you gave me the words to teach them, since Laurie-Ann was unable to be there because of her painful swollen feet.

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Ge41: Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it” ...So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
Ac9: So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for the joy to be found in reading the Word, particularly when I am troubled - but you calm my troubled mind.

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Ge42: But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you ... But he [Jacob] said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”
Ac10: While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Prayer: Lord, we struggle with the broken brake hydrate pump in the car. Guide me to find one somewhere here in South Africa. My second prayer: reduce the pain that Laurie-Ann is suffering and give her strength to face the operation in Canada. My third: Help me Lord to arrange the freight forwarding back to Canada.

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Ge43: Now the famine was severe in the land. And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you’ ... And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.”
Ac11: And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Prayer: Lord, here we are in lockdown, yet I feel exhilarated and sense your presence with us, my dearest wife and I. May we make good use of this time. I pray that our families will be kept safe and no suspicion of the Coronavirus come near them. In Jesus' Name.

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Ge44: Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack, and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him ... And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack ... But he [Joseph] said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father” ... ‘If I [Judah] do not bring him back to you [Jacob], then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ Now therefore, please let your servant [Judah] remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.
Ac12: Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.
Prayer: Lord, I pray neither of us is infected, and that my symptom - breathlessness - is unrelated to Covid-19, and will subside, or not worsen while I am in this country, for I must be strong to look after Laurie-Ann.

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Ge45: Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” ... And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt ... When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, “Joseph's brothers have come”, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’
Ac13: The Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off ... they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up ... The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.
Prayer: In these times when thousands are dying, and thousands buying Bibles, I pray that if it is your will even this precis may guide them to your Word.

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Ge46: So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here am I.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes” ... Now these are the names of the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons. Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and ... Then Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen. He presented himself to him and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”
Ac14: Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers ... Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking ... But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.
Prayer: Lord, I ask that with your guidance I can find a way to get food to Lottie Williams, Chantelle's blind grandmother. And then use the same way to get food to Chantelle and her mother.

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Ge47: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock” ... And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” And Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone” ... So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's. As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other. Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.
Ac15: Therefore my judgement is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues” ... Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Prayer: Lord, may the steps taken by the government to contain this virus prove effective.

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Ge48: After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed ... When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
Ac16: Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek ... But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”
Prayer: Lord, our insurance cover is now ended; we are in a very serious situation should we contract the Coronavirus, or suffer other disease or accident. I beg for your protection on each of us at this time in history, when thousands have died already and Boris Johnson is himself in intensive care. Though he is not a believer, keep him alive also for the sake of the British nation, and particularly the Queen, whom you have blessed.

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Ge49: All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah — the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Ac17: Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols ... Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Prayer: Lord, we hear predictions of 60,000 to die in USA, but you can turn this back and make a mockery of such predictions. What must they do to keep their people alive?

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Ge50: My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.” And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household ...
Ac18: When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Prayer: Lord, may South Africa not explode with the virus, but come to a lower peak earlier than expected. Encourage and bless Cyril R that he may come closer to you and lead the people with wisdom given by you.

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BEGINNING OF EXODUS. Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, as well as Exodus, Book of Leviticus, Numbers and most of Book of Deuteronomy, but modern scholars increasingly see them as a product of the 6th and 5th centuries BC.
Ex1: Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them ... Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land” ... the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
Ac19: Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all. And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Prayer: Lord, in my current dialogue with James, may my words and the evidence I state not be thrown away by him as part of a conspiracy, but may he begin to see merit in them.

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Ex2: Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages” ... During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel — and God knew.
Ac20: Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews ... And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.
Prayer: Thank you that Laurie-Ann is accepting that she will have a mastectomy in courage and graciousness, and may the process be neither painful nor seriously uncomfortable for her.

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Ex3: Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned” ... And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey"... Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you’, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Ac21: Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” After these days we got ready and went up to Jerusalem ... When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place ... They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut ... Paul replied, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
Prayer: Lord my God, I thank you that it is now 2 days after her mastectomy, and Laurie-Ann is strong in spirit. This may be the time you saved her life. My prayer is that all of the cancer was irradiced, and despite the stats for the illness she will live many more years.

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Ex4: Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail” — so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand — “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you” ... But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent ... Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him ..." And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt ... And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’” At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
Ac22: “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness.
Prayer: Lord, when I think of our situation, without you we could be lost in the world. But you can guide us as you guided Moses and bring us through this.

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Ex5: Afterwards Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go” ... The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle ... Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”
Ac23: Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all. Then a great clamour arose ... When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul ... Then he called two of the centurions and said, “Get ready two hundred soldiers, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go as far as Caesarea at the third hour of the night. Also provide mounts for Paul to ride and bring him safely to Felix the governor.” And he wrote a letter to this effect: “Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency the governor Felix, greetings. This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them when I came upon them with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman citizen.
Prayer: As we learn over and over from the Bible, and particularly Psalms, you always protect us even though there are many times when we may feel afflicted and in great trouble. The same has been true for L-A and me. The affliction comes from the evil one, and the protection then comes from you. You are a great and good Father.

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Ex6: God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name - the Lord - I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant ... So the Lord said to Moses, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
Ac24: [Ananias] For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes ... And when the governor had nodded to him to speak, Paul replied: “Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defence. You can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem ..." But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.” Then he gave orders to the centurion that he should be kept in custody but have some liberty, and that none of his friends should be prevented from attending to his needs. After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus ... At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul. So he sent for him often and conversed with him. When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favour, Felix left Paul in prison.
Prayer: Lord I ask forgiveness that I have neglected these devotions since 8 July, and it is now 5 October, due to perceived busy-ness. Now we are in our new place, Da Vinci, encourage me to make this a priority, for I felt a restlessness, and believe it was due to my lack of basking in your Word daily.

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Ex7: And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet" ... Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle’, then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent’” ... Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent. And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness. But so far, you have not obeyed.” Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood ... But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them.
Ac25: If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in these last 2 days, both Laurie-Ann and I have felt stroger and less dragged down by lymphodema and TB. May this indeed be the case, that you are working your healing power in our bones, blood and muscles, and that we will continue to strengthen day by day.

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Ex8: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs. The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls ... And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said ... And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
Ac26: Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Prayer: Lord, as I prayed this morning, my first time back in the prayer group, may companies bring Christian leadership into their decision-making to overcome the major issues they face today.

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Ex9: [Livestock] And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go ... So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. And Moses threw it in the air, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses ... But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
Ac27: Then hoisting the foresail to the wind they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf. The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.
Prayer: Lord, today's world is like Paul's shipwreck, with world leaders bewildered and failing to lead, and very few listing to you and knowing you will bring us to safety in the storm.

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Ex10: Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God ... Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left” ... Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.” So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. And the Lord turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.
Ac28: After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness ... Publius received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. And when this had taken place, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They also honoured us greatly, and when we were about to sail, they put on board whatever we needed ... And so we came to Rome. And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier that guarded him ... When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.
Prayer: Lord, if some disbelieved Paul, there is hope for us all, and we must not be discouraged. I ask for the ability to preach if the occasion should arise. Not just to gabble clichés however profound.

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Ex11: The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterwards he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely" ... So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel ..." Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.
BEGINNING OF ROMANS, written 56 AD in Corinth.
Ro1: To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ... I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome ... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth ... Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen ... For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error ... And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practise such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practise them.
Prayer: I ask that you soften the hearts of key individuals in the Breede Valley Municipality to reduce the extortionate electricity and water connection charges for the new container facility in Avian Park.

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Ex12: At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said. Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”
Ro2: Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practise the very same things. We know that the judgement of God rightly falls on those who practise such things. Do you suppose, O man — you who judge those who practise such things and yet do them yourself - that you will escape the judgement of God?
Prayer: I give great thanks Lord that my eyes will heal after the cataract surgery and that I will be able to read your Word with ease.

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Ex13: For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’
Ro3: [Paul] Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written ... What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
Prayer: God please forgive me for having placed this devotional at lower priority for recent weeks, and give me the strength and time to be more diligent in future. I thank you for a few days off in Yzerfontein. On our return tomorrow help me be more focussed on the key actions that will lead to our return to Canada.

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Ex14: The people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them ... And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves ... Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”
Ro4: For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith ... No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness”. But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Prayer: Thank you, Faithful One, for your many acts of kindness, and we ask that the current concerns of Iris over donations should fade away as we faithfully help your children in this time of hunger.

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Ex15: Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea ... The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone ..." Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water... And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet ... Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.
Ro5: God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we get closer to our departure date, with your grace please grant that the many challenges that face us will melt away and we will indeed arrive back in Canada, and not insolvent.

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Ex16: And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’”
Ro6: For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: With every passing day, more are without food and money and roam the streets asking all those who may have money to help them. I pray that your mercy will encompass all of them, enabling them to survive another day. Particularly I ask that your mercy extend to Jamelia, Chantelle, Anthonica and Bella.

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Ex17: The people quarrelled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” ... So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink” ... So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
Ro7: Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
Prayer: Give me Lord the words and tone of voice to argue for the faith in ways that will not be provocative but persuasive.

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Ex18: Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God ... The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening ...Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”
Ro8: [Peak chapter of the Bible?] For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
Prayer: Thank you for bringing us to this place Lord, where we learn from Kevin and accept his boundless hospitality.

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Ex19: The Lord called to him [Moses] out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Ro9: “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved
Prayer: Forgive me Lord that this is my first update in more than 3 months. Yet we have not left the Bible out of our lives, reading nightly from Jeremiah and learning so much about your will for your creation. In the beginning of this narrative I didn't do justice to the depth of Jeremiah's ministry and suffering. Help us as we care for Steve.

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Ex20: The Ten Commandments. See the whole chapter
Ro10: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Prayer: I ask that you give consideration to our girls in Worcester, particularly at this time Chantelle, Jamelia and Anthonica. None of them deserves to be cast adrift from us, which is what we have done, but so much more they don't deserve to imagine that you have forgotten them. I thank you for those like Steve Gobel who have reached out to me, hearing about my illness. That they care enough just to reach out is such comfort. In Jesus' name.

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Ex21: “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever."
[The rest of the chapter covers similar archaic laws.]
Ro11: I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.
Prayer: My prayers today are all for Bella: that her series of operations were successful, that she recovers fully from her back injury. May she have succeeded in her studies despite the difficult circumstances. My we be able to continue funding her medical needs and her school residence.