Today's Reading: Genesis 25
Please read Genesis 25 and listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ would like to tell you before reading my Spiritual Journal below. If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from this blog. You may click this link directly for the method:Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf. (You may begin with a song to praise the Lord and complete you devotion by singing another praise song.)
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Please click the links below to Genesis 25:
Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 25&version=CUV
NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 25&version=NIV
ESV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 25&version=ESV
Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 25&version=MSG
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the Lord. Genesis 25:21-22
Indeed it was through the power of intercession of Isaac for his wife Rebekah that she became pregnant. Abraham experienced the power of prayer; that was why his servant knew the power of prayers and prayed in the last chapter. Isaac knew and practiced the power of prayer as an intercessor for his wife. I am very sure he learned it from his father and even the servants!
We really need to know the power of intercessions and to be a faithful intercessor to pray as often as we can. Michelle's doctor-in-chief said he had never seen a leukemia patient be that good before. I know that it is because of prayers. Many, many intercessors have been praying for us including you! Thank you and thank you!!! I have heard all kind of method for our dear brothers and sisters to pray for Michelle and they are so wonderful. May I share with you one of those many ways of prayers from Glenn who is a parishioner from Rev. Ed Hird's church. It is such a powerful and moving example of how people prayed for Michelle! Thank you Glenn!
I had the joy of praying with Bishop Silas Saturday at the afternoon tea for Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini and The Most Rev. Yong Ping Chung. The time of prayer was such a blessing that tears of joy come to my eyes in remembrance. Thank you Lord
During our time together I mentioned to Silas that after hearing about Michelle’s diagnosis myself and a dear sister in Christ went to Vancouver General Hospital to blow the shofar and pray for Michelle and Silas and their family. Silas became very interested in what I was saying. After asking several questions He declared I must write what I was saying on his blog and that I must do it right away. So here I am writing my first ever blog entry. Given that it is my first blog I ask you to please forgive me if my written entry has flaws in it like me.
It is 8 am Sunday morning and I am halfway up Cypress Mountain looking out over the city. I can see Stanley Park, English Bay, UBC, Vancouver, and the outline of Richmond in the distance.
This morning the rain is falling gently like living water washing our city clean.
A prayer comes to my heart:
May the Lord reign in our cities.
May the hearts of the people be turned over to Him.
May the people of our cities say yes and amen to Him and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
The Toby Mac song City on Our Knees plays on 106.5 FM. The song and words seem appropriate for the time.
A Portion of the Lyrics:
If we have to start somewhere why not here
If we have to start somewhere why not now
City on a hill with one King
A city on our knees
Through the fog the love comes pouring in
We are all one decision from being together
We are all one decision from being one
(end lyrics)
One through Him who loves us more than we can love each other.
He who is our king and calls us to Him
Praise His Holy Name
Praise Him sun and moon
Praise Him all you stars
Praise His holy name
Part of being a city on our knees is prayer.
Dear Lord I pray that the meditations of our hearts and the thoughts of our minds would be of You That whatever is written here comes from You and is for Your glory and that anything that is not of You we will all be closed to and it will fall to the wayside and be burned up.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father
Who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For Thine is the Kingdom
The power and the glory
Forever
Amen
Thank You Lord
The point of this blog entry is prayer.
Silas has told me that the prayers for Michelle, himself, and his family are much appreciated and I encourage all to continue to pray for Silas, Michelle and their family. It is good, and right, and in alignment with the Word of God for us to do so. However, I do not believe Silas wanted me to write this entry because it was about prayer for him and his family. I believe the Lord has given Silas a deep heart of love for others and out of that heart of love he wanted me to write this blog as an encouragement for us all to pray for others. Silas, Michelle, and their family just happen to be a focal point or catalyst for the prayer that has led to this writing.
We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds and to love our neighbours as ourselves. One of the ways that we can demonstrate that love is through prayer. Our Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach, who lived, died, and was resurrected teaches us to pray. The Bible teaches us that Christ prayed to the Father in heaven and that with compassion and out love He prayed for the protection and healing of the people. We too can follow the example set by Jesus and pray to the Father in heaven to seek loving communion with Him and with the love of Christ in our hearts we can pray for our neighbours, for their protection, healing, and that blessing would come upon them.
Philippians 4:6 tells us:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
As soon as I became aware of Michelle’s diagnosis the Lord put it on my heart to pray and blow the shofar for Michelle, Silas, and their family and as part of praying for them I was to go to the hospital and pray from there. I called a prayer partner who had been to VGH with me before to pray for someone else who had cancer. She immediately, with joy and thanksgiving in her heart, agreed to come with me to VGH to pray and a time was set for the following week.
When we arrived at VGH we first prayed and blew the shofar in the direction of the hospital from where we had parked the car; it was a few blocks away. I believe these prayers and the sounding of the shofar brought the light of the Lord and a covering for us as we entered into this time of prayer. We walked towards the hospital and came upon a street that was lined on both sides with gorgeous pink blossoming cherry trees. We were covered by a canopy of the Lord’s beauty as we walked through them. A glimpse of heaven are words that come to mind. Our spirits soared and we rejoiced and gave thanks to the Lord for who He is and all that He provides.
We arrived at the hospital on the centre south side of the complex and prayed and blew the shofar before entering in. Just inside the entry, to the left, is the Chapel room which is named the Sacred Place. I believe all hospitals have a room like this and I encourage everyone to go and pray in these rooms from time to time to provide Godly covering for the patients and staff of the hospitals.
Once in the room we removed our shoes and entered into a time of prayer. We focused our prayer on Michelle’s healing as well as strength for Silas, Michelle, and there family. While praying the Lord brought songs, praise, scriptures, and deep prayers to our hearts. One of the songs the Lord gave us was “We are standing in His presence on Holy ground.” At that time we were alone in the room allowing us the freedom to sing, cry out, read scripture out loud, and even sound the shofar at a medium volume. We were praising the Lord when a man who follows a muslim belief came into pray. I was reading scripture aloud at the time and out of consideration I asked him if that would be disruptive to him. He said no and we were provided the opportunity to continue reading scriptures, praise the Lord, and pray while he was there. Halleluiah.
After the muslim gentleman left we felt led to pray the light of the Lord everywhere in the room, which we did. As part of filling the room with the light of His love we sounded the shofar again. The song “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom” came to us. We were filled with joy.
Next a group of lay workers came in to prepare for a Catholic service that was scheduled for that afternoon. They were drawn to the sound of the shofar and we were able to have a good time of prayer and discussion while they were setting up. Praise the Lord.
At that point it was time to leave the Chapel. When we did the Lord prompted our hearts to go around VGH to pray and blow the shofar at the four corners of the VGH complex. However, when we went outside and started to walk east to the first corner it became clear that the Lord wanted us to pray and blow the shofar in more places than just the four corners. At the first location we felt a leading to stop at looked directly at the cancer clinic. I believe that is where Michelle would have been. The Lord provided a time of deep focused prayer and blowing the shofar for Michelle, Silas, and their family, lifting them up to the Lord. We rejoiced and gave thanks for this time of prayer the Lord had given us for them.
Moving on from there we spiritually prompted to stop at an archway that opened to a path that led to a stairway to a separate building. While praying and blowing the shofar a woman came out and sat on the stairs and we were able to witness to her and pray for her. Thank you Lord; praise your Holy Name. From there we went to the southeast corner and continued to pray and blow the shofar. Lifting up Silas and Michelle, their family, the other patients, the doctors, and the staff to the Lord and praying the light of His love into their lives and His Spiritual covering over them.
And so it went around the VGH complex. Wherever we felt led we stopped and prayed and sounded the shofar. Whether it was the doctors residence, the cancer clinic, the emergency room, the arthritis centre, the area for treatment of the brain, or the centre for treatment of skin disease, we just prayed as we felt the leading of the Lord. People were drawn as they were walking or driving by. Some stopped and wanted to know more and we were able to plant seeds and bless them. Others made encouraging comments or waved as they walked or drove by. We were able to pray covering and blessing upon them as well.
What Michelle and Silas and their family are facing is serious and cries out for committed fervent prayer. What the Lord showed us when we went to VGH to pray was l’chaim, life. We experienced it in prayer as the Lord led us to pray joyously for life for Michelle and the other patients at VGH. Life that first comes with a saving grace relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. We experienced it in the cherry blossoms as the Lord brought a touch of heaven to our hearts as we walked to and from VGH. We experienced it in the interaction with others and the opportunity to speak to them about the Lord or pass blessing onto them by praying over them as they went by. We came to help stand in the gap for a dear brother and sister and their family and the Lord blessed us with life.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Praise His Holy Name.
I feel led to say Michelle, Silas and family the Lord has a trial to be set before you in your life. However, you must know that this trial that you are in has blessed the lives of others. Peoples’ lives have been prayed for and seeds of eternal life have been planted as a result of it. This has been made possible by the decisions you have made and the path you have chosen to walk.
Bless you God’s peace, know that you are loved.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to experience the power of intercessions through suffering. Help more brothers and sisters to be a faithful intercessors for your Kingdom's sake. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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For ACiC/AI
Network Leadership Team: Rt. Rev. Silas Ng, Rev. Peter Klenner, Rev. Ed Hird, Rev. Simon Neill
Bishop’s Chaplain: Rev. Ed Hird
Clergy Formation Advisor: Rev. Ken Bell
The Rt. Rev. John Engle Miller, III
Pray for one ACiC/AI church one day at a time
TMountain Valley Mission, Squamish
Rector/Senior Pastor: Rev. Barclay Mayo (Mary)
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Record for our 1st phase of 100 days of prayers(2nd part 60 days):this link(August 20 to Nov. 28, 2009)
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