Monday, April 16, 2012

DAY 971 - Don't Rely on Egypt's Power!




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The easiest way is to take one hour slot for the whole week. What you need to do is very simple. Choose one dayThe easiest way is to take one hour slot for the whole week then prayerfully remembering the ministry of ACiC(ACiC has two Networks: ACiC, Anglican Coalition in Canada and AI, Asian Initiative). You may use the whole hour in prayer or you can still do you work in your office but use as much time as you can to pray and the other time work prayerfully that hour to pray for our ministry. I deeply believe that this is a way to draw as many participation as we can in prayers. I encourage you to participate. We need you to join us! Trust in the power of prayers!


Today's Reading: Isaiah 31

Please read Isaiah 31 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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Chinese praise song -
主你是我力量 You are my strength


Please click the links below to Isaiah 31:
Bible Study

Continuing the message as in the last chapter, Isaiah lamented on the rebellious of the obstinate nation of God:
1. Trusting in Egypt's strength rather than God's power(vv. 1-3)
Isaiah pronounces distress on those who were trusting in Egypt's military power rather than relying on the power of God. In verse 3 Isaiah was pointing to what God commanded already told the Israelites not to do. King Solomon did that and he was finished and now the nation of Judah because of fear also wanted to do that:
"The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." Deuteronomy 17: 16

But the Egyptians are men and not God;
their horse are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
he who helps will stumble,
he who is helped will fall;
both will perish together. Isaiah 31: 3

2. God is in total control (vv. 4-9)
Isaiah used the word "Mount Zion" to represent Jerusalem, the place where God's presence and glory reside and from that center his fir of judgment will come and consume the wicked. Indeed God's power came when king Hezekiah led the whole nation of Judah to repent and return to God. In one day an angel came and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers and in a short while the king of Assyria was being killed by two sons. (Isaiah 37: 36- 38)

We must be careful not to commit the same sin as Judah to rely on human strength and not God's power. We must trust the Lord and have a daily intimate personal relationship with Him daily and He will surely help us to face any situation that we can't handle. We need to reject our false gods if we have any as Isaiah told his people (Isaiah 31: 6-7), return to God and renew our faith in Him.
My Spiritual Journal

What I received from Jesus today is: Don't rely on Egypt's power!

What Jesus told me through this meaningful chapter is that we as human being always want to choose the short cut and our selfish way when we face with crisis. It's so easy to make alliance with some powerful force thinking that we have a better chance to get through our crisis without thinking at all the power of God is always greater than anyone or anything.

We planned, forming alliance rely on stronger forces but not to seek help from God! God reminds me not committing same mistake as those Israelites through the following two sets of verses:

"Woe to the obstinate children." declares the Lord,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
who go down to Egypt without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge.
But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame,
Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace. Isaiah 30: 1-3

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord.
Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words.
He will rise up against the house of the wicked.
against those who help evildoers.
But the Egyptians are men and ont God;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out his hand,
he who helps will stumble,
he who is helped will fall.
both will perish together. Isaiah 31: 1- 3

Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us not to go to our Egypt for help but to return to for help trusting that your power is greater than anyone or anything we can think of. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

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Chinese praise song -
我要向山舉目(詩篇121) I Will Lift Up My Eyes to The Hills



Prayer items today:

For ACiC/AI

Bishop: Rt. Rev. Dr. Silas Ng (Michelle)


Network Leader: Rev. Peter Klenner (Jenny)


Network Leadership Team: Rt. Rev. Dr. Silas Ng, Rev. Peter Klenner, Rev. Ed Hird (Janice), Rev. Simon Neill (Jo), Rev. Ken Bell (Sonya), Mr. Andy Li (Amy)


Bishop's Chaplain: Rev. Ed Hird (Janice)


Bishop's Assistant: Mrs. Michelle Ng (Silas)


Clergy Formation Advisor: Rev. Ken Bell (Sonya)


Treasurer: Mr. Andy Li(Amy)


Administrator: Mrs. Zenia Cheng (Clarence)



Pray for our AMiA bishops:
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Todd Dean Hunter (Debbie)

The Rt. Rev. TJ Johnston, Jr. (Rees)


Pray for one ACiC/AI church one day at a time:
Church of Our Lord, Comox

Rector/Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. David Bowler (Jannice)

Priest: Rev. David Hollebone




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