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Daily Devotional

Intercession

Day 10/18 – Justification by Faith

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Be Steadfast  – Hebrews 12:3 (ESV)  “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”  Hebrews 12:3 

“The Bible teaches that God is a glorious, self-manifesting God. The whole purpose of the devotional life is to see His majesty and become absorbed with His glory. … God has removed every obstacle standing in the way of our fellowshipping with Him. We see, then, that the Lord is the initiator of the relationship. For us to know God is His idea, not ours. Christianity is unique among the religions of the world in that it consists not of men seeking God but of God seeking men.”     Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt”)

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A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: https://lylebrennan.com. 

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Justification by Faith

Day Two Hundred Ninety-one

“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17

Every relationship in life requires reciprocity.  If I want a relationship with you and you don’t want one with me, we cannot be friends.  The same is true with God. The blood of Christ forms the ground of your salvation, but faith is the condition people must meet in order to be saved.  “Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness.”374  You must believe the person if you want a relationship, and the same is true with God.  You cannot tell Him you think Him a liar and be saved.

We see the righteousness and fairness of God in His establishing believing as the only condition for salvation.  If you go to heaven because of your righteousness, it would not be fair and just.  If you were raised in a morally depraved environment, having been taught that all manner of wickedness is permissible, you would be handicapped in your quest for heaven.   If knowledge were the key, some are smarter and better educated than others are.   If salvation required wealth, some are born wealthy and others have a gift for making money, while others do not.  If you needed good works and died early you would miss

the mark.

God judges all and saves all the same way; they both are expressions of His righteousness.  Only by this righteousness can you hope to enter heaven, and the only requirement you must meet is faith.

374  Genesis 15:6

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Isaiah 53-55 2 Thessalonians 1 (New King James Version)

Isaiah 53-55

The Sin-Bearing Messiah

53 

Who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

2 

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,

And as a root out of dry ground.

He has no [a]form or [b]comeliness;

And when we see Him,

There is no [c]beauty that we should desire Him.

3 

He is despised and [d]rejected by men,

A Man of [e]sorrows and acquainted with [f]grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 

Surely He has borne our [g]griefs

And carried our [h]sorrows;

Yet we [i]esteemed Him stricken,

[j]Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 

But He was wounded[k] for our transgressions,

He was [l]bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes[m] we are healed.

6 

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord [n]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

8 

He was taken from [o]prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 

And [p]they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 

Yet it pleased the Lord to [q]bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

11 

[r]He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 

Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the [s]spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

A Perpetual Covenant of Peace

54 

“Sing, O barren,

You who have not borne!

Break forth into singing, and cry aloud,

You who have not labored with child!

For more are the children of the desolate

Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord.

2 

“Enlarge the place of your tent,

And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings;

Do not spare;

Lengthen your cords,

And strengthen your stakes.

3 

For you shall expand to the right and to the left,

And your descendants will inherit the nations,

And make the desolate cities inhabited.

4 

“Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;

Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;

For you will forget the shame of your youth,

And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.

5 

For your Maker is your husband,

The Lord of hosts is His name;

And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;

He is called the God of the whole earth.

6 

For the Lord has called you

Like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit,

Like a youthful wife when you were refused,”

Says your God.

7 

“For a mere moment I have forsaken you,

But with great mercies I will gather you.

8 

With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;

But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”

Says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 

“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;

For as I have sworn

That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,

So have I sworn

That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.

10 

For the mountains shall depart

And the hills be removed,

But My kindness shall not depart from you,

Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”

Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

11 

“O you afflicted one,

Tossed with tempest, and not comforted,

Behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems,

And lay your foundations with sapphires.

12 

I will make your pinnacles of rubies,

Your gates of crystal,

And all your walls of precious stones.

13 

All your children shall be taught by the Lord,

And great shall be the peace of your children.

14 

In righteousness you shall be established;

You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;

And from terror, for it shall not come near you.

15 

Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me.

Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.

16 

“Behold, I have created the blacksmith

Who blows the coals in the fire,

Who brings forth an [t]instrument for his work;

And I have created the [u]spoiler to destroy.

17 

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the Lord.

An Invitation to Abundant Life

55 

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,

Come to the waters;

And you who have no money,

Come, buy and eat.

Yes, come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without price.

2 

Why do you [v]spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

3 

Incline your ear, and come to Me.

Hear, and your soul shall live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

The sure mercies of David.

4 

Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,

A leader and commander for the people.

5 

Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,

And nations who do not know you shall run to you,

Because of the Lord your God,

And the Holy One of Israel;

For He has glorified you.”

6 

Seek the Lord while He may be found,

Call upon Him while He is near.

7 

Let the [w]wicked forsake his way,

And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,

And He will have mercy on him;

And to our God,

For He will abundantly pardon.

8 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

9 

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

11 

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me [x]void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 

“For you shall go out with joy,

And be led out with peace;

The mountains and the hills

Shall break forth into singing before you,

And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 

Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,

And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;

And it shall be to the Lord for a name,

For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Footnotes:

  • Isaiah 53:2 Stately form
  • Isaiah 53:2 splendor
  • Isaiah 53:2 Lit. appearance
  • Isaiah 53:3 Or forsaken
  • Isaiah 53:3 Lit. pains
  • Isaiah 53:3 Lit. sickness
  • Isaiah 53:4 Lit. sicknesses
  • Isaiah 53:4 Lit. pains
  • Isaiah 53:4 reckoned
  • Isaiah 53:4 Struck down
  • Isaiah 53:5 Or pierced through
  • Isaiah 53:5 crushed
  • Isaiah 53:5 Blows that cut in
  • Isaiah 53:6 Lit. has caused to land on Him
  • Isaiah 53:8 confinement
  • Isaiah 53:9 Lit. he or He
  • Isaiah 53:10 crush
  • Isaiah 53:11 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; DSS, LXX From the labor of His soul He shall see light
  • Isaiah 53:12 plunder
  • Isaiah 54:16 Or weapon
  • Isaiah 54:16 destroyer
  • Isaiah 55:2 Lit. weigh out silver
  • Isaiah 55:7 Lit. man of iniquity
  • Isaiah 55:11 empty, without fruit

2 Thessalonians 1

Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Final Judgment and Glory

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and [a]tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest[b] evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with [c]tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to giveyou who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who [d]believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Footnotes:

  • 2 Thessalonians 1:4 afflictions
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:5 plain
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:6 affliction
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:10 NU, M have believed

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PRAYER REQUESTS 

Please Pray for Brother Nathan Findlay‘s top salesman, Silas Walker’s son , Preston, and family. Silas has been driving through the night to Texas where Preston is in ICU with brain bleed and multiple other injuries as the doctors have confirmed  that he was run over by a vehicle. Preston is still clinging to life in a coma. Due to the severity of the injuries only the Lord knows if he will survive. 

Please Pray for Brad and  Regena Mitton and their family. Regina has been diagnosed with cancer and Brad has put his landscape business on hold to be with his wife.  Pray God will move in the Mittons lives and that He will be glorified.  

Please Pray for C… he is going through some very difficult times with his marriage and his business.  

Please Pray for Jeff from Oregon that has cirrhosis of the liver and has been given only six months to live.  He is unsure of his faith and trying to fill in his remaining days traveling.  Please Pray God awakens Jeff’s spirit to His Salvation.  (Like Jeff, we are all terminal…“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalms‬ ‭90:12‬)

Please Pray for Larry who has been diagnosed to have leukemia.  Pray God would bring Larry and his love ones closer to Him and His Blessed Hope of Glory.  

Brother David Porter requests: “My stepdaughter Brittany and her husband Jose are raising support to go on a Mission trip to Mumbai, India in early November. The focus will be to encourage church planters and share the gospel.” They have covered most of the costs of the trip but they need some financial assistance.  If you would like to help, click: https://hopechurchonline.focusmissions.com/!/#/12416/south-asia-november-2019/participants/134351/donate

Please continue to Pray for Lisa Long and her family …  UPDATE as 10/9/2019: Lisa has an appointment with her surgeon on the 22nd to determine if they will do the eye surgery and hopefully when they will do it. She’s currently in an assisted living facility that seems like a jail to her and she’s seemly losing what she has left of her mind.

Please Pray that God performs a miracle and allows her to see and for Him to move in her life, to reveal His plan for her. 

Please continue to Pray for Darrell Blalock who has Parkinson’s disease.  Pray for Darrell to become closer to the Lord. 

Please continue to Pray for John LaPorte whose doing ministry at UNLV … a student named Tyler is propaganda machine for the enemy… he continuously interrupts their ministry.  Pray God will intervene and radically save Tyler and that our God will use Tyler to bring many to Christ.  (Please continue to Pray for God’s supernatural strength of the witnessing group members as several are weakening.)

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Brother JohnLaPorte reports… Bryce, a UNLV student who recently received the Lord and came from occult background is engaging Tyler and defending the Faith. Recently, Bryce has come under intense attacks and heckling from unbelievers on campus. Please Pray for God to Grow and Strengthen Bryce and use him in a Holy Mighty Way.    

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Remington, another UNLV student, says he is a new catholic… not a Believer, yet, but says he is a seeker. Pray God reveals His Truth, His Salvation to Remington. 

Please Pray that our families and Brothers and Sisters in Christ will gather together to Pray… Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 (NKJV) “… For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Please pray for Lisa Greene who is having both her hips replaced… Pray for her surgeon and her quickly for coverage and that God will be seen in her.  

Please continue to  Pray for Brother Lance going through perilous times. Pray he would let God’s strength and peace show through his weakness and his testimony be a Blessing to many. 

Please continue to  Pray for our unSaved family members and those around us that we have relationships with.  Or, is that you? … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Please continue to  Pray for family members and those relationships around you who say they are Saved, but their lives don’t show it. And, if that’s happens to be you, the Holy Spirit can change you into a New Creation, Christ in you… but, you must totally surrender everything to Him. (As long as you think you can do it on your own, He’ll let you; and, you will fail.) … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Please continue to Pray for our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sins that are drowning us. Lukewarmness, abortion, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, rebellion, covetousness, etc.  Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us.   

II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

… AND YET, God is Sovereign and has called us to live in such a time as this and to be His Light in the darkness… to give Hope to some. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Please Pray for Brother Robert traveling to preach in several churches in several states. 

Please continue to keep Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico in our Prayers. This Sister and her family, in a short time period, have been hit with a more tragedies (persecutions) than most of us have in our entire life time…  the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. And, recently, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. …Her neighbor’s house caught fire and due to the closeness of her home, it caught fire, too.  Brothers & Sisters, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family. 

Please continue to Pray for Geo, a banker, who was deployed by the military to the Mideast. Pray God would keep him safe and that God would bring Geo closer to Him; and, that Geo would share God with all his company and those who come in contact with him. 

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I’ve been told by one Geo’s co-workers, Lorraine Flores, who says she considers Geo a son, that the day Geo was deployed to the Mideast, his girlfriend delivered his new baby. Please Pray Geo would Walk in God’s Light and be a Godly husband and father. And, please Pray for Geo’s family. (Also, please Pray for both Lorraine Flores and her biological son that was deployed the same day as Geo, but to Africa.)

Please continue to Pray for Brother Mark Pedder, a missionary in the Philippines. Please Pray for Mark, Mark’s wife for strength in their trials, tribulations and persecution. 

Please continue to Pray for Gemma that she be delivered from evil and receive Jesus as her Savior. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt to be reconciled with his son and his son’s family. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother John LaPorte’s roommate, Brother Freddy, whose commitment to Christ caused his wife to separate from him for 6 years. The couple have 2 daughters. Both parents has stayed single all this time of separation… Within the recent past, it appears his wife, Arlene, has been Saved and the couple are beginning their reconciliation process. They are planning to reunite the family again under one roof in the next few months.  Please Pray for their total reconciliation with God at their helm. 

Please continue to Pray for a group of well-known Southern Nevada commercial real estate brokers and associates recently in a one-car accident. The occupants had all been drinking alcohol.  One passenger died leaving 3 young daughters, one suffered serious head trauma, two had mild trauma, and the driver has been charged.  Please Pray for the driver and all those effected by this tragedy …that God would direct their eyes to Him, The King of Mercy, Grace and Salvation. 

Please continue Pray for our President and ALL our government leaders of both parties. Pray they would submit their authority to His Authority and ask for His Wisdom in directing the affairs of our nation.  Please Pray that God would open their eyes and they would be obedient to His Will. 

Please  continue to Pray for Brother Frank Sun, a Taiwanese, that owns several businesses in China and Taiwan.  Please Pray Frank will be bold in his sharing Christ in his companies and that he will be faithful to disciple the new Believers.  

AND, let each of us use Frank’s example and share the Love and Salvation of Jesus to our coworkers, employees, family, friends and acquaintances  … Invest in the Eternal!

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt and His Friday Bible Study.

Please continue to Pray for the Women’s Pro-Life ministries in Las Vegas that they would lead women to the Lord and continue to assist in saving babies’ lives. 

Please continue to Pray for Jim Nelson and family ministering in China. 

Please continue to Pray for Dave Ubank and his family. They are ministering and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by ISIS – Pray for their protection and their ministry.  For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt

Please continue to Pray for our Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!  

Please continue to Pray for Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr.

Please continue to Pray for Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS. 

Please continue to Pray for our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith. 

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Please stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)

Please continue to pray for Biblical “headship” in families.

Please continue to Pray for all our children. 

Please continue to Pray that there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Please continue to Pray for Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD.  Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico with Touch Baja… for info on Touch Baja and how to touch the Mexican people for Christ, see http://www.touchbaja.com.)

Day 9/18 – Moses’ Intercession

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Witnessing  – Romans 1:16 (ESV)  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  Romans 1:16

Are you living out your Belief? …Are you a Reproducer? Check out this short min video: Dawson Trotman’s Born To Reproduce

http://www.navconnect.org/Resources/Stories/Stories/June-2013/Born-To-Reproduce/

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ATTENTION MEN: Check out Zion Bootcampcoming up the first weekend in December… this is for sure a NOmiss Event …for more information and to register, click: 

11th Annual Zion Boot Camp 2019

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A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: lylebrennan.com. 

This daily devotion contains, sequentially: Memory Verse (#1 above),  Daily Quote (#2 above): and, below: Daily Devotion from “Thoughts From The Diary of A Desperate Man” by Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt”), Scripture Reading  (read the entire Bible in 1 year), and Prayer Requests. 

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Moses’ Intercession

Day Two Hundred Sixty-one

“And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.” Exodus 32:14

God gave Moses an opportunity to get out of a nasty job.  While receiving the Law on Mount Sinai, Aaron led the people in sinning against God by making a golden calf. God told Moses that He would destroy the Hebrews, and start over making a new nation out of Moses’ descendents.  God made him a great offer and an opportunity to exit.

Moses rejected God’s offer, giving two reasons: First, he said, “Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’?”343    If God destroyed Israel, His reputation would be damaged.  Nations such as Egypt would conclude that God does “evil.”  Second, Moses said, “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou didst swear by thine own self.”344   God made an unconditional promise to the Patriarchs; He cannot go back on what He promised.  “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.”

When you intercede before God, remember that He will always respond in accordance with what is best for Himself.  Moses understood this, reminding God that His reputation and His promise precluded His doing what He said.  As you approach the Throne of Grace, don’t think in terms of what you want, but what best serves the interests of God.  Your best will always flow from this.

343  Exodus 32:12

344  Exodus 32:13

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Proverbs 30-31 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 (New King James Version)

Proverbs 30-31

The Wisdom of Agur

30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, hisutterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

2 

Surely I ammore stupid than anyman,

And do not have the understanding of a man.

3 

I neither learned wisdom

Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

4 

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?

Who has gathered the wind in His fists?

Who has bound the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What isHis name, and what isHis Son’s name,

If you know?

5 

Every word of God is[a]pure;

He isa shield to those who put their trust in Him.

6 

Do not add to His words,

Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 

Two thingsI request of You

(Deprive me not before I die):

8 

Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches—

Feed me with the food allotted to me;

9 

Lest I be full and deny You,

And say, “Who isthe Lord?”

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God.

10 

Do not malign a servant to his master,

Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.

11 

There isa generation thatcurses its father,

And does not bless its mother.

12 

There isa generation that ispure in its own eyes,

Yetis not washed from its filthiness.

13 

There isa generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!

And their eyelids are [b]lifted up.

14 

There isa generation whose teeth are likeswords,

And whose fangs are likeknives,

To devour the poor from off the earth,

And the needy from amongmen.

15 

The leech has two daughters—

Give andGive!

There are three things thatare never satisfied,

Four never say, “Enough!”:

16 

The[c] grave,

The barren womb,

The earth thatis not satisfied with water—

And the fire never says, “Enough!”

17 

The eye thatmocks hisfather,

And scorns obedience to hismother,

The ravens of the valley will pick it out,

And the young eagles will eat it.

18 

There are three things whichare too wonderful for me,

Yes, four whichI do not understand:

19 

The way of an eagle in the air,

The way of a serpent on a rock,

The way of a ship in the [d]midst of the sea,

And the way of a man with a virgin.

20 

This isthe way of an adulterous woman:

She eats and wipes her mouth,

And says, “I have done no wickedness.”

21 

For three thingsthe earth is perturbed,

Yes, for four it cannot bear up:

22 

For a servant when he reigns,

A fool when he is filled with food,

23 

A [e]hateful womanwhen she is married,

And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.

24 

There are four things whichare little on the earth,

But they areexceedingly wise:

25 

The ants area people not strong,

Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

26 

The [f]rock badgers are a feeble folk,

Yet they make their homes in the crags;

27 

The locusts have no king,

Yet they all advance in ranks;

28 

The [g]spider skillfully grasps with its hands,

And it is in kings’ palaces.

29 

There are three things whichare majestic in pace,

Yes, four whichare stately in walk:

30 

A lion, which ismighty among beasts

And does not turn away from any;

31 

A [h]greyhound,

A male goat also,

And [i]a king whosetroops arewith him.

32 

If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,

Or if you have devised evil, put yourhand on yourmouth.

33 

For asthe churning of milk produces butter,

And wringing the nose produces blood,

So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

2 

What, my son?

And what, son of my womb?

And what, son of my vows?

3 

Do not give your strength to women,

Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4 

It isnot for kings, O Lemuel,

It isnot for kings to drink wine,

Nor for princes intoxicating drink;

5 

Lest they drink and forget the law,

And pervert the justice of all [j]the afflicted.

6 

Give strong drink to him who is perishing,

And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

7 

Let him drink and forget his poverty,

And remember his misery no more.

8 

Open your mouth for the speechless,

In the cause of all who are[k]appointed to die.

9 

Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

10 

Who[l] can find a [m]virtuous wife?

For her worth isfar above rubies.

11 

The heart of her husband safely trusts her;

So he will have no lack of gain.

12 

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

13 

She seeks wool and flax,

And willingly works with her hands.

14 

She is like the merchant ships,

She brings her food from afar.

15 

She also rises while it is yet night,

And provides food for her household,

And a portion for her maidservants.

16 

She considers a field and buys it;

From [n]her profits she plants a vineyard.

17 

She girds herself with strength,

And strengthens her arms.

18 

She perceives that her merchandise isgood,

And her lamp does not go out by night.

19 

She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her hand holds the spindle.

20 

She extends her hand to the poor,

Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 

She is not afraid of snow for her household,

For all her household isclothed with scarlet.

22 

She makes tapestry for herself;

Her clothing isfine linen and purple.

23 

Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sits among the elders of the land.

24 

She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies sashes for the merchants.

25 

Strength and honor areher clothing;

She shall rejoice in time to come.

26 

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And on her tongue isthe law of kindness.

27 

She watches over the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

Her husband also,and he praises her:

29 

“Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all.”

30 

Charm isdeceitful and beauty ispassing,

But a woman whofears the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes:

  • Proverbs 30:5 tested, refined, found pure
  • Proverbs 30:13 In arrogance
  • Proverbs 30:16 Or Sheol
  • Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
  • Proverbs 30:23 Or hated
  • Proverbs 30:26 rock hyraxes
  • Proverbs 30:28 Or lizard
  • Proverbs 30:31 Or perhaps strutting rooster,lit. girded of waist
  • Proverbs 30:31 A Jewish tradition a king against whom there is no uprising
  • Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
  • Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
  • Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
  • Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor,in the sense of all forms of excellence
  • Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands

2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Concern for Their Faithfulness

11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present youasa chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the [a]simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or ifyou receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. 6 Even though I amuntrained in speech, yet I amnot in knowledge. But we have [b]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

7 Did I commit sin in [c]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from themto minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such arefalse apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it isno great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Footnotes:

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3 NU adds and purity
  • 2 Corinthians 11:6 NU omits been
  • 2 Corinthians 11:7 putting myself down

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PRAYER REQUESTS 

Please continue to Pray for Lisa Long and her family …  Her brother Randy said she is totally blind now and has another “hail mary” corneal transplant on the THIS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2019. Please Pray for His Miraculous Holy Touch. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul understood that God can work when we acknowledge our weakness and hardship and need for His help. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  

Please continue to Pray for John LaPorte cousin who is very ill and says he is close to giving his heart to Lord. 

Please continue to Pray for Darrell Blalock who has Parkinson’s disease.  Pray for Darrell to become closer to the Lord. 

Please continue to Pray for John LaPorte whose doing ministry at UNLV … a student named Tyler is propaganda machine for the enemy… he continuously interrupts their ministry.  Pray God will intervene and radically save Tyler and that our God will use Tyler to bring many to Christ.  (Please continue to Pray for God’s supernatural strength of the witnessing group members as several are weakening.)

Please pray for Lisa Greene who is having both her hips replaced… Pray for her surgeon and her quickly for coverage and that God will be seen in her.  

Please continue to  Pray for Brother Lance going through perilous times. Pray he would let God’s strength and peace show through his weakness and his testimony be a Blessing to many. 

Please continue to  Pray for our unSaved family members and those around us that we have relationships with.  Or, is that you? … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Please continue to  Pray for family members and those relationships around you who say they are Saved, but their lives don’t show it. And, if that’s happens to be you, the Holy Spirit can change you into a New Creation, Christ in you… but, you must totally surrender everything to Him. (As long as you think you can do it on your own, He’ll let you; and, you will fail.) … Have questions &/or need Prayer?… If yes, please reply or call (702) 592-4098. 

Please continue to Pray for our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sins that are drowning us. Lukewarmness, abortion, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, rebellion, covetousness, etc.  Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us.   

II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

… AND YET, God is Sovereign and has called us to live in such a time as this and to be His Light in the darkness… to give Hope to some. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Please Pray for Brother Robert traveling to CA to preach in several churches.  

Please continue to keep Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico in our Prayers. This Sister and her family, in a short time period, have been hit with a more tragedies (persecutions) than most of us have in our entire life time…  the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. And, recently, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. …Her neighbor’s house caught fire and due to the closeness of her home, it caught fire, too.  Brothers & Sisters, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family. 

Please continue to Pray for Geo, a banker, who was deployed by the military to the Mideast. Pray God would keep him safe and that God would bring Geo closer to Him; and, that Geo would share God with all his company and those who come in contact with him. 

+++

I’ve been told by one Geo’s co-workers, Lorraine Flores, who says she considers Geo a son, that the day Geo was deployed to the Mideast, his girlfriend delivered his new baby. Please Pray Geo would Walk in God’s Light and be a Godly husband and father. And, please Pray for Geo’s family. (Also, please Pray for both Lorraine Flores and her biological son that was deployed the same day as Geo, but to Africa.)

Please continue to Pray for Brother David Porter’s friend’s son, Giovanni (18yrs old). Pray for God’s Salvation, Strength, Healing, and Peace in Giovanni.

Please continue to Pray for Brother Mark Pedder, a missionary in the Philippines. Please Pray for Mark, Mark’s wife for strength in their trials, tribulations and persecution. 

Please continue to Pray for Gemma that she be delivered from evil and receive Jesus as her Savior. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt to be reconciled with his son and his son’s family. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother John LaPorte’s roommate, Brother Freddy, whose commitment to Christ caused his wife to separate from him for 6 years. The couple have 2 daughters. Both parents has stayed single all this time of separation… Within the recent past, it appears his wife, Arlene, has been Saved and the couple are beginning their reconciliation process. They are planning to reunite the family again under one roof in the next few months.  Please Pray for their total reconciliation with God at their helm. 

Please continue to Pray for a group of well-known Southern Nevada commercial real estate brokers and associates recently in a one-car accident. The occupants had all been drinking alcohol.  One passenger died leaving 3 young daughters, one suffered serious head trauma, two had mild trauma, and the driver has been charged.  Please Pray for the driver and all those effected by this tragedy …that God would direct their eyes to Him, The King of Mercy, Grace and Salvation. 

Please continue Pray for our President and ALL our government leaders of both parties. Pray they would submit their authority to His Authority and ask for His Wisdom in directing the affairs of our nation.  Please Pray that God would open their eyes and they would be obedient to His Will. 

Please  continue to Pray for Brother Frank Sun, a Taiwanese, that owns several businesses in China and Taiwan.  Please Pray Frank will be bold in his sharing Christ in his companies and that he will be faithful to disciple the new Believers.  

AND, let each of us use Frank’s example and share the Love and Salvation of Jesus to our coworkers, employees, family, friends and acquaintances  … Invest in the Eternal!

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt and His Friday Bible Study.

Please continue to Pray for the Women’s Pro-Life ministries in Las Vegas that they would lead women to the Lord and continue to assist in saving babies’ lives. 

Please continue to Pray for Jim Nelson and family ministering in China. 

Please continue to Pray for Dave Ubank and his family. They are ministering and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by ISIS – Pray for their protection and their ministry.  For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt

Please continue to Pray for our Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!  

Please continue to Pray for Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr.

Please continue to Pray for Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS. 

Please continue to Pray for our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith. 

+++

Please stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)

Please continue to pray for Biblical “headship” in families.

Please continue to Pray for all our children. 

Please continue to Pray that there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Please continue to Pray for Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD.  Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico with Touch Baja… for info on Touch Baja and how to touch the Mexican people for Christ, see http://www.touchbaja.com.)

Please continue to Pray for the Sharon India Foundation (“SIF”) to assisting the poor of India.  Through SIF: Widows have received medical treatment and been given quality sewing machines and training on how to use them to make a living. Orphans have been given free education in their neighborhood slum areas.  After natural disasters relief has been provided in the nature of medical, food items, blankets, clothing and building materials.  Bore wells have been successfully dug to provide fresh water to affected areas.  Water purification systems have also been given out on a limited basis. Special shoes have been purchased for lepers with ulcerated feet.  Thousands of books have been translated to assist in the ever growing discipleship outreach of E-Squared (Evangelism and Edification/Disciples).  Sharon India Foundation has no administrative costs and 100% of all donations go directly to the Indian pastors and their ministries. (Let’s reach India and beyond for Christ…see how you can help: https://sharonindia.org.)

Day 8/6/2019 – God’s Mystery

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Purity  – Ephesians 5:3 (ESV)  “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”  Ephesians 5:3

“When God calls you to something, He is not always calling you to succeed, He’s calling you to obey! The success of the calling is up to Him; the obedience is up to you.”  David Wilkerson

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+++

A history of these Daily Devotions along with other valuable Resources can be found at: lylebrennan.com. 

This daily devotion contains, sequentially: Memory Verse (#1 above),  Daily Quote (#2 above): and, below: Daily Devotion from “Thoughts From The Diary of A Desperate Man” by Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt”), Scripture Reading  (read the entire Bible in 1 year), and Prayer Requests. 

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God’s Mystery

Day Two Hundred Eighteen

“…how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.” Ephesians 3:3

In his epistles Paul uses the word mystery in a variety of ways.  A mystery deals with some aspect of God’s character or plan, which in the past was not understood, but is now revealed.  For example, Paul says that one of the mysteries is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”284    People in the Old Testament did not know that God planned to indwell the saints; Pentecost was not anticipated in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament saints knew more about the first advent of Christ than the New Testament saints know about His second advent.  God promised the Hebrews, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”285    The prophets predicted the Lord’s coming in great detail.  Still, when He came, none (including His disciples) understood His mission.  If the people in the Old Testament failed to understand events surrounding  Christ’s coming, probably we will fail in our understanding of His return, especially in light of their having more information than we have.

No one can know the future but the One who decides it.  Although He has revealed a great deal about the future, much of it can be misunderstood.  His promises are true; your understanding of those promises is prone to error. Hold tentatively your convictions regarding the future.  Your hope rests on His return, but you know little about when He will return, the exact order of events after His return, and what heaven will be like.  Some mysteries have been revealed; more will be revealed when Christ comes again. Speculation may be fun, but it is not all that profitable.  God does not want you to know all; He wants you to walk by faith.

284  Colossians 1:27

285 Amos3:7

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Psalm 70-71 Romans 8:22-39 (New King James Version)

Psalm 70-71

Prayer for Relief from Adversaries

To the Chief Musician. A Psalmof David. To bring to remembrance.

70 

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!

Make haste to help me, O Lord!

2 

Let them be ashamed and confounded

Who seek my life;

Let them be [a]turned back and confused

Who desire my hurt.

3 

Let them be turned back because of their shame,

Who say, [b]“Aha, aha!”

4 

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;

And let those who love Your salvation say continually,

“Let God be magnified!”

5 

But I ampoor and needy;

Make haste to me, O God!

You aremy help and my deliverer;

O Lord, do not delay.

God the Rock of Salvation

71 

In You, O Lord, I put my trust;

Let me never be put to shame.

2 

Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;

Incline Your ear to me, and save me.

3 

Be my [c]strong refuge,

To which I may resort continually;

You have given the commandment to save me,

For You aremy rock and my fortress.

4 

Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,

Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 

For You are my hope, O Lord God;

You aremy trust from my youth.

6 

By You I have been [d]upheld from birth;

You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.

My praise shall becontinually of You.

7 

I have become as a wonder to many,

But You aremy strong refuge.

8 

Let my mouth be filled withYour praise

And withYour glory all the day.

9 

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

10 

For my enemies speak against me;

And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,

11 

Saying, “God has forsaken him;

Pursue and take him, for there isnone to deliver him.”

12 

O God, do not be far from me;

O my God, make haste to help me!

13 

Let them be [e]confounded andconsumed

Who are adversaries of my life;

Let them be covered withreproach and dishonor

Who seek my hurt.

14 

But I will hope continually,

And will praise You yet more and more.

15 

My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

AndYour salvation all the day,

For I do not know theirlimits.

16 

I will go in the strength of the Lord God;

I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

17 

O God, You have taught me from my youth;

And to this dayI declare Your wondrous works.

18 

Now also when I amold and grayheaded,

O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to thisgeneration,

Your power to everyone whois to come.

19 

Also Your righteousness, O God, is[f]very high,

You who have done great things;

O God, who islike You?

20 

You,who have shown me great and severe troubles,

Shall revive me again,

And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

21 

You shall increase my greatness,

And comfort me on every side.

22 

Also with the lute I will praise You—

AndYour faithfulness, O my God!

To You I will sing with the harp,

O Holy One of Israel.

23 

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You,

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

24 

My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long;

For they are confounded,

For they are brought to shame

Who seek my hurt.

Footnotes:

  • Psalm 70:2 So with MT, LXX, Tg., Vg.; some Heb. mss., Syr. appalled(cf. 40:15)
  • Psalm 70:3 An expression of scorn
  • Psalm 71:3 Lit. rock of refugeor rock of habitation
  • Psalm 71:6 sustained from the womb
  • Psalm 71:13 ashamed
  • Psalm 71:19 great,lit. to the heightof heaven

Romans 8:22-39

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that,but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for itwith perseverance.

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession [a]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will ofGod.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to Hispurpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to beconformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God isfor us, who can beagainst us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It isGod who justifies. 34 Who ishe who condemns? It isChrist who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shalltribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Footnotes:

  • Romans 8:26 NU omits for us

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PRAYER REQUESTS 

UPDATE: You can’t make this stuff up… Sounds like a script for a movie…

As you may know, we have kept Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico on our Prayer Request list for quite a while now. This Sister and her family, in a short time period, has been hit with a more tragedies(persecution) than most of us in an entire life time…  the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children. RECENTLY, her modest home (a shack by any American standard) was burnt to the ground. …Her neighbor’s house caught fire and due to the closeness of her home, it caught fire, too.  Brothers & Sisters, please Pray for God’s Holy touch on Fabiola and her family.  Although we, His Children, are closely monitoring what assistance the Family of God might be able to provide the family through our Brother Ron Brink, in Mexico… our Prayers are essential. Please don’t relent!

Please continue to Pray for Geo, a banker, who was deployed by the military to the Mideast. Pray God would keep him safe and that God would bring Geo closer to Him; and, that Geo would share God with all his company and those who come in contact with him. 

+++

UPDATE: I’ve been told by one Geo’s co-workers, Lorraine Flores, who says she considers Geo a son, that the day Geo was deployed to the Mideast, his girlfriend delivered his new baby. Please Pray Geo would Walk in God’s Light and be a Godly husband and father. And, please Pray for Geo’s family. (Also, please Pray for both Lorraine Flores and her biological son that was deployed the same day as Geo, but to Africa.)

Please continue to Pray for Brother David Porter’s friend’s son, Giovanni (18yrs old). He was checked into an inpatient behavioral health facility last night. He is on suicide watch. Pray against the demon and lie of Suicide and Satan’s attacks on his life. Please Pray for God’s Strength, Healing, and Peace.

Please continue to Prayer for Sister Kay’s Granddaughter, and Sister Diana’s daughter, Alyssa, who is on medical mission in Spain. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Mark Pedder, a missionary in the Philippines. Please Pray for Mark, Mark’s wife for strength in their trials, tribulations and persecution. 

Please Pray for Brother David Porter’s sponsoring “Refuge for Women” an upcoming “Refuge Uniting In Prayer” meeting scheduled for August 14th. Pray for the for those involved in assisting women, the women who are victims and those warring with the sex trafficking industry in Las Vegas. 

Please continue to Pray for Gemma that she be delivered from evil and receive Jesus as her Savior. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt to be reconciled with his son and his son’s family. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother John LaPorte’s roommate, Brother Freddy, whose commitment to Christ caused his wife to separate from him for 6 years. The couple have 2 daughters. Both parents has stayed single all this time of separation… Within the recent past, it appears his wife, Arlene, has been Saved and the couple are beginning their reconciliation process. They are planning to reunite the family again under one roof in the next few months.  Please Pray for their total reconciliation with God at their helm. 

Please continue Pray for our President and ALL our government leaders of both parties. Pray they would submit their authority to His Authority and ask for His Wisdom in directing the affairs of our nation.  Please Pray that God would open their eyes and they would be obedient to His Will. 

Please continue to Pray for a group of well-known Southern Nevada commercial real estate brokers and associates recently in a one-car accident. The occupants had all been drinking alcohol.  One passenger died leaving 3 young daughters, one suffered serious head trauma, two had mild trauma, and the driver has been charged.  Please Pray for the driver and all those effected by this tragedy …that God would direct their eyes to Him, The King of Mercy, Grace and Salvation. 

Please  continue to Pray for Brother Frank Sun, a Taiwanese, that owns several businesses in China and Taiwan.  He recently preached the Gospel in his Taiwan company inviting his employees to accept salvation. He says that half of his Taiwan staff are now Christians. Please Pray Frank will continue to be bold in his sharing Christ in all his companies and that he will be faithful to disciple the new Believers.  

AND, let each of us use Frank’s example and share the Love and Salvation of Jesus to our coworkers, employees, family friends and acquaintances.  Brothers and Sisters, let’s take advantage of our God given opportunities, invest in the Eternal!

Please continue to Pray for Brother Walt and His Friday Bible Study.

Please continue to Pray for the Women’s Resources ministry in Las Vegas that they would lead women to the Lord and save babies. 

Please continue to Pray for Dave Ubank and his family. They are ministering and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by  Isis – Pray for their protection and their ministry.  For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt

Please continue to Pray for Jim Nelson and family ministering in China. 

Please continue to Pray for our Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!  

Please continue to Pray for Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr., and his aunt Josefina. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS. 

Please continue to Pray for our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith. 

+++

Please stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)

Please continue to pray for Biblical “headship” in families.

Please continue to Pray for all our children. 

Please continue to Pray that there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Please continue to Pray for our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sin that is drowning us. Abortion, sex outside of marriage, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, only to name a few.  Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us.   

II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Please continue to Pray for Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD.  Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico with Touch Baja… for info on Touch Baja and how to touch the Mexican people for Christ, see http://www.touchbaja.com.)

Please continue to Pray for the Sharon India Foundation (“SIF”) to assisting the poor of India.  Through SIF: Widows have received medical treatment and been given quality sewing machines and training on how to use them to make a living. Orphans have been given free education in their neighborhood slum areas.  After natural disasters relief has been provided in the nature of medical, food items, blankets, clothing and building materials.  Bore wells have been successfully dug to provide fresh water to affected areas.  Water purification systems have also been given out on a limited basis. Special shoes have been purchased for lepers with ulcerated feet.  Thousands of books have been translated to assist in the ever growing discipleship outreach of E-Squared (Evangelism and Edification/Disciples).  Sharon India Foundation has no administrative costs and 100% of all donations go directly to the Indian pastors and their ministries. (Let’s reach India and beyond for Christ…see how you can help: https://sharonindia.org.)

Day 2/13 – The Captivity of Job

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His Provision  – Romans 8:32 (ESV)  “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”  Romans 8:32

“If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, He would have sent an economist. If He had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, He would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, He would have sent us a politician. If He had perceived that our greatest need was health, He would have sent us a doctor. But He perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from Him, our profound rebellion, our death; and He sent us a Savior.”   D A Carson (“Don Carson”)

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This email contains, sequentially: Memory Verse (above), Daily Devotion from “Thoughts From The Diary of A Desperate Man” by Walter A. Henrichsen (“Walt”), Scripture Reading  (read the entire Bible in 1 year), and Prayer Requests. 

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The Capetivity of Job

Day Forty-four

“And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.” Job 42:10

God did not turn the captivity of Job when he confessed “I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”70   Rather God turned things around for Job when he prayed for his three friends.  God put Job to the test.

Throughout the book, Job passionately argued that the “Law of the Harvest” 71 couldn’t be applied in the temporal.  The three friends insisted that it did; Job was now reaping the results of a wicked life.  In the end God vindicated Job, saying to the three friends, “My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.” 72  Although God never revealed to Job why he suffered, He did affirm that Job was correct in his argument with his friends.

Now the test: will Job practice what he preaches?  “Do you really believe the law of the harvest does not apply in the temporal?  Demonstrate your conviction by praying for your friends.”  For Job to intercede before God on behalf of these men, he must forgive them for their accusations.   Forgiveness and intercession require the suspension of judgment.  Job must show that he believes that there are no necessary temporal consequences for wrong by not seeking justice for what his friends did. Then God “turned the captivity of Job.”

You will discover that God will not let you loose until you are willing to practice what you say you believe.  You cannot insist on one thing and practice the opposite.  You came to Jesus because you needed His forgiveness.  He will not allow you freedom until you intercede for those who have wronged you.

70 Job 42:6

71 cf. Galatians 6:7

72 Job 42:7

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Leviticus 14 Matthew 26:51-75 (New King James Version)

Leviticus 14

The Ritual for Cleansing Healed Lepers

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the [a]leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest. 3 And the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him;and indeed, ifthe [b]leprosy is healed in the leper, 4 then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living andclean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that waskilled over the running water. 7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field. 8 He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, and shall stay outside his tent seven days. 9 But on the seventh day he shall shave all the hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows—all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes and wash his body in water, and he shall be clean.

10 “And on the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, three-tenths of an ephahof fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one log of oil. 11 Then the priest who makes himclean shall present the man who is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, atthe door of the tabernacle of meeting. 12 And the priest shall take one male lamb and offer it as a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them asa wave offering before the Lord. 13 Then he shall kill the lamb in the place where he kills the sin offering and the burnt offering, in a holy place; for as the sin offering isthe priest’s, so isthe trespass offering. It ismost holy. 14 The priest shall take someof the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put iton the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 And the priest shall take someof the log of oil, and pour itinto the palm of his own left hand. 16 Then the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that isin his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord. 17 And of the rest of the oil in his hand, the priest shall put someon the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the trespass offering. 18 The rest of the oil that isin the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed. So the priest shall make [c]atonement for him before the Lord.

19 “Then the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering. 20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21 “But if he ispoor and cannot afford it, then he shall take one male lamb asa trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, [d]one-tenth of an ephahof fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford: one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 23 He shall bring them to the priest on the eighth day for his cleansing, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, before the Lord. 24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them asa wave offering before the Lord. 25 Then he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take someof the blood of the trespass offering and put iton the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand. 27 Then the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger someof the oil that isin his left hand seven times before the Lord. 28 And the priest shall put someof the oil that isin his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 29 The rest of the oil that isin the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord. 30 And he shall offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, such as he can afford— 31 such as he is able to afford, the one asa sin offering and the other asa burnt offering, with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before the Lord. 32 This isthe law for onewho had a leprous sore, who cannot afford the usual cleansing.”

The Law Concerning Leprous Houses

33 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 34 “When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give you as a possession, and I put the [e]leprous plague in a house in the land of your possession, 35 and he who owns the house comes and tells the priest, saying, ‘It seems to me that there issome plague in the house,’ 36 then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes into itto examine the plague, that all that isin the house may not be made unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to examine the house. 37 And he shall examine the plague; and indeed ifthe plague ison the walls of the house with ingrained streaks, greenish or reddish, which appear to be [f]deep in the wall, 38 then the priest shall go out of the house, to the door of the house, and [g]shut up the house seven days. 39 And the priest shall come again on the seventh day and look; and indeed ifthe plague has spread on the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which isthe plague, and they shall cast them into an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped inside, all around, and the dust that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and put themin the place of thosestones, and he shall take other mortar and plaster the house.

43 “Now if the plague comes back and breaks out in the house, after he has taken away the stones, after he has scraped the house, and after it is plastered, 44 then the priest shall come and look; and indeed ifthe plague has spread in the house, it isan active leprosy in the house. It isunclean. 45 And he shall break down the house, its stones, its timber, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall carry themoutside the city to an unclean place. 46 Moreover he who goes into the house at all while it is shut up shall be [h]unclean until evening. 47 And he who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 “But if the priest comes in and examines it,and indeed the plague has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49 And he shall take, to cleanse the house, two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 50 Then he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water; 51 and he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 And he shall [i]cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and the running water and the living bird, with the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet. 53 Then he shall let the living bird loose outside the city in the open field, and make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.

54 “This isthe law for any leprous sore and scale, 55 for the leprosy of a garment and of a house, 56 for a swelling and a scab and a bright spot, 57 to teach when it isunclean and when it isclean. This isthe law of leprosy.”

Footnotes:

  • Leviticus 14:2 See note at 13:2
  • Leviticus 14:3 Heb. saraath,disfiguring skin diseases, including leprosy, and so in vv. 2–32
  • Leviticus 14:18 Lit. covering
  • Leviticus 14:21 Approximately two dry quarts
  • Leviticus 14:34 Decomposition by mildew, mold, dry rot, etc., and so in vv. 34–53
  • Leviticus 14:37 Lit. lower than the wall
  • Leviticus 14:38 quarantine
  • Leviticus 14:46 defiled
  • Leviticus 14:52 ceremonially cleanse

Matthew 26:51-75

51 And suddenly, one of those who werewith Jesus stretched out hishand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

52 But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will [a]perish by the sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”

55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. 56 But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin

57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Himaway to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.

59 Now the chief priests, [b]the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, 60 [c]but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two [d]false witnesses came forward 61 and said, “This fellowsaid, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”

62 And the high priest arose and said to Him, “Do You answer nothing? What is itthese men testify against You?” 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

64 Jesus said to him, “It is asyou said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?”

They answered and said, “He is deserving of death.”

67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Himwith [e]the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?”

Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly

69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”

70 But he denied it before themall, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”

71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girlsaw him and said to those who werethere, “This fellowalso was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are oneof them, for your speech betrays you.”

74 Then he began to [f]curse and [g]swear, saying,“I do not know the Man!”

Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Footnotes:

  • Matthew 26:52 M die
  • Matthew 26:59 NU omits the elders
  • Matthew 26:60 NU but found none, even though many false witnesses came forward.
  • Matthew 26:60 NU omits false witnesses
  • Matthew 26:67 Or rods,
  • Matthew 26:74 call down curses
  • Matthew 26:74 Swear oaths

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“You cannot know until after you believe and speak; that is the order: believe, speak, know.” Walt

PRAYER REQUESTS 

PRAISE REPORT: Tuesday, February 12, at 6:49 am, a beautiful little girl was born, Ayda Love Venable, to Courtney and Steven Venable.  

Please continue to Pray for Sister Courtney who has a basil cell carcinoma very close to one of her eyes and is scheduled for surgery later this month to remove it.

Please Pray for Dave Ubank and his family ministeringthat are in  and rescuing children and families in Syria directly affected by  Isis – Pray for their protection and their ministry.  For a short 2 minute video about Ubanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_htIgIvgDM[/embedyt

Please Pray for Jim Nelson and family ministering in China. 

Please Pray for Pastor Vathadajohn, in India, he was admitted in Pulse Hospital due to a right side paralysis stroke on face, minor blood clot in brain nerves. Please Pray for his quick recovery… May God touch and heal him completely.

Please Pray for Sister Kathryn to be able to teach first grade next year and that through her teaching skills with God in her instill in these first graders the Love of Christ.  

Pease Pray for Brother Bob Summers that he have complete healing after his surgery for a blood clot in his brain.

Please continue to Pray for Sister Diana who is witnessing to a young person with confused doctrine.  Pray God would speak through her and provide His Holy Clarity directly this young person to Him. 

Please continue to Pray for Jamie to accept the Lord into her life and the Peace only He can give her. Jamie recently lost her man that she had been with for over the 30 years to suicide. 

Please continue to Pray for our nation that God would open all our eyes to the sin that is drowning us. Abortion, sex outside of marriage, hatred & divisiveness, greed, pride, only to name a few and only scratches the surface. One recent and heinous example on how this evil tide is moving is in the state of New York, where law makers declare a new law wherein every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental right to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion up to term.  “Convicted criminals aren’t subjected to the death penalty in New York state, but now children up until the ninth month of pregnancy can be given lethal injections and poisoned to death,” said Live Action founder and president Lila Rose. “This is no different than infanticide.”  Please Pray and Fast for our nation to turn from this evil that is enveloping us all.  

‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Please continue to Pray for our Brothers’ and Sisters’ struggling with various addictions. Pray that God would reveal Himself to them that all things are possible through Him… He can Cure any addiction … He is our Great Creator, He is our Savior, He is our Healer …He is our All and All!  

Please continue to Pray for Kathy, Brother Walt’s dear friend’s wife. Kathy was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition known as dermatomyositischaracterized by skin rash and muscle weakness, and which had a rapid onset about six weeks ago. There is no known cure. Treatment is chemotherapy to kill the immune system, which is attacking her skin and muscle cells, and prednisone to reduce the inflammatory response.  Please Pray for her husband and their three children; that the entire family, and all looking on, will see the Mighty Hand of our Loving God and Savor on each of their lives.  

Please continue to Pray for the healing of baby Caden (Kevin Odor’s grandson) – born with Agenesis of the corpus callosum (rare neurological birth defect). 

Please continue to Pray for Sister Fabiola and her children in Mexico. And, please continue to Pray for her church caught up in the tragedies surrounding the murder of her husband, x-husband and one of her children.

Please continue to Pray for the Salvation of Hagen who is HIV positive and is deathly ill. 

We continue to ask for Prayers and Gods Grace and Mercy for Baby Grace and her parents, Lisa and Darren. 

Please continue to Pray for Alejandro Corral, his son Alejandro Jr., and his aunt Josefina. 

Please continue to Pray for Brother Steve Venable dealing with ALS. 

Please continue to Pray for our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters and their families that are suffering and giving their lives for our Faith.  10 WAYS TO PRAY FOR OUR PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN FAMILY.. Pray our brothers and sisters will:

1. Sense God’s presence (Heb. 13:5) 

2. Know we are praying for them (2 Tim. 1:3) 

3. Experience God’s comfort (2 Thess. 2:16–17) 

4. See God open doors to evangelism (Col. 4:3) 

5. Boldly share the gospel (Acts 4:29) 

6. Mature in their faith (Col. 1:28–29) 

7. Be granted wisdom in covert ministry work (Acts 9:23–25) 

8. Remain joyful amid suffering (Acts 5:41) 

9. Forgive and love their persecutors (Matt. 5:44) 

10. Be rooted in God’s Word (2 Tim. 3:16–17)

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Stand with your Brothers and Sisters in Prayer and Support. (See: The Voice of the Martyrs: https://www.persecution.com)

Please continue Pray for our President & government leaders that they will would seek God and Walk in His Ways.    

Please continue to pray for Biblical “headship” in families.

Please continue to Pray for all our children. 

Please continue to Pray that there would be a resurgence of Biblical “Fear of the Lord” in the church and in each of us… “to fear the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Please continue to Pray for Brother Ron Brink’s son who had 3+ military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and who is now suffering brain damage and PTSD.  Pray for God’s Healing Power to fall upon Johnathon. (Ron is a 20 plus year missionary in Mexico with Touch Baja… for info on Touch Baja and how to touch the Mexican people for Christ, see http://www.touchbaja.com.)

Please continue to Pray for the Sharon India Foundation (“SIF”) to assisting the poor of India.  Through SIF: Widows have received medical treatment and been given quality sewing machines and training on how to use them to make a living. Orphans have been given free education in their neighborhood slum areas.  After natural disasters relief has been provided in the nature of medical, food items, blankets, clothing and building materials.  Bore wells have been successfully dug to provide fresh water to affected areas.  Water purification systems have also been given out on a limited basis. Special shoes have been purchased for lepers with ulcerated feet.  Thousands of books have been translated to assist in the ever growing discipleship outreach of E-Squared (Evangelism and Edification/Disciples).  Sharon India Foundation has no administrative costs and 100% of all donations go directly to the Indian pastors and their ministries. (Let’s reach India and beyond for Christ…see how you can help: https://sharonindia.org.)