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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyYx_4yLwsw
Or search YouTube for ‘A Divided Heart
Kingdom Character/ Austin Hamrick by Cornerstone Chapel,
Leesburg Virginia (6min 26 sec)
“Then the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and
said, ‘Return to Balak and thus you shall speak.’ He came to him, and behold, he was standing
beside his burnt offering and the leaders of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, ‘What has the Lord
spoken?’
‘Then he took up his discourse and said, ‘Arise, O Balak,
and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor!
God is not a man, they He should lie, nor a son of man, that he should
repent; Has He said, and will He not do it?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
“’Behold, I have received a command to bless; when He has
blessed, then I cannot revoke it. He has
not observed misfortune in Jacob; nor has He seen trouble in Israel; the Lord
his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
“’God brings them out of Egypt, He is for them like the
horns of the wild ox. For there is no omen
against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel; at the proper time
it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, what God has done! Behold, a people rises like a lioness; and as
a lion it lifts itself; it will not lie down until it devours the prey, and
drinks the blood of the slain.’” Numbers 23:16-24
Balaam was not one of God’s chosen people but he was willing
to acknowledge that Jehovah was indeed a powerful God. But he did not believe in Jehovah as the only
true God. His story exposes the
deception of maintaining an outward façade of spirituality over a corrup0t
inward life.
Balaam was a man ready to obey God’s command if he could
profit from doing so. This mixed motive
of ‘obedience with profit’ eventually led to his death. Though he realised the awesome power of
Israel’s God, his heart was occupied with the wealth he could gain in Moab.
In the above passage the king of Moab, Balak, has taken Balaam
to various locations near where the Israelites are camped and commanded him to
curse them, yet, Balaam knows better.
And rebukes the king and reminds him that what God has blessed no man
can undo that blessing.
Take care with love, especially His, Darlene (who still
prays for you daily)
PS: Find my statement
of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com
(where you will also find a series of
beginner Bible studies to share). You can easily find the WeakDay Devotion online
by doing a Google search for ‘WeakDay Devotion’. (Also, there is an android ‘Google
Blogger’ app you can download to read them on your phone. Not sure about Apple.). For the books, go to Amazon
books.
NEW PRAYER REQUESTS (any updates?)
•
Tim, my brother. Pray for his health challenges (he has COPD)
and patience as he fights with the health bureaucracy to get helpful
medications, a social worker who represents his needs and to find a new BiPaP
machine (his no longer works and he can’t sleep without it) and an electric
wheelchair.
•
Jen – has just lost her only sister and needs your
prayers to get through this difficult time and maintain her health.
•
Denny as he struggles with health
challenges and for his wife, Marci as she supports him.
•
Megan (for emotional healing) and Scott, her
husband (for patience and wisdom) and wisdom for his sister, Clare,
as she seeks to support them through troubled times.
•
Thanksgiving
– A special answer to prayer – my wonderful sister-in-law’s sister (who we have
prayed for) has a remarkable answer to prayer for her journey. Thank God for His loving care of this
determined woman. (Hold down the Ctrl key and click ‘Thanksgiving’ to read
more)
•
Lyle -continue to pray as he recovers
from surgery on his wrist! Pray for his continued healing and
patience during this time and for Annette, his lovely
wife who supports him. Also pray for
travelling mercies as Annette drives them to spend time with her father who has
cancer. Pray for Annette’s
Mom, who will be there to support him through this time that she
remains healthy and strong.
•
Please
pray and hold me up during
the next couple of months, during some changes that my trust grows stronger.
•
Pray for peace and revival in America
•
Sarah and Andrew – he has left his job
and she has gone to work in a new and exciting position. Pray for this precious Christian couple that they
focus on family balance to the glory of the Lord
•
Sue and Rob need
prayers for wisdom and resolute spirits as they deal with their adult nephew,
Luke. He is becoming increasingly
disruptive and irresponsible. They
invited him to stay with them as he was struggling, but he has more than
overstayed his welcome. Pray for healing
for Luke and that he accepts their request.
•
Iran - The country is in turmoil. Many are in danger for seeking freedom. Many
have been killed or thrown into prison.
Pray especially for Ryan's family and friends there.
•
Bettina –
continue to pray for her as she grows into a new phase of her life in the
Lord. The Lord has provided her with five,
married daughters and 17 grandchildren.
Pray they all grow to love and follow Him. The daughter we’ve especially been praying
for has begun to return to the Lord through a difficult time. Continue to pray for her and for the husbands
of two of her daughters who have not yet believed in the saving power of Jesus
Christ.
•
Robin – lost her beloved mother (was 93
years old), please pray for strength and healing for her as she navigates
through this time of mourning and for her daughter who comforts her during this
time.
•
Christine – give her strength as she journeys to
heart-healing and pray her husband gives his heart to the Lord.
•
Family of Eric – Eric died suddenly at
52 leaving his 47-year-old wife and three girls (ages 16, 19 and 23). Pray the Lord brings strength to them as they
regroup into a new life. Pray for
trustworthy, honourable, Bible-based friends to continue to support them.
•
Peyton and Carter- Grandchildren of Jeff and Rachael. Payton is
their eldest granddaughter and is now in her third year at college. Carter is a senior in high school. Both are exceptional students and love the
Lord. Pray they are not distracted by
worldly things, that they continue to do well in their studies and that their
love of the Lord increases daily.
•
Callilah-
a lost child. Pray the Lord captures her
heart.
Pray for
those in full-time service
Pray to uphold our Christian leaders – that they never
compromise God’s Word and remain bold and courageous in the face of evil. Pray for their wisdom, safety, ingenuity,
strength and for their families.
•
Scott and Carolyn Petty –
who will be starting as our new pastor and wife 1 May 2023. Pray they will know how welcome they are and
give them wisdom, strength and patience during their time of settling in.
•
Talitha – has chosen to go into full-time ministry and is
raising support. Please pray to move the
hearts of those around her so she does not have to be concerned with finances.
•
Jenny S– who has served the Lord as a
Bible teacher at a local Bible school for 25 years has been called to a new
ministry. Give her courage and strength
as she finds her way in this role. Give
her a hungry curiosity under change.
Help her identify the balance and value of her unique contribution. Pray the Lord maintains her health and
finances in this time of stress.
•
Simon, Tamara and their children – Simon
(my pastor) will be entering a new phase of his work and leaving our
congregation. Pray the entire family is
gracious and courageous under change and that their grace, devotion and love continue
to reflect their love of the Word and lordship of Jesus Christ. Strengthen the congregation to rejoice with
them as they leave us. And help us left
behind welcome the new leader the Lord has prepared for us.
•
Andrew – a man devoted to his family and
the responsibilities of leading a worldwide ministry to the deaf, has been
travelling extensively. Pray for his
continued strength and health and that through this time he discovers new
insights.
•
Pat and Isobel –as they serve tirelessly
in challenging times. Pray the Lord
refreshes and strengthens them with ‘streams in the desert’.
•
Jasper and Bec – have left our church to
pastor in another church. Pray for
balance between academic studies and common-sense family focus.
•
Patrick - a Bible scholar, who is
presently part of an English Translation Review Committee, reviewing a new
translation of the New Testament, ‘The Antioch Bible’ (translating from Syriac
to English). Pray for their hoped-for
goal of finishing the entire NT this calendar year and that he has increasing
skill in the complicated languages he is working with.
•
Elaine and Jim Pounder and their Little
Church ministry have begun a new work.
Continue to pray for their safety, health, strength
and time with family as their ministry continues to spread around the world in
a model of home churches. Pray for the continued growth of their YouTube
channel and website: The Little Church
World at https://www.youtube.com/user/thelittlechurchworld
.
•
Audley M –
In his 90s remarried this year (his wife passed away a few years ago). Pray for their union in Christ and for their
health and strength. Pray for his wisdom
and the effective growth of his wonderful radio ministry (Florida, Virginia,
Alabama, Indianapolis) as America hunger for ‘True meat’!
Pray for those with ongoing health concerns
Many of us have family, friends and loved ones with fragile
health. Pray God takes special care with
them and protects them in practical ways and that the Lord will have mercy on
them during this challenging time.
•
UPDATE - Barbara – (my sister-in-law)
recovering from a serious infection in her leg.
She is finally beginning to be better and is now off the
antibiotics. Please pray for her
complete recovery and for Tim who is caring for her.
•
David –
growing stronger after his heart attack.
Pray for wisdom for his health carers and for Heidi, his daughter, who
cares for him daily, to be strong and healthy through this time.
•
Sophie– six-year-old daughter of a friend is chronically
unwell and frail. Please pray for her,
her parents and health carers to find ways to manage her symptoms and heal her.
•
Hans– a dear friend in Germany,
continues his battle with lung cancer and financial difficulties. Pray his new social worker will be able to
help him through this time. Pray for his
patience and God’s mercy, for his healthcare providers and that he is
surrounded by faithful and compassionate Christian friends who will support him
through this journey. Pray for his Mom (age 84) -- that their time together is
filled with extraordinarily good memories and lots of love.
•
Denny –
is having heart problems. Please pray
for his health carers and for Marci, his
wife, as she cares for him.
•
Jake –
A friend of my brother who is living with COPD (emphysema) and heart
problems. Please pray for his daughter, Tiffany
and for other friends to help him through his health journey.
