Saturday, April 21, 2012
Psalm 75 (with text - press on more info.)
Psalm 75 (New International Version)
Psalm 75
For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.
2 You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.
3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. Selah
4 To the arrogant I say, 'Boast no more,' and to the wicked, 'Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak with outstretched neck.' "
6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man.
7 But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
8 In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.
9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.
10 I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Apr 20: China, Hong Kong
China, Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region of China
Asia
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 1,092 sq kmA mountainous peninsula and 230 islands on the coast of Guangdong Province.
Population: 7,069,378 Annual Growth: 0.54%
Urbanites: 100%
HDI Rank: 24 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 11 (36% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Chinese and English (about 38% speak English); Cantonese is the established local dialect, but Putonghua (Mandarin) is increasingly common and influential
Religion
Largest Religion: Chinese| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 877,310 | 12.41 | 0.2 |
| Evangelicals | 434,079 | 6.1 | 1.4 |
| Chinese | 4,211,228 | 59.57 |
Answer to Prayer
Hong Kong’s Kingdom impact, regionally and globally, far outweighs its small size. It continues to be the source of many missionaries as well as a hub for financing ministry, outreach, discipling, media and literature ministries to the Chinese-speaking world in particular.For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
Hong Kong’s role within China can potentially be a powerfully redemptive one – financially, socially, culturally and spiritually. There is incredible opportunity to influence the PRC, still taking shape as a 21st Century nation, with the gospel that impacts every area of life. Alternatively, HK could acquiesce to being a mere financial spearhead for the Chinese economic juggernaut, gaining the world but losing its soul. Christians need to play a key role within this framework. Pray for committed and astute individuals and ministries to help shape a biblical worldview for this great nation.For an additional 12 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
More Information
The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of China, Hong Kong.Genesis 44 (with text - press on more info. of video on the side)
Genesis 44 (New International Version)
Genesis 44
A Silver Cup in a Sack
1 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the silver for his grain." And he did as Joseph said.
3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, "Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.' "
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, "Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves."
10 "Very well, then," he said, "let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame."
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?"
16 "What can we say to my lord?" Judah replied. "What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants' guilt. We are now my lord's slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup."
17 But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace."
18 Then Judah went up to him and said: "Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, 'Do you have a father or a brother?' 20 And we answered, 'We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.'
21 "Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.' 22 And we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.' 23 But you told your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.
25 "Then our father said, 'Go back and buy a little more food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'
27 "Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces." And I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave [a] in misery.'
30 "So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy's life, 31 sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy's safety to my father. I said, 'If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!'
33 "Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father."
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