+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Morning readings
Psalm 119:129-132 NLT:
Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.
Jesus Christ detail from Deesis mosaic (c 537) Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Habakkuk 2:14 NLT:
For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.
John 7:37-39 NLT:
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Reflection/Prayer:
Jesus stood up and said, ‘Whovever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink, and drink, and drink.’
O Lord, Your word enters and lets in the light. It gives understanding to the simple.
Open-mouthed and longing we come to You. To whom else shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed, some of us recklessly, some of us hesitantly, but we have believed, and have come to know that You are the only one who can satisfy our thirst.
I am an emptiness for Thee to fill;
my soul a cavern for Thy sea.
(George MacDonald)
Canticle
Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________
The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Morning readings
Psalm 119:121-128 NLT:
Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies, for I have done what is just and right. Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don’t let the arrogant oppress me!
My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled. I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws.
Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions. Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold. Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way.
“King Solomon” Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. Iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, Russia
1 Kings 3:12-13 NLT:
I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life!
Matthew 22:15-22 NLT:
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
“Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
His reply amazed them, and they went away.
Reflection/Prayer:
O Lord, teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Time is short, and no one of us knows how little time he has left. May we be found using wisely our time, our talents, and our strength. (Peter Marshall)
Help us to know judgement and justice, Lord. When Your judgements come, then stand by me, and teach me Your statutes so I can understand what justice really is.
Lord, You know I am Your servant, so give me understanding. Protect me from deception. Give me wisdom. When people try to trick me or confuse me with their questions and clever arguments, help me to see their heart. Help me to know when to say nothing. Help me to know when to answer what they are saying. Help me to know when it is an unspoken question that I should be answering.
Teach me to recognize the moments when You wait to intervene, so I can say, ‘It is time – You work now, Lord!’
Canticle
Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________
The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence: The Spirit of God lives in us, inspiring and guarding. In the Spirit, we worship our creator and entrust ourselves to the Lord’s loving care.
As we prepare to approach God’s throne of grace, we call to mind our sins: (pause). Amen.
Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s kingdom … You come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness … You will come in glory with salvation for your people: Lord, have mercy.
A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 121:1-8 (NLT)
I look up to the mountains — does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
A Reading from the Old Teastament: Exodus 17:8-13 (NIV)
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
A Reading from the Pastoral Letters: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 (NLT)
But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
Intercessions:
With my hands and heart raised before You, O Lord – my saving help – hear my prayer:
That Christian leaders who labor on behalf of Your Church throughout the world are filled with the Holy Spirit so they may inspire and guide the faithful. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
That Christian believers always enjoy the freedom to pray in public and worship You according to Your command, especially those Christians being persecuted in the Middle East. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
That Christian believers realize we are not only receivers but also proclaimers of Your Word to every tribe and nation on earth. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
That Christian believers acknowledge our stewardship – all we have comes from You and is to be used to further Your Kingdom purposes – and therefore make wise use of our time, talent and treasure. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
For all those serving our country around the world…and for the loved ones who await their safe return. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
For those who are sick, hospitalized, or homebound, and for their caregivers. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
For those who have recently died in You, and for all who mourn their loss. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
For those who weigh heavily on my heart today. (silent pause) Lord, hear my prayer.
God of truth, you know my weaknesses and my failings. Make me faithful to Your path. I ask you this through Your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
When you cry, I want to cry with you / When you laugh, let me feel joy / When you move, I want to move with you / When you’re still, keep my feet on the ground
For without you I can do nothing / To be with you is my greatest dream / To be without you I would have nothing / So keep me near you now and always
Show me what you are doing / I want to be near you as your friend / Tell me your deepest secrets / I want to know you, put your heart in me
When you pray, I want to pray with you / When you heal, Lord use my hands / When moved with compassion, turn within me / When seasons change, let me in on your plan / For you Spirit lives within me / And your heartbeat He will unveil
Your very mind has been placed within me / So clear the gray and let me enter in / Show me what you’re doing / I want to be near you as a friend / Tell me your deepest secrets / I want to know you, put your heart in me
Show me what you’re doing / I want to be near you as your friend / Tell me your deepest secrets / I want to know you, put your heart in me / I want to know you, put your heart in me / I want to love you, put your heart in me / Let me hear your heartbeat, let me hear what you feel / Let me hear your heartbeat, let me hear what you feel
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen
There is a coming generational crisis, the scale of which America has never suffered. The young will face slow growth, low employment, limited choices, and a collapse of the entitlement state we erected with their inheritance. Adding to the combustion is the decay of our common cultural understanding of what it means to be American.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentence
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Morning readings
Psalm 119:113-117 NLT:
I hate those with divided loyalties, but I love your instructions. You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God.
Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed. Sustain me, and I will be rescued; then I will meditate continually on your decrees.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT:
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Ephesians 1:3; 2:6-7 NLT:
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
Reflection/Prayer:
Uphold me that I may live and not be ashamed of my hope. Hold me up and I shall be safe.
Give me a calm and confident trust in Thee. Make me willing to live just one day at a time. May my heart re-echo to Thy promise that only as I rest in Thee can the desires of my heart be given to me. And now help me to do my part in placing a guard around my thoughts, by resolutely refusing to return to my old haunts of distrust. I thank Thee for Thy love for me and for Thy help. Amen. (Peter Marshall)
My greatest struggle is
the struggle not to struggle. (Arthur Burt)
What the soul has to do in the time of quiet is only to be gentle and make no noise… Let the will quietly and prudently understand that one does not deal successfully with God by any efforts of one’s own. (Teresa of Avila)
I knew a man who always said ‘Keep looking down,’ ‘You mean keep looking up, don’t you?’ ‘No! No! We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places!’ (Arthur Burt)
Keep looking down, we’re seated in the heavenlies,
God’s mighty power has raised us over all.
Keep looking down, above all pricipalities,
for we have ‘died and risen with the Lord.’
And in His name we have authority,
and in His name we shall prevail,
And in His name we dare to face the enemy
and in His name we cannot fail.
Keep looking down! (Jimmy Owens)
Canticle
Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________
The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.
The Peanut Gallery 