Morning Prayer: Thu, 22 Sep – Psalm 119:73; 1 Samuel 17:33-37; Ephesians 4:10-13 ~ measure up

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and 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.

Reading: Psalm 119:73 (NLT)

You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.

Reading: 1 Samuel 17:33-37 (NLT)

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”

But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”

Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”

Reading: Ephesians 4:10-13 (NLT)

And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to that unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Prayer

Lord Jesus: You pour life into me, giving me speech, sense, desire, giving me thought and action. You mark the way before me and give me all I need to love and serve You.

O King and Savior of all, what are Your gifts to me? and do I use them to Your pleasing?

+ Have You given me gifts to build up Your Church? Do I cross cultural barriers, or proclaim Your word with power, or bring others into Your family, or care for and teach Your people?

+ Have You given me gifts to build up Your people? Do I offer wise advice or add special knowledge to those seeking counsel? Do I believe Your promises in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles? Do I pray consistently for others?

+ Have You given me gifts to serve others? Do I cheerfully help out where needed, or encourage people in distress? Do I take responsibility seriously, or give generously in support of others, and am I kind in the process?

+ Have You given me gifts that draw others to You? Do I pray for healing, and do I expect miracles? Do You give me messages to encourage Your people, and am I able to distinguish between truth and falsehood? Do I pray in unknown languages during worship, or while praying for others?

+ Have You given me gifts of artisanship? Do I sing or make music for You? Do I dance, or lead others into Your presence? Do I shape and form beautiful crafts of gold, silver, wood, glass or stone? Do I work with my hands to construct buildings and monuments that glorify You?

Gracious God: You distribute Your special gifts to us as You see fit. Open avenues of opportunity for me to use the gifts and abilities that You have given me – to build up Your Church, to serve Your people, and to glorify Your name. And, in the process, may Your Kingdom come – in me. Amen.

“Flawless (Official Music Video)” – MercyMe

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Jesus 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 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Wed, 21 Sep – Psalm 24:7-10; Genesis 19:2-3; Luke 19:15-16 ~ welcome your King

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and 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.

Reading: Psalm 24:7-10 (NLT)

Christ the King Świebodzin, Poland — Christ the King
Świebodzin, Poland

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle.

Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—he is the King of glory.

Reading: Genesis 19:2-3 (NLT)

“My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.”

“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.”

But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.

Reading: Luke 19:15-16 (NLT)

“After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’

Prayer

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

“O heart, hurry now and welcome your King to sit by the warmth of your fire.” (Henri Nouwen)

Lord Jesus: You pour life into me, giving me speech, sense, desire, giving me thought and action. My fame or repute will be just as You allow: You mark the way before me. Help me to follow faithfully in Your footsteps until my life’s end. Amen.

“King of Glory” – Third Day

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Tue, 20 Sep – Psalm 65:9-10; Genesis 1:11; John 20:6-10 ~ overflowing with life

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and 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.

Reading: Psalm 65:9-10 (NLT)

You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.

Reading: Genesis 1:11 (NLT)

Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.

Reading: John 20:6-10 (NLT)

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home.

Prayer

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

Follow the example of good men and women of old, who came to Me as empty vessels to be filled with treasure hidden deep within them by My hand.

+ Freely I have received, so freely I will give my plans to You, from beginning to end – that I may truly live.
+ Freely I have received, so freely I will give friendship and hospitality to others – that all may enter into Your joy.
+ Freely I have received, so freely I will give grace and truth to others – that all may be guided by Your hand.
+ Freely I have received, so freely I will give hope and help to others – that all may be born again through Your life-giving Spirit.

” I’ve got a River of Life” – Jenn & Brian Johnson

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Mon, 19 Sep – Psalm 22:26-28; 1 Chronicles 29:11-14; Mark 6:2-4 ~ everything is yours

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and 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.

Reading: Psalm 22:26-28 (NLT)

The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.

The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the Lord. He rules all the nations.

Reading: 1 Chronicles 29:11-14 (NLT)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!

Reading: Mark 6:2-4 (NLT)

The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”

Prayer

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.

Thanks to You, O ever-gentle Christ, for raising me freely from the black and darkness of last night into the kindly light of this day.

+ O Son of Mary, how wonderful Your friendliness to me! How deep! How unchanging! Help me to pass it on.
+ Help me to find my happiness in my acceptance of what is Your purpose for me: in friendly eyes; in work well done; in quietness born of trust; and, most of all, in the awareness of Your presence in my spirit.
+ Come, Lord Jesus, come as King. Rule in my mind: come as peace. Rule in my actions: come as power. Rule in my days: come as joy.
+ Your Kingdom come: in this world; in this country; in this community; and, especially, in me.

“1 Chronicles 29:11” – Church of God, National Choir

Blessing

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

25th Ordinary Sunday, 18 September: Amos 8:4-7; Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13 ~ help others and make friends

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord of glory: Help us to be your faithful servants before all else.

Opening Prayer:

God our Savior, you call us into your service. Make us wise and resourceful: children of the light who continue your work in this world with untiring concern for integrity and justice. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
__________

“Praise, my soul the King of heaven” – The Northern Baptist Association (UK)

__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Amos 8:4-7 (NLT)
[A warning to treat others justly.]

Saudi Arabia, thousands of Nepalese immigrant workers die from exploitation, torture and alcoholism. [Click on picture for full article]

Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy! You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales. And you mix the grain you sell with chaff swept from the floor. Then you enslave poor people for one piece of silver or a pair of sandals.

Now the Lord has sworn this oath by his own name, the Pride of Israel: “I will never forget the wicked things you have done!”
__________

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 113:1-2, 4-6, 7-8 (NLT)
[God lifts up the poor.]

Praise the Lord!

A Coptic Christian man picks up trash before it is recycled inside Garbage City in Cairo. [Cairo’s zabbaleen are primarily Coptic Christians, a sizable minority who have a history of being ostracized by Islamist powers in the country.] For more on Cairo's "Town of Trash," please click on picture. — A Coptic man picks up trash before it is recycled inside Garbage City in Cairo. Cairo’s zabbaleen are primarily Coptic Christians, a sizable minority who have a history of being ostracized by Islamist powers in the country.
[Click on picture for full article.]

Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
_____

For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.
_____

He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
__________

“Psalm 113: Praise the Lord Ye Servants” – Elizabeth C. Patterson and Gloriae Dei Cantores

__________

A Reading from the Letters: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 (NLT)
[Paul reminds us to offer prayers for everyone.]

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For,

There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.

In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 16:1-13 (NLT)
[We cannot be slaves both of God and money.]

Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’

“The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’

“So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’

“‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’

“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
__________

“If My People” – Brenda James

__________

Intercessory Prayer:

Gracious God: We come confidently before Your throne of grace. Grant your mercy and help to those on our hearts today –

+ For all who minister among your people…. Lord, hear us.
+ For our current leaders and everyone in authority over us…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those seeking public office and positions of authority…. Lord, hear us.
+ For the preservation of righteousness throughout our land…. Lord, hear us.
+ For peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity…. Lord, hear us.
+ For freedom of religion and an end to religious persecution…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who have been unjustly treated in any way…. Lord, hear us.
+ For people in difficulty, particularly those whom we know…. Lord, hear us.
+ For for all who have died in Christ, especially through conflict and violence in the Middle East…. Lord, hear us.

God of glory and majesty, you stoop from the heights to lift up the poor: hear the prayers of all who praise you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
__________

“Jesus at the Center” – Darlene Zschech

__________

Benediction:

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.

Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

– Colossians 1:15-20

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

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