Morning Prayer: Fri, 11 Nov – Psalm 119:137-144; Isaiah 28:11-13; Luke 4:5-8 ~ listen to understand

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

Opening Sentence

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth.
This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

Reading: Psalm 119:137-144 (NLT)

O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy. I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words.

Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true.

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live.

Reading: Isaiah 28:11-13 (NLT)

So now God will have to speak to his people through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!

God has told his people,

“Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.”

But they would not listen.

So the Lord will spell out his message for them again, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall. They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

Reading: Luke 4:5-8 (NLT)

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”

Jesus replied,

“The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”

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A call to bring understanding: – St Cedd (620-664)

Listen,
+ hear the Word behind the word.

Listen:
+ sensing when the spirit’s stirred,
+ there is healing in the waters if God’s touch is what you seek.

We must wait, and know God’s moment, listen well before we speak.

And in waiting for God’s moment that in peacefulness decides,
+ listen.

God is not in a hurry.
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“None But Jesus” – Hillsong

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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 Protecting Father, in the name of the Conquering Son, and in the name of the Liberating Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Thu, 10 Nov – Psalm 10:12; Micah 5:9; Colossians 2:15 ~ disarmed and shamed

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

Opening Sentence

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth.
This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

Reading: Psalm 10:12 (NLT)

Arise, O Lord! Punish the wicked, O God! Do not ignore the helpless!

Reading: Micah 5:9 (NLT)

The people of Israel will stand up to their foes, and all their enemies will be wiped out.

Reading: Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
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Prayer: – St Patrick (389-461) – resolute discipleship

This day I walk with Christ and He will walk with me.

+ I fasten close to me this day that same power who came to us as flesh and blood and was Himself baptized in the Jordan river.
+ He died upon the cross to rescue me, broke free from death, its conqueror. He left us, to return the more certainly.

Resisting my own selfishness and sin, refusing to live as a slave to riches, pleasure or reputation, rejecting Satan and all his lies, I call on heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
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“Strength” – Jonathan & Melissa Helser

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Blessing

+ In the name of the Protecting Father, in the name of the Conquering Son, and in the name of the Liberating Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Wed, 09 Nov – Psalm 18:21-30; Joshua 24:21-24; Luke 17:20-21 ~ we will serve the Lord

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

Opening Sentence

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth.
This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

Reading: Psalm 18:21-30 (NLT)

For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.

God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

Reading: Joshua 24:21-24 (NLT)

But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!”

“You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.”

“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”

Reading: Luke 17:20-21 (NLT)

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”

Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”
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Restatement of Baptismal Vows:

The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

+ I reject the devil and all rebellion against God.
+ I renounce the deceit and corruption of evil.
+ I repent of the sins that separate me from God and my neighbor.
+ I turn to Christ as my Savior.
+ I submit to Christ as my Lord.
+ I come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life.

May God give me the strength and help I need to follow Christ wherever He leads me.

“You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the Lord.”
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“We Will Serve the Lord” – Hallal Music

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Blessing

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

Morning Prayer: Tue, 08 Nov – Psalm 45:16-17; Micah 2:12-13; Luke 8:11-21 ~ good-hearted people: hear, cling and produce

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

Opening Sentence

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.
I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth.
This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

Reading: Psalm 45:16-17 (NLT)

Your sons will become kings like their father. You will make them rulers over many lands. I will bring honor to your name in every generation. Therefore, the nations will praise you forever and ever.

Reading: Micah 2:12-13 (NLT)

“Someday, O Israel, I will gather you; I will gather the remnant who are left. I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture. Yes, your land will again be filled with noisy crowds! Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile, out through the gates of the enemy cities, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; the Lord himself will guide you.”

Reading: Luke 8:11-21 (NLT)

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Parable of the Lamp

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.

“So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

The True Family of Jesus

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.”

Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”
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Prayer: Piran (sixth century)

+ Teach me to follow You, and I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful
+ Call me to follow You, and I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful.
+ Free me to follow You, and I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful.
+ Dare me to follow You, and I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful.
+ Set me to following You. I will obey Your truth. Always keep me faithful.
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“We Will Not Be Shaken” – Brian Johnson