Month: May 2017

Friday of the 6th Week of Easter, 26 May – John 16:20-23 ~ labor pains

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, merciful Father, it is hard for us to accept pain, for we know that you have made us for joyous life to the full. When suffering cuts to the core of our being, help us to discover the depth of our inner freedom and love, and all the faith and loyalty of which we are capable, together with, and by the power of, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading: John 16:20-23 (NLT)

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Hold before us a vision of life abundant and full, life eternal and joyous, life forever in your presence – no tears, no death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain.

Sustain us by the power of your Spirit during this present age of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. All of your people are affected by the perversity of our society, and some of us are experiencing great suffering because of the heartlessness and cruelty of evil personified.

We hold on to your promise that our suffering and pain will be transformed into joy – even as a mother’s pain in childbirth gives way to the wonder of new life. Encourage your tired and persecuted people today with confident assurance that the day of vindication and deliverance is near, that your Kingdom truly will come with clarity and justice, the pure light of life devoid of darkness.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Let Your Kingdom Come” – Hillsong


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 47:1-2 (NLT)

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Thursday of 6th Week of Easter, 25 May – John 16:16-20 ~ in a little while

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, Heavenly Father, you are not far away from me, for in you I live and move and exist and you live in me through your Holy Spirit. Be indeed with me, Lord, send me your Holy Spirit of truth and through him deepen my understanding of the life and message of your Son, that I may accept the full truth and live by it consistently. I ask this through Christ my Lord.

Reading: John 16:16-20 (NLT)

“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”

Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord Jesus: the very thought of your absence in my life leads me to despair – for in you I live, and move, and have my being. Thank you for sending me your Spirit to be with me forever.

Help me to understand what you mean by “in a little while;” I’m as confused as your first disciples were.

With 20-20 hindsight, I recognize the relative shortness of time between your death, your resurrection, your ascension, and the coming of your Spirit. But here I sit two thousand years later, by human reckoning, waiting for your return in glory. And that seems to be a very long time, especially for those suffering persecution, anguish and sadness with no end in sight.

Fill all your people with your Spirit; renew your presence within us and refresh our trust in you – especially in times of trial, testing, persecution and great suffering. I pray especially for those suffering from the evil of terrorists and the evil states that sponsor and encourage them. Lord, deliver your people from evil.

Lord Jesus: I realize that with you “a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” You and I have a much different perspective on time. Nevertheless, I hold onto your promise that “in a little while” our grief will suddenly turn into wonderful joy and the whole world will rejoice.

Even so, Lord, come quickly!
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“He’s coming again” – Messianic Jewish Singer Joshua Aaron

Asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo | Who was and is and is to come | My Savior came, gave His life for me | And I know He’s coming back to bring me home

I know He’s coming again | I know He’s coming again | Yes, I know | He’s coming again | I know He’s coming again | He’s coming again, He’s coming again

We’ll keep on singing ‘til | He comes again | Then we’ll sing some more | We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Until we reach the golden shores

We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Then we’ll sing some more | We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Then we’ll sing forevermore!
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 98:3-4 (NLT)

He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Wednesday of 6th Week of Easter, 24 May – John 16:12-15 ~ God’s Spokesperson

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, Heavenly Father, you are not far away from me, for in you I live and move and exist and you live in me through your Holy Spirit. Be indeed with me, Lord, send me your Holy Spirit of truth and through him deepen my understanding of the life and teaching of your Son, that I may accept the full truth and live by it consistently. I ask this through Christ my Lord.

Reading: John 16:12-15 (NLT)

“There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
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Reflection & Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Thank you for your kindness and gentleness to me; you give me what I need when I need it, but you don’t overwhelm me with more than I can handle at the time. You have been a good Father to me.

Continue the work of transformation in me that Jesus began through his Word and Spirit. The more I learn about you, the more I realize I have so much more to learn – it’s a life-long process as the ages and stages of my life unfold and I encounter challenges and opportunities that I’ve never dealt with before.

Speak to me again today; apply your Word to my life experience; show me what you would have me say and do; and give me the courage and strength to put my faith to work. Through Jesus my Lord – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Good Good Father” – Darlene Zschech and Bethel Music


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 148:13-14 (NLT)

Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made his people strong, honoring his faithful ones—the people of Israel who are close to him.

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

Tuesday of 6th Week of Easter, 23 May – John 16:5-11 ~ truth & justice will prevail

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, if I really believe in you and in your Son, I cannot be but your witness. Send me your Spirit of strength, that I may give no flimsy excuses for not standing up for you and for not loving my neighbors. Make me only afraid of betraying you and of being afraid to bear witness to you. I ask you this through Christ my Lord.

Reading: John 16:5-11 (NLT)

“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord Jesus:

+ Sometimes I think, “if only I could have experienced your presence physically – to have walked and talked with you in the flesh – then I would be more confident in my faith.” But you tell me just the opposite; by leaving this earth – your death and resurrection – your resurrected presence now lives within me through the Spirit of Truth.

+ Thank you for sending me, and continually filling me, with your Spirit. Attune my heart and mind to hear him and obey him as he applies your teaching to the daily reality of my life.

Holy Spirit:

+ Convict me of my sin of unbelief: show me when I fail or falter because of weak faith, because of fear, because of an insufficient grasp of the enormity of your love for me.

+ Convict me of Jesus’ righteousness in all he said and did, and especially through his death and resurrection. And clothe me in his righteousness by grace through faith.

+ Convict me of the reality that Truth and Justice will ultimately prevail, no matter what it looks like now from my perspective. Fill me with confident hope that all will be made clear when Jesus returns in glory.

Heavenly Father:

+ You are the Sovereign over all of creation. You rule and reign over all of human history, and you have positioned me in this particular time and place to love and serve you, and to bear witness to the life-changing power of Jesus, my Lord.

+ Keep me faithful to you, in season and out of season, that Truth and Justice may prevail now and forever – to the honor and glory of your name.

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“Holy Spirit, Living Breath Of God” – Keith & Kristyn Getty, Stuart Townend


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 138:1-2 (NLT)

I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Monday of 6th Week of Easter, 22 May – John 15:26-16:4 ~ remember my warning

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, if I really believe in you and in your Son, I cannot be but your witness. Send me your Spirit of strength, that I may give no flimsy excuses for not standing up for you and for loving my neighbors. Make me only afraid of betraying you and of being afraid to bear witness to you. I ask you this through Christ my Lord.

Reading: John 15:26-16:4 (NLT)

“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.

“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. This is because they have never known the Father or me. Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Come Spirit of Truth:

+ Remind me of all that Jesus has said and done.
+ Apply these truths to my real life circumstances.
+ Give me the courage and strength to live them out day-by-day.

Come Holy Comforter:

+ Walk with me through the ordinary trials and troubles of life; be my comforter and friend.
+ Stand steadfast within me if and when I face extraordinary challenges and persecution because of my faith.
+ Give me the courage of my convictions that I might not shirk my responsibility to speak the truth in love.

The World’s Most Persecuted Minority: Christians

Lord Jesus:

Truth be told, I have no idea of what it means to truly suffer for my faith. The inconveniences and resistance that I have encountered are as nothing in comparison to the suffering, torture and death of my brothers and sisters in the persecuted church around the world.

Send them your Spirit as Surety of your presence with them in their suffering. Comfort them in their distress, lighten their burdens, strengthen them in faith and endurance, and deliver them from all evil.

Bless them now in the midst of their hardship that they may bless others in whatever circumstances they find themselves that they might truly become a light to the nations to the glory of the Father – who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“You Make Me Brave” – Bethel Music


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 149:1-2 (NLT)

Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!