Month: June 2017

Morning Prayer: Tuesday, 20 June – Acts 6:8-15 ~ fake news and false narratives

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Gracious God, as I turn to your Word for me, may the Spirit of God rest upon me. Help me to be steadfast in my hearing, in my speaking, in my believing, and in my living. Amen.

Reading: Acts 6:8-15 (NLT)

Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.

The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.
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Reflection and Prayer:

Lord Jesus: You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life – the one true source of love and justice in this world.

  • Watch over and care for me that I may live a godly life.
  • Help me to lead a life of integrity in my own home.
  • Protect me from crooked people with perverse ideas.
  • Deliver me from liars and deceivers, minions of the evil one.
  • Keep me away from people who slander their neighbors.

Lord Jesus: Free me from prideful, conceited people – the purveyors of fake news and false narratives. Give me faithful, godly people to be my companions – those who are above reproach – that I may love and serve you as your faithful witness to my life’s end. Soli Deo gloria!
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“Open thou mine eyes” – Elena Matei with the choir of Music Faculty from Braşov, Romania

Open thou mine eyes and I shall see; Incline my heart and I shall desire; Order my steps and I shall walk, In the ways of thy commandments.

O Lord God, be thou to me a God; No other, naught else with thee.

Vouchsafe to me to worship thee and serve thee; According to thy commandments; In truth of spirit, in reverence of body, In blessings of lips, In private and in public.
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 4 (NLT)

Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?

You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Monday, 19 June – Acts 6:1-7 ~ set apart to serve

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Gracious God, as I turn to your Word for me, may the Spirit of God rest upon me. Help me to be steadfast in my hearing, in my speaking, in my believing, and in my living. Amen.

Reading: Acts 6:1-7 (NLT)

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
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Reflection and Prayer:

God of grace: Pour out your Holy Spirit on me today that I may faithfully serve you and those around me.

+ Give me openness to the Holy Spirit’s leading that I may see and serve wherever there is need.

+ Train me in prayer that I may express the compassion of Christ for the poor and the friendless, the sick, the grieving, and the troubled.

+ Equip me with courage to bear the gospel to the powerful, and to communicate your presence and might among those who are powerless.

+ In everything, give me the mind of Christ, who did not grasp at greatness but emptied himself, to become a servant of your reign.

+ Give me joy in my walk of faith and a sure sense of your abiding presence in my life and work.

I ask this through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Set Apart” – Worship Central


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 97:11-12 (NLT)

Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Corpus Christi Sunday: 18 June – John 6:51-58 ~ my body / my blood

Corpus Christi Sunday

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

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament you have given us the memorial of your passion: grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your body and blood that we may know within ourselves and show forth in our lives the fruits of your redemption; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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“‘Guide Me, Oh Thou Great Jehovah'” – Tabernacle Welsh Baptist Church, Cardiff


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Reading: John 6:51-58 (NLT)

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”
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“Feast of Corpus Christi” – Holy Land Franciscans (Jun 5, 2012)


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Corpus Christi Sunday Intercessory Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ: Thank you for your real presence with us in Word and Sacrament; bless us today that we may be a blessing to others. Lord, hear our prayers –

+ That our faith in your real presence with us may grow stronger through our worship and prayer.
+ That we may regularly receive the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation in remembrance of your sacrificial love.
+ That those who rarely attend worship may be drawn into the community of faith and experience life to the full.
+ That all who are hungry and destitute may be provided for physically and fed spiritually with the Bread of Life.
+ That all who suffer persecution for their faith and dislocation from war and violence may find comfort, safety and support.
+ That fathers, and all who play a father’s role, may reflect your loving-kindness and be rewarded with godly children.
+ That those who have gone before us in faith, especially our fathers, may be raised up at the last day.

God of infinite generosity, you sent your Son to share our burdens and our hopes, to be our life and strength: hear the prayers we offer in his name, who lives and reigns with you, forever and ever. Amen.
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“Behold the Lamb” (Communion Hymn) – Stuart Townend


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Concluding Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ: Make us one in you by sharing together your most sacred body and blood, that we may also be eternally united with you, the Father, and the Holy Spirit – one God – for ever and ever. Amen.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Saturday, 17 June – Acts 5:26-42 ~ don’t fight against God

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Gracious God, give me a humble, teachable, and obedient heart, that I may receive what you have revealed, and do what you have commanded. Amen.

Reading: Acts 5:26-42 (NLT)

The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

“So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
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Reflection and Prayer:

Mighty God: Give me courage and a sense of urgency – whether the time is right or not, whether the opportunity seems favorable or not, whether convenient or not, whether welcome or not – to tell others that

+ Jesus has died for the forgiveness of our sins;

+ Jesus is risen and has given us his Spirit of power;

+ Jesus will come again and judge us all;

+ Repent and believe the Good news of the Gospel;

+ In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Holy Spirit: Give me a willing and obedient spirit that I may be a compelling and credible witness of these Gospel truths – inviting others into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, who lives with you and the Father, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Jesus Messiah” – the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 86:14-17 (NLT)

O God, insolent people rise up against me; a violent gang is trying to kill me. You mean nothing to them. But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant. Send me a sign of your favor. Then those who hate me will be put to shame, for you, O Lord, help and comfort me.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Friday, 16 June – Acts 5:17-25 ~ set free to speak life

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Gracious God, give me a humble, teachable, and obedient heart, that I may receive what you have revealed, and do what you have commanded. Amen.

Reading: Acts 5:17-25 (NLT)

The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”

So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.

When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”

When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”
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Reflection and Prayer:

Mighty God: Fill me with joy in the Holy Spirit that I may live with the end in mind – the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ.

+ Turn my worry into prayers – telling you what I need and giving thanks for all you have done for me.
+ Grant me your peace, and guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, as I face the challenges of the day.
+ Fix my mind on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
+ Speak Life through me – that I may raise up in others those things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
+ Speak Life through me – that others may be forgiven and set free, may find hope and healing, through my Lord Jesus Christ.

Mighty God: Fill me with your resurrection power that I may put into practice all I have learned and received, bringing the message of Life to a dying world – through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Speak Life” – TobyMac


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 80:18-19 (NLT)

Revive us so we can call on your name once more. Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!