Month: June 2017

Morning Prayer: Wednesday, 07 June – Acts 3:1-11 ~ I’ll give you what I have

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Guide us, O God, by your Word, and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover peace; through Christ our Lord,

Reading: Acts 3:1-11 (NLT)

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Merciful God: you give us what we need, not necessarily what we expect or want. Help us to discern the difference, and give us the grace to gratefully accept all that we receive from your hand.

Work your wonders in us and through us that we may become your hands of blessing to others. Expand our understanding of the immeasurable inheritance that we have received from you; with you nothing is impossible.

Abide in us that we may draw life and light from you through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Silver and Gold Have I None” – Cerdarmont Kids

https://youtu.be/RFZJFXvuv0A

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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 36:5-6,10 (NLT)

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.
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Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Tuesday, 06 June – Acts 2:42-47 ~ life together

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Guide us, O God, by your Word, and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover peace; through Christ our Lord.

Reading: Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity — all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
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Reflection and Prayer:

Lord Jesus: you are the head and we are the body, revive your church and fill us with the same love and passion as the early believers.

+ Give us a persistent hunger for your word – that our lives may be conformed to your teaching.
+ Give us a sincere love for one another – that we may seek opportunities to befriend and serve one another.
+ Give us a passion for unity – that we may set aside our differences and eat together at a common table.
+ Give us a lifestyle of prayer – that you may constantly be on our hearts and minds, guiding what we do and say.

Holy Spirit: fall again on your church throughout the world.

+ Manifest your presence among us through signs and wonders.
+ Make us a generous, freely-giving people that take care of one another.
+ Transform our worship from religious ritual to joy-filled praise in your presence.
+ Keep us in the world as respected citizens and gracious ambassadors of your Kingdom.

Heavenly Father: we ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Come People of the Risen King” – Keith and Kristyn Getty


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 31:19 (NLT)

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Monday, 05 June – Acts 2:22-41 ~ what should we do?

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Guide us, O God, by your Word, and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover peace; through Christ our Lord.

Reading: Acts 2:22-41 (NLT)

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. King David said this about him:

‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’

“Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”’

“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
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Prayer of Belief*:

Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through you, I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope. I thank you for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserved in order to offer me complete forgiveness. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Please come into my life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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“White Flag” – Chris Tomlin


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 51:16-17 (NLT)

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
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* Prayer of Belief: All Saints Church, Pawleys Island, South Carolina

Pentecost Sunday, 04 June – Acts 2:1-21 ~ Spirit break out

Pentecost Sunday

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

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Spirit – Bryan & Katie Torwalt

Reading: Acts 2:1-21 (NLT)

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.

And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below—blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord Jesus: on this day of Pentecost, the Church is filled with joy and strengthened with measureless hope.
– Lord, renew the face of the earth.

Lord Jesus: raised on the cross, you poured out the water of rebirth for the life of the world. Quicken the life of all believers with the gift of the Spirit.
– Lord, renew the face of the earth.

Lord Jesus: raised up to God’s right hand, you bestowed on the apostles the Father’s Gift; your people now wait for the same Gift, the same hope.
– Lord, renew the face of the earth.

Lord Jesus: you breathed your Spirit upon the apostles, and gave them the power of forgiveness: set all men free today from the prison of sin.
– Lord, renew the face of the earth.

Lord Jesus: you promised to send us the Spirit of truth, that we might become your heralds throughout the world. Through his presence in your people may we bear faithful witness to you.
– Lord, renew the face of the earth.

Lord our God: sanctify your Church in every race and nation by the presence and power of your Spirit. Pour out the gifts of the Holy Spirit on your people, and fulfill now in the hearts of your faithful what you accomplished when the Gospel was first preached on earth. Through our 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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“Spirit Break Out” – Kim Walker-Smith


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty.
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O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
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But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.
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May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!
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May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Saturday of 7th Week of Easter, 03 June – John 21:20-25 ~ accurately recorded

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord our God: let the Holy Spirit come down on us, as we wait in prayer, that we may become enthusiastic believers and faithful witnesses to the person and the good news of Jesus. May our way of living bear witness that Jesus is our light and life, now and for ever.

Reading: John 21:20-25 (NLT)

Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

This disciple is the one who testifies to these events and has recorded them here. And we know that his account of these things is accurate.

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. – John 21:25

God’s loving-kindness is inexhaustible. Here is a checklist (from Psalm 103) of some of the things God does for those he loves. Which of these apply to you? Take a moment, remember the circumstances, and thank God for the goodness he has shown you.

+ He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.

+ He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

+ He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

+ He gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

+ He is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

+ He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.

+ He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

+ He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

+ He is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

+ His love remains forever with those who fear him.

+ His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

+ He has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord.
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“Bless His holy name” – Times Square Church Choir


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Concluding Prayer – 103:1 (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!