Month: September 2018

Praying the Psalms: Thu, 20 Sep – Psalm 71 ~ don’t let me be disgraced

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

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.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
__________

Morning Reading: Psalm 71 (NLT)

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free. Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors. O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you!

My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long. And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing. For my enemies are whispering against me. They are plotting together to kill me. They say, “God has abandoned him. Let’s go and get him, for no one will help him now.”

O God, don’t stay away. My God, please hurry to help me. Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers. Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me. But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.

O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.

Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises, O my God. I will sing praises to you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel. I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me. I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.
__________

Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: In you we put our trust –

+ Strengthen us in faith, and vindicate our character purified in Jesus Christ…
+ Strengthen us in prayer, and pour out your mercy and grace in Jesus Christ…
+ Remind us of your loving-kindness, and fill us with praise for your goodness…
+ Remind us of your revealed truth, and shape us in the image of Jesus Christ…

O Lord our God: In you we put our trust –

+ Forgive the sins of our youth, and perfect us through our weaknesses…
+ Fortify us in righteousness, and encourage us to faithfully press on…

O Lord our God: In you we put our trust – in this life and the life to come – through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“Psalm 71” – Jason Silver


__________

Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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!

Praying the Psalms: Wed, 19 Sep – Psalm 70 ~ May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

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.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
__________

Morning Reading: Psalm 70 (NLT)

Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

But as for me, I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O Lord, do not delay.
__________

Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: you are our ever-present help in times of trouble. Hear the cries of your people above the turmoil of the storm; meet us in our helplessness –

+ Hasten to alert friends to our plight…
+ Hasten to alleviate our fear and anxiety…
+ Hasten to absolve us from humiliation and shame…

O Lord our God: you are our ever-present help in times of trouble. May all who seek you be filled with joy and gladness –

+ Disappoint the malice of the wicked by deliverance of the good…
+ Delight us in your saving grace, and refresh our heavy hearts…
+ Dispense your mercy, and assure us of our certain hope…

O Lord our God: you are our ever-present help in times of trouble. We place our trust in you, and plead our case through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“Psalm 70” (St. Olave Scottish Metrical Psalter 1650) – Free Church of Scotland

Lord, haste me to deliver; with speed, Lord, succor me.
Let them that for my soul do seek shamed and confounded be:
Turned back be they, and shamed, that in my hurt delight.
Turned back be they, Ha, ha! that say, their shaming to requite.

In thee let all be glad, and joy that seek for thee:
Let them who thy salvation love say still, God praisèd be.
I poor and needy am; come, Lord, and make no stay:
My help thou and deliv’rer art; O Lord, make no delay.
__________

Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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!

Praying the Psalms: Tue, 18 Sep – Psalm 69 ~ Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

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.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
__________

Morning Reading: Psalm 69 (NLT)

Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me. I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me. Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me with lies, demanding that I give back what I didn’t steal.

O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you. Don’t let those who trust in you be ashamed because of me, O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel. For I endure insults for your sake; humiliation is written all over my face. Even my own brothers pretend they don’t know me; they treat me like a stranger.

Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. When I weep and fast, they scoff at me. When I dress in burlap to show sorrow, they make fun of me. I am the favorite topic of town gossip and all the drunks sing about me.

But I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mud; don’t let me sink any deeper! Save me from those who hate me, and pull me from these deep waters. Don’t let the floods overwhelm me, or the deep waters swallow me, or the pit of death devour me.

Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful. Don’t hide from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in deep trouble! Come and redeem me; free me from my enemies.

You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace. You see all that my enemies are doing. Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me. But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst.

Let the bountiful table set before them become a snare and their prosperity become a trap. Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and make their bodies shake continually. Pour out your fury on them; consume them with your burning anger. Let their homes become desolate and their tents be deserted. To the one you have punished, they add insult to injury; they add to the pain of those you have hurt. Pile their sins up high, and don’t let them go free. Erase their names from the Book of Life; don’t let them be counted among the righteous.

I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.

Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves. The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.

Praise him, O heaven and earth, the seas and all that move in them. For God will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and settle in their own land. The descendants of those who obey him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there in safety.
__________

Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Have mercy on your people, and answer us in our sufferings –

+ Rescue those of us who are overwhelmed, crying out for help with no way of escape…
+ Revive those of us who are heart sick, scorned and provoked by our enemies without cause…
+ Raise up people of faith and goodwill to relieve the suffering of the needy and express your loving-kindness…

O Lord our God: Have mercy on your people, and forgive our sins –

+ Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil…
+ Lift our burdens of guilt and set us free to love and serve you…
+ Loose our chains of resentment and set us free to love our enemies…

O Lord our God: Have mercy on your people, and make us imitators of your Son, Jesus Christ…

+ Focus our minds on what commends itself to our consciences and hearts as good, according to your Word…
+ Fill us with your Spirit and lead us along the path of Life – abundant and eternal – through your Son…
+ Free us from our self-sufficiency and bring us to the place of helplessness, that we may trust solely in you…

O Lord our God: Have mercy on your people, we pray through our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“Psalm 69” – Lord, In Your Great Love, Answer Me – Eric Becker


__________

Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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!

Praying the Psalms: Mon, 17 Sep – Psalm 68 ~ The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

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.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
__________

Morning Reading: Psalm 68 (NLT)

Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives. Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God. But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy. Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord — rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland, Interlude the earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land. There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.

The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news. Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder. Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures — doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold. The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.

The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky. Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?

Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary. When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.

Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Interlude Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.

But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways. The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea. You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”

Your procession has come into view, O God— the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary. Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines. Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life. Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.

Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past. The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuke these enemy nations — these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves. Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war. Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bring tribute to God.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky. Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens. God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.

Praise be to God!
__________

Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: We rejoice in your presence; we sing praises to your name –

+ for you have made covenant with your people and written your Law on our hearts…
+ for you have been present with us, guiding us through the wilderness and protecting us through the storm…
+ for you have revealed yourself to us and welcomed us into your presence through your Son, Jesus Christ…
+ for you have shaped our history, personally and as a people; our lives, our fortunes, and our future are in Christ…
+ for you are enthroned in the heavens – Father, Son, and Spirit – as King of kings and Lord of lords…

O Lord our God: We rejoice in your presence; we sing praises to your name. For you are Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — you are the One true God, who dwells in holiness. Blessed be your name. Amen.
__________

Psalm 68:5 – “A Father to the fatherless” – (It’s gonna be alright) – Heber Vega


__________

Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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!

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – 16 Sep – Mark 8:27-35 ~ “Who do you say I am?”

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer

Make us one, O God, in acknowledging your Son, Jesus Christ. As we proclaim him by our words, help us follow him in our works; give us strength to take up the cross and courage to lose our lives for his sake. 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.
__________

“Who You Say I Am” – Hillsong Worship


__________

Gospel Reading: 8:27-35 (NLT)

Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.

Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
__________

Prayers of Intercession:

Lord Jesus, we look to You. You are the peace that surpasses all our understanding and we worship You.

+ Pour out your peace on those who suffer devastation from Hurricane Florence…
+ Pour out your peace on those who have evacuated and who now anxiously await the unknown…
+ Pour out your peace on those who make travel plans and guide them home safely…

Lord Jesus, You are Lord of the wind and the sea. We are in agreement: nothing surprises You and nothing overwhelms You.

+ Protect the innocent and be glorified in this recovery…
+ Raise up your people that we may participate in this recovery…
+ Give us the boldness to proclaim you, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all…

We pray this in Your holy and life-giving Name. Amen.
__________

“Psalm 116” (You Turned My Soul To Rest) – Robbie Seay Band

From my dying | From my shame
You heard my growning | You called my name
From the darkness | From the grave
O, I cried out to you | And you came to save me
O, you saved me

I will dwell in the shadow of your mercy
I will walk in the land of those who live
I’ll raise up the cup of your salvation
You turned my soul to rest
You turned my soul to rest

In your kindness | In your grace
By such mercy | You have saved me
For your glory | For your name
For your kingdom | You came to save me
O, you saved me

I will dwell in the shadow of your mercy
I will walk in the land of those who live
I’ll raise up the cup of your salvation
You turned my soul to rest
You turned my soul to rest

O, I love you Lord | For you alone
Can hear my cry | Can hear my cry
You hear my voice | And only you
Can give me life | You can give me life

O, I love you Lord | For you alone
Can hear my cry | Can hear my cry
You hear my voice | And only you
Can give me life | You can give me life

I will dwell in you
I will walk with you

I will dwell in the shadow of your mercy
I will walk in the land of those who live
I’ll raise up the cup of your salvation
You turned my soul to rest
You turned my soul to rest
__________

Blessing – Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

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