Friday Morning Prayer, 07 Aug 2020

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

Opening: (Luke 1:78-79)

God’s love and kindness will shine upon us
like the sun that rises in the sky.
On us who live in the dark shadow of death
this light will shine to guide us
into a life of peace.

“Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:11

Collect for Purity

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

__________

Scripture Reading (NLT)

Psalm 89:1-2, -14-15

I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
_____

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

__________

I Have Made a Covenant – Dales Bible Week 1981

__________

Scripture Reading (NLT

Romans 6:6-11, 20-23

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

_____

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

__________

Reflection on: “alive to God”

“Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:11

“Evil enters us now as an interloper and a stranger, and works sad havoc, but it does not abide in us upon the throne; it is an alien, and despised, and no more honored and delighted in. We are dead to the reigning power of sin.” (Spurgeon)

To be “alive to God” is to be filled with the creative energy of God – the healing, redemptive, resurrection life of Christ; the renewing and re-creative power of the Holy Spirit. (Dwight M. Pratt)

“Now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.
Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 6:22-23)

The new life we are granted isn’t given so we can live unto ourselves. With the new life, we live to God. We aren’t dead to sin, free from sin, and given eternal life to live as we please, but to live to please God. (Matthew Henry)

Prayer

Gracious God: my true life is hidden in Christ with you – now and forever. Fill me with the re-creative power of your Spirit –

+ that I may delight in you, and that love for you may reign in my heart….
+ that I may be rooted and nourished in Christ, the beginning and end of my life….
+ that I may yield myself to you, in dedicated sacrificial service….
+ that I may yield my whole self to you, to grow in holiness and right living….

Gracious God: replace my hard heart with the heart of Jesus, that I may live to honor only you. Amen.
__________

“Heart of God” – Capital City Music

__________

Closing -(Romans 6:16-18)

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

__________

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