Month: October 2020

Morning Prayer: Tuesday 06 Oct 2020 – Psalms (57) and Proverbs (06) ~ my heart is firmly fixed, O God

Morning Prayer, Tuesday, 06 Oct 2020

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

Opening:

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in continual godliness,
that through your protection it may be free from all adversities,
and devoutly serve you in good works, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

“My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;
I will sing and give praise.
(Psalm 56:7)

Preparation:

 Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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The New Cloverdale Psalter (2019 Update of 1535 Original) 

Psalm 57

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for my soul trusts in you, *
and under the shadow of your wings shall be my refuge, until this tribulation has passed.
2 I will call unto the Most High God, *
even unto the God who shall fulfill his purpose for me.
3 He shall send from heaven and save me; he shall confound those who trample on me. *
God shall send forth his mercy and truth.

4 My soul is among lions that devour the people; *
their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

5 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They have laid a net for my feet, and brought down my soul; *
they dug a pit before me, but have fallen into the midst of it themselves.

7 My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; *
I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake, my soul; awake, lute and harp; *
I myself will awaken the dawn.
9 I will give thanks unto you, O Lord, among the peoples, *
and I will sing praises unto you among the nations.
10 For the greatness of your mercy reaches unto the heavens, *
and your truth unto the clouds.

11 Exalt yourself, O God, above the heavens; *
let your glory be over all the earth.

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“Psalm 57”  – Oakwood University Aeolians

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New Living Translation (NLT)

Proverbs 06 (The proverbs of Solomon)

12 What are worthless and wicked people like?
They are constant liars,
13 signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye,
a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers.
14 Their perverted hearts plot evil,
and they constantly stir up trouble.
15 But they will be destroyed suddenly,
broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.

16 There are six things the Lord hates—
no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.

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Consider:

“My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed;
I will sing and give praise.”
(Psalm 56:7)

“My heart is firmly fixed, O God”

“O God, my heart is fixed.” I am resolved to trust thee, to serve thee, and to praise thee. Twice does he declare this to the glory of God who thus comforts the souls of his servants.

“I will sing and give praise”

 Vocally and instrumentally will I celebrate thy worship. With lip and with heart will I ascribe honor to thee….  Believer, make a firm decree that your soul in all seasons shall magnify the Lord.

—Spurgeon

Trusting God is a choice, just as worshiping God is a choice.

But it is not simply an act of the will, as David notes.

Trust and Worship arise out of a heart fixed on God –

His mercy… His truth… His protection… His deliverance… His purpose… His Son!

Q: What is your heart fixed on?

Prayer:

+ For Holy Thought

O God, without whose beauty and goodness my soul is unfed, without whose truth my reason withers: Consecrate my life to your will, giving me such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time I may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.

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+ Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.

+ Christ, as a shield overshadow me.

+ Christ under me; Christ over me;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.

+ This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

+ Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.

+ This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

+ Christ as a light; Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.

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“Be Exalted Oh God” – Maranatha! Vocal Band

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Blessing:

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

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

Morning Prayer: Monday 05 Oct 2020 – Psalms (56) and Proverbs (05) ~ now I can walk before God

Morning Prayer, Monday, 05 Oct 2020

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

Opening:

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in continual godliness,
that through your protection it may be free from all adversities,
and devoutly serve you in good works, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

“For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.”
(Psalm 56:13)

Preparation:

 Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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The New Cloverdale Psalter (2019 Update of 1535 Original) 

Psalm 56

1 Be merciful to me, O God, for my adversaries are treading me down; *
they are daily fighting and troubling me.
2 My enemies go about hounding me daily, *
for there are many who fight against me, O Most High.
3 Nevertheless, though I am sometimes afraid, *
yet I put my trust in you.
4 In God whose word I praise, in God I trust and fear not, *
for what can flesh do to me?

5 They daily distort my words; *
all that they imagine is to do me evil.
6 They all gather together and lie in wait, *
and mark my steps, while they seek after my life.
7 Shall they escape despite their wickedness? *
O God, in your displeasure cast them down.

8 You record my lamentation; put my tears into your bottle. *
Are not these things noted in your book?

9 Whenever I call upon you, then shall my enemies be put to flight; *
this I know, for God is on my side.
10 In God, whose word I praise, *
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11 In God have I put my trust; *
I will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me?

12 Unto you, O God, will I pay my vows; *
unto you will I give thanks.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, *
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

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“Psalms 56” (So Gracious Oh God – Moving Mountain Worship

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New Living Translation (NLT)

Proverbs 05 (The proverbs of Solomon)

18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
examining every path he takes.
22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
they are ropes that catch and hold him.
23 He will die for lack of self-control;
he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

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Consider:

“For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.”
(Psalm 56:13)

“that I may walk before God in the light of the living”

Q: What is the purpose of God’s deliverance?

  • from adversaries and enemies,
  • from liars and deceivers,
  • from our sins that hold us captive”

Q: Why did God send His one and only Son to save our souls?

In Psalm 56:13, David offers an answer –

To walk in the presence of God is partly under his eyes, his guidance and care… where God is present, where he is worshipped by his people and scatters his blessings…. In particular it signifies to live in a safe and prosperous state, whose well known emblem is light.
—Hermann Venema.

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We cannot restrict this phrase to the light of mortal life; David’s vows bound him to walk in the light of spiritual life, and also in the light of eternal life, of which by faith he was a partaker… and to the light of glory in the world to come, as the real and final object of the believer’s conversation here on earth.
—W. Wilson, D.D.

Q: Has God delivered your soul from death?
Q: Is your life a daily sacrifice to God?
Q: Does your life reflect the light of Christ?

Prayer:

+ For Quiet Confidence

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“In Your Presence” – Paul Wilbur

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Blessing:

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

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

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 04 Oct 2020: Isa 5:1-7, Ps 80, Phil 4:6-9, Matt 21:33-44 ~ take care of God’s vineyard

The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 04 Oct Sep 2020

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

Opening:

Yours, O God, is the vineyard and its harvest, yours the kingdom of justice and peace. You call your people to tend its growth. Bless the work entrusted to our hands, that we may offer you an abundance of just works, a rich harvest of peace. 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. Amen

‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see’
(Matthew 21:42)

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“Is He Worthy?” – St Albans Anglican Church Vincent

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A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 5:1-7 (NLT)

1 Now I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a rich and fertile hill.
2 He plowed the land, cleared its stones,
and planted it with the best vines.
In the middle he built a watchtower
and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks.
Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes,
but the grapes that grew were bitter.

3 Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah,
you judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not already done?
When I expected sweet grapes,
why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?

5 Now let me tell you
what I will do to my vineyard:
I will tear down its hedges
and let it be destroyed.
I will break down its walls
and let the animals trample it.
6 I will make it a wild place
where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed,
a place overgrown with briers and thorns.
I will command the clouds
to drop no rain on it.

7 The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
The people of Judah are his pleasant garden.
He expected a crop of justice,
but instead he found oppression.
He expected to find righteousness,
but instead he heard cries of violence.

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Restore Us, O God Psalm 80] – Proskuneo Ministries

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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 21:33-44 (NLT)

“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.

“Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’

“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.

“When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?

The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus asked them, “Didn’t you ever read this in the Scriptures?

‘The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.’

I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.”

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“Cornerstone” – Hillsong Worship

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Prayer:

+ For your Church (William Laud)

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

+ For our Nation

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly pray that we may always remember your favor and be glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure conduct. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought here out of many kindreds and tongues.

Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom, in your Name, we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ For our President

O Lord our Governor, whose glory fills all the world: We commend our Nation to your merciful care, that we may be guided by your providence, and dwell secure in your peace. Grant to our President, Donald J. Trump, strength to know and to do your will. Fill him with the love of truth and righteousness, and make him continually mindful of his calling to serve our Nation in reverent obedience to you.

Almighty and immortal God, giver of life and health: We pray for your mercy for your servant Donald, that by your blessing upon him and upon those who minister to him with your healing gifts, he may be restored to health of body and mind, according to your gracious will, and may give thanks to you in your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ For All Sorts of People and Conditions

O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly pray for all sorts and conditions of men; that you would be pleased to make your ways known unto them, your saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for your holy Church universal, that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate, that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

+ For your Coming Kingdom

Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen

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The Battle Hymn of the Republic – The United States Army Field Band

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Closing – Philippians 4:6-9 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

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

Morning Prayer: Saturday 03 Oct 2020 – Psalms (54) and Proverbs (03) ~ God upholds my life

Morning Prayer, Saturday, 03 Oct 2020

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

Opening:

O merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is he who upholds my life.
(Psalm 54:4)

Preparation:

 Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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The New Cloverdale Psalter (2019 Update of 1535 Original) 

Psalm 54

1. Save me, O God, for your Name’s sake, *
and avenge me in your strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God, *
and hearken to the words of my mouth.
3 For the arrogant have risen up against me, *
and tyrants, who do not have God before their eyes, seek after my life.

4 Behold, God is my helper; *
the Lord is he who upholds my life.
5 He shall repay the evil of my enemies. *
O destroy them in your faithfulness.
6 A freewill offering will I give you, *
and praise your Name, O LORD, because it is good.
7 For he has delivered me out of all my trouble, *
and my eye has seen the ruin of my enemies.

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“Psalms 54” (tune: Michael E. Kitchens

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New Living Translation (NLT)

Proverbs 03 (The proverbs of Solomon)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
6 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.

33 The Lord curses the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the upright.
34 The Lord mocks the mockers
but is gracious to the humble.

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Consider:

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is he who upholds my life.
(Psalm 54:4)

“Save me, O God.” As David was at this time placed beyond the reach of human assistance, he must be understood as praying to be saved by the name and the power of God, in an emphatic sense, or by these in contradistinction to the usual means of deliverance. Though all help must ultimately come from God, there are ordinary methods by which he generally extends it. When these fail, and every earthly stay is removed, he must then take the work into his own hands. It was such a situation that David here fled to the saints’ last asylum, and sought to be saved by a miracle of divine power.

—John Calvin.

How is it with your soul? (John Wesley)

Q: What things are you engaged in that bring your soul closer God?
Q: What things are you doing that distance you from God?
Q: What things are doing in your life that refresh and rekindle your soul?
Q: What things are you engaged in that drain the life out of your soul?

Q: Is there something that troubles you that only “a miracle of divine power” can make right?

Prayer

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over the church – fill it with your truth and peace

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over our nation – save us from evil and defend our freedoms

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over our government – remind them to serve us by obeying you

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over our families – watch over them and protect them

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over all our fears – overcome them with your loving-kindness

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over every human life – rekindle your image within them

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over all the distressed – comfort and strengthen them

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over all the unemployed – reveal  suitable work for them

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over all the infirmed – heal them and restore health of body, mind, and spirit

I speak the Name of Jesus!
+ Over the unrepentant – forgive them and bring them home

O God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the wills that serve you: Help us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whom to serve is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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“I Speak Jesus” – Here Be Lions

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Blessing:

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

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

Morning Prayer: Friday 02 Oct 2020 – Psalms (53) and Proverbs (02) ~ only fools say “there is no God”

Morning Prayer, Friday, 02 Oct 2020

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

Opening:

O merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
(Psalm 53:1)

Preparation:

 Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

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The New Cloverdale Psalter (2019 Update of 1535 Original) 

Psalm 53

1 The fool has said in his heart, *
“There is no God.”

2 They are corrupt and have become abominable in their wickedness; *
there is none that does good.
3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men *
to see if there were any who would understand and seek after God.
4 But they have all gone astray; they have altogether become abominable; *
there is none that does good, no, not one.

5 Have they no knowledge, all the workers of evil *
who eat up my people as they would eat bread, and call not upon God?
6 They were afraid where no fear was, *
for God has broken the bones of those who besieged you;
7 You have put them to shame, *
because God has rejected them.

8 Oh, that salvation were given unto Israel out of Zion! *
Oh, that God would deliver his people out of captivity!
9 Then shall Jacob rejoice, *
and Israel shall be glad.

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“Psalms 53” (tune: Garelochside) – St. Peter’s Free Church of Scotland, Dundee.

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New Living Translation (NLT)

Proverbs 02 (The proverbs of Solomon)

2 Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.

5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.

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Consider:

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”
(Psalm 53:1)

The atheist is, morally as well as mentally, a fool, a fool in the heart as well as in the head; a fool in morals as well as in philosophy. With the denial of God as a starting point… the fool’s progress is a rapid, riotous, raving, ruinous one. “No God,” being interpreted, means no law, no order, no restraint to lust, no limit to passion. Who but a fool would be of this mind?

Bad principles soon lead to bad lives…. It is the abounding denial and forgetfulness of God among men which is the source of the unrighteousness and crime which we see around us.

— Spurgeon

Jesus made the point that how we behave demonstrates what we believe. (Matthew 7:16)

Q: How are people behaving around you? (God/No God?)

Q: When you consider how you behave (e.g. how you spend your time and money)? (God/No God?)

Prayer

+ For Purity

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

+ For Grace to Seek God in Every Way (Benedict of Nursia)

Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen.

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“Only a Holy God” – Here Be Lions

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Blessing:

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