Pentecost| 1st Wednesday – 08 June 2022
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Almighty God, on the day of Pentecost,
through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
you revealed the way of eternal life to every race and nation:
Pour out this gift anew, that by the preaching of the Gospel
your salvation 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.
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you (Mary),
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
So the baby to be born will be holy,
and he will be called the Son of God.”
(Luke 1:35)
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Psalms Reading: Psalm 48 – City of the Great King – Jason Silver
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OT Reading: Numbers 24:1-14 (NLT)
24:1 By now Balaam realized that the Lord was determined to bless Israel, so he did not resort to divination as before. Instead, he turned and looked out toward the wilderness, where he saw the people of Israel camped, tribe by tribe. Then the Spirit of God came upon him, and this is the message he delivered:
“This is the message of Balaam son of Beor,
the message of the man whose eyes see clearly,
the message of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who bows down with eyes wide open:
How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob;
how lovely are your homes, O Israel!
They spread before me like palm groves,
like gardens by the riverside.
They are like tall trees planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
Water will flow from their buckets;
their offspring have all they need.
Their king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.
God brought them out of Egypt;
for them he is as strong as a wild ox.
He devours all the nations that oppose him,
breaking their bones in pieces,
shooting them with arrows.
Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down;
like a lioness, who dares to arouse her?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel,
and cursed is everyone who curses you.”
King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times. Now get out of here! Go back home! I promised to reward you richly, but the Lord has kept you from your reward.”
Balaam told Balak, “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, ‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ I told you that I could say only what the Lord says! Now I am returning to my own people. But first let me tell you what the Israelites will do to your people in the future.”
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Spirit Of God – Canyon Hills Worship
music meets heaven
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NT Reading: Luke 1:26-38 (NLT)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
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Prayer to the Holy Spirit by Saint Augustine – Francesca LaRosa
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+ 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.
+ Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (William Temple)
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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
Fill our lives with your Spirit,
that they might be lived for you,
speak for you and stand up for you,
now and forever. Amen
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 