After Pentecost| Monday – 04 July 2022
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
the spirit to think and do always those things that are right,
that we, who can do no good thing apart from you,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The businessman said: “Gentlemen, you know
that our wealth comes from this business.
But as you have seen and heard,
this man Paul has persuaded many people
that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all.”
(Acts 19:25-26)
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Psalms Reading: Psalm 6 – (Heal Me) (feat. Deryck Box) – The Psalms Project
LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger
Nor chasten me in Your wrath
Be merciful to me, for I am weak and pining away
So heal me
Heal me
Heal me, Yahweh
Heal me
Heal me
Heal me, for my bones are dismayed
And my soul is greatly dismayed
But You, O LORD, how long?
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul
If you love me, then save me
‘Cause I cannot live for You if I waste away
Nor can I give You praise
I am worn out from groaning
All night and I flood my bed with tears
My eyes are wasting away with grief
Because of all my enemies
Depart, You enemies
For the LORD has heard my weeping
He will receive my prayer
Let all my enemies
Be ashamed and disappointed
Let them turn back and be suddenly defeated
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OT Reading: 2 Kings 5:15-19a (NLT)
5:15 Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.
Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.”
“Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.
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No other God – Nathaniel Bassey & Lovesong
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NT Reading: Acts 19:21-27 (NLT)
19:21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.
The Riot in Ephesus
19:23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:
“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”
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What Does It Profit a Man? – Fr. Maximilian Mary Dean
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+ O God, you desire that all people be saved and come to knowledge of the truth: Prosper all those who live, preach, and teach the Gospel at home and in distant lands; protect them in all perils, support them in their loneliness, sustain them in the hour of trial; give them your abundant grace to bear faithful witness; and endue them with burning zeal and love, that they may turn many to righteousness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ O God, the Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you in Jesus Christ; in whose Name we pray. Amen.
+ Our God, in whom we trust: Strengthen us not to regard overmuch who is for us or who is against us, but to see to it that we be with you in everything we do. Amen. | Thomas à Kempis
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
I enter this day with joy
knowing you are with me
every step of the way,
knowing there is a purpose
to each breath that I take,
knowing there is a hope
toward which I walk.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 