After New Year’s Day | Wednesday 03 Jan 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Almighty God, you have poured upon us
the new light of your incarnate Word:
Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts,
may shine forth in our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
Place yourselves under God’s authority.
Resist the devil,
and he will run away from you.
(James 4:7)
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From Psalms: Psalm 110 | The Victory’s Won | Original Music by Don Salmon
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OT Reading: Proverbs 1:20-33 (GW)
1:20 Wisdom sings her song in the streets.
In the public squares she raises her voice.
At the corners of noisy streets she calls out.
At the entrances to the city she speaks her words,
“How long will you gullible people love being so gullible?
How long will you mockers find joy in your mocking?
How long will you fools hate knowledge?
“Turn to me when I warn you.
I will generously pour out my spirit for you.
I will make my words known to you.
“I called, and you refused to listen.
I stretched out my hands to you, and no one paid attention.
You ignored all my advice.
You did not want me to warn you.
I will laugh at your calamity.
I will make fun of you
when panic strikes you,
when panic strikes you like a violent storm,
when calamity strikes you like a wind storm,
when trouble and anguish come to you.
“They will call to me at that time, but I will not answer.
They will look for me, but they will not find me,
because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
They refused my advice.
They despised my every warning.
They will eat the fruit of their lifestyle.
They will be stuffed with their own schemes.
“Gullible people kill themselves because of their turning away.
Fools destroy themselves because of their indifference.
But whoever listens to me will live without worry
and will be free from the dread of disaster.”
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The Perfect Wisdom Of Our God – Hymns of Grace
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NT Reading: James 4:1-10 (GW)
Stop Fighting with Each Other
4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Aren’t they caused by the selfish desires that fight to control you? You want what you don’t have, so you commit murder. You’re determined to have things, but you can’t get what you want. You quarrel and fight. You don’t have the things you want, because you don’t pray for them. When you pray for things, you don’t get them because you want them for the wrong reason—for your own pleasure.
You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that love for this ⌞evil⌟ world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God. Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.”
But God shows us even more kindness. Scripture says,
“God opposes arrogant people,
but he is kind to humble people.”
So place yourselves under God’s authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters. Be miserable, mourn, and cry. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into gloom. Humble yourselves in the Lord’s presence. Then he will give you a high position.
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“Humble Yourself” – Praise And Harmony
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+ Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ O God, our heavenly Father: Pour out your Spirit on your faithful people in the Middle East, that your Son’s life-giving Gospel may be preached to every tribe and nation. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Bring home the hostages, and deliver from bondage every person captivated by the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically, and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May God, who has called us out of darkness
into his marvelous light,
bless us and fill us with peace.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 