After Pentecost | Monday 30 Sep 2024
+ 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 purpose of these troubles
is to test your faith
as fire tests how genuine gold is.”
(1 Peter 1:7)
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From Psalms: Psalm 140 // Poor Bishop Hooper
deliver me o lord from evil men
preserve me from the violent
who plan evil things in their hearts
and stir up wars they make their tongues sharp
as a serpents and under their lips is venom
guard me o lord from wicked hands
preserve me from the violent
who have planned to trip up my feet
the arrogant have hidden a trap for me
with cords they have spread a net beside the way they have set
i say to the lord you’re my god
give ear to the voice of my cry
oh lord the strength of my salvation
you cover my head on the battle day
as for those who surround me
let the mischief of their lips be overwhelming
may burning coals fall on them
may they be cast to fire and pits
let no liar in the land and let evil hunt down the violent man
the lord will maintain the afflicted
he’ll give justice to the poor
the righteous will give thanks to your name
the upright will dwell in your presence
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OT Reading: Esther 4:1-17 (GW)
4:1 When Mordecai found out about everything that had been done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went into the middle of the city and cried loudly and bitterly. He even went right up to the king’s gate. (No one could enter it wearing sackcloth.)
In every province touched by the king’s command and decree, the Jews went into mourning, fasting, weeping, and wailing. Many put on sackcloth and ashes.
Esther’s Problem
4:4 Esther’s servants and eunuchs came and informed her ⌞about Mordecai⌟. The queen was stunned. She sent clothing for Mordecai to put on in place of his sackcloth, but he refused to accept it. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to serve her. She commanded him to go to Mordecai and find out what was going on and why.
So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai informed him about everything that had happened to him. He told him the exact amount of silver that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasury to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the decree that was issued in Susa. The decree gave permission to exterminate the Jews. Hathach was supposed to show it to Esther to inform and command her to go to the king, beg him for mercy, and appeal to him for her people. So Hathach returned and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to say to Mordecai, “All the king’s advisers and the people in the king’s provinces know that no one approaches the king in the throne room without being summoned. By law that person must be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to him will he live. I, myself, have not been summoned to enter the king’s presence for 30 days now.” So Esther’s servants told Mordecai what Esther said.
Mordecai sent this answer back to Esther, “Do not imagine that just because you are in the king’s palace you will be any safer than all the rest of the Jews. The fact is, even if you remain silent now, someone else will help and rescue the Jews, but you and your relatives will die. And who knows, you may have gained your royal position for a time like this.”
Esther sent this reply back to Mordecai, “Assemble all the Jews in Susa. Fast for me: Do not eat or drink at all for three entire days. My servants and I will also fast. After that, I will go to the king, even if it is against a royal decree. If I die, I die.”
Mordecai did just as Esther had commanded him.
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For Such a Time as This (Esther’s Song) | Marty Goetz & Misha Official Live Music Video
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NT Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (GW)
Faith in Christ Brings You Joy
1:3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life. We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again.
Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.
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Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122) – Valley Beth Shalom
A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced when they said to me,
“We are going to the House of the LORD.”
Our feet stood inside your gates, O Jerusalem…
Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem;
May those who love you be at peace.
For the sake of my kin and friends,
I pray for your well-being.
Bridge
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we pray for your peace
May those who love you, may those who defend you, only know peace
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Genesis 12:2-3 (GW)
12:2 I will make you a great nation,
I will bless you.
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
12:3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you, I will curse.
Through you every family on earth will be blessed.”
Sovereign Lord: We pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
+ Do what only you can do to make your faithful people the promised blessing to every family on earth.
+ Protect your faithful people from the assaults of the evil one coming in every form and from every direction.
+ Grant your heavenly wisdom to Israel’s leadership; give them hearts to receive and the courage to do what’s right in your sight.
+ Destroy every stronghold of the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East, especially in Israel and Lebanon.
+ Bring swift and certain justice to all those complicit in this atrocious evil; separate from them and protect those who are truly innocent.
+ Comfort all those who grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones; deliver the hostages from captivity and restore their souls.
+ Use the Messianic communities – Jew and Arab alike – to restore your people to their proper place in your kingdom.
+ Unify your faithful people around your promise to bless every family on earth through them.
+ Intervene in Lebanon in ways only you can; protect the innocent and punish the guilty, and enable the people of Lebanon to live at peace with its neighbor Israel.
Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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