Category: Life in Christ

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Mon, 03 July – Leviticus 10-12 ~ holiness

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

Reading: Leviticus 10-12 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

The Holiness of God

Lev 10:3 –  Then Moses said to Aaron,

“This is what the Lord meant when he said, ‘I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.’”

And Aaron was silent.

Holy God: Fill me with a sense of wonder and terror as I reflect on the essential holiness of your nature and character. You alone are the absolute arbiter of holiness; it’s only in the reflection of your glory that I discover the depth and pervasiveness of my own sinfulness.

Slow me down as I read through these painful reminders of the consequences of my disobedience in the face of your clear, detailed instructions. Bring to mind areas of disobedience in my own life that I might be truly sorry, humbly repent, and turn to you.

Help me to view my world through your eyes; teach me to distinguish between the holy and the unholy, the clean and the unclean, the pure and the impure – between good and evil, between beauty and ugliness, between honesty and deceit, between morality and immorality, between integrity and corruption – all from the perspective of your holiness.

And when I am done, may I weep over the total depravity of the world in which I live – its thoroughly corrupt and sinful nature; a world in rebellion against the One who made it.

Consecration

Lev 11:44 – For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

Gracious God: You knew me and chose me long ago, and you have given me your Spirit – the Spirit of holiness. Cleanse me with the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, that I may receive more and more grace and faithfully follow him.

Through the perfect sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, you have ransomed me from sin and death; I have been born again into a new life will last forever because it comes from him – the eternal, living word of God.

My faith and hope is in you, gracious God. Shape the way I think and bend my will to yours so that I might not fall back into my old ways but live obediently in reverent fear of you – trusting always in your mercy and grace. Through Jesus Christ my Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Be Holy, For I Am Holy” – by C. E. Couchman


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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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!

4th Sunday after Pentecost: 02 July – Matthew 10:37-42 ~ lose your life to find your Life

4th Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, your never-failing care and guidance sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us. May your Word penetrate and enlighten our lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Be Unto Your Name” – Robin Mark


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Reading: Matthew 10:37-42 (NLT)

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. If you receive a prophet as one who speaks for God, you will be given the same reward as a prophet. And if you receive righteous people because of their righteousness, you will be given a reward like theirs. And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.”
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Prayer:

Lord Jesus: Our heart’s desire is to love and serve you as a faithful witness to the Light and Life that you brought into our dark, dysfunctional world.

+ We pray for our families in all their expressions; deliver us from self-contained selfishness – that we may be freely serve the interests of those around us.

+ Free us from oppressive family relationships; protect us in body, mind, and spirit – that we might become the new creations that you intend us to be.

+ Establish among us stable, loving families and marriages, where children are welcomed, loved and taught your ways.

+ Set us firmly in the family of faith, that we may be numbered among your children; show us how to faithfully follow you, while fulfilling our responsibilities to our natural family.

+ Make our homes a school of Gospel values; of justice, of sobriety, of service, of generosity, of prayer, of mercy and forgiveness.

Gracious God: We would love you first – with all our, heart, mind, soul, and strength; and then, we would love our neighbors as ourselves. Empower us by your Spirit to put both of your commandments into practice in our homes – that our families, both faith and human, may manifest your Light and Life in our dark, dysfunctional world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“When Its All Been Said and Done” – Robin Mark


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Concluding Prayer –

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude 24-25 (NLT)
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Sat, 01 July – Philippians 1-2 ~ Living for Jesus

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

Reading: Philippians 1-2 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Thanksgiving and Prayer

Phi 1:6 – I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Gracious God: Thank you for calling me and claiming me as your own, even before I was born. You have been shaping my character for your good purpose my whole life.

Don’t stop now, Lord. Continue your work in me that I may grow in my understanding of your perspective on the world around me and overflow with your love for all that you have made.

Living for Jesus

Phi 1:20b-22 – I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

Sovereign God: My life is in your hands; you number every one of my days. Help me to make the most of the time you have given me; may Jesus increase his presence and power in me, and may I decrease in my need for self-determination and control. Show me how to make myself more available to love and serve you.

Living as Citizens of Heaven

Phi 1:27 –  Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Lord Jesus: You have made me a citizen of heaven through your life, death, and resurrection; this world is not my true home, I am simply a pilgrim on my way to heaven.

The truth is, however, I have often felt more comfortable living here as a citizen of this dysfunctional world that I know, than I have living as a citizen of heaven by faith. Please forgive me – for settling for so much less than you promise.

Help me to live with the end in mind – living the Good News of your coming kingdom, fighting the good fight of faith, losing my temporary life in this world that I might gain eternal life in the world to come.

Having the Attitude of Christ

Phi 2:3-5 – Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Lord Jesus Christ:

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. (Morning Prayer)

Shining Brightly for Christ

Phi 2:12c-13 –  Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Gracious God: Give me the desire and power to –

  • Do everything without complaining and arguing
  • Live a clean, innocent life as your child
  • Shine like a bright light in a world full of crooked and perverse people
  • Persevere to the end by holding firmly to the word of life
  • Share in the joy of pouring out my life as a sacrificial offering to you

All of the above is impossible for me to do on my own; only with your help can I begin to become the person you intended me to be when you made me and claimed me as your own. So fill me again with your Holy Spirit – now, today – that I may honor you in all I do and say. Through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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“Living for Jesus” – Cedar College of Education Choir at KwaSizabantu Mission in South Africa


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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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, 30 June – Acts 9:32-43 ~ Good News for Lydda & Joppa

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Draw me close, Holy Spirit, as I read the Scriptures and reflect on your Word. Let the word of faith be on my lips and in my heart, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice I hear today — the voice of truth and grace. Amen.
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Reading: Acts 9:32-43 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas. She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!”

So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.

The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.
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Reflection and Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ:

You bring Good News to the poor; you release the captives and set free the oppressed; you bring sight to the blind; you announce the coming of the kingdom of God.

+ May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

You call us to repentance – a turning, or returning, to God – and faith in the Good News of your kingdom’s presence here among us now.

+ May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

You sent out the twelve apostles to bring the Good News of the kingdom; to heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.

+ May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

You sent out the seventy-two other disciples with kingdom authority to heal the sick, set free the demonized in your name.

+ May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

You give every believer the same kingdom authority, through the power of your Spirit at work within us, to bring the Good News of the kingdom into our homes, into our families, into our communities and into our workplaces.

+ May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this amazing privilege and opportunity to bring the Good News of the kingdom to those around us, and to play our part in your work. Fill us afresh with your Spirit today that what we say and do honor may you to the glory of our Father in heaven. Amen.
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“Here As In Heaven” – Elevation Worship


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 145:1, 4-7, 13, 21 (NLT)

I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.
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Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about your righteousness.
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For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.
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I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Morning Prayer: Thursday, 29 June – Acts 9:20-31 ~ Good News for the Church

Morning Prayer

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

Opening Prayer

Draw me close, Holy Spirit, as I read the Scriptures and reflect on your Word. Let the word of faith be on my lips and in my heart, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice I hear today — the voice of truth and grace. Amen.
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Reading: Acts 9:20-31 (NLT)

Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
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Pray for the Persecuted Church:

+ Pray for those in the midst of persecution (Hebrews 13:3, NLT)

Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

+ Pray for those who are doing the persecuting (Matthew 5:44, NLT)

Jesus: I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

+ Pray for the families and loved ones of those being persecuted (Hebrews 4:16 NLT)

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

+ Pray that churches would rise up (Acts 4:29-30 NLT)

“Now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

+ Pray that world leaders would do all they can to fight this persecution (Psalm 2:10-11 NLT)

Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.

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“I Love Thy Kingdom Lord” – Grace Community Church – Sun Valley, California


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 140:1-2, 12-13 (NLT)

O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.
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I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor. Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!