Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Wed, 05 July – Proverbs 10 ~ wisdom

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: Proverbs 10 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. – Ephesians 5:15

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. – James 1:5

Generous God: I need your wisdom more than ever to know how to live as a citizen of heaven in these changing and confusing times. Show me how to apply these eternal truths from today’s readings to my present circumstances that I might live a joy-filled life.

Wisdom brings joy

Pro 10:1a – “A wise child brings joy to a father…”

Wisdom will:

Save my life, satisfy my hunger, motivate me to work hard, bring me blessings, build happy memories, make me teachable, guide me safely, promote peace, become life-giving, give me understanding and common sense, enhance my life, correct me, restrain me, be an encouragement to others, and provide a lasting foundation for my life – grounding me in the hope and happiness that comes from reverence of God.

Foolishness brings grief

Pro 10:1b – “a foolish child brings grief to a mother.”

Foolishness will:

Lead me to dissatisfaction and wickedness, laziness, irresponsibility, disgrace, violence, corruption, trouble, failure, hatred, quarrels, disaster, punishment, destruction, dissipation, lies, deceit, fear and hopelessness; foolish people talk endlessly about nothing and irritate others. Foolish people ignore God and live shallow precarious lives.

Generous God; I look to you today for wisdom to honor you in what I say and do, and to be an encouragement to those around me. Through Jesus Christ my Lord –  the Way, the Truth, and the Life – who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“God I look to You” – Bethel Music


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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!

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Tue, 04 July – 2 Kings 1-5 ~ men of God

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: 2 Kings 1-5 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Lord God: I am not a “man of God” like Elijah or Elisha, but I have been called to be a godly man – a new creation in Christ Jesus – who loves and serves you in this world as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Show me through today’s reading the scope and breadth of your authority and power – that every nation might acknowledge you as the one true God, and every person profess Jesus Christ as Lord – all for your glory.

Confrontation

2 Ki 1:3 – ‘Is there no God in Israel? Why are you going to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether the king will recover?’

Sovereign God: America gives lip-service to being “One Nation under God;” but that phrase has lost any semblance of meaning in practice. Raise up a people who are called by your name – who will humble themselves, pray, seek your face,and turn from their sinful ways. And count me among them.

Responsibility

2 Ki 2:9 – “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit and become your successor.”

Mighty God: At Pentecost you gave your Spirit to every believer and continually fill us with your Spirit as the need arises. Raise up a new generation of prophets, priests and shepherds who can faithfully lead your people into the future – guided by your Word and Spirit. Show me where I fit in to your plan for the future.

Signs and wonders

2 Ki 2:21-22 – “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.” And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said.

Wonder-working God: You display your power and authority through your servants – purifying water, blessing and cursing,  and arbitrating between factions – all to build faith and bring glory to your name.

You provide for the needs of widows and orphans; you heal the sick, feed the hungry, and respond to the prayers of those who plead with you – even raising the dead. And, you punish those who sin against you.

Show me when and where to use the power and authority  you have given me through my Lord Jesus Christ – to build faith and bring glory to your name.
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“Days of Elijah” – Robin Mark


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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!

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!