27th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; Habakuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14; Luke 17:5-10 ~ faithful witness

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

Opening sentence: The Spirit of God lives in us, inspiring and guarding. In the Spirit, we worship our creator and entrust ourselves to the Lord’s loving care.

As we prepare to approach God’s throne of grace, we call to mind our sins: (pause). Amen.

Lord Jesus, you came to gather the nations into the peace of God’s kingdom … You come in word and sacrament to strengthen us in holiness … You will come in glory with salvation for your people: Lord, have mercy.

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 (NLT)

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

A Reading from the Prophet Habakuk: Habakuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4 (NLT)

How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.

Then the Lord said to me,

“Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God….”

A Reading from Paul’s Letter to Timothy: 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14 (NLT)

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me — a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

A Reading from the Gospel of Luke: Luke 17:5-10 (NLT)

The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”

The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!

“When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”

Intercessions:

Creator God, Maker of heaven and earth, hear the cries of my heart:

For those called to witness to Christ in today’s world, that the Spirit may fill them…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For the success of the Mission of the Church, that Christians may embrace the Gospel and spread its message of mercy, forgiveness and hope…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For all who received the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation, that the same Spirit may sustain them in difficult moments…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For people who want so much to believe, but find it hard, that a strong faith may grow in them…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For respect for human life, from its beginnings to its last moments: that the life of every person may be valued and protected…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For people who feel so crushed by life that they wish to end it, that they may feel the love of God and know they are never alone…. Lord, hear my prayer.
For the dead, those who died during the week and those whose anniversaries occur; and for all who have died in Christ and are part of God’s flock forever…. Lord, hear my prayer.

O God you are our rock, you made us and know all our needs, listen to our prayers and respond according to your Kingdom purposes, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Christ Is Enough for Me” – Hillsong United

Christ is my reward / And all of my devotion / Now there’s nothing in this world / That could ever satisfy / Through every trial / My soul will sing / No turning back / I’ve been set free

Christ is enough for me / Christ is enough for me / Everything I need is in You / Everything I need

Christ my all in all / The joy of my salvation / And this hope will never fail / Heaven is my home / Through every storm / My soul will sing / Jesus is here / To God be the glory

I have decided to follow Jesus / No turning back / No turning back / The cross before me / The world behind me / No turning back / No turning back

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

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:17-24; 2 Kings 6:15-17; Luke 4:1-13 ~ navigation guide for sojourners

Morning Prayer:

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

Opening sentence

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.

You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Morning readings

Psalm 119:17-24 ESV:

Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.

2 Kings 6:15-17 ESV:

When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Luke 4:1-13 ESV:

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days.

And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Alexander Carmichael, collector and editor of Carmina Gadelica. — Alexander Carmichael (1832–1912),
collector and editor of
Carmina Gadelica.

Reflection/Prayer:

All of us use only a fraction of our brain power, to say nothing of how little we develop our five senses. Often when one sense is impaired, others become more finely tuned. A paraplegic may manipulate a paintbrush with the mouth, or a blind person develop a keen sense of hearing.

How many of us go through life with our spiritual eyes unseeing, or fast closed? And how is our spiritual hearing? Can we distinguish the voice of the deceiver from that of the Shepherd?

O God, Your words are my counsellors. Yours is the voice I’ll listen to.

In the steep common path of our calling,
be it easy or uneasy to our flesh,
be it bright or dark for us to follow,
be Thou a shield to us from the wiles of the deceiver,
from the arch-destroyer with his arrows pursuing us,
and in each secret thought our minds get to weave
be Thou Thyself on our helm and at our sheet.
From Carmina Gadelica

Spiritual Song: “Jesus at the Center of it all” – Easter Service 2013, House of Bread Church Worship, Solo – Hayley Jones

Canticle

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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.

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

_____________________________________

Peanut Gallery: The Morning Prayer readings are from the Daily Office of the Northumbrian Community as available online here… and in the book form, Celtic Daily Prayer available on Amazon.com.

The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:12-16; Nehemiah 8:11-12; 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 ~ with Spirit and understanding

Morning Prayer:

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

Opening sentence

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.

You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Morning readings

Psalm 119:12-16 ESV:

Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Nehemiah 8:11-12 ESV:

So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 ESV:

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Reflection/Prayer:

‘I will not forget Your word,’ says the Psalm. There’s not a whole lot of point in hearing or reading the words of God if we immediately forget what has been said.

James 1:22-25 says that the person who does that is like someone looking in a mirror, then forgetting what they look like, but that the perfect word of God gives freedom if we continue to act on it.

We should pray and praise God with the Spirit, but also with understanding; it’s not a case of one or the other. The two ways of praying go together; they are not opposites. Praying with understanding does not mean speaking our mind to God. Instead, we pray first only as the Spirit gives us the ability, and in doing that we find we have understanding we did not have before. Even our ability to pray is His gift to us. As we hear from God we begin to have wisdom and understanding.

“A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.” Ben Johnson

Spiritual Song: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is” – Hillsong Live (Glorious Ruins, 2013)

Canticle

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

_____________________________________

The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:9-11; Nehemiah 8:9-10; Romans 12:2 ~ “mind-meld”

Morning Prayer:

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

Opening sentence

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.

You will find the Lord your God, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Morning readings

Psalm 119:9-11 ESV:

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Nehemiah 8:9-10 ESV:

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Romans 12:2 ESV:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Reflection/Prayer:

The word God speaks can be hidden in our heart as a secret weapon, to protect us from sinning against Him. His words alter our understanding and slowly renew our mind, changing our way of thinking.

First of all, His word may make us sad for we realize how far we fall short of His intentions for us; but He urges us to feed on His word with joy, and be strengthened. If our thinking is shaped by His word we may be protected from many unnecessary hurts, and destructive ambitions. This is why the psalm pays particular attention to the young man and the cleansing of his ways before habits of sin and willfulness become deeply ingrained.

Abba Isaiah, one of the Desert Fathers, said to beginners who were off to a good start, obediently following the tradition of the fathers: “Just as the young branches can easily be corrected and bent, so can beginners who are obedient.”

Spiritual Song: “Word of God Speak” – Mercy Me

Canticle

Christ, as a light… illumine and guide me. Christ, as a shield… overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

_____________________________________

The website and prayer book are rich in prayer resources and I commend them to you. For our purpose here, I will limit my selections to the Morning Prayer resources.

9 Things You Should Know about Casinos and Gambling – Reblog (The Gospel Coalition)

See original post here on The Gospel Coalition.

This week the Council on Casinos, a group dedicated to fighting the spread of gambling in America, released a report on “Why Casinos Matter.” Here are nine things from the report on casinos and gambling that you should know.

1. Proximity: Throughout most of the twentieth-century, legal casino gambling in the U.S. existed in only two locations: Nevada and Atlantic City, N.J. Beginning in the 1990s, casinos spread across the nation at an accelerating pace. Today, 23 states have commercial casinos, a category which includes land-based, riverboat, dockside, and racetrack casinos. In the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, nearly every adult now lives within a short drive of a casino.

2. Slots: Unlike the old Vegas-style resorts, the new regional casinos depend decisively on attracting gamblers who live in the region, who return frequently, and who play modern slot machines. In 1978, outside of Nevada, there were virtually no legal slot machines in the United States. By 2010, there were about 947,000. In 2013, the percentage of casinos’ total gambling revenue deriving from slot machines is estimated at 62 to 80 percent, with racinos (racetrack casinos) getting 90 percent of their take from slots.

3. Rigged: Modern slot machines are programmed for fast, continuous, and repeat betting. Players insert plastic, not coins; they tap buttons or touch a screen rather than pull levers; they place bets in denominations ranging from a penny to a hundred dollars on multiple lines that spin across a screen with each rapid tap of the button. The laws of pure chance or probability no longer dictate wins and losses on slot machines. Modern slots are hooked up to a central server that collects player information, preferences, and speed of play and has the capacity to program each machine to each player’s style. The trend in slot design is to provide a slow and smooth “ride,” with small wins that are less than the amount bet, but nonetheless encourage repeat bets and prolonged “time on machine.”

4. Addictive: Problem gamblers account for 40 to 60 percent of slot machine revenues, according to studies conducted over the past decade or so.

5. Seductive: A large-scale study in 2004 found that people who live within 10 miles of a casino have twice the rate of pathological and problem gambling as those who do not.

6. Family breakup: A study of members of Gamblers Anonymous found that upwards of 26 percent have gambling-related divorces or separations.

7. Social decay: A study that looked at the spread of casino gambling in 300 Metropolitan Statistical Areas found that the presence of a casino reduces voluntarism, civic participation, family stability, and other forms of social capital within 15 miles of a community where it is located.

8. Poor: Casino gambling was once a largely upper-class activity. Today, low-income workers, retirees, minorities, and the disabled include disproportionately large shares of regional casino patrons.

9. State sponsored: States typically legalize casino gambling by changing state constitutions. They create regional monopolies for the casinos. They regulate lightly and often in ways that discriminate against other legal businesses. They rescue casinos from bankruptcy. In short, without the legal, administrative, regulatory, and promotional advantages provided by state governments, casinos would not be spreading into mainstream American life as they are today and would likely still exist only on the fringes of the society.

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