The Lenten Season | Friday 08 Mar 2024: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Daniel 12:5-13; Ephesians 1:7-14 ~ You were chosen to glorify God.

The Lenten Season | Friday 08 Mar 2024

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

Opening:

Heavenly Father,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless until they rest in you:
Look with compassion
upon the heartfelt desires of your servants,
and purify our disordered affections,
that we may behold your eternal glory
in the face of Christ Jesus;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“[God] planned all of this
so that we who had already
focused our hope on Christ
would praise him and give him glory.”
(Ephesians 1:12)

__________

From Psalms: Psalm Psalm 107 | Poor Bishop Hooper

give thanks to the lord
for he is good
let the redeemed of the Lord say so
from the north and from the south
from the east and from the west
those he has redeemed he has gathered them

some wandered in desert wastes
hungry thirsty their souls faint
when they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
some sat in dark and death
the words of god they rebelled against
when they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them

let them thank the lord
his love is steadfast
his works are wondrous
to the children of man

some were fools through sinful ways
suffering in their iniquities
then they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
then they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them

some went down to the sea
where they saw gods deeds his works in the deep
there he commanded raised up the wind
lifted the waves mounted them to heaven
their courage melted staggered drunken
they cried to the lord and he delivered them
he made the storm be quiet the waves of the sea were silenced
and they were glad that the waters sat in stillness

let them thank the lord
his love is steadfast
his works are wondrous
to the children of man

__________

OT Reading: Daniel 12:5-13 (GW)

The Words Are Sealed Up

12:5 When I, Daniel, looked up, I saw two men standing there. One man stood on one side of the river, and the other one stood on the other side. One of them asked the man dressed in linen clothes who was above the river, “How long will it be until these miracles are over?” I heard the man dressed in linen clothes who was above the river. He raised his right hand and left hand to heaven and swore an oath by the one who lives forever. He said, “It will be for a time, times, and half of a time. When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, then all these things will be finished.”

I heard him, but I did not understand. So I asked him, “Sir, how will these things end?”

He replied, “Go, Daniel. These words are to be kept secret and sealed until the end times. Many will be purified, made white, and refined. But wicked people will do wicked things, and none of them will understand. Only wise people will understand. From the time the daily burnt offering is taken away and the disgusting thing that causes destruction is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed are those who wait until they reach 1,335 days. But go on until the end. You will rest, and you will rise for your inheritance at the end of time.”

__________

𝑳𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒅𝒊 – 𝒂 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒂𝒕 | לְכָה דוֹדִי – פיוט לשבת 𝒃𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒘 – 𝑴𝒂𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒏 𝑻𝒛𝒂𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒓 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 | 12 Tribes Music

__________

NT Reading: Ephesians 1:7-14 (GW)

1:7 Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. He poured out his kindness by giving us every kind of wisdom and insight when he revealed the mystery of his plan to us. He had decided to do this through Christ. He planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth. God also decided ahead of time to choose us through Christ according to his plan, which makes everything work the way he intends. He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope on Christ would praise him and give him glory.

You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.

__________

Is He Worthy? (Andrew Peterson) – by Highrock Church

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Our God, in whom we trust: Strengthen us not to regard overmuch who is for us or who is against us, but to see to it that we be with you in everything we do. (Thomas à Kempis)

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Deliver the hostages from evil and restore their souls. Release from bondage every person connected to the death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And, grant your heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically – and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually – through Jesus Christ our Lord.

+ Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. (Benedict of Nursia)

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May God our Redeemer
show us compassion and love.

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

The Lenten Season | Thursday 07 Mar 2024: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Genesis 9:8-17; Ephesians 1:3-6 ~ You were chosen through Christ.

The Lenten Season | Thursday 07 Mar 2024

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

Opening:

“Before the creation of the world,
he chose us through Christ
to be holy and perfect in his presence.”
(Ephesians 1:4)

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 107 – “Praise the Name” // Melanie Waldman (Official Lyric Video)

__________

OT Reading: Genesis 9:8-17 (GW)

God’s Promise—the Sign of the Rainbow

9:8 God also said to Noah and his sons, “I am going to make my promise to you, your descendants, and every living being that is with you—birds, domestic animals, and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ship—every living thing on earth. I am making my promise to you. Never again will all life be killed by floodwaters. Never again will there be a flood that destroys the earth.”

God said, “This is the sign of the promise I am giving to you and every living being that is with you for generations to come. I will put my rainbow in the clouds to be a sign of my promise to the earth. Whenever I form clouds over the earth, a rainbow will appear in the clouds. Then I will remember my promise to you and every living animal. Never again will water become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember my everlasting promise to every living animal on earth.”

So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the promise I am making to all life on earth.”

__________

Promise Keeper // Hope Darst (Official Lyric Video)

__________

NT Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6 (GW)

God Chose Us Through Christ

1:3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer. Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence. Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this so that the kindness he had given us in his dear Son would be praised and given glory.

__________

Chosen // Sidewalk Prophets (Official Lyric Video)

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God, you desire that all people be saved and come to knowledge of the truth: Prosper all those who live, preach, and teach the Gospel at home and in distant lands [especially in the Middle East]; protect them in all perils, support them in their loneliness, sustain them in the hour of trial; give them your abundant grace to bear faithful witness; and endue them with burning zeal and love, that they may turn many to righteousness; through 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.

+ 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

May God our Redeemer
show us compassion and love.

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

The Lenten Season | Wednesday 06 Mar 2024: Psalm 84; Ezra 6:1-16; Mark 11:15-19 ~ A house of prayer for all nations.

The Lenten Season | Wednesday 06 Mar 2024

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

Opening:

Then [Jesus] taught them by saying,
“Scripture says, ‘My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations,’
but you have turned it into
a gathering place for thieves.”
(Mark 11:17)

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 84 (I’m Home) | Shane & Shane

__________

OT Reading: Ezra 6:1-16 (GW)

King Darius Finds King Cyrus’ Memorandum

6:1 Then King Darius gave the order to search the library where the archives were stored in Babylon. A scroll was found in the palace of Ecbatana, which is in the province of Media. This was written on it:

MEMORANDUM

Date: Cyrus’ first year as king

From: King Cyrus

Subject: God’s temple in Jerusalem

The temple should be rebuilt as a place to offer sacrifices. Its foundation should be laid. It should be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide with three rows of large stones and a row of wood. The king’s palace will pay for it. In addition, Cyrus took out of a temple in Babylon the gold and silver utensils that belonged to God’s temple. (Nebuchadnezzar had taken them out of God’s temple in Jerusalem and brought them into a temple in Babylon.) They should be returned to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. You should put each one in God’s temple.

Governor Tattenai ⌞from the province⌟ west of the Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and those of your group (the Persians west of the river):

You must stay away from there. Don’t interfere with the work on God’s temple. Let the governor of the Jews and the leaders of Judah rebuild God’s temple on its ⌞original⌟ foundation. I am issuing this decree about how you must help the Jewish leaders rebuild God’s temple:

The cost ⌞for this⌟ should be paid out of the king’s own money from the taxes ⌞on the province⌟ west of the Euphrates. Full payment should be made to these men so that the work is not interrupted. Also, whatever the priests in Jerusalem need for burnt offerings to the God of heaven—young bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine, and olive oil—should be provided for them each day. Make sure that nothing is omitted. Then they can offer sacrifices that please the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

I am also issuing a decree that if anyone tampers with my orders, that person should be impaled on a beam torn from his own house and his house should be turned into a pile of rubble. May the God whose name is worshiped there cause the downfall of each king and nation who tries to tamper with my orders or tries to destroy the temple of the God in Jerusalem.

I, Darius, have issued a decree. It’s to be carried out exactly as ordered.

Then Governor Tattenai ⌞from the province⌟ west of the Euphrates River, Shethar Bozenai, and their group did exactly what King Darius had ordered. So the Jewish leaders continued to make progress because of the message from the prophet Haggai and Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo. They finished building as the God of Israel had ordered and as Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes (the kings of Persia) had ordered. This temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of King Darius’ reign.

The Temple Is Completed and Dedicated

6:16 Then the people of Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the others who had returned from exile celebrated at the dedication of God’s temple.

__________

Jerusalem [Official Lyric Video] Aaron Shust

__________

NT Reading: Mark 11:15-19 (GW)

Jesus Throws Out the Moneychangers

11:15 When they came to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple courtyard and began to throw out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the chairs of those who sold pigeons. He would not let anyone carry anything across the temple courtyard.

Then he taught them by saying, “Scripture says, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a gathering place for thieves.”

When the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings heard him, they looked for a way to kill him. They were afraid of him because he amazed all the crowds with his teaching.

(Every evening Jesus and his disciples would leave the city.)

__________

House of Prayer Eddie James // Jeffery Marion

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.

+ O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church [especially in the Holy Land], that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. 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.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May God our Redeemer
show us compassion and love.

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

The Lenten Season | Tuesday 05 Mar 2024: Psalm 84; 2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 16-19; Hebrews 9:23-28 ~ Christ was sacrificed once for all.

The Lenten Season | Tuesday 05 Mar 2024

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

Opening:

“Christ was sacrificed once
to take away the sins of humanity….”
(Hebrews 9:28a)

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 84 // No Place Better – Caroline Cobb

__________

OT Reading: 2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 16-19 (GW)

King Hezekiah Rededicates the Temple

29:1 Hezekiah began to rule as king when he was 25 years old. He ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Abijah, daughter of Zechariah. He did what the Lord considered right, as his ancestor David had done.

In the first month of his first year as king, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. He brought the priests and Levites together in the square on the east side ⌞of the temple⌟.

He said to them, “Listen to me, Levites. Perform the ceremonies to make the temple of the Lord God of your ancestors holy. Remove anything that has been corrupted from the holy place. Our ancestors were unfaithful and did what the Lord our God considered evil. They deserted him. They turned away from the Lord’s tent and turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors of the ⌞temple’s⌟ entrance hall, extinguished the lamps, and didn’t burn incense or sacrifice burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. So the Lord was angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He made them something that shocks and terrifies people and that people ridicule, as you can see with your own eyes. Our fathers were killed in battle, and our sons, daughters, and wives are prisoners because of this. Now I intend to make a pledge to the Lord God of Israel so that he may turn his burning anger away from us. Don’t be negligent, my sons. The Lord has chosen you to stand in front of him, serve him, be his servants, and burn sacrifices.”

29:16 The priests entered the Lord’s temple to make it clean. They carried into the courtyard every unclean thing that they found in the Lord’s temple. Then the Levites took the unclean items outside the city to the Kidron Brook. They started on the first day of the first month. On the eighth day they went into the Lord’s entrance hall, and for eight days they performed the ceremonies to make the Lord’s temple holy. They finished on the sixteenth day of the first month.

Then they went to King Hezekiah. They said ⌞to him⌟, “We have made all of the Lord’s temple clean. This includes the altar for burnt offerings, all its utensils, the table for the rows of bread and all its utensils, and all the utensils King Ahaz refused to use during his reign when he was unfaithful. We have restored them and made them holy. They are in front of the Lord’s altar.”

__________

God Full of Mercy / El Maleh Rachamim by Sarah Liberman (Official Lyric Video) Hebrew

__________

NT Reading: Hebrews 9:23-28 (GW)

9:23 The copies of the things in heaven had to be cleansed by these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves had to be cleansed by better sacrifices. Christ didn’t go into a holy place made by human hands. He didn’t go into a model of the real thing. Instead, he went into heaven to appear in God’s presence on our behalf. Every year the chief priest went into the holy place to make a sacrifice with blood that isn’t his own. However, Christ didn’t go into heaven to sacrifice himself again and again. Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once to remove sin by his sacrifice. People die once, and after that they are judged. Likewise, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of humanity, and after that he will appear a second time. This time he will not deal with sin, but he will save those who eagerly wait for him.

__________

No Greater Love (Live) | Resound Worship

__________

Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in your great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to you, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May God our Redeemer
show us compassion and love.

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

The Lenten Season | Monday 04 Mar 2024: Psalm 84; 1 Kings 6:1-4, 21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23 ~ You are God’s holy temple.

The Lenten Season | Monday 04 Mar 2024

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

Opening:

“Don’t you know
that you are God’s temple
and that God’s Spirit lives in you?”
(1 Corinthians 3:16)

__________

From Psalms: Psalm 84 // “How Delightful Is Your Dwelling” // Resound Worship

__________

OT Reading: 1 Kings 6:1-4, 21-22 (GW)

The Temple Built in Seven Years

6:1 Solomon began to build the Lord’s temple 480 years after Israel left Egypt. He began building in the month of Ziv (the second month) of the fourth year of his reign over Israel. The temple that King Solomon built for the Lord was 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high. The entrance hall in front of the main room of the temple was the same length as the shorter side of the temple. It extended 15 feet in front of the temple. He also made latticed windows for the temple….

6:21 He covered the inside of the temple with pure gold. He put golden chains across the front of the inner room which was covered with gold. He covered the entire inside of the temple with gold. He also covered the entire altar in the inner room with gold.

__________

I Lift my eyes to Yeshua | נושא את עיניי אל ישוע // One For Israel Ministry

__________

NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:10-23 (GW)

3:10 As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation ⌞for that building⌟. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it. After all, no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is already laid, and that foundation is Jesus Christ. People may build on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw. The day will make what each one does clearly visible because fire will reveal it. That fire will determine what kind of work each person has done. If what a person has built survives, he will receive a reward. If his work is burned up, he will suffer ⌞the loss⌟. However, he will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire.

Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him because God’s temple is holy. You are that holy temple!

Don’t deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise in the ways of this world, you should give up that wisdom in order to become really wise. The wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. That’s why Scripture says, “God catches the wise in their cleverness.” Again Scripture says, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are pointless.”

So don’t brag about people. Everything belongs to you. Whether it is Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, present or future things, everything belongs to you. You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

__________

I Belong To Jesus (Oh Hallelujah) – Selah [Official Video]