Tag: Anglican Church of North America

After Pentecost| Sunday 29 Oct 2023: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46 ~love God / Love your neighbor

After Pentecost | Sunday 29 Oct 2023 

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
you govern all things both in heaven and on earth:
Mercifully hear the supplications of your people,
and in our time grant us your peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus replied,
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
A second is equally important:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
The entire law and all the demands of the prophets
are based on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:37-39)

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The God of Abraham Praise – Hymn of the Week Virtual Choir

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From the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (NLT)

The Death of Moses

34:1 Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him the whole land, from Gilead as far as Dan; all the land of Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; all the land of Judah, extending to the Mediterranean Sea; the Negev; the Jordan Valley with Jericho—the city of palms—as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land.”

So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over.

Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel.

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From Psalms: Psalm 90 –  | Magein Shalom Messianic Community
A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

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From the Epistles: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NLT)

Paul Remembers His Visit

2:1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

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The Love of God (#selah #worship #hymn)

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Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:34-46 (NLT)

The Most Important Commandment

22:34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

22:41 Then, surrounded by the Pharisees, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

They replied, “He is the son of David.”

Jesus responded, “Then why does David, speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit, call the Messiah ‘my Lord’? For David said,

‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies beneath your feet.’

Since David called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah be his son?”

No one could answer him. And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus – Steffany Gretzinger

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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.

+ Almighty God, you have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; grant that we, who for our evil deeds deserve to be punished, by the might of your grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Israeli artists sing song of healing! “Refa Na” \ Yair Levi & Shai sol

+ O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Breathe love into lives ruled by fear.
Soften hearts that are hardened by pride.
Whisper gently to those bound by chains.
Sow peace where conflict divides.

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

After Pentecost | Saturday 28 Oct 2023: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 32:44-47; John 5:39-47 ~ the Scriptures point to Jesus

After Pentecost | Saturday 28 Oct 2023

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

Opening:

Set us free, loving Father,
from the bondage of our sins,
and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty
of that abundant life which you have made known to us
in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

“You search the Scriptures because
you think they give you eternal life.
But the Scriptures point to me!”
(John 5:39)
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From Psalms: Psalm 90 (ESV) – A prayer of Moses, the man of God Zac Fitzsimmons Music

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OT Reading: Deuteronomy 32:44-47 (NLT)

32:44 So Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.

When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”

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Prayer for Israel Defense Forces – Cantor Netanel Hershtik & Hampton Synagogue Choir

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NT Reading: John 5:39-47 (NLT)

5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

“Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you. For I have come to you in my Father’s name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God.

“Yet it isn’t I who will accuse you before the Father. Moses will accuse you! Yes, Moses, in whom you put your hopes. If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But since you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

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Worship: John 3:16 in Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, English, Korean and Persian | One For Israel

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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.

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free the hostages, and deliver every person captivated by the evil “death cult” terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, as well as those who will restore Israel politically, and especially spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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, 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

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.

After Pentecost | Friday 27 Oct 2023: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 32:1-14, 18; Titus 2:7-8, 11-15 ~ leaders must live what they teach

After Pentecost | Friday 27 Oct 2023

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

Opening:

Set us free, loving Father,
from the bondage of our sins,
and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty
of that abundant life which you have made known to us
in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

“Let everything you do
reflect the integrity and seriousness
of your teaching.”
(Titus 2:7b)
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From Psalms: Psalm 90 – (A Thousand Years) – James Block

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OT Reading: Deuteronomy 32:1-14, 18 (NLT)

32:1 “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!
Hear, O earth, the words that I say!
Let my teaching fall on you like rain;
let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass,
like gentle showers on young plants.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
how just and upright he is!

“But they have acted corruptly toward him;
when they act so perversely,
are they really his children?
They are a deceitful and twisted generation.
Is this the way you repay the Lord,
you foolish and senseless people?
Isn’t he your Father who created you?
Has he not made you and established you?
Remember the days of long ago;
think about the generations past.
Ask your father, and he will inform you.
Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you.
When the Most High assigned lands to the nations,
when he divided up the human race,
he established the boundaries of the peoples
according to the number in his heavenly court.

“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord;
Jacob is his special possession.
He found them in a desert land,
in an empty, howling wasteland.
He surrounded them and watched over them;
he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.
Like an eagle that rouses her chicks
and hovers over her young,
so he spread his wings to take them up
and carried them safely on his pinions.
The Lord alone guided them;
They followed no foreign gods.
He let them ride over the highlands
and feast on the crops of the fields.
nourished them with honey from the rock
and olive oil from the stony ground.
He fed them yogurt from the herd
and milk from the flock,
together with the fat of lambs.
He gave them choice rams from Bashan, and goats,
together with the choicest wheat.
You drank the finest wine,
made from the juice of grapes.
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32:18 You neglected the Rock who had fathered you;
you forgot the God who had given you birth.

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I Belong To God – Big Daddy Weave | James Bond

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NT Reading: Titus 2:7-8, 11-15 (NLT)

2:7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

2:11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.

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Perfect Wisdom of Our God –  HIs Life City Church  | Zacky

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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.

Prayer for Israeli Soldiers

May He who blessed our fathers, Avraham, Yitschak and Yaakov bless the Soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, in their standing guard upon our land and the cities of our God from the border of the Lebanon to the Wilderness of Egypt and from the Great Sea to the approach of the Arava – on land, in the air, and in the sea.

May the Lord give our enemies that rise against us plagues in front of them.

May the Holy One, blessed be He, guard and rescue our soldiers from all trouble and distress and from all affliction and illness; and send blessing and success in all the work of their hands.

May He crush those that hate us below them and crown them with the crown of salvation and with the wreath of victory.

And through them let the verse be fulfilled (Deuteronomy 20:4),

“For it is the Lord, your God, that walks with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you.”

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free the hostages, and deliver every person captivated by the evil “death cult” terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, as well as those who will restore Israel politically, and especially spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ 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. Amen.  (Thomas à Kempis)

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.

After Pentecost | Thursday 26 Oct 2023: Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; Deuteronomy 31:14-22; Titus 1:5-16 ~leaders must live blameless lives

 

After Pentecost | Thursday 26 Oct 2023

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

Opening:

Set us free, loving Father,
from the bondage of our sins,
and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty
of that abundant life which you have made known to us
in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

“A church leader
is a manager of God’s household,
so he must live a blameless life.”
(Titus 1:7)
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From Psalms: Psalm 90 – Sovereign Grace Music

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OT Reading: Deuteronomy 31:14-22 (NLT)

Israel’s Disobedience Predicted

31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tabernacle, so that I may commission him there.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the Tabernacle. And the Lord appeared to them in a pillar of cloud that stood at the entrance to the sacred tent.

 The Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die and join your ancestors. After you are gone, these people will begin to worship foreign gods, the gods of the land where they are going. They will abandon me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Then my anger will blaze forth against them. I will abandon them, hiding my face from them, and they will be devoured. Terrible trouble will come down on them, and on that day they will say, ‘These disasters have come down on us because God is no longer among us!’ At that time I will hide my face from them on account of all the evil they commit by worshiping other gods.

“So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them. For I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant. And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.”

So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites.

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Lord Have Mercy | Anchor Hymns

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NT Reading: Titus 1:5-16 (NLT)

Titus’s Work in Crete

1:5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.

Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.

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Lead Us In Your Truth – Alex Trygstad feat. Erin Farmer

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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.

+ Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who cares for his flock: We ask you to bestow upon the Messianic Jewish communities in Israel the gifts of the Holy Spirit in  abundance, and to raise up from among them faithful and able persons called to leadership. Inspire them to spend and be spent for the sake of the Gospel, and make them holy and loving servants and shepherds of the flock for whom you shed your most precious blood. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

+ O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant all of us, in our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through 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.

After Pentecost | Wednesday 25 Oct 2023: Psalm 63:1-8; Numbers 13:1-2, 17-14:9; Matthew 17:22-27 ~ Don’t be afraid, the Lord is with us.

After Pentecost | Wednesday 25 Oct 2023

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

Opening:

Set us free, loving Father,
from the bondage of our sins,
and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty
of that abundant life which you have made known to us
in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

“Do not rebel against the Lord,
and don’t be afraid of the people of the land.
They are only helpless prey to us!
They have no protection, but the Lord is with us!
Don’t be afraid of them!”
(Numbers 14:9)
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From Psalms: “Psalm 63” – Deanne | Hebraic Worship

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OT Reading: Numbers 13:1-2, 17-14:9 (NLT)

Twelve Scouts Explore Canaan

13:1 The Lord now said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.”

13:17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)

So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. Going north, they passed through the Negev and arrived at Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai—all descendants of Anak—lived. (The ancient town of Hebron was founded seven years before the Egyptian city of Zoan.) When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs. That place was called the valley of Eshcol (which means “cluster”), because of the cluster of grapes the Israelite men cut there.

The Scouting Report

13:25 After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak! The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley.”

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

The People Rebel

14:1 Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!”

Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel. Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”

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DO NOT FEAR | God is in Control – Inspirational & Motivational Video

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NT Reading: Matthew 17:22-27 (NLT)

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17:22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

Payment of the Temple Tax

17:24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

“Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

“They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

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God Will Make A Way | Don Moen (Holy Spirit Music)

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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.

+ Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all the men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces. Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils which beset them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be, 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. Set free the hostages, and deliver every person captivated by the evil “death cult” terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, as well as those who will restore Israel politically, and especially spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ 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. Amen.  (Thomas à Kempis)

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.