After Pentecost | Thursday 22 Aug 2024: Psalm 84; 1 Kings 4:20-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 ~ Stay awake and be sober!

After Pentecost | Thursday 22 Aug 2024

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

Opening:

Keep your Church, O Lord,
by your perpetual mercy; and because without you
the frailty of our nature causes us to fall,
keep us from all things hurtful,
and lead us to all things profitable for our salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

When people say,
“Everything is safe and sound!”
destruction will suddenly strike them.
(1 Thessalonians 5:3)

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

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OT Reading: 1 Kings 4:20-28  (GW)

4:20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They ate and drank and lived happily.

Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the country of the Philistines and as far as the Egyptian border. These kingdoms paid taxes and were subject to Solomon as long as he lived.

Solomon’s food supply for one day was 180 bushels of flour, 360 bushels of coarse flour, 10 fattened cows, 20 cows from the pasture, and 100 sheep in addition to deer, gazelles, fallow deer, and fattened birds. He controlled all the territory west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza and all of its kings. So he lived in peace with all the neighboring countries. As long as Solomon lived, Judah and Israel (from Dan to Beersheba) lived securely, everyone under his own vine and fig tree.

Solomon had stalls for 40,000 chariot horses. He also had 12,000 chariot soldiers. Each of the governors provided food for one month every year for King Solomon and all who ate at his table. The governors saw to it that nothing was in short supply. They brought their quota of barley and straw for the chariot horses to the proper places.

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Woe to my Country | Hebrew music video | ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry

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NT Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (GW)

Be Ready for the Day of the Lord

5:1 Brothers and sisters, you don’t need anyone to write to you about times and dates. You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape. But, brothers and sisters, you don’t live in the dark. That day won’t take you by surprise as a thief would. You belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark. Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober. People who sleep, sleep at night; people who get drunk, get drunk at night. Since we belong to the day, we must be sober. We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. It was not God’s intention that we experience his anger but that we obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him. Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one another as you are doing.

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Wake Up Sleeper | Austin French (Official Lyric Video)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

Lancelot Andrewes
+ Thou, who with thine own mouth hast told us that at midnight the bridegroom shall come: Grant that the cry, “The bridegroom cometh!” may sound  evermore in our ears, that so we be never unprepared to meet him, or forgetful of the souls for whom he died, for whom we watch and pray. And save  us, O 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.

+ Sovereign Lord: We pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

    • Protect Israel from the fiery darts of the evil one coming from every direction, both within and without.
    • Grant your heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, and diplomatically;
    • Give them hearts to receive, and the courage to do, what’s right in your sight.
    • Comfort those who grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones;
    • Rebuke those who would use grief for evil purposes.
    • Bring swift and certain justice to all those complicit in the October 7th atrocities;
    • Deliver the hostages from captivity, and restore their souls.
    • Destroy every stronghold of the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East.
    • Strengthen the Messianic communities – Jew and Arab alike – bind them together in love, that they may be a source of help, and healing, and hope;
    • Use them in the restoration of your people to their proper place in your Kingdom.
    • We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

+ Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. 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.

Epiphany Season | Friday 19 Jan 2024: Psalm 62:5-12; Jeremiah 20:7-13; 2 Peter 3:1-7 ~ The ungodly will be judged and destroyed.

Epiphany Season | Friday 19 Jan 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ
is the light of the world: Grant that your people,
illumined by your Word and Sacraments,
may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory,
that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed
to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

By God’s word, the present heaven and earth
are designated to be burned.
They are being kept until
the day ungodly people
will be judged and destroyed.

(2 Peter 3:7)

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From Psalms: Psalm 62 – Aaron Keyes & Stuart Townend / Table Rock Church

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OT Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-13 (GW

Jeremiah Prays to the Lord

20:7 O Lord, you have deceived me, and I was deceived.
You overpowered me and won.
I’ve been made fun of all day long.
Everyone mocks me.
Each time I speak, I have to cry out and shout,
“Violence and destruction!”
The Lord’s word has made me the object of insults
and contempt all day long.
I think to myself, “I can forget the Lord
and no longer speak his name.”
But ⌞his word⌟ is inside me like a burning fire shut up in my bones.
I wear myself out holding it in, but I can’t do it any longer.
I have heard many ⌞people⌟ whispering,
“Terror is everywhere!
Report him! Let’s report him!”
All my closest friends are waiting to see me stumble.
They say, “Maybe he will be tricked.
Then we can overpower him and take revenge on him.”
But the Lord is on my side like a terrifying warrior.
That is why those who persecute me will stumble. They can’t win.
They will be very ashamed that they can’t succeed.
Their eternal shame will not be forgotten.
But the Lord of Armies examines the righteous.
He sees their motives and thoughts.
I want to see you take revenge on them,
because I’ve brought my case to you.
Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord!
He has rescued the lives of needy people
from the power of wicked people.

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“Search my heart” , Search my soul ~ | Country Gospel Song / Promised Land Music

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NT Reading: 2 Peter 3:1-7 (GW)

Be Ready for the Day of the Lord

3:1 Dear friends, this is the second letter I’m writing to you. In both letters I’m trying to refresh your memory. I want you to remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and what the Lord and Savior commanded you through your apostles.

First, you must understand this: In the last days people who follow their own desires will appear. These disrespectful people will ridicule ⌞God’s promise⌟ by saying, “What’s happened to his promise to return? Ever since our ancestors died, everything continues as it did from the beginning of the world.”

They are deliberately ignoring one fact: Because of God’s word, heaven and earth existed a long time ago. The earth ⌞appeared⌟ out of water and was kept alive by water. Water also flooded and destroyed that world. By God’s word, the present heaven and earth are designated to be burned. They are being kept until the day ungodly people will be judged and destroyed.

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Day of Judgement | Christ Church Mayfair / Ben Slee

1. Day of judgement! Day of wonders!
Hear the awe-full sound
Louder than a thousand thunders
Shakes the vast creation round.

2. Jesus calls: the dead awaken,
Rise from earth and sea.
All the pow’rs of nature, shaken
by his look, prepare to flee.

(Chorus)
When all earth and heaven melt away,
Gracious Saviour, own me in that Day.

3. Every knee shall bow before Him,
Every heart exposed.
All the stains of our rebellion
Clear before His judgement throne.

(Bridge)
Under earth and heaven’s blackened sky,
Gracious Saviour, You were lifted high.
Bearing all the curse that my sin deserved
As You bled upon that tree;
God the judge hangs cursed for me.

4. Rise now sinner, come to Jesus
Pardoning grace to know.
Meet Him now as gracious Saviour,
Not just then as Judge alone.

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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.

+ O God, our heavenly Father: Pour out your Spirit on your faithful people in the Middle East, that your Son’s life-giving Gospel may be preached to every tribe and nation. 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.

+ 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.

+ Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in  glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

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