Tag: Commandments

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:33-40; Isaiah 53:3; John 8:43-46 ~ no reproach

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 119:33-40 ESV:

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!

crown-of-thorns

Isaiah 53:3 ESV:

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

John 8:43-46 ESV:

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

Reflection/Prayer:

Turn away, O God, the reproach I fear. It can matter a lot what other people say, those who speak wrongfully against me.

Who steals my purse steals trash,
’tis something, nothing,
’twas mine, ’tis his,
and has been slave to thousands.

But he that filches from me my good name
steals that which not enriches him,
and leaves me poor indeed.
Iago from ‘Othello’

Even in the poverty of reproach Christ can meet us, and He is all in all.

Thou, Lord, alone, art all Thy children need
and there is none beside;
from Thee the streams of blessedness proceed;
in Thee the blest abide.
Fountain of life and all-abounding grace,
our source, our center and our dwelling place!
Mme Guyon

Spiritual Song: “Give to the Wind Thy Fears” – Hanna Jackson Gronseth

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 119:17-24; 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 119:9-11; 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:

Child-reading-Bible-007

“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.

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 119:5-8; Nehemiah 8:8; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ~ impart life

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

"Book of Kells" - Christ Enthroned Trinity College, Dublin
“Book of Kells” – Christ Enthroned
Trinity College, Dublin

Psalm 119:5-8 ESV:

“Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!”

Nehemiah 8:8 ESV:

“They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV:

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Reflection/Prayer:

The one with the gift of making things clear brings understanding and imparts life.

The rules are there for your protection and you know they make sense. People break rules, and are damaged in consequence. How we need to explain, to help others understand! People need the Lord. We can encourage them to find God and His ways in their life. What He has done for us He can do for them too.

We can be part of the process, fully given to the purpose of the Lord Christ.

An old Celtic song expresses it this way:

As You reach out to bless mankind, I feel Your embrace drawing me close. I rise with You, dear Jesus, and You rise with me.

Spiritual Song: “You’re the Word of God the Father” – Stuart Townend

You’re the Word of God the Father / From before the world began. Ev’ry star and ev’ry planet / Has been fashioned by Your hand. All creation holds together / By the power of Your voice. / Let the skies declare Your glory; Let the land and seas rejoice!

You’re the Author of creation; You’re the Lord of ev’ry man; And Your cry of love rings out across the lands.

Yet You left the gaze of angels, Came to seek and save the lost, And exchanged the joy of heaven / For the anguish of a cross. With a prayer You fed the hungry; With a word You stilled the sea; Yet how silently You suffered / That the guilty may go free!

With a shout You rose victorious, Wresting vict’ry from the grave, And ascended into heaven, Leading captives in Your way. Now You stand before the Father, Interceding for Your own; From each tribe and tongue and nation, You are leading sinners home!

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 Reading: Mark 12.28-31 NLT

One of the teachers of religious law… asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12.28-31 NLT