Tag: Daily Reading

Saturday Morning, 20 Jul 2019 – 1 John 2:18-29 ~ Remain faithful to the truth.

Saturday Morning

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

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading: 1 John 2:18-29 (NLT)

Warning about Antichrists

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth. So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either. But anyone who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us.

I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

Living as Children of God

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.

Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children.
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Morning Reflection:

Remain faithful to the truth.

“The Holy One has given you his Spirit, and all of you know the truth.”
– 1 John 2:20 –

We are currently living between ages – on the one hand, the Kingdom of God is already present among us; on the other hand, the Kingdom of God is not yet present in all its fullness and glory. Jesus ushered in the Kingdom with his incarnation; when he returns, the Kingdom of God will be revealed in all its glory.

John’s concern for us is that we remain faithful to the truth while we wait for the imminent return of Christ. No matter how long we wait, Christ’s return is always at hand… close… fast approaching… coming. So how do we distinguish between truth and falsehood, without being led astray by false prophets and antichrists?

By allowing the Holy Spirit who dwells within every believer to guide us into all truth:

+ The Holy Spirit reveals to us everything the Son has heard from the Father.
+ The Holy Spirit enables us to distinguish between truth and lies.
+ The Holy Spirit confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the beloved Son of the Father.
+ The Holy Spirit teaches us everything we need to know to remain in fellowship with Christ.
+ The Holy Spirit empowers us to live as children of God.

Questions for consideration:

  • Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit gave you new insight into Jesus’ teachings? Or applied Jesus’ teachings to your personal circumstances? Please explain.
  • Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit helped you distinguish truth from lies? On TV? In the News? From neighbors or friends? In church? Please explain.
  • Do you believe that Jesus is the long-awaited Christ (Messiah), the Son of the Living God? How did you come to your decision? Please explain.
  • Where do you need the Power of the Holy Spirit to live right now as a child of God? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer for Submission to God’s Will (Joseph Mercier)

O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do; give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that you desire of me and to accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will. Amen.
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“Come Holy Spirit” –

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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

5th Sunday after Pentecost, 14 Jul 2019: Luke 10:25-37 ~ The Compassionate Neighbor.

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer:

In Christ you draw near to us, God of mercy and compassion, lifting us out of death, binding up our wounds, and nursing our spirits back to health. Let such a tenderness as yours compel us to go and do likewise. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Love divine all loves excelling” – Keswick Praise

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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 10:25-37 (NLT)

The Most Important Commandment

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Parable of the Good Samaritan

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

“By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

“Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
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Intercession:

God of compassion: we come before your throne of grace to receive your mercy and help. Hear our prayers for those in need –

+ For Christian leaders that they may preach the Gospel and practice what they preach….
+ For strangers and aliens that they may be protected and find food, shelter and rest….
+ For those divided by prejudice and hatred that they may be overcome by your love….
+ For Christians that we may show charity and kindness to everyone we meet….
+ For victims of violence and crime that they may receive support and healing….
+ For those suffering the effects of natural disaster, that their lives may be restored….

God of love and compassion: hear our prayers and respond to them out of your loving-kindness and grace, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Mighty To Save” – Hillsong Chapel

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Closing: – Colossians 1:9-10

May God give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

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

Saturday Morning, 13 Jul 2019 – 2 Peter 1:1-11 ~ Make every effort to respond to God’s promises.

Saturday Morning

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

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Reading from the Book of 2 Peter 1:1-11 (NLT)

Greetings from Peter

This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

Growing in Faith

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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Morning Reflection:

Make every effort to respond to God’s promises.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
– 2 Peter 1:3 –

Peter’s Second Letter has the marks of a “spiritual” last will and testament. His purpose was to encourage believers to grow in faith, even as the world around them became more unbelieving (apostate). His counsel speaks to our need today – to grow in godliness as strangers and aliens living in an unbelieving world.

Peter reminds us that God has given us all we need to live godly lives, specifically his Word and his Spirit. God’s Word is filled with God’s promises and God’s Spirit reminds us of these promises and applies them to our lives when we need them most. There is power in the promises of God because they are backed by the power of God himself.

+ God’s promises are mediated through God’s Son, Jesus Christ – the more we know of him and grow in him, the more these promises are realized in our lives.

+ God’s nature becomes infused in our lives the more we know of Christ and the more we become united with him through faith.

Peter views “godliness” as a choice – actually, a series of choices – to love what God loves, or to love what the world loves. Here are the godly choices Peter sets before us –

“Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence,
and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”
– 2 Peter 1:5-7 –

Christlikeness is the goal of growing in godliness. Peter says we have everything we need to do just that.

Questions for consideration:

  • Do you think of yourself as a godly person? Please explain.
  • God’s Word and Spirit are the powerful means given us to grow in godliness. What role do they play in shaping your life?
  • When you review the choices Peter sets before us, where do you need to grow? What would have to change to make that possible? Please explain.
  • As a Christian, what do you want your children to know about your faith? What have you learned about living a godly life? What example have you set for them? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer for Grace to Seek God in Every Way: (Benedict of Nursia)

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. Amen.

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“Standing on the Promises” – Christian Gospel Choir

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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

4th Sunday after Pentecost, 07 Jul 2019: Luke 10:1-20 ~ “Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’”

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer:

Boundless, O God, is your saving power; your harvest reaches to the ends of the earth.

Fill our hearts with zeal for your kingdom and place on our lips the tidings of peace. Grant us perseverance as heralds of the gospel and joy as disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“In the Cross of Christ I Glory” – Grace Community Church – Sun Valley, California

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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 10:1-20 (NLT)

Jesus Sends Out His Disciples

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

“Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.

“If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.

“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.”

Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”
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Intercession:

Gracious God: We come before you in Jesus’ name, that we might receive mercy and help in this our time of need. We pray especially:

+ That missionaries everywhere may courageously spread the good news of your Kingdom….
+ That listeners everywhere may welcome the good news of your Kingdom with great joy….
+ That violence and hatred may be defeated by love exhibited by believers everywhere….
+ That people at war with each other may make peace, with believers leading the way….
+ That visitors to our communities may receive hospitality from believers….
+ That the downhearted may find peace in your love and encouragement from believers….
+ That the sick may experience your healing, giving you all the glory….

Glorious and mighty God, you are ever willing to come to our help, hear our prayers and respond according to your loving-kindness and perfect will, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Send the Light” – Altar of Praise Men’s Chorale

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Closing: – Psalm 66 (excerpts)

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

+ Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, sing praise to the glory of his name; proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, “How tremendous are your deeds!”
+ Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!” Come and see the works of God, He rules by his might forever.
+ Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his loving-kindness!

Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Saturday Morning, 06 Jul 2019 – 1 Peter 1:13-25 ~ Be holy in all you do.

Saturday Morning

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

Opening:  (A Collect for Sabbath Rest – Saturday)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and set aside a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared to meet you in worship, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Reading from the Book of 1 Peter 1:13-25 (NLT)

A Call to Holy Living

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written:

“Be holy, because I am holy.”

Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.
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Morning Reflection:

Be holy in all you do.

“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
So you must live as God’s obedient children.
Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.
You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
– 1 Peter 1:13-16 –

In the first half of this chapter, Peter reminded us of who we are as believers: we have been chosen by God, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and made holy by the Spirit at work within us. In the second half of this chapter, Peter instructs us on holy living as God’s obedient children.

In essence, Peter is saying:

Pull yourself together and follow God’s Word and Spirit
in how you think, what you say, and what you do – after the example of Jesus.

It’s interesting to note that Peter wrote this letter in the mid 60s AD while imprisoned in Rome prior to his martyrdom. I mention this because the sober tone of this letter is quite different from the impulsive tone of Peter as depicted in the Gospels. Peter has changed – he has been transformed by the renewal of his mind. The Holy Spirit has brought to his memory all that Jesus taught him, and his life experiences of preaching, teaching, healing, and leading have proven the truth and power of God’s Word.

Questions for consideration:

  • How has your understanding of what it means to follow Jesus changed over the years? Do you feel closer to God, or more distant? Please explain.
  • Holiness has to do with being set apart to be used by God (consecrated). Do you view yourself a being set apart (a stranger) within the prevailing culture to be used by God? Please explain.
  • As a believer living a holy life in your culture, to what thoughts, words, or behavior do say, “No?” To what thoughts, words, or behavior do you say, “Yes?” Please explain.
  • The purpose of Bible study is to get to know God, and in the process to become more like him – to become more like Jesus, to grow in holiness. How is that working out for you? Are you involved in a Bible study? Are you becoming more Christ-like? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer for Holiness:

Holy God: By your grace you have chosen us and adopted us into your family through faith in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Transform us by the power of your Word and Spirit to become more like him – to become holy as you are holy.

  • Breathe in me Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
  • Act in me Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
  • Draw my heart Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.
  • Strengthen me Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy.
  • Guard me so Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.

I ask this in Jesus’ name, that I might draw closer to you. Amen.
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“Be Holy, For I Am Holy” – A Cappella

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and 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