Morning Prayer: 04 Jun – Proverbs 4:23 ~ guard your heart

Peanut Gallery: During the month of June we are reading through the Book of Proverbs, one chapter per day. “Growing in Character” is the theme; each day we will look for practical advice on living a wise and godly life in this present age.

I recommend that you begin by reading through the entire chapter for the day yourself (a link will be included, see below.) There is something for everyone in the Book of Proverbs. I will focus on what speaks to me in the chapter and follow that theme for the day. But the verse that speaks to me, on any particular day, may be different from the wisdom God has for you… and you don’t want to miss out.

Growing in Character: Proverbs 4

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

Opening sentence and prayer

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.
_____

Open my eyes, Lord, to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
__________

A reading from Proverbs: Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
__________

A reading from the Letters: Philippians 4:6-8 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
__________

A reading from the Gospels: Luke 6:45 (NLT)

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
__________

Reflection:

Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) in the field of computer science or information and communications technology refers to the fact that computers, since they operate by logical processes, will unquestioningly process unintended, even nonsensical, input data (“garbage in”) and produce undesired, often nonsensical, output (“garbage out”).

The underlying principle was noted by the inventor of the first programmable computing device design:

On two occasions I have been asked, “Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?” … I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question. — Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher

_____

Treasury of a Good Heart (23/09/2011 by Gary Burton)

I have observed people in the body of Christ for years. I have seen how God uses those that fill themselves with God’s word and seek to faithfully do what the word says by applying it in their daily lives. What it has produced is a treasury of a good heart, and what comes out of their mouth is careful, timely and good, prepared for the moment. Having this treasury of a good heart is not a one time deposit in our hearts – but is gained on a daily basis as we transact business with Jesus. Relationships such as spouses, children, coworkers – and all of life’s drama draw on the treasury that is built up in our hearts.

To help refill the treasury of my heart:

Read the word daily
Apply it to my heart and life
Be refilled with his Holy Spirit daily
Worship
Gather weekly with other believers

Prayer

Lord refill me today with your Holy Spirit and may the words that come out of my mouth be a reflection and evidence of your goodness, gentleness and kindness that is deposited in my heart.
__________

__________

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

Morning Prayer: 03 Jun – Proverbs 3:5-8 ~ lead me Lord

Growing in Character: Proverbs 3

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

Opening sentence and prayer

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.
_____

Open my eyes, Lord, to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.
Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
__________

A reading from Proverbs: Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
__________

A reading from the Psalms: Psalm 19:7-8 (TLB)

God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light.
__________

A reading from the Gospels: John 12:44-46 (NLT)

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.”
__________

Reflection: The Road Not Taken (1920) by Robert Frost (1874–1963).

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
__________

__________

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

Morning Prayer: 02 Jun – Proverbs 2:2-3 ~ cry out to Jesus

Growing in Character: Proverbs 2

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

Opening sentence and prayer

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.
_____

Open my eyes, Lord, to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.
Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
__________

A reading from Proverbs: Proverbs 2:2-3 (NLT)

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
__________

A reading from the Letters: James 1:5 (NLT)

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
__________

A reading from the Gospels: John 14:26 (NLT)

When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative — that is, the Holy Spirit — he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
__________

Reflection: The Benefits of Wisdom (Proverbs 2)

+ God will give you His Spirit. (wisdom will enter your heart)
+ God will give you sound advice. (a treasure of common sense)
+ God will give you sound judgement. (what is right, just, and fair)
+ God will guide your choices. (wise choices will watch over you)
+ God will guard your safety. (understanding will keep you safe)
+ God will give you joy. (knowledge will fill you with joy)
+ God will guard you from evil, immoral people. (those whose words are twisted; seductive, promiscuous people)
__________

__________

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

Morning Prayer: 01 Jun – Proverbs 1:7 ~ on living fearfully

Growing in Character: Proverbs 1

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

Opening sentence and prayer

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.
_____

Open my eyes, Lord, to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
__________

A reading from Proverbs: Proverbs 1:7 (NLT)

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
__________

A reading from Acts: Acts 9:31 (NLT)

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
__________

Reflection:

In CS Lewis’ “THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE” the children come face to face with Aslan, the enormous Lion who symbolizes Christ.

“People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time. If the children had ever thought so, they were cured of it now. For when they tried to look at Aslan’s face they just caught a glimpse of the golden mane and the great, royal, solemn, overwhelming eyes; and then they found they couldn’t look at him and went all trembly.”
_____

Some translations of the Bible, such as the New International Version, sometimes replace the word “fear” with “reverence”. This is because the Fear of the Lord incorporates more than simple fear. As Robert B. Strimple says, “There is the convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love, and, yes, fear.” (Wikipedia)
__________

__________

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.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

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

Holy Trinity Sunday: Dt 4:32-34, 39-40; Ps 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22; Rom 8:14-17; Mt 28:16-20 ~ the rich mystery of God’s inner life

Holy Trinity Sunday

Today we celebrate the most Holy Trinity, the rich mystery of God’s inner life. This remains a mystery beyond all understanding for us while we live in this world, even though the veil which covers it is lifted ever so little. The Bible assures us that not only is our God a personal God, but that God exists as three interactive, loving Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, while yet remaining one divine reality, one God.

+ In the name the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentence and prayer:

Full of joy on this morning, we adore and glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
_____

Father almighty, You sent the Spirit of Your Son into our hearts: fill us with Your Spirit, that we may be Your heirs and co-heirs with Christ. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 (NLT)

“Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything as great as this ever been seen or heard before? Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire — as you did — and survived? Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.
_____

“So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”
__________

A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22 (NLT)

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does. He loves whatever is just and good; the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.

The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
_____

For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
_____

But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.
_____

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.
__________

__________

A Reading from the Letters: Romans 8:14-17 (NLT)

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

The fresco at Holy Trinity Church in Lorain, photographed after Wednesday morning mass, August 26, 2009.

__________

A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT)

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him — but some of them doubted!

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
__________

__________

Intercessions:

God our Father, You revealed the great mystery of Your godhead to mankind when You sent into the world the Word who is Truth and the Spirit who makes us holy. Lord Jesus Christ, You sent the Paraclete from the Father’s side to be your witness: make us also Your witnesses before men.

+ Holy Father, of ourselves we are nothing. Give us the Holy Spirit – may He strengthen us in our weakness and intercede for us before Your face.

+ Son of God, You asked the Father to send the Comforter to Your people – may He, the Spirit of truth, remain with us always.

+ Come, Holy Spirit, and give us an abundance of Your fruits – make us loving, joyful, peaceful, patient and kind; give us integrity, forbearance, gentleness, faith, modesty, temperance and chastity.

Help us to grow in Your Truth and worship You in Spirit: three Persons, eternal in glory, one God, infinite in majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

__________

Benediction:

Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come. (Rev 1:8)

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

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: