Friday Morning, 15 Nov 2019 – Luke 5:27-7:10 ~ Jesus trains the apostles.

Friday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Almighty God, whose beloved Son first suffered pain and crucifixion before entering into glory: Mercifully grant that we, walking in his footsteps, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
__________

Morning Reading – Luke 5:27-7:10 (NLT)

Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)

Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”

Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

A Discussion about Fasting

One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”

Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”

A Discussion about the Sabbath

One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. But some Pharisees said, “Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?”

Jesus replied, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.” And Jesus added, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, “I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?”

He looked around at them one by one and then said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! At this, the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:

Simon (whom he named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

Crowds Follow Jesus

When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.

The Beatitudes

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,

“God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.

God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.

God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.

When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

Sorrows Foretold

“What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.

What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you.

What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.

What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.

Love for Enemies

“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Do Not Judge Others

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

The Tree and Its Fruit

“A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 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.

Building on a Solid Foundation

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

The Faith of a Roman Officer

When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”

So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
__________

Morning Reflection:

Jesus trains the apostles.

“At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.”
– Luke 6:13 –

Today’s reading covers a whirlwind of activity with Jesus at the center.

Crowds began following Jesus as He demonstrated His Messianic power, showing God’s grace and power to a variety of people – a demoniac, a leper, a paralytic, a tax collector, a man with a deformed hand, a Roman officer’s slave, and many others with a variety of diseases, as well as those troubled by evil spirits. The Kingdom of God is Good News to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captive, the prisoner, and those who mourn (Isaiah 61) – and Jesus showed them that it came with the transforming power of God to change lives.

Then Jesus chose twelve to be His apostles, but they too had a lot to learn – so Jesus directed His teaching especially to them. They were the ones who would represent Him and carry on after Him. And they needed the transforming power of God to renew their thinking – to view the world through the eyes of Jesus.

To find joy and happiness in following Jesus, even though they may be poor, hungry, and sad for a time.
To love, bless and pray for those who persecute, curse and hate them.
To do good to their enemies, showing them compassion and kindness.
To attend to their own sin before judging the sin of others.
To readily forgive others, even though they don’t deserve it.
To rebuild their lives on the sure foundation of Jesus’ teaching.
To become like Jesus, and reproduce new disciples from the treasury of transformed hearts.

That was a lot to take in for these new apostles, and it’s a lot for us to take in as well.

Questions for consideration

What words or teaching stood out for you in today’s reading? Please explain.
How would you have felt if you had been following Jesus but were not chosen as one of the twelve? Please explain.
What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle? Why do you think Jesus singled out twelve as apostles? Please explain.
As you review Jesus’ teaching, which do you find most encouraging? Which most challenging? Please explain.

_________

Morning Prayer: For holy thought –

God, without whose beauty and goodness our souls are unfed, without whose truth our reason withers: Consecrate our lives to your will, giving us such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time we may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

__________

JD Beatitudes – Of Dirt And Grace (Hillsong UNITED)

__________

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

Friday Morning, 08 Nov 2019 – Colossians 3:1-17 ~ Live as representatives of Christ.

Friday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Morning Reading – Colossians 3:1-17 (NLT)

Living the New Life

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
__________

Morning Reflection:

Live as representatives of Christ.

Put on your new nature, and be renewed
as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
– Colossians 3:10 –

In today’s reading, Paul begins by reminding believers to keep our minds focused on the things of heaven, rather than the things of this world. Why? Because we have died with Christ to this world, and now our real life is hidden with God in Christ. Christ is our life, and we are called to live as His representatives. But how?

By putting off our old nature, and putting on our new nature – and being renewed as we learn to know our Creator and become like Him.

Questions for consideration

Put off your old nature – sexual immorality… impurity… lust… evil desires… greed, anger… rage… malicious behavior… lies… slander… and dirty language…. Do you still struggle with any of these remnants of your old nature? Please explain.
Put on your new nature – tenderhearted mercy… kindness… humility… gentleness… patience… forbearance… forgiveness… and love…. Do you see any of these evidences of new life working out in your life? Please explain.
Do you live a peace-filled life? Do you live a grateful life? Please explain.
Do you see yourself as a representative of Jesus Christ? How does that affect the way you live? Please explain.

_________

Morning Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Fill my life with Your goodness and grace. Show me how to apply Your wisdom to my life and give me godly counselors to help me. Place a song of praise and thanksgiving to You in my heart. And in all things may I live faithfully as Your representative, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Christ Be All Around Me – All Sons & Daughters

__________

Closing:

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

Friday Morning, 01 Nov 2019 – Matthew 27:45-66 ~ God forsaken.

Friday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Morning Reading – Matthew 26: 20-35 (NLT)

The Death of Jesus

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”

Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

The Burial of Jesus

As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

The Guard at the Tomb

The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
__________

Morning Reflection:

God forsaken.

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”
which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

– Matthew 27:46 –

Separation from the Father must have been the worst part of the Cross for Jesus who had never before experienced anything but intimate fellowship with His Father.

“Here Jesus was bearing the sins of the whole world, and even God the Father had to turn away as Jesus bore the curse and identified Himself with the sins of the whole world. When Jesus actually died, He commended Himself back into the Father’s hands.”

Questions for consideration

Have you ever experienced abandonment by friends or family? What were the circumstances? Please explain.
Have you ever felt abandoned by God? What were the circumstances? Please explain.
Have you ever felt cursed by your sin, or the sins of others? Please explain.
Do you feel close to, or separated from God at this point in your life? Please explain.

_________

Morning Prayer: “Anima Christi” – Philippine Madrigal Singers

__________

Closing:

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

Friday Morning, 25 Oct 2019 – Matthew 26: 20-35 ~ “Am I the one, Lord?”

Friday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Morning Reading – Matthew 26: 20-35 (NLT)

When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”

Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”

He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”

And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

On the way, Jesus told them, “Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

But after I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

“No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.
__________

Morning Reflection:

“Am I the one, Lord?”

“Tonight all of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,
‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Jesus was very aware of the events unfolding around him. He was not a victim of fate, rather He deliberately approached His death as a willing sacrifice and prepared His disciples carefully for the trauma of that event.

Jesus predicted that the disciples would desert Him that very night. They would find Him to be a source of stumbling. Jesus’ arrest would trip them up, and they would temporarily stop following Him faithfully.

Nevertheless, Jesus reminded them again that His death and their scattering were all within God’s sovereign plan. This did not excuse their failure, but it prepared them for it and helped them recover after it.

As an encouragement, Jesus assured the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee after His resurrection. They might abandon Him, but He would not abandon them.

Questions for consideration

“all of you will desert me” was directed specifically at the disciples, but does it apply to us as well? Please explain.
In spite of Jesus’ prediction, all the disciples vowed loyalty. Can you think of a time when you vowed loyalty to Jesus, only to falter and fail? Please explain.
Can you think of a time when Jesus gave you a second chance to live up to your vow to follow Him? Please explain.
What is your greatest challenge in following Jesus? Please explain.
What does participation in the Lord’s Supper mean to you? Please explain.

_________

Morning Prayer: Eucharistic Liturgical Prayer –

We do not presume to come to this your table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your abundant and great mercies.

Thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal Kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
__________

“With All I Am” – Hillsong

__________

Closing:

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

Friday Morning, 18 Oct 2019 – Matthew 23:23-39 ~ on hypocrites and hypocrisy

Friday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Endurance – Friday)

Morning Reading – Matthew 23:23-39 (NLT)

Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders (Cont.)

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’

“But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

“Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city. As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
__________

Morning Reflection:

on hypocrites and hypocrisy

Hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs
to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.

Jesus continues to describe the nature of hypocrisy in today’s reading.

sticklers for details, but blind to great principles
distortion of God’s will as revealed in Scripture
elevation of the authority of human interpretations
flawed doctrine leading to ruinous practice
concern for outward appearance instead of inward purity
self-righteousness preventing humility and self-awareness
self-righteousness preventing others from receiving Kingdom blessings

At the center of Jesus’ condemnation of hypocrites and hypocrisy is the failure to recognize and accept him as the Messiah – the Son of the Living God and the only way to the Father. The result is disastrous – they will receive the full force of God’s wrath on the day of judgement.

Questions for consideration

Can you think of areas in your life that reflect hypocrisy, i.e. your behavior doesn’t reflect your beliefs? Please explain.
Self-righteousness prevents self-awareness and results in false pride. Can you think of areas in your life that need honest examination in light of God’s word? Please explain.
What do you consider more important, outward appearance, or inward purity? How does that actually work out in your life? Please explain.

_________

Morning Prayer: For Holy Thought

O God, without whose beauty and goodness our souls are unfed, without whose truth our reason withers: Consecrate our lives to your will, giving us such purity of heart, such depth of faith, and such steadfastness of purpose, that in time we may come to think your own thoughts after you; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
__________

“From the Inside Out” – Maranatha! Music