After Pentecost | Wednesday 07 Aug 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Almighty and merciful God,
it is only by your grace that your faithful people
offer you true and laudable service:
Grant that we may run without stumbling
to obtain your heavenly promises;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and my ways are not your ways,”
declares the Lord.
(Isaiah 55:8)
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From Psalms: Psalm 107 – Poor Bishop Hooper
give thanks to the lord
for he is good
let the redeemed of the Lord say so
from the north and from the south
from the east and from the west
those he has redeemed he has gathered them
some wandered in desert wastes
hungry thirsty their souls faint
when they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
some sat in dark and death
the words of god they rebelled against
when they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
let them thank the lord
his love is steadfast
his works are wondrous
to the children of man
some were fools through sinful ways
suffering in their iniquities
then they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
then they cried to the Lord in their trouble
he delivered them
some went down to the sea
where they saw gods deeds his works in the deep
there he commanded raised up the wind
lifted the waves mounted them to heaven
their courage melted staggered drunken
they cried to the lord and he delivered them
he made the storm be quiet the waves of the sea were silenced
and they were glad that the waters sat in stillness
let them thank the lord
his love is steadfast
his works are wondrous
to the children of man
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OT Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9 (GW)
55:1 “Listen! Whoever is thirsty, come to the water!
Whoever has no money can come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk. You don’t have to pay; it’s free!
Why do you spend money on what cannot nourish you
and your wages on what does not satisfy you?
Listen carefully to me:
Eat what is good, and enjoy the best foods.
Open your ears, and come to me!
Listen so that you may live!
I will make an everlasting promise to you—
the blessings I promised to David.
I made him a witness to people,
a leader and a commander for people.
You will summon a nation that you don’t know,
and a nation that doesn’t know you will run to you
because of the Lord your God,
because of the Holy One of Israel.
He has honored you.”
Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Call on him while he is near.
Let wicked people abandon their ways.
Let evil people abandon their thoughts.
Let them return to the Lord,
and he will show compassion to them.
Let them return to our God,
because he will freely forgive them.
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and my ways are not your ways,” declares the Lord.
“Just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways,
and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.”
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All Who Are Thirsty | Vineyard Worship UK & Ireland
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NT Reading: Mark 8:1-10 (GW)
Jesus Feeds Four Thousand
8:1 About that time there was once again a large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I feel sorry for the people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat. If I send them home before they’ve eaten, they will become exhausted on the road. Some of them have come a long distance.”
His disciples asked him, “Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people in this place where no one lives?”
Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven.”
He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to serve to the people. They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish should also be served to the people. The people ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets. About four thousand people were there. Then he sent the people on their way.
After that, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and went into the region of Dalmanutha.
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I Am the Bread of Life – Steve Angrisano & Tom Booth | OCP Music
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+ Most loving Father, you will us to give thanks for all things, to dread nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on the One who cares for us. Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested unto us in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Sovereign Lord: We pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
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- 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.
Thomas à Kempis
+ Our God, in whom we trust: Strengthen us not to regard overmuch who is for us or who is against us, but to see to it that we be with you in everything we do. 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.
Be careful that you don’t forget the Lord your God. Don’t fail to obey his commands, rules, and laws that I’m giving you today. You will eat all you want. You will build nice houses and live in them. Your herds and flocks, silver and gold, and everything else you have will increase. When this happens, be careful that you don’t become arrogant and forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. He was the one who led you through that vast and dangerous desert—a thirsty and arid land, with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He was the one who made water come out of solid rock for you. He was the one who fed you in the desert with manna, which your ancestors had never seen. He did this in order to humble you and test you. But he also did this so that things would go well for you in the end. You may say to yourselves, “I became wealthy because of my own ability and strength.” But remember the Lord your God is the one who makes you wealthy. He’s confirming the promise which he swore to your ancestors. It’s still in effect today.
But that is not what you learned from Christ’s teachings. You have certainly heard his message and have been taught his ways. The truth is in Jesus. You were taught to change the way you were living. The person you used to be will ruin you through desires that deceive you. However, you were taught to have a new attitude. You were also taught to become a new person created to be like God, with a life that truly has God’s approval and is holy.
Why don’t you understand that I wasn’t talking to you about bread? Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”
This is the reason why many of you are weak and sick and quite a number ⌞of you⌟ have died. If we were judging ourselves correctly, we would not be judged. But when the Lord judges us, he disciplines us so that we won’t be condemned along with the rest of the world.
The Peanut Gallery 