After Pentecost | Thursday 31 Aug 2023: Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b; Exodus 2:23-24; Ephesians 5:1-6 ~ Jesus sacrificed himself for us

After Pentecost | Thursday 31 Aug 2023

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

Opening:

Let your continual mercy, O Lord,
cleanse and defend your Church;
and, because it cannot continue in safety
without your help, protect and govern it
always by your goodness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Live a life filled with love,
following the example of Christ.”
(Ephesians 5:2a)

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From Psalms: Psalm 105 | Give Thanks – Sean Dayton

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OT Reading: Exodus 2:23-24 (NLT)

2:23 Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

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Hear my cry, Oh Lord – Divine Hymns

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NT Reading: Ephesians 5:1-6 (NLT)

Living in the Light

5:1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.

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Jesus Died For Me – Hank Williams (gduwen)

When everything goes wrong And it seems all hope is gone
I remember how my Savior died, He died there on the cross
So this world would not be lost Jesus died for me long ago

Jesus died for me long ago On a hillside far away He was tortured and slain God bless His Holy name Jesus died for me long ago.

What pain He suffered there The Holy One so dear So that you and I could live I’ll try to repay For His sufferin’ on that day Jesus died for me long ago

As He hung there all alone His life’s blood almost gone He never stopped prayin’ for me So I’ll follow all the way And live with Him someday Jesus died for me long ago

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ 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.

+ O God, of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me. I can ask for nothing less that is completely to your honor, and if I do ask anything less, I shall always be in want. Only in you I have all. Amen. (Julian of Norwich)

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Be the Life I live
Be the Love I give

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

After Pentecost | Tuesday 18 Jul 2023: Psalm 142; Jeremiah 49:7-11; Ephesians 4:17-5:2 ~ follow Jesus’ example

After Pentecost | Tuesday 18 Jul 2023

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

Opening:

Let your merciful ears, O Lord,
be open to the prayers of your humble servants;
and, that we may receive what we ask,
teach us by your Holy Spirit to ask
only those things that are pleasing to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the same Spirit
lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Imitate God, therefore,
in everything you do,
because you are his dear children.
(Ephesians 5:1)

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From Psalms: Psalm 142 – Poor Bishop Hooper

i cry to the lord with my voice i cry out
i plead to the lord for mercy mercy
i pour out again my complaint before him
i tell him my troubles

when my spirit faints within me
you know my way you know my way
in my path where they’ve hid a trap for me
you know my way you know my way

i look to the right and see
there is no one who cares who takes notice of me
no refuge remains no one cares for my soul
so i cry out to you lord

when my spirit faints within me
you know my way you know my way
in my path where they’ve hid a trap for me
you know my way you know my way

i say you are my portion
in the land of life
won’t you come lord deliver me
would you hear my cry
bring me out of this prison
for the thanks i have to give
and the righteous will surround me
because of your goodness

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OT Reading: Jeremiah 49:7-11 (NLT)

Messages about Edom

49:7 This message was given concerning Edom. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:

“Is there no wisdom in Teman?
Is no one left to give wise counsel?
Turn and flee!
Hide in deep caves, you people of Dedan!
For when I bring disaster on Edom,
I will punish you, too!
Those who harvest grapes
always leave a few for the poor.
If thieves came at night,
they would not take everything.
But I will strip bare the land of Edom,
and there will be no place left to hide.
Its children, its brothers, and its neighbors
will all be destroyed,
and Edom itself will be no more.
But I will protect the orphans who remain among you.
Your widows, too, can depend on me for help.”

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Orphans of God – Avalon – Sarkis Kel Oghlanian

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NT Reading: Ephesians 4:17-5:2 (NLT)

Living as Children of Light

4:17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Living in the Light

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Crazy People | Casting Crowns

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

The Season of Lent | Fourth Sunday – 19 Mar 2023: 1 Sam 16:1-13; Ps 23; Eph 5:1-14; John 9:1-13, 28-41 ~Jesus gives sight to the blind.

The Season of Lent | Fourth Sunday – 19 Mar 2023

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

Opening:

Gracious Father,
whose blessed Son Jesus Christ
came down from heaven to be the true bread
which gives life to the world:
Evermore give us this bread,
that he may live in us, and we in him;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Then Jesus told him,
“I entered this world to render judgment—
to give sight to the blind
and to show those who think they see
that they are blind.”
(John 9:39)

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God of Our Mothers & Fathers | feat. Samuel Lane | Vineyard Worship

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OT Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (NLT)

Samuel Anoints David as King

16:1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

So Samuel did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in peace?”

“Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.” Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.” In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.

And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

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From Psalms: “Psalm 23 – MIQEDEM (Live in Studio) תהילים כ״ג w/ translation.

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NT Reading: Ephesians 5:1-14 (NLT)

Living in the Light

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

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Awake Oh Sleeper || Bending to Hear… || Kelanie Gloeckler

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Gospel Reading: John 9:1-13, 28-41 (NLT)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9:1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”

But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”

He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”

“Where is he now?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees….

9:28 Then they cursed [the man] and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”

“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

“You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

Spiritual Blindness

9:35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”

“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”

“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

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Open My Eyes That I May See | Songs and Everlasting Joy

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

William Laud

+ Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

+ Go before us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, through your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

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

After Pentecost | Monday – 14 Nov 2022: Psalm 76; Isaiah 60:17-22; Ephesians 4:25-5:2 ~ Live a life filled with love.

After Pentecost | Monday – 14 Nov 2022

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

Opening:

Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people,
that bringing forth in abundance
the fruit of good works,
they may be abundantly rewarded
when our Savior Jesus Christ comes to restore all things;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Live a life filled with love,
following the example of Christ.
He loved us and offered himself
as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
(Ephesians 5:2)

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Psalms:Psalm 76 (NLT) – Steven Degeorge

Psalm 76

1 God is honored in Judah;
his name is great in Israel.
2 Jerusalem is where he lives;
Mount Zion is his home.
3 There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy,
the shields and swords and weapons of war. Interlude

4 You are glorious and more majestic
than the everlasting mountains.
5 Our boldest enemies have been plundered.
They lie before us in the sleep of death.
No warrior could lift a hand against us.
6 At the blast of your breath, O God of Jacob,
their horses and chariots lay still.

7 No wonder you are greatly feared!
Who can stand before you when your anger explodes?
8 From heaven you sentenced your enemies;
the earth trembled and stood silent before you.
9 You stand up to judge those who do evil, O God,
and to rescue the oppressed of the earth. Interlude
10 Human defiance only enhances your glory,
for you use it as a weapon.

11 Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them.
Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.
12 For he breaks the pride of princes,
and the kings of the earth fear him.

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OT Reading: Isaiah 60:17-22 (NLT)

60:17 I will exchange your bronze for gold,
your iron for silver,
your wood for bronze,
and your stones for iron.
I will make peace your leader
and righteousness your ruler.
Violence will disappear from your land;
the desolation and destruction of war will end.
Salvation will surround you like city walls,
and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there.

“No longer will you need the sun to shine by day,
nor the moon to give its light by night,
for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
Your sun will never set;
your moon will not go down.
For the Lord will be your everlasting light.
Your days of mourning will come to an end.
All your people will be righteous.
They will possess their land forever,
for I will plant them there with my own hands
in order to bring myself glory.
The smallest family will become a thousand people,
and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation.
At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.”

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O Morning Star! – NYCYPCD

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NT Reading: Ephesians 4:25-5:2 (NLT)

4:25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Live in the Light

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Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly | Pat Barrett

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all
the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

+ Almighty God, you have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; grant that we, who for our evil deeds deserve to be punished, by the might of your grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

+ Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in your great mercy you have promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to you, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May we look at others
as if through your eyes,
less judging, more loving,
and seeing them, like us,
as not perfect or finished
but as a work in progress
that will be completed
in due time by your hands.

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

Thursday Morning: 18 Jul 2019 – 1 John 1:1-2:6 ~ Jesus: the Word of life.

Thursday Morning

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

Opening (A Collect for Guidance – Thursday)

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: Guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our lives we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – 1 John 1:1-2:6 (NLT)

Introduction

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Living in the Light

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
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My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
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Morning Reflection:

Jesus, the Word of life.

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen.
We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands.
He is the Word of life.
– 1 John 1:1 –

John begins this epistle by explaining his purpose: that we would enjoy the same fellowship with God as those who actually saw God – a fellowship that rests on the reality of Jesus Christ’s incarnation, and results in full joy for those who experience it. In today’s reading, John describes Jesus as the Word of life and outlines how to live in Him and for Him, now and forever.

+ Jesus: The Word of life. He existed in the beginning of all things, and was revealed to us – the Word became flesh and lived among us – so that through him we can have fellowship with God and one another.

+ His Message: God is light. John emphasizes the light of God’s holiness – God exposes darkness and reveals and condemns sin. Those who live in sin and darkness are excluded from fellowship with God,

+ His Followers: Live in the light. Fellowship with God requires more than agreement with certain “essentials” of faith, it requires living by faith and obedience to the truth that has been revealed in Jesus Christ, i.e. living as Jesus lived, and loving as Jesus loved.

+ His Blood: Cleanses us from sin. But living as Jesus lived ,and loving as Jesus loved, is a tall order. And the more we know, the more we realize how far short we fall. The good news is God has provided a remedy for our sin – the blood of Christ.

+ His Advocacy: Restores our righteousness. Jesus Christ is our defense attorney before God the Father. Since He is righteous, He is our perfect Advocate before God. Further, not only does Jesus plead our case, He also pays the debt – Jesus Himself is the satisfaction for our sin.

+ His Mercy, Grace and Love: Motivates us to live as Jesus did. Obedience to the commandments and teaching of Jesus demonstrate that we are living in Him and have fellowship with God – Father, Son, and Spirit.

Questions for consideration:now

Do you see yourself as a person who is living in the light as God is in the light?” What does that mean for you? Please explain.
What does confession mean to you? How is confession worked out in your tradition? How often do you confess your sins before God? What would it take to repent of your sins – to leave the darkness and walk in God’s light? Please explain.
Where in your life do you need to make an adjustment to live as Jesus lived and love as Jesus loved? What would it cost you to make this adjustment. Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Prayer of Confession –

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Declaration of Pardon:

If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believe the good news of the Gospel, in Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
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“Doxology//Amen “ – Phil Wickham

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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

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