After Pentecost | Thursday 30 May 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O Lord,
we entreat you mercifully to hear us,
and grant that we,
to whom you have given the desire to pray,
may by your mighty aid
be defended and comforted in all our adversities;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Eli replied, “Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel
grant your request.”
(1 Samuel 1:17)
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From Psalms: 139 – Sons of Korah
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OT Reading: 1 Samuel 1:1-18 (GW)
Samuel’s Birth
1:1 There was a man named Elkanah from Ramathaim Zophim in the mountains of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, grandson of Elihu, great-grandson of Tohu, whose father was Zuph from the tribe of Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. Every year this man would go from his own city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Armies at Shiloh. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, served there as priests of the Lord.
Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters. He would also give one portion to Hannah because he loved her, even though the Lord had kept her from having children. Because the Lord had made her unable to have children, her rival ⌞Peninnah⌟ tormented her endlessly in order to make her miserable. This happened year after year. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord’s house, Peninnah would make her miserable, and Hannah would cry and not eat. Her husband Elkanah would ask her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why haven’t you eaten? Why are you so downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?”
One day, after Hannah had something to eat and drink in Shiloh, she got up. (The priest Eli was sitting on a chair by the door of the Lord’s temple.) Though she was resentful, she prayed to the Lord while she cried. She made this vow, “Lord of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head.” While Hannah was praying a long time in front of the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. She was praying silently. Her voice couldn’t be heard; only her lips were moving. Eli thought she was drunk.
“How long are you going to stay drunk?” Eli asked her. “Get rid of your wine.”
Hannah responded, “No sir. I’m not drunk. I’m depressed. I’m pouring out my heart to the Lord. Don’t take me to be a good-for-nothing woman. I was praying like this because I’ve been troubled and tormented.”
Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your request.”
“May you continue to be kind to me,” she said. Then the woman went her way and ate. She was no longer sad.
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Listen To Our Hearts | Casting Crowns | zimneswieta
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NT Reading: Acts 25:1-12 (GW)
Paul Makes an Appeal
25:1 Three days after Festus took over his duties in the province of Judea, he went from the city of Caesarea to Jerusalem. The chief priests and the other important Jewish leaders informed Festus about their charges against Paul. They were urging Festus to do them the favor of having Paul brought to Jerusalem. The Jews had a plan to ambush and kill Paul as he traveled to Jerusalem.
Festus replied that he would be returning to Caesarea soon and would keep Paul there. He told them, “Have your authorities come to Caesarea with me and accuse him there if the man has done something wrong.”
Festus stayed in Jerusalem for eight or ten days at the most and then returned to Caesarea. The next day Festus took his place in court and summoned Paul.
When Paul entered the room, the Jews who had come from Jerusalem surrounded him. They made a lot of serious accusations that they couldn’t prove. Paul defended himself by saying, “I haven’t broken any Jewish law or done anything against the temple or the emperor.”
But Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor. So he asked Paul, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem to be tried there on these charges with me as your judge?”
Paul said, “I am standing in the emperor’s court where I must be tried. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jews, as you know very well. If I am guilty and have done something wrong for which I deserve the death penalty, I don’t reject the idea of dying. But if their accusations are untrue, no one can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal my case to the emperor!”
Festus discussed the appeal with his advisers and then replied to Paul, “You have appealed your case to the emperor, so you’ll go to the emperor!”
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Hear My Prayer O Lord – Maranatha Vocal Band / His Gathering Place
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+ Gracious and holy Father, please give us intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, hearts to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, tongues to proclaim you, ways of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant us a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. 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, and rebuke those who would use grief for evil purposes.
- Bring swift and certain justice to all those complicit in the Oct 7th atrocities; deliver the hostages from captivity, and restore their souls.
- Send your heavenly hosts to 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, healing, and hope;
- And use them in the restoration of your people to their proper place in your Kingdom.
- We pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
+ Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 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.
The Peanut Gallery 