The Lenten Season | Wednesday 28 Feb 2024: Psalm 105:1-11, 37-45; Jeremiah 30:12-22; John 12:36-43 ~ Don’t worry about what people think.

The Lenten Season | Wednesday 28 Feb 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty God,
you know that we have no power
in ourselves to help ourselves:
Keep us both outwardly in our bodies
and inwardly in our souls,
that we may be defended from all adversities
that may happen to the body,
and from all evil thoughts
that may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

They were more concerned about
what people thought of them
than about what God thought of them.
(John 12:43)

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From Psalms: Psalm 105 – Poor Bishop Hooper (EveryPsalm)

give thanks give thanks to god and
call on his name so the nations may know
sing to him sing praises due him
tell of his wonder glory his name

remember remember

when israel was few
and strangers in the land to be given
they wandered in nations
god allowed no one to oppress them
but when he called down famine on the land
he sent joseph as a slave before
with shackles on feet and hand
all foretold came to pass as god planned

give thanks give thanks to god and
call on his name so the nations may know
sing to him sing praises due him
tell of his wonder glory his name

when israel was in egypt
strangers strong in the land of ham
the lord made them fruitful
too numerous for foes and their hearts turned against
but god sent his servants
moses and his brother aaron
they displayed miracles and signs miracles and wonders in the land

remember remember remember

darkness waters
frogs and swarms of flies and gnats everywhere
hail and lightning
locust and grasshopper
the lord took all of egypt’s firstborn
the firstfruits of their manhood
before israel left with silver and gold

give thanks give thanks to god and
call on his name so the nations may know
sing to him sing praises due him
tell of his wonder glory his name

remember remember remember

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OT Reading: Jeremiah 30:12-22 (GW)

The Lenten Season | Tuesday 27 Feb 2024: Psalm 105:1-11, 37-45; Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:1-3, 13-19 ~ Faith is the assurance and conviction of things unseen.

The Lenten Season | Tuesday 27 Feb 2024

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

Opening:

Faith assures us of things we expect
and convinces us of the existence
of things we cannot see.
(Hebrews 11:1)

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From Psalms: Psalm 105 – “Give Thanks” – Sean Dayton

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OT Reading: Genesis 22:1-19 (GW)

God Tests Abraham

22:1 Later God tested Abraham and called to him, “Abraham!”

“Yes, here I am!” he answered.

God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you.”

Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place that God had told him about. Two days later Abraham saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to his servants, “You stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go over there. We’ll worship. After that we’ll come back to you.”

Then Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to his son Isaac. Abraham carried the burning coals and the knife. The two of them went on together.

Isaac spoke up and said, “Father?”

“Yes, Son?” Abraham answered.

Isaac asked, “We have the burning coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God will provide a lamb for the burnt offering, Son.”

The two of them went on together. When they came to the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied up his son Isaac and laid him on top of the wood on the altar. Next, Abraham picked up the knife and took it in his hand to sacrifice his son. But the Messenger of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes?” he answered.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you did not refuse to give me your son, your only son.”

When Abraham looked around, he saw a ram behind him caught by its horns in a bush. So Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide. It is still said today, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

The Lord’s Seventh Promise to Abraham

22:15 Then the Messenger of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I am taking an oath on my own name, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not refused to give me your son, your only son, I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities. Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

Then Abraham returned to his servants, and together they left for Beersheba. Abraham remained in Beersheba.

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2024 – The Blessing ♥ World Edition ♥ Over 12000 from 154 nations sing in 257 languages ♥

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NT Reading: Hebrews 11:1-3, 13-19 (GW)

Faith Directed People’s Lives

11:1 Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. God accepted our ancestors because of their faith.

Faith convinces us that God created the world through his word. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen….

11:13 All these people died having faith. They didn’t receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth. Those who say such things make it clear that they are looking for their own country. If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they could have found a way to go back. Instead, these men were longing for a better country—a heavenly country. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. He has prepared a city for them.

When God tested Abraham, faith led him to offer his son Isaac. Abraham, the one who received the promises from God, was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice. God had said to him, “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.” Abraham believed that God could bring Isaac back from the dead. Abraham did receive Isaac back from the dead in a figurative sense.

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You Are Faithful | אתה נאמן | Ata Ne’eman LIVE Worship in Hebrew | subtitles (official video)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church [especially in the Holy Land], that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Bring home the hostages, and deliver from bondage every person captivated by the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically, and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Lenten Season | Monday 26 Feb 2024: Psalm 105:1-11; Genesis 21:1-7; Hebrews 1:8-12 ~ Jesus rules and reigns forever.

The Lenten Season | Monday 26 Feb 2024

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

Opening:

But God said about his Son,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.”

(Hebrews 1:8)

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From Psalms: Psalm 105:1-11 – “Give thanks to the LORD God and call on his name” | The “Sing Psalms” Psalter

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OT Reading: Genesis 21:1-7 (GW)

God Provides for Hagar and Ishmael

21:1 The Lord came to help Sarah and did for her what he had promised. So she became pregnant, and at the exact time God had promised, she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. Abraham named his newborn son Isaac. When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.”

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The Hope – Hatikva | Shilo Ben Hod, 2021

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NT Reading: Hebrews 1:8-12 (GW)

1:8 But God said about his Son,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.
The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
You have loved what is right and hated what is wrong.
That is why God, your God,
anointed you, rather than your companions, with the oil of joy.”

God also said,

“Lord, in the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth.
With your own hands you made the heavens.
They will come to an end, but you will live forever.
They will all wear out like clothes.
They will be taken off like a coat.
You will change them like clothes.
But you remain the same, and your life will never end.

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Sovereign Over Us – Boyce Worship Collective

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

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 Lenten Season | Saturday 24 Feb 2024: Psalm 22:23-31; Genesis 16:7-15; Mark 8:27-30 ~ “Who do you say I am?”

The Lenten Season | Saturday 24 Feb 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty God, whose blessed Son
was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan:
Come quickly to help us
who are assaulted by many temptations,
and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us,
let each one find you mighty to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

[Jesus] asked [his disciples],
“But who do you say I am?”
(Mark 8:29)

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From Psalms: Psalm 22:25-31 – Dornoch Free Church

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OT Reading: Genesis 16:7-15 (GW)

16:7 The Messenger of the Lord found her by a spring in the desert, the spring on the way to Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s slave, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

She answered, “I’m running away from my owner Sarai.” The Messenger of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your owner, and place yourself under her authority.” The Messenger of the Lord also said to her, “I will give you many descendants. No one will be able to count them because there will be so many.” Then the Messenger of the Lord said to her,

“You are pregnant,
and you will give birth to a son.
You will name him Ishmael [God Hears],
because the Lord has heard your cry of distress.
He will be as free and wild as an untamed donkey.
He will fight with everyone, and everyone will fight with him.
He will have conflicts with all his relatives.”

Hagar named the Lord, who had been speaking to her, “You Are the God Who Watches Over Me.” She said, “This is the place where I watched ⌞the one⌟ who watches over me.” This is why the well is named Beer Lahai Roi [Well of the Living One Who Watches Over Me]. It is still there between Kadesh and Bered.

Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son. Abram named him Ishmael.

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Haarrnni Yeshu’a (Jesus set me free)….Arabic Christian Worship(Subtitles@CC) / strongtower27

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NT Reading: Mark 8:27-30 (GW)

Peter Declares His Belief about Jesus

8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”

They answered him, “Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.”

He asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah!”

He ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

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Jesus Messiah | CA Music

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

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 Lenten Season | Friday 23 Feb 2024: Psalm 22:23-31; Genesis 16:1-6; Romans 4:1-12 ~ Faith is the basis of God’s approval.

The Lenten Season | Friday 23 Feb 2024

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

Opening:

What does Scripture say?
“Abraham believed God,
and that faith was regarded as the basis
of Abraham’s approval by God.”
(Romans 4:3)

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From Psalms: Psalm 22:23-31 | All The Earth Shall Turn To God | Lectionary bible reading

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OT Reading: Genesis 16:1-6 (GW)

Abram and Hagar

16:1 Sarai, Abram’s wife, was not able to have children. She owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Why don’t you sleep with my slave? Maybe I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed with Sarai.

After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Abram’s wife Sarai took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to be disrespectful to Sarai, her owner.

So Sarai complained to Abram, “I’m being treated unfairly! And it’s your fault! I know that I gave my slave to you, but now that she’s pregnant, she’s being disrespectful to me. May the Lord decide who is right—you or me.”

Abram answered Sarai, “Here, she’s your slave. Do what you like with her.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar so much that she ran away.

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The Blessing (Galilee Version) – Jew & Arab – Middle-Eastern Instrumental

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NT Reading: Romans 4:1-12 (GW)

We Have God’s Approval by Faith

4:1 What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham? If Abraham had God’s approval because of something he did, he would have had a reason to brag. But he could not brag to God about it. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God.”

When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned. However, when people don’t work but believe God, the one who approves ungodly people, their faith is regarded as the basis of God’s approval. David says the same thing about those who are blessed: God approves of people without their earning it. David said,

“Blessed are those whose disobedience is forgiven
and whose sins are pardoned.
Blessed is the person whom the Lord no longer considers sinful.”

Are only the circumcised people blessed, or are uncircumcised people blessed as well? We say, “Abraham’s faith was regarded as the basis of God’s approval.” How was his faith regarded as the basis of God’s approval? Was he circumcised or was he uncircumcised at that time? He had not been circumcised. Abraham’s faith was the basis of his approval by God while he was still uncircumcised. The mark of circumcision is the seal of that approval. Therefore, he is the father of every believer who is not circumcised, and their faith, too, is regarded as the basis of their approval by God. He is also the father of those who not only are circumcised but also are following in the footsteps of his faith. Our father Abraham had that faith before he was circumcised.

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By Faith we see the hand of God | Evangelical Movement of Wales