Wednesday Morning Prayer, 26 Aug 2020
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God,
through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
(Philippians 3:13-14 )
__________
Scripture: Psalm 118:1, 5-9 (NLT)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
_____
In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
and the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
_____
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
__________
Psalm 118: 5, 21, 17, 22, 28 (“I will praise You, for You answered me”) – MIQEDEM
__________
Scripture Reading
Philippians 3:9-14 (NLT)
God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
_________
Reflection:
“I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.” (Philippians 3:12b (CEV)
stay focused
“It is a deception to live either in the past or in the future; God wants us to press on in the present, because the present is where eternity touches us now.” (Guzik)
press on
to press on: figuratively of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal…. to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire. (Strong’s)
perfection
“Just as a little child is a perfect human being, but still is far from perfect in all his development as man, so the true child of God is also perfect in all parts, although not yet perfect in all the stages of his development in faith.” (Muller)
__________
Prayer:
+ Heavenly Father: Thank you for adopting me as your child. I want to live my life the way that you have ordained, and run the race that you have set before me. Help me to press on towards the goal of my calling in Christ Jesus, trusting in Him to overcome every problem, disappointment and challenge I may face, to Your praise and glory, AMEN.
__________
“Press On” – Selah
__________
Closing:
“”Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
__________
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 