Tag: Psalm 34:9-14; Job 11:1-20; Acts 6:8-15

After Pentecost | Thursday 15 Aug 2024: Psalm 34:9-14; Job 11:1-20; Acts 6:8-15 ~ Rely on the Spirit’s wisdom.

After Pentecost | Thursday 15 Aug 2024

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

Opening:

Almighty God, give us the increase
of faith, hope, and love; and,
that we may obtain what you have promised,
make us love what you command;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Stephen spoke with the wisdom
that the Spirit had given him.”
(Acts 6:10b)

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From Psalms: Psalm 34 – (Taste and See That He Is Good) by The Psalms Project

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OT Reading: Job 11:1-20  (GW)

Zophar Speaks: Your Words Call for an Answer, Job

11:1 Then Zophar from Naama replied ⌞to Job⌟,

“Shouldn’t someone answer this flood of words?
Should a good public speaker be acquitted?
Should your empty talk silence others
so that you can make fun of us without any shame?
You say, ‘My teaching is morally correct,’
and, ‘As you can see, I’m innocent.’
I only wish God would speak
and open his mouth ⌞to talk⌟ to you.
He would tell you the secrets of wisdom,
because ⌞true⌟ wisdom is twice ⌞as great as your wisdom⌟,
and you would know that God forgets your sin.

God Can Do as He Pleases

11:7 “Can you discover God’s hidden secrets,
or are you able to find the Almighty’s limits?
⌞God’s wisdom is⌟ higher than heaven.
What can you do?
It is deeper than ⌞the depths⌟ of hell.
What can you know?
It is longer than the earth
and wider than the sea.
If God comes along and imprisons ⌞someone⌟
and then calls a court into session, who can stop him?
He knows who the scoundrels are.
And when he sees sin, doesn’t he pay attention to it?
But an empty-headed person will gain understanding
when a wild donkey is born tame.

Confess Your Sin and Be Forgiven

11:13 “If you want to set your heart right,
then pray to him.
If you’re holding on to sin, put it far away,
and don’t let injustice live in your tent.
Then you will be able to show your face without being ashamed,
and you will be secure and unafraid.
⌞Then⌟ you will forget your misery
and remember it like water that has flowed downstream.
Then your life will be brighter than the noonday sun.
The darkness in your life will become like morning.
You will feel confident because there’s hope,
and you will look around and rest in safety.
You will lie down with no one to frighten you,
and many people will try to gain your favor.
But the wicked will lose their eyesight.
Their escape route will be closed.
Their only hope is to take their last breath.”

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Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise – SE Samonte

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NT Reading: Acts 6:8-15 (GW)

Stephen Is Arrested

6:8 Stephen was a man filled with God’s favor  and power. He did amazing things and performed miracles. ⌞One day⌟ some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen’s Synagogue. They couldn’t argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him. Then they bribed some men to lie.

These men said, “We heard him slander Moses and God.” The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council. Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, “This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses’ Teachings. We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs that Moses gave us.”

Everyone who sat in the council stared at him and saw that his face looked like an angel’s face.

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Spirit Lead Me – Influence Music & Michael Ketterer

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ 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.

+ Merciful God, you desire not the death of sinners, but rather that they should turn to you and live; and through your only Son you have revealed yourself as the God who pardons iniquity. Have mercy on the unrepentant and those who do not believe. Awaken in them, by your Word and Holy  Spirit, a deep sense of their sinfulness and peril. Take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of your Word. Grant them to know and   believe that there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which they must be saved, but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so  bring them home and number them among your children, that they may be yours for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you  and  the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

+ Sovereign Lord: We pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

    • 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.

+ 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.

Thursday, 12 Aug 2021: Psalm 34:9-14; Job 11:1-20; Acts 6:8-15 ~ Fear the Lord

Thursday, 12 Aug 2021:

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

Opening:

Almighty God, give us the increase of faith, hope, and love;
and, that we may obtain what you have promised,
make us love what you command;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!”
(Psalm 34:9)

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Psalms: Psalm 34:9-14 (ESV)

Psalm 34:9-11 (Jonathan Ogden)

“Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
For those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

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OT Reading: Job 11:1-20 (ESV)

Zophar Speaks: You Deserve Worse

11:1 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said:

“Should a multitude of words go unanswered,
and a man full of talk be judged right?
Should your babble silence men,
and when you mock, shall no one shame you?
For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure,
and I am clean in God’s eyes.’
But oh, that God would speak
and open his lips to you,
and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!
For he is manifold in understanding.
Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

“Can you find out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
It is higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
and broader than the sea.
If he passes through and imprisons
and summons the court, who can turn him back?
For he knows worthless men;
when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
But a stupid man will get understanding
when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man!

“If you prepare your heart,
you will stretch out your hands toward him.
If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,
and let not injustice dwell in your tents.
Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;
you will be secure and will not fear.
You will forget your misery;
you will remember it as waters that have passed away.
And your life will be brighter than the noonday;
its darkness will be like the morning.
And you will feel secure, because there is hope;
you will look around and take your rest in security.
You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;
many will court your favor.
But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
all way of escape will be lost to them,
and their hope is to breathe their last.”

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His Mercy Is More Praise and Harmony Beautiful God

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NT Reading: Acts 6:8-15 (ESV)

Stephen Is Seized

6:8  And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

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See Your Face – Canyon Hills

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Prayer:

+ 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.

+ Lord Jesus, be mindful of your promise. Think of us, your servants, and when we shall depart, speak to our spirits these loving words: “Today you shall be with me in joy.” O Lord Jesus Christ, remember us, your servants who trust in you, when our tongues cannot speak, when the sight of our eyes fails, and when our ears are stopped. Let our spirits always rejoice in you and be joyful about our salvation, which you, through your death, have purchased for us. Amen.

+ Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

+ Christ as a light, illumine and guide us. Christ as a shield, overshadow us. Christ under us; Christ over us; Christ beside us on our left and our right. This day be within and without us, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom we speak; in the mouth of each who speaks to us. This day be within and without us, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside us on our left and our right.

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Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with us, wherever He may send us.
May He guide us through the wilderness, protect us through the storm.
May He bring us home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown us.
May He bring us home rejoicing once again into our doors.

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