After Pentecost | Tuesday 23 Jul 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O God, you declare your almighty power
chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we,
running to obtain your promises,
may become partakers of your heavenly treasure;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“Pay attention to yourselves
and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you
as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church
which he acquired with his own blood.”
(Acts 20:28)
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From Psalms: Psalm 61 – “Hear My Cry” / Melissa David / Magein Shalom Messianic Community
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OT Reading: 2 Samuel 8:1-18 (GW)
David’s Successes
8:1 After this, David defeated and crushed the Philistines. He took control of the main Philistine city from them.
He also defeated Moab, made the Moabites lie down on the ground, and measured them with a rope. He measured two lengths which were to be killed, and one length which was to be spared. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and paid taxes ⌞to him⌟.
When David went to restore his control ⌞over the territory⌟ along the Euphrates River, he defeated Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob. David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers from him. David also disabled all but 100 of their horses so that they couldn’t pull chariots.
When the Arameans from Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed 22,000 of them. David put troops in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became his subjects and paid taxes ⌞to him⌟. Everywhere David went, the Lord gave him victories.
David took the gold shields that belonged to Hadadezer’s servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem. King David also took a large quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.
When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer’s whole army, he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer. (There had often been war between Hadadezer and Toi.) Joram brought articles of gold, silver, and bronze with him. King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he conquered— from Edom, Moab, Ammon, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the goods taken from Zobah’s King Hadadezer, son of Rehob.
David made a name for himself by killing 18,000 Edomites in the Dead Sea region as he returned ⌞to Jerusalem⌟. He put troops everywhere in Edom, and all the Edomites were David’s subjects. Everywhere David went, the Lord gave him victories.
So David ruled all Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people. Zeruiah’s son Joab was in charge of the army. Ahilud’s son Jehoshaphat was the royal historian. Ahitub’s son Zadok and Abiathar’s son Ahimelech were priests. Seraiah was the royal scribe. Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was commander of the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And David’s sons were priests.
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Son Of David – Hillsong Worship
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NT Reading: Acts 20:17-38 (GW)
Paul Meets with the Spiritual Leaders from Ephesus
20:17 From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders of the church to meet with him ⌞in Miletus⌟. When they were with him, he said to them, “You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me. I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house. I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Jesus.
“I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.
“Now I know that none of you whom I told about God’s kingdom will see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the ⌞spiritual⌟ death of any of you. I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock. Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them. So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.
“I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.
“I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes. You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak. We should remember the words that the Lord Jesus said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’ ”
When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship.
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Take My Life and Let It Be | Songs and Everlasting Joy
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William Temple
+ Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
+ 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.
+ 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;
- 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.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
The Peanut Gallery 