The Season of Advent | 1st Tuesday 05 Dec 2023: Psalm 79; Micah 4:6-13; Revelation 18:1-10 ~ Repent and come out of Babylon, my people.

The Season of Advent | 1st Tuesday 05 Dec 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty God, give us grace
to cast away the works of darkness,
and put on the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life in which
your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again
in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.

I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of Babylon, my people,
so that you do not participate in her sins
and suffer from any of her plagues.”
(Revelation 18:4)

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From Psalms: Psalm 79 – “The vineyard of the Lord is the House of Israel” | Hymns by Mike Anderson

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OT Reading: Micah 4:6-13 (GW)

4:6 “When that day comes,” declares the Lord,
“I will gather those who are lame.
I will bring together those who are scattered
and those whom I have injured.
I will change those who are lame into a faithful people.
I will change those who are forced away into a strong nation.”
The Lord will rule them on Mount Zion now and forever.
You, Jerusalem, watchtower of the flock,
stronghold of the people of Zion,
your former government will come back to you.
The kingdom will return to the people of Jerusalem.

Now why are you crying so loudly?
Don’t you have a king?
Has your counselor died?
Pain grips you like a woman in labor.
Daughter of Zion, writhe in pain and groan like a woman in labor.
Now you will leave the city,
live in the open fields,
and go to Babylon.
There you will be rescued.
There the Lord will reclaim you from your enemies.

But now many nations gather against you.
They say, “Let’s dishonor Zion and gloat over it.”
They don’t know the thoughts of the Lord or understand his plan.
He will bring them together
like cut grain on the threshing floor.
Get up and thresh, people of Zion.
I will make your horns as hard as iron
and your hoofs as hard as bronze.
You will smash many nations into small pieces.
You will claim their loot for the Lord,
their wealth for the Lord of the whole earth.

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Zion [Aaron Shust]

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NT Reading: Revelation 18:1-10 (GW)

Babylon’s Fall

18:1 After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast. All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.”

I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

“The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say,

‘How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city,
the powerful city Babylon!
In one moment judgment has come to it!’

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Bring Them Home! Holocaust Survivors Give Hope to Israeli Hostages in Gaza | Shulem Lemmer

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free 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 and diplomatically, as well as those who will restore Israel spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your Son, Christ Jesus, into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your faithful people in the Middle East, that his life-giving Gospel may be preached to every tribe and nation. 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.

+ 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.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

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

* Bring Them Home | Tikkun Global

The Season of Advent | 1st Monday 04 Dec 2023: Psalm 79; Micah 4:1-5; Revelation 15:1-8 ~ The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.

The Season of Advent | 1st Monday 04 Dec 2023

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

Opening:

Then many nations will come and say,
“Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.”
The teachings will go out from Zion.
The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.
(Micah 4:2)

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From Psalms: Psalm 79 – “The heathens have attacked your church” | Wasilla Bible Church Psalms Project

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OT Reading: Micah 4:1-5 (GW)

The Lord Will Teach the Nations

4:1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be established as the highest of the mountains
and raised above the hills.
People will stream to it.
Then many nations will come and say,
“Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.”
The teachings will go out from Zion.
The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem.
Then he will judge disputes between many people
and settle arguments between many nations far and wide.
They will hammer their swords into plowblades
and their spears into pruning shears.
Nations will never fight against each other,
and they will never train for war again.
They will sit under their grapevines and their fig trees,
and no one will make them afraid.
The Lord of Armies has spoken.
All the nations live by the names of their gods,
but we will live by the name of the Lord our God forever.

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Song Of Moses – Aaron Keyes | Scott Bacher

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NT Reading: Revelation 15:1-8 (GW)

Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

15:1 I saw another sign in heaven. It was spectacular and amazing. There were seven angels with the last seven plagues which are the final expression of God’s anger.

Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had won the victory over the beast, its statue, and the number of its name were standing on the glassy sea. They were holding God’s harps and singing the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb. They sang,

“The things you do are spectacular and amazing, Lord God Almighty.
The way you do them is fair and true, King of the Nations.
Lord, who won’t fear and praise your name?
You are the only holy one,
and all the nations will come to worship you
because they know about your fair judgments.”

After these things I looked, and I saw that the temple of the tent containing the words of God’s promise was open in heaven. The seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple wearing clean, shining linen with gold belts around their waists. One of the four living creatures gave seven gold bowls full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever, to the seven angels. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels came to an end.

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Hope Has A Name – River Valley Worship (music meets heaven)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free 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, as well as those who will restore Israel politically and spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

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

The Season of Advent | 1st Sunday 03 Dec 2023: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 ~ “Be careful! Watch!”

The Season of Advent | 1st Sunday 03 Dec 2023

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

Opening:

“Be careful! Watch!
You don’t know the exact time.”
(Mark 13:33)

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Comfort, Comfort All My People – Koine

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From the Old Testament: Isaiah 64:1-9 (GW)

64:1 If only you would split open the heavens and come down!
The mountains would quake at your presence.
Be like the fire that kindles brushwood and makes water boil.
Come down to make your name known to your enemies.
The nations will tremble in your presence.
When you did awe-inspiring things that we didn’t expect,
you came down and the mountains quaked in your presence.
No one has ever heard,
no one has paid attention,
and no one has seen any god except you.
You help those who wait for you.

You greeted the one who gladly does right and remembers your ways.
You showed your anger, because we’ve sinned.
We’ve continued to sin for a long time.
Can we still be saved?
We’ve all become unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like permanently stained rags.
All of us shrivel like leaves,
and our sins carry us away like the wind.
No one calls on your name
or tries to hold on to you.
You have hidden your face from us.
You have let us be ruined by our sins.

But now, Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are our potter.
We are the work of your hands.
Don’t be too angry, Lord.
Don’t remember our sin forever.
Now look, we are all your people.

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From Psalms: Psalm 80 (Responsorial) | “O God Bring Us Back” (C. Linford Nitin)

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From the Epistles: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (GW)

1:3 Good will and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are yours!

I always thank God for you because Christ Jesus has shown you God’s good will. Through Christ Jesus you have become rich in every way—in speech and knowledge of every kind. Our message about Christ has been verified among you. Therefore, you don’t lack any gift as you wait eagerly for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will continue to give you strength until the end so that no one can accuse you of anything on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God faithfully keeps his promises. He called you to be partners with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

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In Christ Alone | Hebrew – Arabic – English | Garden Tomb | One for Israel Music

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Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-37 (GW)

13:24 “Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.

“Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. He will send out his angels, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.

“Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that he is near, at the door.

“I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place. The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

No One Knows When the Earth and the Heavens Will Disappear

13:32 “No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows. Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time. It is like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge. He assigned work to each one and ordered the guard to be alert. Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning. Make sure he doesn’t come suddenly and find you asleep. I’m telling everyone what I’m telling you: ‘Be alert!’ ”

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King of Glory – Heartcry of David (GloryToFatherGod)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ 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.

+ Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

+ Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who, in your great mercy, has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to you, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace*; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the Lord, when he comes,
find us watching and waiting.

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

* Only One Solution for Peace – Tikkun Global

The Season of Advent | 1st Saturday 02 Dec 2023: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Micah 2:1-13; Matthew 24:15-31 ~ Jesus will come again suddenly

The Season of Advent | 1st Saturday 02 Dec 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all
things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of
lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and
enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his
most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Son of Man will come again
just as lightning flashes from east to west.
(Matthew 24:27)

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From Psalms: Psalm 80 – The Vineyard of the Lord – Francesca LaRosa

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OT Reading: Micah 2:1-13 (GW)

Israel’s Sins Are Condemned

2:1 How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble
and work out plans for disaster while in bed.
When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans
because they are able to.
They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them.
They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them.
They cheat a man and his family,
a man and his inheritance.

So this is what the Lord says:

I’m planning a disaster to punish your family.
You won’t be able to rescue yourselves.
You will no longer be able to walk proudly.
This will be a time of disaster.
When that day comes, people will make fun of you.
They will sing this sad song about you:
“We are completely ruined.
The Lord gives our people’s possessions ⌞to others⌟.
He takes them from us.
He divides our fields among our captors.”
That is why none of you in the Lord’s assembly will draw lots
to divide your property.

Your prophets say, “Don’t prophesy!
Don’t prophesy such things!
Disgrace will never overtake us.”
Should the descendants of Jacob be asked:
Has the Spirit of the Lord become impatient with you?
Has he done these things?
Are his words good for those who live honestly?

Recently, my people have turned into enemies.
You take coats from those who pass by without a care
as they return from war.
You force the women among my people out of their pleasant homes
and take my glory away from their children forever.
Get up, and go away!
This is not a place to rest!
It will be destroyed, completely destroyed,
because it offends me.
Liars and frauds may go around and say,
“We will preach to you about wine and liquor.”
They would be just the type of preacher you want.

Israel Will Be Gathered Again by the Lord

2:12 I will surely gather all of you, Jacob.
I will surely bring together the few people left in Israel.
I will gather them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture.
They will make a lot of noise
because there will be so many people.
⌞The Lord⌟ will open the way and lead them.
They will break out, go through the gate, and leave.
Their king will travel in front of them.
The Lord will lead the people.

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Coming Home – Tamir Grinberg ✖️ Shiri Maimon (For the Israelis kidnapped by Hamas)

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NT Reading: Matthew 24:15-31 (GW)

24:15 “The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. When you see this (let the reader take note), those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses. Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats.

“How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. Pray that it will not be winter or a day of rest—a holy day, when you flee. There will be a lot of misery at that time, a kind of misery that has not happened from the beginning of the world until now and will certainly never happen again. If God does not reduce the number of those days, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.

“At that time don’t believe anyone who tells you, ‘Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’ False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work spectacular, miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, even those whom God has chosen. Listen! I’ve told you this before it happens. So if someone tells you, ‘He’s in the desert!’ don’t go out ⌞looking for him⌟. And don’t believe anyone who says, ‘He’s in a secret place!’ The Son of Man will come again just as lightning flashes from east to west. Vultures will gather wherever there is a dead body.

“Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. All the people on earth will cry in agony when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in the sky with power and great glory. He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.

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Our God Is Coming – Desperation Band (GloryToFatherGod)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.

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

The Season of Advent | 1st Friday 01 Dec 2023: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Zechariah 14:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 ~ excel in living a God-pleasing life

The Season of Advent | 1st Friday 01 Dec 2023

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

Opening:

Now then, brothers and sisters,
because of the Lord Jesus
we ask and encourage you
to excel in living a God-pleasing life
even more than you already do.
(1 Thessalonians 4:1)

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From Psalms: Psalm 8 – “Lord Make Us Turn To You” / Bill Monaghan

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OT Reading: Zechariah 14:1-9 (GW)

The Lord Will Fight the Nations

14:1 A day is going to come for the Lord when the loot you have taken will be divided among you. I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half of the people in the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people won’t be taken from the city.

Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as he does when he fights a battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, just east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives will be split in two, forming a very large valley from east to west. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and the other half will move toward the south. Then you will flee to the valley of my mountains, because this valley between the mountains will go as far as Azel. You will flee as you did from the earthquake at the time of King Uzziah of Judah. The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with him.

On that day there will be neither heat nor freezing cold. There will be one day—a day known to the Lord—with no difference between day and night. It will be light even in the evening.

Living Water from Jerusalem

14:8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it to the Dead Sea and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea. It will continue in summer and in winter.

The Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be the only Lord and his name the only name.

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Come, Lord Jesus [Sovereign Grace Music]

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NT Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 (GW)

Instructions on the Way Christians Should Live

4:1 Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a God-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you. You know what orders we gave you through the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him. Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way, not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don’t know God. No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this. God didn’t call us to be sexually immoral but to be holy. Therefore, whoever rejects this ⌞order⌟ is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

You don’t need anyone to write to you about the way Christians should love each other. God has taught you to love each other. In fact, you are showing love to all the Christians throughout the province of Macedonia. We encourage you as believers to excel in love even more. Also, make it your goal to live quietly, do your work, and earn your own living, as we ordered you. Then your way of life will win respect from those outside ⌞the church⌟, and you won’t have to depend on anyone else for what you need.

Comfort about Christians Who Have Died

14:13 Brothers and sisters, we don’t want you to be ignorant about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and came back to life. We also believe that, through Jesus, God will bring back those who have died. They will come back with Jesus. We are telling you what the Lord taught. We who are still alive when the Lord comes will not go ⌞into his kingdom⌟ ahead of those who have already died. The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet ⌞call⌟ of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort each other with these words!

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More Like Jesus | Passion | Sounds of Hope Lyrics