Tag: The Season of Advent

Advent Daily Prayer: 16 December – Isaiah 9:6-7 ~ a son is given to us

The Season of Advent

Advent Daily Readings and Prayer

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

Opening sentence

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
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Morning Reading: Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

A-Child-is-Born

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
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Prayer:

Christ Jesus: May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

+ Everlasting Father – work out Your Kingdom plan and purpose for us in Your own way and time; our hope is in You.
+ Wonderful Counselor – rule in us with fairness and justice that righteousness may be vindicated and evil overcome.
+ Prince of Peace – rule in us with never-ending peace that we may experience contentment, completeness, wholeness, well being and harmony.
+ Mighty God – employ all the power of Heaven’s Armies that Your Kingdom may be established among us now in these times of distress and fear.

Christ Jesus, Light of the world – shine in our darkness and may all who love You love Your Light.
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“Kerstnacht 2014: For Unto Us A Child Is Born – JV Maranatha”

Distressed and hungry they will look toward the earth and see distress and darkness and a desperate gloom of fear. The land of Zebulun He humbled and the land of Naphtali, though in the future He will honor Galilee. But nevertheless, on those living in the land of darkness a light has dawned. And happiness and joy will fill their hearts.

For unto us a Child is born, For unto us a Son is given And the government shall be upon His shoulder.

Be broken all you enemies! Strap on your armor and be shattered, speak a word but God shall be with us! Take notice oppressed, on those living in the land of darkness a light has dawned. And happiness and joy will fill their hearts.

For unto us a Child is born, For unto us a Son is given And the government shall be upon His shoulder. And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

For unto us a Child is born, For unto us a Son is given And the government shall be upon His shoulder.
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Canticle

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

Blessing

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)

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

Advent Daily Prayer: 15 December – Psalm 89:1-4 ~ kings forever

The Season of Advent

Advent Daily Readings and Prayer

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

Opening sentence

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
__________

Morning Reading: Psalm 89:1-4 NLT

Russian icon of St. David, the Prophet and King, 18th century (iconostasis of Kizhi monastery)
Russian icon of St. David, the Prophet and King, 18th century (iconostasis of Kizhi monastery)

I will sing of the lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

The lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him: ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
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Prayer:

Gracious God: Thank You for Your unfailing love and faithfulness revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

+ Make Your home in my heart – that I may be rooted in Your love.
+ Fulfill Your requirements in me – that I may do no wrong to others.
+ Strengthen my faith in Christ – that I may love Your people everywhere.
+ Fill me with Godly compassion – that I may generously respond to people in need.

Thank You, Father, for calling me Your child – may I begin to understand the depth of Your love for me and live as a royal heir of my King. Through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever faithful. Amen.
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“Once in Royal David’s City”


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Canticle

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

Blessing

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)

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

Advent Daily Prayer: 14 December – Acts 3:17-26 ~ a season for refreshment

The Season of Advent

Advent Daily Readings and Prayer

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

Opening sentence

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
__________

Morning Reading: Acts 3:17-26 NLT

Times-of-refreshing

“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah — that he must suffer these things. Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’

“Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”
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Prayer:

Mighty and Everlasting God: Send us a season of refreshment; fill the whole world with the glory of Your presence.

+ We turn away from the sin and death that has corrupted our world and co-opted our participation. Forgive us Lord.
+ We turn to You today to linger in Your presence and be filled with Your Spirit. Show us Your glory, Lord.
+ Shape the way we think, they way we feel, the way we act by Your Word. Write Your Word on our hearts, Lord.
+ Live and move in us today for apart from You we can do no good thing. Examine our hearts, Lord.
+ Give us a willing and humble spirit that is ready to love and serve You. Lead on, Lord.

Restore us, refresh us, we pray – through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen.
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“Immanuel” – Songs Of Praise


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Canticle

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

Blessing

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)

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

Advent Daily Prayer: 12 December – 1 Samuel 3:19-20; 1 Samuel 7:5-17 ~ up to this point the Lord has helped me

The Season of Advent

Advent Daily Readings and Prayer

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

Opening sentence

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Mark 1:2-3 NLT)
__________

Morning Reading: 1 Samuel 3:19-20 NLT

Samuel Icon
The icon of the prophet Samuel from the collection of the Donetsk regional art museum, Ukraine

As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable. And all Israel, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the Lord.

Morning Reading: 1 Samuel 7:5-17 NLT

Then Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. (It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)

When the Philistine rulers heard that Israel had gathered at Mizpah, they mobilized their army and advanced. The Israelites were badly frightened when they learned that the Philistines were approaching. “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel. So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.

Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them. The men of Israel chased them from Mizpah to a place below Beth-car, slaughtering them all along the way.

Ebenezer stone

Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”

So the Philistines were subdued and didn’t invade Israel again for some time. And throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the Lord’s powerful hand was raised against the Philistines. The Israelite villages near Ekron and Gath that the Philistines had captured were restored to Israel, along with the rest of the territory that the Philistines had taken. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites in those days.

Samuel continued as Israel’s judge for the rest of his life. Each year he traveled around, setting up his court first at Bethel, then at Gilgal, and then at Mizpah. He judged the people of Israel at each of these places. Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.
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Prayer:

Promise-Keeping God: Remind me today of the help You have given me up to this point in my life –

+ You made me on purpose and gave me a future and a hope….
+ You placed me in a birth family and adopted me into Your forever family….
+ You forgave me when I disappointed You and wandered off Your narrow path….
+ You always welcomed me home with open arms and never stopped loving me….
+ You light my way through the darkness and lift me up when I fall down….
+ You guide me through the wilderness and protect me through the storms….
+ You give me Your Word to to teach me what’s true, show me what’s wrong, and enable me to do what’s right….
+ You give me Your Spirit so that I can live in Your presence and fulfill Your purpose for me….

Lord God Almighty: Thank You for the help You have given me up to this point… and Your promise to be with me forever. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who secured Your promises with His life, death, and resurrection. And thank You for Your Spirit who lives in me and works through me. You, O Lord, have exceeded all my expectations – I look forward with joyful anticipation to the future You unfold for me. Amen.
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“My Help Comes From The Lord” – The Museum


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Canticle

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

Blessing

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people. (Revelation 22:20-21 NLT)

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