Tag: Universalis

Monday of 7th Week of Easter, 29 May – John 16:29-33 ~ take heart

Monday of the Seventh Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, when your Son Jesus had to pass through trials, he knew that you were with him and he committed himself into your hands. In this way he brought us your peace. As those baptized into his name, let your Spirit help us be brave when suffering and difficulties come our way, that, like your Son and with him, we may overcome evil in ourselves and in the world. May our pains give birth to love and peace and hope for others. We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Reading: John 16:29-33 (NLT)

Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”

Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
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Reflection & Prayer:

Merciful God: on this Memorial Day in America, we remember the many trials and sorrows of those who have died in service to our country. We pray for them and their families – that they may forever rest in your perfect peace.

We have no illusions that we can bring about peace on earth; at best, we can stand in the gap when the forces of evil threaten to overwhelm us. And today, we thank you especially for the men and women who gave their lives to do just that.

We look to you alone, O Lord, for peace on earth; you have overcome the world – in you we put our trust. Reach out to us, reveal yourself to us, surprise us – that we may find light and strength to face the challenges of today.

We have no idea what lies ahead of us, but we do know that, come what may, you are with us – you will never leave us or forsake us. Give us the surety of your Spirit – that we may experience your liberating presence and peace.

Sovereign God: you have defeated the ruler of this world, once and for all, through Jesus’ sacrifice of love. Give us courage to continue to engage this defeated enemy, and suffer further hardship if need be, even as we declare your victory – through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Take Heart” – Hillsong United


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 16:1-2,5 (NLT)

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”
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Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Sunday: The Ascension of the Lord, 28 May – Matthew 28:16-20 ~ enthroned in majesty

Sunday: The Ascension of the Lord

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

Opening Prayer

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
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“Behold Our God” – Praise And Harmony Singers


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Reading: Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT)

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
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Reflection & Prayer:

God of majesty, yours is the power that raised Christ from death, yours the glory that exalted him to your right hand – enthroned with you in majesty forever.

+ Send us your Spirit: that he may live in and through us, and bear witness that we are your children.

+ Send us your Spirit: that we may make disciples – baptizing, teaching, and healing with power and authority.

+ Send us your Spirit: that we may lead lives worthy of this calling to which we have been called.

+ Send us your Spirit: that we may be humble and gentle – patient, loving, and peaceful with each other.

+ Send us your Spirit: that we may be generous, warm-hearted and unselfish – putting the needs of others ahead of our own.

Lord God: through the Holy Spirit grant us the desire to seek your kingdom and your justice; strengthen our resolve to know you and the Father. Grant this through Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead, who lives and reigns with you now and always in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Be Enthroned” – Jeremy Riddle | Bethel Music


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 150 (NLT)

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

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

Saturday of 6th Week of Easter, 27 May – John 16:23-28 ~ in Jesus’ name

Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, merciful Father, it is hard for us to accept pain, for we know that you have made us for joyous life to the full. When suffering cuts to the core of our being, help us to discover the depth of our inner freedom and love, and all the faith and loyalty of which we are capable, together with, and by the power of, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading: John 16:23-28 (NLT)

“At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

“I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
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Reflection & Prayer:

Our Father: Thank you for the privilege of coming into your presence through faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Quiet our hearts before you as we abide in the beauty of your holiness.

Unite our hearts with yours; make our wills your will; give us the mind of Christ that we might truly love you with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Make us more concerned about what we can give to you, than about what we can receive from you.

Holy Spirit: help us in our weakness when we don’t know how to pray. Give expression to the yearnings of our hearts that the Father may grant our requests presented in harmony with his own will. Fill us with abundant joy and infuse our lives with the Father’s tender love for us that we may rest assured in him, come what may.

I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“In Jesus’ Name” – Third Day w/ Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant & Michael Tait

The blind have sight | The deaf now hear | The lame will walk | The lost drawn near | And with new life | The dead are raised | All through the power | In Jesus name

The tired find rest | The sick are healed | The mysteries of our God revealed | And now the truth | Can be proclaimed | All through the power | In Jesus name

Name above all names | Savior and our Lord | Every knee will bow | And every tongue confess | No other name is given | By which we can be saved | Let us find our life and love | In Jesus name

The thirsty filled | The hungry fed | And those who mourn | Are comforted | The chains are broken | That have enslaved | We’re offered freedom | In Jesus name

There is power | There is hope | There is love like you’ve never known | There is forgiveness | And healing from your pain | All through the power | In Jesus name

Let us find our life and love | In Jesus name
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 47:8-9 (NLT)

God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne. The rulers of the world have gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham. For all the kings of the earth belong to God. He is highly honored everywhere.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Friday of the 6th Week of Easter, 26 May – John 16:20-23 ~ labor pains

Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, merciful Father, it is hard for us to accept pain, for we know that you have made us for joyous life to the full. When suffering cuts to the core of our being, help us to discover the depth of our inner freedom and love, and all the faith and loyalty of which we are capable, together with, and by the power of, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading: John 16:20-23 (NLT)

I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Hold before us a vision of life abundant and full, life eternal and joyous, life forever in your presence – no tears, no death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain.

Sustain us by the power of your Spirit during this present age of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. All of your people are affected by the perversity of our society, and some of us are experiencing great suffering because of the heartlessness and cruelty of evil personified.

We hold on to your promise that our suffering and pain will be transformed into joy – even as a mother’s pain in childbirth gives way to the wonder of new life. Encourage your tired and persecuted people today with confident assurance that the day of vindication and deliverance is near, that your Kingdom truly will come with clarity and justice, the pure light of life devoid of darkness.

Through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Let Your Kingdom Come” – Hillsong


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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 47:1-2 (NLT)

Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Thursday of 6th Week of Easter, 25 May – John 16:16-20 ~ in a little while

Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

Opening Prayer

Lord God, Heavenly Father, you are not far away from me, for in you I live and move and exist and you live in me through your Holy Spirit. Be indeed with me, Lord, send me your Holy Spirit of truth and through him deepen my understanding of the life and message of your Son, that I may accept the full truth and live by it consistently. I ask this through Christ my Lord.

Reading: John 16:16-20 (NLT)

“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”

Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.
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Reflection & Prayer:

Lord Jesus: the very thought of your absence in my life leads me to despair – for in you I live, and move, and have my being. Thank you for sending me your Spirit to be with me forever.

Help me to understand what you mean by “in a little while;” I’m as confused as your first disciples were.

With 20-20 hindsight, I recognize the relative shortness of time between your death, your resurrection, your ascension, and the coming of your Spirit. But here I sit two thousand years later, by human reckoning, waiting for your return in glory. And that seems to be a very long time, especially for those suffering persecution, anguish and sadness with no end in sight.

Fill all your people with your Spirit; renew your presence within us and refresh our trust in you – especially in times of trial, testing, persecution and great suffering. I pray especially for those suffering from the evil of terrorists and the evil states that sponsor and encourage them. Lord, deliver your people from evil.

Lord Jesus: I realize that with you “a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.” You and I have a much different perspective on time. Nevertheless, I hold onto your promise that “in a little while” our grief will suddenly turn into wonderful joy and the whole world will rejoice.

Even so, Lord, come quickly!
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“He’s coming again” – Messianic Jewish Singer Joshua Aaron

Asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo | Who was and is and is to come | My Savior came, gave His life for me | And I know He’s coming back to bring me home

I know He’s coming again | I know He’s coming again | Yes, I know | He’s coming again | I know He’s coming again | He’s coming again, He’s coming again

We’ll keep on singing ‘til | He comes again | Then we’ll sing some more | We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Until we reach the golden shores

We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Then we’ll sing some more | We’ll keep on singing ‘til He comes again | Then we’ll sing forevermore!
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Concluding Prayer – Psalm 98:3-4 (NLT)

He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!