Praying the Psalms: Tue, 30 Oct – Psalm 105 ~ Give thanks to the Lord!

Praying the Psalms

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

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 105 (NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. He always stands by his covenant—the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:

“I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.”

He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf:

“Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.”

He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.

Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham. And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies. Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the Lord’s servants.

But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham. The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go. He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish. Then frogs overran the land and even invaded the king’s bedrooms. When the Lord spoke, flies descended on the Egyptians, and gnats swarmed across Egypt. He sent them hail instead of rain, and lightning flashed over the land. He ruined their grapevines and fig trees and shattered all the trees. He spoke, and hordes of locusts came—young locusts beyond number. They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields. Then he killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home, the pride and joy of each family.

The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly. The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven. He split open a rock, and water gushed out to form a river through the dry wasteland. For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham. So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing. He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted. All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions.

Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Thank you! You watch over and bless your people today, even as you watched over and blessed Israel long ago –

+ for you are faithful to your covenants forever…
+ for you are faithful to your promises forever…
+ for you work out our salvation in real-time…
+ for you decimate your opposition…
+ for you raise up godly leaders…

O Lord our God: Thank you for the new covenant you have made with us in Jesus Christ! Make us a holy people, faithful and obedient, that we might show others your goodness – light in the darkness – a source of help, healing and hope. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“Psalm 105” (Give Thanks) – Sean Dayton

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you 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.

Praying the Psalms: Mon, 29 Oct – Psalm 104 ~ O Lord my God, how great you are!

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 104 (NLT)

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.

You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains. At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away. Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth.

You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth—wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength. The trees of the Lord are well cared for—the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses. High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.

You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about. Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God. At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest. Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.

They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made! The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: You are the greatest, and the world you made shows it –

+ for you made the dry earth, and filled it with life-sustaining water…
+ for you made the vegetation, from blades of grass to mighty trees…
+ for you made every creature, and gave each one a purpose and place…
+ for you made humankind, and gave us reason and moral choice…

O Lord our God: You are the greatest, and your work among us shows it –

+ for you sustain the universe in all its splendor…
+ for you sustain the atom in all its variety…
+ for you sustain the earth, everywhere and in everything…
+ for you sustain humankind, wisely and benevolently…

O Lord our God: You are the greatest, and your Son, Jesus Christ, shows it –

+ for it’s through him that we live joyfully and happily in this wondrous world….
+ for it’s through him that we find peace with you, and rest for our souls…
+ for it’s through him that we live full, satisfying lives – now and forever…
+ for it’s through him that we receive mercy and grace when we need it most…

O Lord our God: You are the greatest!
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“Psalm 104” – Psalm Project Africa

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost – 28 Oct – Mark 10:46-52 ~ your faith has made you well

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer

Have pity on us, God our Savior. Grant us grace and courage to cast off our sins and turn to you for healing and new life. Show us in Christ the sure path of salvation and strengthen us to follow him gladly. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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“All My Hope” – Tauren Wells / Crowder

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Gospel Reading: Mark 10:46-52 (NLT)

Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”

So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.

“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
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Prayers of Intercession:

O Lord our God: Thank you for welcoming us into your presence through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Hear our prayers, Lord, and help us in our time of need –

+ for all who gather in your name throughout the world – that we may be one in Christ Jesus…
+ for all who are persecuted because of their faith – that we may be delivered from evil by Christ Jesus…
+ for all who are suffering – physically, emotionally, spiritually – that we may be healed by faith in Christ Jesus…
+ for all who cannot see – physically and spiritually – that our eyes may be opened by Christ Jesus…
+ for all who are young in faith – that we may become rooted in the grace and truth of Christ Jesus…
+ for all who have died in faith – that they may forever live peacefully in the presence of Christ Jesus…

O Lord our God: We rejoice in your loving-kindness as we present our needs to you. May those who plant the seeds of your Kingdom in weeping be restored with great shouts of joy at your Kingdom harvest, through Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
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“Psalm 126” – Sojourn Music

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Blessing – Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

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

Praying the Psalms: Sat, 27 Oct – Psalm 103 ~ Let all that I am praise the Lord!

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 103 (NLT) – A psalm of David.

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.

Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Let all that I am – my heart, my mind, and my soul – praise your holy Name –

+ for you have shown me your mercy and loving-kindness; I am forgiven…
+ for you have shown me your healing power; I am renewed…
+ for you have shown me your sacrificial love; I am redeemed…
+ for you have shown me your compassion; I am loved…
+ for you have shown me your peace; I am content…
+ for you have shown me your Kingdom; I am born again…

O Lord our God: Let all that I am – my heart, my mind, and my soul – praise your holy Name; for you have sent your Son to save my soul, and it’s in his Name that I pray and give you the glory. Amen.
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“Psalms 103” – Brush Arbor

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Praying the Psalms: Fri, 26 Oct – Psalm 102 ~ hope in despair

Praying the Psalms

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

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 102 (NLT) – A prayer of one overwhelmed with trouble, pouring out problems before the Lord.

Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Don’t turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you.

For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals.
My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite.
Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones.
I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness.
I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof.
My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me.
I eat ashes for food.
My tears run down into my drink because of your anger and wrath.
For you have picked me up and thrown me out.
My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows.
I am withering away like grass.

But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation. You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem—and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help. For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. Then the nations will tremble before the Lord. The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory.

For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory.
He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas.

Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord. Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven

to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to release those condemned to die.

And so the Lord’s fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord.

He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days. But I cried to him,

“O my God, who lives forever, don’t take my life while I am so young! Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever. The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence.”

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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Here the cries of your people living in despair; answer them with mercy and grace –

+ for they are near death; their lives are slipping away…
+ for they are filled with sorrow; they are weak and helpless…
+ for they are wasting away; reduced to skin and bones…
+ for they are isolated; alone and friendless…
+ for they are miserable; cursed by their enemies…
+ for they are distraught; your anger torments them…

O Lord our God: Here the cries of your people living in despair; answer them with mercy and grace –

+ for you are eternal; you rule and reign forever…
+ for you are unchanging: your loving-kindness lasts forever…
+ for you are present; your redemption is near…
+ for you are good; your restoration brings blessing…
+ for you are kind; your deliverance brings joyful praise…

O Lord our God: Here the cries of your people living in despair; answer them with mercy and grace. For you are able, through your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to you, Lord God, in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
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“Psalm 102” (To this my prayer O listen Lord) – Jason Coghill