5th Sunday after Pentecost: 09 July – Matthew 11:25-30 ~ rest for the weary

5th Sunday after Pentecost

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

Opening Prayer

Father, Lord of heaven and earth, by whose gracious will the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed to the childlike, teach us humility of heart after the example of your Son, that in shouldering his yoke we may find refreshment and rest. 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. Amen.
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“Song Of Moses” – Aaron Keyes

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Reading: Matthew 11:25-30 (NLT)

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
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Prayer:

Our God is kind and compassionate; he welcomes us into his presence and listens to the cries of our hearts –

+ That believers everywhere may learn to trust in your gentle support….

+ That leaders in every tribe and nation may work for peace….

+ That the people of Syria and Iraq may be delivered from violence and danger….

+ That civil debate and discourse might replace the politics of personal destruction….

+ That all who labor and are overburdened may find rest, physically and spiritually….

+ That those who suffer in body, soul or spirit may be healed by Christ Jesus….

+ For all who have died in war, or in service to their country, that they may be raised to eternal life with Christ Jesus….

God of compassion and faithfulness, you raise up all who are bowed down: hear our prayer we ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Psalm 62” – Aaron Keyes

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Concluding Prayer –

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. – 2 Th. 2:16-17 (NLT)
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Sat, 08 July – Philippians 3-4 ~ priceless

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

+ 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.

Reading: Philippians 3-4 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Heavenly Father: I declare that all the human recognition and accomplishments of my life are worthless in comparison to the priceless value of knowing your Son, Jesus Christ my Lord, and the everlasting life he has given me through faith. I believe this to be true, and have staked my life on it; but I confess that I do not always live out its truth. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned – by devaluing this gracious gift of your love.

Priceless

Phi 3:8-11 (NLT) – Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

+ Lord Jesus: make me one with you through faith; in your righteousness, in your suffering, and in your resurrection to eternal life. And fill me with the power of your Spirit to live it out today.

Pressing on

Phi 3:12-14 (NLT) – I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

+ Holy Spirit: empower me to press on, keeping faith with what I believe, regardless of my past failures to live it out. I offer myself to you today; help me to live as the new creation you have made me – with eternity always in mind.

Citizen of heaven

Phi 3:20-21 (NLT) – But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

+ Heavenly Father: I confess that I too easily get caught up in the affairs of my life in this world, but the older I get, the more I realize its fragility and transiency. Show me today how I can live as a citizen of heaven; what must I say and do differently to honor you?

Rejoicing and praying

Phi 4:4-7 (NLT) – Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Lord Jesus: walk and talk with me throughout the day that I may live as a faithful witness to your mercy and grace. Make my life a running conversation with you as my closest companion, and grant me your peace.

Fixing my thinking

Phi 4:8-9 (NLT) – And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Holy Spirit: focus my thinking on all that is good, and right, and true that I might live out my faith and bring honor to your name – through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

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“Press On” – Selah

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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, 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!

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Fri, 07 July – Luke 17-18 ~ walking with Jesus

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

+ 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.

Reading: Luke 17-18 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Lord Jesus: you taught your disciples eternal truths in real-life settings as you traveled from place to place. Apply these ancient truths to my contemporary real-life circumstances that I may love and serve you as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. All to the glory of your name.

On Forgiveness

Luke 17:3-4 – “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

+ Lord Jesus: give me the courage to confront wrongdoers, the mercy to accept their repentance, and the grace to forgive them – even repeat offenders.

On Thankfulness

Luke 17:15-16 – One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!”He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

+ Lord Jesus: you have forgiven my sins, you have healed my diseases, you have established me on the path to eternal life. Forgive me for taking these wonderful gifts of grace for granted; fill me with a spirit of wonder and thanksgiving for all you have done for me – that I may continually give you my worship and praise.

On Persistence

Luke 18:7-8 – So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!

+ Lord Jesus: you teach me to never give up on prayer, especially when justice for your people is involved. And so I pray again for protection and provision for persecuted Christians and Jews around the world; and I pray for America that we may be restored as one nation under God.

On Humility

Luke 18:13 – “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’”

+ Lord Jesus; give me your attitude of humility that I may see myself as you see me – a sinner desperately in need of your forgiveness; and never take for granted your mercy and grace.

On the Kingdom of God

Luke 17:26-27 – “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luke 18:17 – “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

Luke 18:24 – When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!

Lord Jesus: your kingdom come, your will be done; keep me alert and prepared, innocent and open to all you have for me, and free from the bondage of things that are here today and gone tomorrow.
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“Walk With Me” – Jesus Culture

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Thu, 06 July – Ezekiel 25-30 ~ judgement

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

+ 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.

Reading: Ezekiel 25-30 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” – Genesis 12:3 (NLT)

Eze 25:6-7 – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you clapped and danced and cheered with glee at the destruction of my people, I will raise my fist of judgment against you. I will give you as plunder to many nations. I will cut you off from being a nation and destroy you completely. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

Judgement

Sovereign Lord: you have made a covenant of blessing and protection with the Jewish people – to bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. Your judgement on those who do the Jewish people harm or profit from doing them harm is absolute.

And, Lord, you have made a new covenant of blessing and protection with your people in the church through faith in Jesus Christ – to bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them. Your judgement on those who do Christians harm or profit from doing them harm is no less absolute.

Sovereign Lord: visit our world today – enact your righteous judgement on those who would persecute and oppress your people, both Jew and Christian. Expose their evil schemes and put them to shame – that all may know you are the Lord. Through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Restoration

Eze 28:25-26 – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
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“Come To Me” – Bethel Music

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

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

Reading, Reflection & Prayer: Wed, 05 July – Proverbs 10 ~ wisdom

Reading, Reflection & Prayer

+ 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.

Reading: Proverbs 10 (NLT) – click here

Reflection & Prayer

Be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. – Ephesians 5:15

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. – James 1:5

Generous God: I need your wisdom more than ever to know how to live as a citizen of heaven in these changing and confusing times. Show me how to apply these eternal truths from today’s readings to my present circumstances that I might live a joy-filled life.

Wisdom brings joy

Pro 10:1a – “A wise child brings joy to a father…”

Wisdom will:

Save my life, satisfy my hunger, motivate me to work hard, bring me blessings, build happy memories, make me teachable, guide me safely, promote peace, become life-giving, give me understanding and common sense, enhance my life, correct me, restrain me, be an encouragement to others, and provide a lasting foundation for my life – grounding me in the hope and happiness that comes from reverence of God.

Foolishness brings grief

Pro 10:1b – “a foolish child brings grief to a mother.”

Foolishness will:

Lead me to dissatisfaction and wickedness, laziness, irresponsibility, disgrace, violence, corruption, trouble, failure, hatred, quarrels, disaster, punishment, destruction, dissipation, lies, deceit, fear and hopelessness; foolish people talk endlessly about nothing and irritate others. Foolish people ignore God and live shallow precarious lives.

Generous God; I look to you today for wisdom to honor you in what I say and do, and to be an encouragement to those around me. Through Jesus Christ my Lord – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“God I look to You” – Bethel Music